Flash player is so slow on my new netbook!

Report · Aug 06, 2010

Hi. I am running Ubuntu Netbook Edition on a Samsung NB30 netbook. Every time I play or use something that involves Adobe's flash, the performance is terrible. The BBC iPlayer desktop (which uses Adobe Air) is also really bad!!

No other programs on this netbook - except Adobe's Flash and Air - make it slow and flash player crashes about once a day in Google Chrome.

Are Adobe even aware that Flash and iPlayer Desktop (which uses Adobe Air) are so slow and unreliable on Linux??

Why is the performance this bad. Any ideas??????

Report · Aug 07, 2010

Flash player works better (but is still slow) on the netbook if I DON'T play youtube videos at the same time as using flash-based chat rooms.

As for BBC iPlayer, both the online and desktop versions (which use Adobe flash and Adobe Air respectively) are very slow and video playback is not very good at all, even if I close all other programs first.

I don't think Adobe know how resource-intensive these programs are and they are not suitable for netbooks, even brand-new ones like mine. After a while of running several flash-based chat rooms, the screen flickers!!

Everything EXCEPT Adobe flash and Adobe Air (iPlayer Desktop) run perfectly ok.

How can I contact the Adobe team directly to tell them that these 2 Adobe programs are not currently able to run on netbooks at an acceptable speed? I know that Adobe had to improve the loading speed of "Acrobat Reader" a few years ago for the same reasons.

Any replies gratefully received.

Report · Aug 09, 2010

To Adobe (this message is NOT meant for the kind volunteers who do care in these forums) - thanks for not bothering to investigate why your Flash player runs too slowly on netbooks. I've done my research and I can see that Adobe Flash has been proven to run faster on Microsoft Windows ("surprise surprise" - makes you wonder if Microsoft gives out back-handers with their abundant supply of money in order to keep everyone locked into their products??!!).

How come I can run a game emulator perfectly ok in fullscreen on my netbook - Kega Fusion - yet Adobe Flash and Adobe Air for "BBC iPlayer Destkop" run too slowly???? For anyone who hasn't read my earlier posts, I use Ubuntu Netbook Edition and ALL other programs run perfectly, but Adobe Flash and the Adobe Air needed for BBC iPlayer Desktop are not up to the job, they are just too slow and bloated!!!! I can't even watch iPlayer on my netbook, I have to use my other computer - a desktop - just to watch programmes I missed on the BBC. We pay lots of money for a TV licence here in the UK just for the BBC (the other channels are funded by advertisements) - yet we are still FORCED to use Adobe's buggy and bloated products just to watch any BBC programmes online.

Adobe Flash player has an appalling security track record, along with "Adobe Reader", they are slow and buggy and Adobe themselves don't care as long as us poor Joe-public are locked into their perfect monopoly. There are NO other alternatives to Adobe's Flash player which are as universally compatible with Flash videos and sites like YouTube won't even work if you use something like "Gnash".

I am VERY angry with Adobe about all this and I personally HATE the company (and Microsoft) more than raw sewage!! For as long as Adobe and Microsoft conduct their monopolistic behaviour, cut corners and deliver products that are over-bloated, buggy and insecure, then I'm know that many people will discover the world of "open source" and Linux - free of all this nonsense.

Report · Aug 09, 2010

Hi, I don't have any experience with your operating system, but I can give you some general info. First you want to go to this test site to see what version of Flash Player you have Installed and whether you can see the animation.

http://www.adobe.com/software/flash/about/

About BBC iPlayer, there are problems with their site and yes Windows users, with various browsers have problems also.

One thing that users are doing when they have Installed Flash Player 10.1 is turning off the hardware acceleration feature. Whey you go to that above test site, RIGHT click on the animation (Flash Player Logo) and click on Settings, then Display Settings.

Another thing that users have found is to make sure 3rd party content is enabled in the Global Settings Panel.

http://www.macromedia.com/support/documentation/en/flashplayer/help/settings_manager02.html

The following thread ( See Post # 10, 12 and 17) has info on the BBC iPlayer problems that other users had and what helped.

http://forums.adobe.com/thread/677670?tstart=0

Hope this information is helpful.

Thanks,

eidnolb

Report · Aug 09, 2010

Hi, thanks for your response. I REALLY appreciate your genuine help (my rant above is aimed at the people high-up in Adobe and Microsoft only).

To answer your questions, I followed your first link and I have Flash version 10,1,53,64 installed (if you install Ubuntu or any free Linux, you have to choose and install the package of "restricted extras" yourself, which contains Flash player, Java, MP3 support and so on; they cannot be legally included with the installation because of patent restrictions, licence agreements and other silly restrictions).

I tried un-ticking "Enable hardware acceleration" - but that makes NO difference whatsoever.

3rd party content is enabled in "Global Storage Settings panel".

I will investigate the link to BBC iPlayer problems.

Looks like Adobe has a *LOT* of work to do with Flash player, especially as netbooks and Linux (especially Ubuntu) are becoming increasingly popular. I have seen other people are not happy with Adobe and one person I've spoke to (whose name I won't mention) agrees with my rants.

Again, thanks for responding eidnolb - I hope one day I can use my netbook to watch BBC programmes online (or offline with "iPlayer Desktop"), watch "Flash" videos and access Flash chat rooms without the problems of slow and choppy video playback and slowing down my web browser.

Report · Aug 09, 2010

Hi, Oh I know you weren't ranting at me, otherwise I probably wouldn't have replied:-)

That's interesting about the "package", seems like it would save a lot of time. Of course it doesn't help if one program doesn't work. There are so many various programs and it seems like they all come with their many browser add ons that conflict not only with Flash Player(it's a browser plug-in) but with AV browser monitors and other add ons already there.

That is what I see continously from this side of the "fence". I battle them more than Flash Player:-)

I don't mind anyone ranting about anything, as long as it is fair. What I don't like is someone that has 40-50 browser add ons and every Toolbar known to man and 5-6 Anti-Virus/Spyware programs Installed and then blame Flash Player.

Now in addition to having Flash Player Installed, there is a ActiveX Control (for Windows IE) and for the rest of the non-Windows IE a SWF (Shockwave Flash) that is Installed into the browser and it must be enabled. You probably know where that is on your system. You may want to check for that, since it works with the Flash Player files.

There is a thread that I read about various kinds of Technical issues with BBC iPlayer and their site and Flash Player. If I can find it, I'll post it.

Hope you can get your issues resolved.

Thanks,

eidnolb

Report · Aug 13, 2010

Cheers for the info

Report · Aug 13, 2010

Hi, thanks. I have not had the time to search for that link yet. Flash Player updated on 8/10/10, the same day Microsoft had the monthly patch Tuesday, so I have been so busy due to those.

It would be a good idea if you wanted to, post to your thread and remind me of that link You don't have to tho. The thread is long and technical, but in a nutshell Adobe and the BBC are trying to work some technical issues out. That is what I gathered after reading it and quite a few users are following the progress.

Thanks,

eidnolb

If you find anything that helps with your issues, just give a shout out!! Most of the time other users are having the same problem you are having.

P.S. I meant to ask you, do you need Adobe Air for any reason? If not, you might consider removing it. It is not needed for Flash Player even tho it gets Installed sometimes. Not everyone has it tho unless they need it. You may want to read up on it and see what it is actually for and whether you need it.

Thanks,

e/

Message was edited by: eidnolb adding a P.S.

Report · Sep 17, 2010

I've given up, Flash player still pukes on my netbook. It's too slow, buggy and giving me no end of grief with it crashing etc!

NOTHING IS WORKING!! I'VE HAD ENOUGH!!

Is there *any* reason why flash is so bad on my netbook? I've stopped using the netbook for major web browsing as flash is a serious headache!!!!!!!!!!

Report · Sep 29, 2010

I've posted this comment somewhere else, and I'll post it here as well, because I have had problems with flash for many years, regardless of the version, operating system, or computer I've used....

Speed problems with Flash usually have nothing to do with the computer, but rather with Flash itself. Unfortunately, Flash has become ubiquitous on the internet, especially when it comes to video. Flash certainly has its uses, but video is not one of them. I can normally run 3 HD videos on my computer simultaneously with no problems (although that is pushing it a little), not that I ever have a use for doing that. Play even one video (not even HD) on my computer with Flash, and it uses 100% of my CPU and is still very choppy (don't even try to make it full screen). I'm sincerely hoping that HTML 5 replaces Flash for at least video.

Report · Sep 30, 2010

Thanks for your reply. I'm glad I'm not the only one who has problems with Adobe Flash being so slow.

Let's hope HTML5 cures all the video problems by allowing proper competition and the attitude of "my video software is the fastest". Maybe someone could write a video player for HTML5 in x86 assembly language. It's assembly language that makes the Sega emulator Kega Fusion run so fast.

Report · Sep 30, 2010

Hi, My specific problem was solved on another thread, but I agree with you. Flash seems to be causing a lot of browsers to slow down and freeze, especially this latest update. I am still finding lots of pages wanting to "stick" and run at a snail's pace. At least my pages are not freezing up like before. Hopefully the hard-working techs in Adobe will resolve these problems soon.

Report · Oct 30, 2010

does adobe permit the use of the open source media players ?

Report · Oct 30, 2010

I'm not aware that Adobe are against open source media players, but none of the open source Flash players are 100% compatible with sites like youtube.

I have seen promising results using the Opera web browser on youtube with videos in WebM instead of Flash format.

I have seen many complaints about the poor performance of Flash player and even Apple Inc. have realised that Flash player is more trouble than it's worth:

http://www.apple.com/hotnews/thoughts-on-flash/