Search Support

Avoid support scams. We will never ask you to call or text a phone number or share personal information. Please report suspicious activity using the “Report Abuse” option.

Learn More

Why is Firefox's video playback ability gettting worse and worse as time goes on?

  • 2 replies
  • 4 have this problem
  • 18 views
  • Last reply by tbritton

more options

It seems like no matter which type of video player or plugin is being used in FF, the video and interface will lag like crazy anytime you mouse over and try to use/click anything. It's really bad in YouTube, but it happens pretty much everywhere else as well.

I have tried running in SafeMode to see if any of my addons were causing the issue, but the problem persisted to an equal degree while in it.

I really do enjoy using FF more than Chrome, but you guys are making it really, really hard for me to want to stay. Even though it has been argued that Chrome is no faster, it definitely seems to be at the very least on the basis of perception. It's definitely "faster" from a smoothness and stability standpoint when talking about video playback.

The the speed difference, even if it is just perception, has not been enough to sway me from liking some features that I can get through FF's addons that I can't get with Chrome extensions. I've tried switching before, and it just isn't quite there yet for me in functionality. The weird, seemingly continual degradation is about to make me put up with whatever minor functionality may be lost in other browsers, however. I'm already at a point where I switch to Chrome anytime I watch YouTube videos, and it's getting close to be what I use for everything else.

It seems like no matter which type of video player or plugin is being used in FF, the video and interface will lag like crazy anytime you mouse over and try to use/click anything. It's really bad in YouTube, but it happens pretty much everywhere else as well. I have tried running in SafeMode to see if any of my addons were causing the issue, but the problem persisted to an equal degree while in it. I really do enjoy using FF more than Chrome, but you guys are making it really, really hard for me to want to stay. Even though it has been argued that Chrome is no faster, it definitely seems to be at the very least on the basis of perception. It's definitely "faster" from a smoothness and stability standpoint when talking about video playback. The the speed difference, even if it is just perception, has not been enough to sway me from liking some features that I can get through FF's addons that I can't get with Chrome extensions. I've tried switching before, and it just isn't quite there yet for me in functionality. The weird, seemingly continual degradation is about to make me put up with whatever minor functionality may be lost in other browsers, however. I'm already at a point where I switch to Chrome anytime I watch YouTube videos, and it's getting close to be what I use for everything else.

Modified by Kaldari

All Replies (2)

more options

I update my Flash player pretty regularly, so I didn't think that would be the issue. I would say I do it around once a month or perhaps a bit longer if I don't think about it.

I just did another update, and the laggy video interface issue seems to be corrected. So there's a definite improvement, and I won't be switching to Chrome anytime soon now. Hopefully things stay smooth from here on out.

more options

Watch this video in Firefox vs Chrome (or IE or Opera...) and notice the geometrical distortion and jerkiness (called "tearing" in video circles) that happens in Firefox but not in other browsers. Chrome is the smoothest with the fewest dropped frames. Firefox is the only one that adds this distortion (watch the rectangles closely...)

GH3 vs Sony HDR-CX550V motion stutter test vid #1