Cannot play videos at MSN or MSNBC websites

Recently had a problem with the flash as there were too many flash plugins installed, so cleaned that up and installed just the one Adobe flash which seemed to correct the issue, but then found that some videos will start, stop, start, stop on and on until it finishes.

At MSN or MSNBC websites when trying to view a video, it just displays a white box and does not start the video. I have tried to play multiple videos at both sites and it does the same thing.

Pause the playback and let about 20% of the video cache, then play. Is it better?

Pause playback and letting about 20% of the video cache then start play again does not help, it just stalls it completely.

Here is one that I tried this morning at MSNBC

At the top of the screen it displayed: a white box with:

msnbc.com Video Player - Mozilla Firefox
http://www.msnbc.com/id/21134540/vp/40106475

Done

No video started or played.

 open firefox =tools =add ons in the list look for icetea and click disable see if that works .

Also try a different browser other than (crappy) firefox

In Firefox=tools=add ons= there is no icetea listed

Only addons shown are recommended ones as:
Amazon Assist
Ecofon for twitter
Flagfox
Fox Splitter (formerly Split Browser)
Tab Scope

What would be a recommended browser to use other than Firefox?

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:chromium-daily/ppa; sudo apt-get update; sudo apt-get install chromium-browser

Welcome to speed

keep your firefox actionparsnip just don`t like ff .
 do this application = software center = in the window at the top right type in java , in the list pick java 6 runtime and install . then clear the search window and type in adobe flash in the list look for adobe flash player and adobe flash plug in installer .

Different browser may work differently, and no I really don't like firefox at all.

 yours is the best for you but not for everybody .
like your best antivirus reply .

True but if one browser fails and there are others to try, they are worth investigating as a possibility

the problem aaron is having can be fixed i have had this to happen to me before . aaron`s tool list tells me so.

Greg;

I followed your suggestions as:

 do this application = software center = in the window at the top right type in java , in the list pick java 6 runtime and install . then clear the search window and type in adobe flash in the list look for adobe flash player and adobe flash plug in installer .

All three installed just fine, I then had to shut down to go to an appointment and when I returned I went to MSNBC and tried viewing several news videos and they would not play at all.

I even logged into the MSNBC website and it said that an email would be sent me but it was not received.

Any ideas?

I just went on the MSNBC site with windows (I'm at work) and it simply uses Flash

Can you give the output of:

lsb_release -a; uname -a; dpkg -l grep flash; dpkg -l grep gnash; dpkg -l grep swf

Thanks

Also make sure you disable stuff like adblock and flashblock whilst testing as it will add extra complications.

Results are:
Linux aaron-desktop 2.6.35-22-generic #35-Ubuntu SMP Sat Oct 16 20:36:48 UTC 2010 i686 GNU/Linux
Desired=Unknown/Install/Remove/Purge/Hold
| Status=Not/Inst/Conf-files/Unpacked/halF-conf/Half-inst/trig-aWait/Trig-pend
|/ Err?=(none)/Reinst-required (Status,Err: uppercase=bad)
||/ Name Version Description
+++-==============-==============-============================================
ii grep 2.6.3-3 GNU grep, egrep and fgrep
No packages found matching flash.
Desired=Unknown/Install/Remove/Purge/Hold
| Status=Not/Inst/Conf-files/Unpacked/halF-conf/Half-inst/trig-aWait/Trig-pend
|/ Err?=(none)/Reinst-required (Status,Err: uppercase=bad)
||/ Name Version Description
+++-==============-==============-============================================
ii gnash 0.8.8-5ubuntu1 GNU Shockwave Flash (SWF) player
ii grep 2.6.3-3 GNU grep, egrep and fgrep
Desired=Unknown/Install/Remove/Purge/Hold
| Status=Not/Inst/Conf-files/Unpacked/halF-conf/Half-inst/trig-aWait/Trig-pend
|/ Err?=(none)/Reinst-required (Status,Err: uppercase=bad)
||/ Name Version Description
+++-==============-==============-============================================
ii grep 2.6.3-3 GNU grep, egrep and fgrep
No packages found matching swf.

NOTE: I didn't follow these instructions as I don't know how to do them:
> Also make sure you disable stuff like adblock and flashblock whilst
> testing as it will add extra complications.

> To: <email address hidden>
> From: <email address hidden>
> Subject: Re: [Question #133468]: Cannot play videos at MSN or MSNBC websites
> Date: Wed, 10 Nov 2010 18:59:57 +0000
>
> Your question #133468 on Ubuntu changed:
> https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+question/133468
>
> Status: Open => Needs information
>
> actionparsnip requested for more information:
> I just went on the MSNBC site with windows (I'm at work) and it simply
> uses Flash
>
> Can you give the output of:
>
> lsb_release -a; uname -a; dpkg -l grep flash; dpkg -l grep gnash; dpkg
> -l grep swf
>
> Thanks
>
> Also make sure you disable stuff like adblock and flashblock whilst
> testing as it will add extra complications.
>
> --
> To answer this request for more information, you can either reply to
> this email or enter your reply at the following page:
> https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+question/133468
>
> You received this question notification because you are a direct
> subscriber of the question.

PeterPal;

I followed your suggestions and I am now able to play videos at MSN, MSNBC and CBS!

Would you please tell me how to do the following:

... after setting "toolkit.storage.synchronous" to "0" in about:config it runs rather fast.

Thank You for Your expert help!

Best Regards,

Aaron

Thanks PeterPall, that solved my question.

in the address bar type:

about:config

search for the value, if it doesn't exist then create a new integer value and set it to 0, or set the value if it exists.