1639531 - Use ffmpeg-full extension when it's already available on the host

Status: RESOLVED FIXED

(Release Engineering :: Release Automation: Other, enhancement)

Description

[Bartłomiej Piotrowski]

Firefox uses openh264 by default which sometimes stutters on videos; it can also use ffmpeg libraries to provide somewhat better experience but it's patent encumbered. Firefox Flatpak should use it only when user explicitly installed ffmpeg-full extension.

Comment 1

[Bartłomiej Piotrowski]

Attachment: Bug 1639531 - make flatpak aware of optional ffmpeg-full extension r=mtabara

Comment 2

[Mihai Tabara [:mtabara]⌚️GMT]

Comment on attachment 9150425 [details]
Bug 1639531 - make flatpak aware of optional ffmpeg-full extension r=mtabara

Beta/Release Uplift Approval Request

• User impact if declined: Flatpak users have poor video experience.
• Is this code covered by automated tests?: No
• Has the fix been verified in Nightly?: No
• Needs manual test from QE?: No
• If yes, steps to reproduce:
• List of other uplifts needed: None
• Risk to taking this patch: Low
• Why is the change risky/not risky? (and alternatives if risky):
• String changes made/needed:

Comment 3

[Pulsebot]

Pushed by [e-mail]:
https://hg.mozilla.org/integration/autoland/rev/e2595b61fb38
make flatpak aware of optional ffmpeg-full extension r=mtabara

Comment 4

[Andreea Pavel [:apavel]]

https://hg.mozilla.org/mozilla-central/rev/e2595b61fb38

Comment 5

[Pascal Chevrel:pascalc]

Comment on attachment 9150425 [details]
Bug 1639531 - make flatpak aware of optional ffmpeg-full extension r=mtabara

Fix video for Linux Flatpak users, the impacted population is very low but the impact for them is important, uplift approved for our last beta thanks.

Comment 6

[Sebastian Hengst [:aryx] (needinfo me if it's about an intermittent or backout)]

https://hg.mozilla.org/releases/mozilla-beta/rev/bb2ce87358c1

Comment 7

[Jeff Muizelaar [:jrmuizel]]

Is there a way we can make it required instead of optional?

Comment 8

[Bartłomiej Piotrowski]

Yes; https://hg.mozilla.org/mozilla-central/file/tip/taskcluster/docker/firefox-flatpak/runme.sh#l100 should be changed to false. My understanding is that Mihai couldn't get a "clearance" for making it installed automatically due to patents, even though it's Flathub that ships the patent-encumbered extension, not Mozilla.

Comment 10

[Gian-Carlo Pascutto [:gcp]]

Note that bug 1619988 might make it unnecessary to get these to get decent performance H264 playback.

Comment 11

[Jeff Muizelaar [:jrmuizel]]

OpenH264 still has bad performance, but at least now it decodes things properly.