1733282 - Full screen vp9 video playback on Windows consumes more power than chrome browser

Status: NEW

(Core :: Audio/Video: Playback, defect, P3)

Description

[Sotaro Ikeda [:sotaro]]

I measured laptop PC power usage by using power meter. It seems that Firefox uses more power than chrome browser during full screen video playback. And software video decoder used more power than hardware video decoder.

Comment 1

[Sotaro Ikeda [:sotaro]]

Attachment: about:support of dell xps 15 9570

Comment 2

[Sotaro Ikeda [:sotaro]]

I checked youtube video playback and local video playback on dell xps 15 9570

• [1] youtube video with 1440p60
• [2] local playback of Big Buck Bunny 1920 x 1080(30MB)

youtube full screen video playback

• Firefox nightly: hardware decode:26-35W
• Firefox nightly: software decode with RDD process:45-60w
• Firefox nightly: software decode without RDD process:45-60w
• chrome: hardware decode:19-24W
• chrome: software decode:35-45W

localfile full screen playback

• Firefox nightly: hardware video decode:20-21W
• Firefox nightly: software video decode with RDD process:40-42w
• Firefox nightly: software video decode without RDD process:40-42w
• chrome: hardware video decode:17-18W
• chrome: software video decode:30-34W

chrome's video decoder config was changed from chrome://flags

Comment 3

[Sotaro Ikeda [:sotaro]]

From comment 2, chrome browser used less power and hardware video decoder used less power than software video decoder.

Comment 4

[Sotaro Ikeda [:sotaro]]

Attachment: about:support of msi laptop

Comment 5

[Sotaro Ikeda [:sotaro]]

I also tested on Windows msi laptop of comment 4.

[1] youtube full screen video playback

• Firefox nightly: hardware decode:39-45W
• Firefox nightly: software decode with RDD process:75-85W. Frame drop seemed to happen and sometimes fell back to 1080p60
• Firefox nightly: software decode without RDD process:75-85W. Frame drop seemed to happen and sometimes fell back to 1080p60
• chrome: hardware decode:24-28W
• chrome: software decode:30-37W

[2] localfile full screen playback

• Firefox nightly: hardware video decode:24-26W
• Firefox nightly: software video decode with RDD process:35-40W
• Firefox nightly: software video decode without RDD process:35-40W
• chrome: hardware video decode:21-23W
• chrome: software video decode:26-30W

Comment 6

[Sotaro Ikeda [:sotaro]]

There are differences of hardware video decoding between Firefox and chromium as in Bug 1724949 comment 7. That might cause the power usage difference between Firefox and chromium. Though the software decoding power usage problem might be caused by different causes

Comment 7

[Bryce Seager van Dyk [:bryce] (he/him) - Not reading bugmail]

Clearing the media-triage blocker after discussing in standup with the understanding that :sotaro will investigate further. Please reblock this on media-traige if I'm mistaken, or if the investigation reveals something media need to follow up on.