Video stuttering

[Guest]

I recently installed Kubuntu 12.04 LTS on an old laptop, Inspiron 6000. It was a fresh install, which went OK and everything working. Video playback appeared to be OK at first, so gave laptop to my son. Now after about 1 week video playback is choppy / stuttering either on websites using flash like BBC or youtube, on Firefox. Updates have been applied when requested. I believe the video chipset is Intel 915GM and it gs 1GB RAM.

This is the first time I've used Ubuntu software.

I was hoping Ubuntu would keep this old laptop going for general surfing and watching videos, but maybe it is not capable anymore?

[oshunluvr]

The older Intel 915s are always an iffy proposition. The first thing to try is to turn off all desktop effects. You might be better off with a lighter weight desktop like LXDE or XFCE (Lubuntu or Xubuntu). Also worth trying, but at your own peril:

https://launchpad.net/~xorg-edgers/+archive/ppa
https://01.org/linuxgraphics/

[PaulW2U]

This is the first time I've used Ubuntu software.

I was hoping Ubuntu would keep this old laptop going for general surfing and watching videos, but maybe it is not capable anymore?

Don't discount the entire Ubuntu family on the strength of just one Kubuntu installation. Having used the development version of all of the five main flavours of Ubuntu in the last month I can see some very obvious differences in performance between them. A default installation of Kubuntu would not even run on my netbook but Xubuntu and Lubuntu ran very fast.

Kubuntu will always be my preference because of the KDE applications but I think it's worth giving Xubuntu a try. If that doesn't prove good enough on that old laptop then try Lubuntu although I don't think you'll find much difference between the two these days.

[jlittle]

... it has 1GB RAM

Not enough, for Kubuntu + firefox IMO. Some of it may be taken for the graphics chip.

Regards, John Little

[Guest]

Sorry its Xubuntu installed, not Kubuntu. Still not used to the names.

Firefox is using up to 100% CPU when playing videos.

So tried Google Chrome and so far playing videos is OK, with CPU usage at 60-80%, memory usage at 45%.

Would Lubuntu reduce CPU usage by much?

[PaulW2U]

Sorry its Xubuntu installed, not Kubuntu. Still not used to the names.

I suppose that explains why you came here rather than http://ubuntuforums.org/, the main forum for all Ubuntu flavours

Would Lubuntu reduce CPU usage by much?

Like I said in post #3, I don't believe there's much difference these days.