[ubuntu-uk] Help: Firefox, RealPlayer, and a headset

South Walney Information Management info at swimbarrow.co.uk
Tue Oct 10 10:45:33 BST 2006


This is probably a trivial question but I expect somebody here knows the
answer.

I run Firefox, currently 1.5.0.7, under Dapper, and have a RealPlayer
plugin for Firefox.  My box contains a VIA 8253 sound card and I also
use a Plantronics USB headset.  The speakers that came with my box are
damaged and although usable are temperamental.  The only external
speakers that are usable are those incorporated in my Philips monitor
and those leave a lot to be desired in terms of quality.  I like to
listen to music while I'm working, so I use the headset with Rhythmbox.

I do also like to listen to  Radio 4 and sometimes Radio 3 while I work,
and herein lies the problem.

I have set the headset to be my default sound card.  This works fine for
system sounds, Rhythmbox, and just about everything else.  But the
radio, playing through Firefox/RealPlayer, ignores the headset and goes
straight through the VIA soundcard to the external speakers.  This is
rather less than satisfactory, and I can't seem to find a way to change
settings in RealPlayer or Firefox.  Can anybody help me here?

A supplementary question:  When I'm frustrated I like to play Freeciv
with myself - there's something profoundly cathartic about sending a
flotilla of ironclads against Houston and they make satisfying bangs.
At least, they do when it's working properly, and it worked just fine
when I was running under Mandiva 2006.  Alas, I can't seem to coax any
kind of noises out of Freeciv under Dapper, whether through the speakers
or the headset!

All help gratefully received.

Rosie



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