Arlo website video monitoring creates heavy CPU draw

[quarkdoll]

On macOS 10.12.6, with a 3.1 GHz i-7, watching 1 camera live in updated-as-of-today FIrefox with u-a-o-t Flash player plugin, Activity Monitor reports the CPU usage on the plugin around 130% with the occasional dip to 100%.

Watching, from elsewhere around the web, all manners of video being streamed through a Flash plugin, I do not see this sort of crippling, fan-inducing, performance.

Any ideas on what's going on with the design of the Flash content to make it so heavy?

[JamesC]

quarkdoll,

Is this causing a specific issue for you when viewing (freezing up, lag, etc.)?

JamesC

[quarkdoll]

Yes, of course. Aside from the physical affect of forcing my laptop fan to run needlessly for as long as I want to watch a single Arlo camera, it is slowing down, for example, my compiles.

Your question side steps the underlying question which is: why can all of these other sites implement streaming video playback using (unfortunately) Flash but Arlo's implementation brings my laptop to its knees.

[JamesC]

quarkdoll,

I don't have a macOS system readily available to test this but i'm not experiencing the same CPU load you describe when using a PC (Chrome/Firefox).

I've provided your description to the QA team. I will provide an update as soon as I can.

JamesC

[quarkdoll]

Thank you.

Interestingly, i get a lesser CPU pull (~55%) when using Chrome (but given Chrome's antipathy for Flash, it's possible Chrome (if the website content provides this) is using only HTML5 to support the streaming).

[JamesC]

quarkdoll,

The QA team is questioning the flash plug-in you're using as described (FIrefox with u-a-o-t Flash player plugin). Is this the standard Flash plugin or something else?

JamesC

[quarkdoll]

It's the plugin which is updated / installed by downloading an updater / installer from get.adobe.com/flashplayer

about:plugins in FF shows:

Shockwave Flash

File: Flash Player.plugin
Path: /Library/Internet Plug-Ins/Flash Player.plugin
Version: 28.0.0.137
State: Enabled
Shockwave Flash 28.0 r0

[JamesC]

quarkdoll,

Thanks for the clarification. This is currently undergoing testing by the QA team, I will provide an update soon.

JamesC