Contributor I

Answered

Beam and LG OLEDs -Audio delay over Dolby DIgital still a problem?

32 replies
13407 views

Has anyone connected a Beam to an LG OLED tv and tested whether the audio is delayed when using Dolby Digital? My Beam is scheduled to arrive tomorrow (canceled my B&H order and ordered on the Sonos site today). I have a 2016 LG E6P with the latest firmware (5.30.30). I wasn't aware of the Dolby Digital issue until I started reading these forums. I have read and watched a bunch of reviews of Beam and no one mentioned this issue, which is curious. You would think at least one reviewer would have used an LG OLED when testing the Beam. Hoping it won't be an issue.;)

This topic has been closed for further comments. You can use the search bar to find a similar topic, or create a new one by clicking Create Topic at the top of the page.

Ryan SAnswer

Retired Sonos Staff

Hi everyone,

When it comes to the lip sync, the Beam should be playing your audio as soon as it gets it, with a very minimal delay about 30ms (which is around 1.8 video frames at 60fps, considered to be imperceivable). The timing of the audio is based on when the TV sends it. We've found that some TVs have trouble sending Dolby Digital audio over HDMI-ARC while at the same time processing high-quality video.

In some cases, the manufacturer has addressed it already, and an update for the TV could solve the issue. I'd suggest making sure your TV is updated, and it would be good to contact the manufacturer to ask if they are investigating an audio delay issue with connected home theater devices playing audio.

Some TVs you can clear up any delay simply adjusting the settings can help improve things.

I'd suggest starting with checking the settings on the source device of your video that's behind. If it's a cable box or source where you can edit the audio settings, see if you can set it specifically to Dolby Digital 5.1. Also if the TV has any processing or audio effects that are adding extra processing like an ULTRA mode or Clear Audio+, try turning those off.

If you're not concerned about getting Dolby Digital audio, you can set the source device to PCM or Stereo and the delay will likely go away, as that format is easier to transmit.

Also, we're happy to take a look at your setup with you and see if we can help. We'd also like to get more details on what setups are seeing this sort of issue so we can investigate with the manufacturers further. I'd invite you to give us a call on our support line so we can work on this together.

Mark good posts by pressing the like button, and select the best answer on questions you've asked to help others find solutions.

Airgetlam

There's another thread around here around this. If I recall correctly, it isn't Dolby Digital that's the issue, it is the optical output. Since you're going to be using HDMI-ARC, I wouldn't think there would be the same issue.

Bruce

J

Joshbear

Avid Contributor I

Hi

Read the other thread and start on the last couple of pages. I have the beam and yes it still is an issue with LG TVs. I explain how I have fixed it on there.

Regards

Josh

B

billiejoe87

Chromatic Producer I

Hi

Read the other thread and start on the last couple of pages. I have the beam and yes it still is an issue with LG TVs. I explain how I have fixed it on there.

Regards

Josh

The fix you suggested is nothing new and is not an actual fix for the beam at all. It is well known with this issue that if you bypass the TV by using an optical switch you will not have the audio delay. It is not a sufficient fix for the Beam however, as using optical will get rid of a lot of the benefits of the Beam and HDMI ARC like controlling the TV with your voice.

If the Beam really does still have the delay with HDMI ARC then this is truly a Sonos AND LG problem as people with other soundbars using HDMI ARC are not experiencing an issue.

1 x Arc, 1 x Beam Gen 2, 1 x Amp, 2 x Sonos In Ceiling Speakers, 2 x Sub, 4 x Sonos Ones, 2 x Sonos Era 100, 5 x Symfonisk Lamp (Gen 2)

J

Joshbear

Avid Contributor I

Hi

Agree. Never said it was new and indeed I mention the loss of the tv voice control. Although not an issue for me as don’t really have a use for it.

Just sharing so people who are still asking the question easily see a workaround.

Best regards

Josh

B

billiejoe87

Chromatic Producer I

Hi

Agree. Never said it was new and indeed I mention the loss of the tv voice control. Although not an issue for me as don’t really have a use for it.

Just sharing so people who are still asking the question easily see a workaround.

Best regards

Josh

Sorry, didn't mean to sound condescending. I and I'm sure many others appreciate you testing the HDMI ARC on the beam.

This issue is just so frustrating for all of us as it's been going on for so long and neither Sonos or LG care enough to update us on what they are doing to fix it. Bear in mind that at least in Australia the RRP for the Base model C7 65 Inch OLED was $5,999 AUD. Add another $2,500 AUD for a 5.1 Sonos system and you have $8,500 AUD worth of equipment which can't even pass a f**king Dolby Digital 5.1 signal correctly. Technology which has been available for over 20 years now.

1 x Arc, 1 x Beam Gen 2, 1 x Amp, 2 x Sonos In Ceiling Speakers, 2 x Sub, 4 x Sonos Ones, 2 x Sonos Era 100, 5 x Symfonisk Lamp (Gen 2)

Ryan S

Retired Sonos Staff

Hi everyone, we haven't found this same delay in testing with the Beam and the LG or Sony TVs, so if you are having trouble, we'd love to take a look at your setup and see what's happening. Can you give us a call on our support line and work with a technician so we can get a closer look?

Mark good posts by pressing the like button, and select the best answer on questions you've asked to help others find solutions.

W

Woodstork

Lyricist III

Hi Ryan. This is encouraging. Did the testing involve the Beam as part of a 5.1 surround set, playing DD 5.1? If so, my ideal TV and surround pairing becomes an LG OLED C8 with the Beam, a Sub, and 2 Play 1s.

W

Wildantics

Avid Contributor III

Hi Ryan. This is encouraging. Did the testing involve the Beam as part of a 5.1 surround set, playing DD 5.1? If so, my ideal TV and surround pairing becomes an LG OLED C8 with the Beam, a Sub, and 2 Play 1s.

It's not a Sonos issue but it does exist, It just depends on your source it seems I have an LG B7 OLED and with my beam in a 5.1 setup using apple tv 4k set to dolby digital its glorious surround and absolutely no delay but my xbox one x is another story if I set it out bitstream dolby digital I get a delay the strange thing is even without the beam when I changed it to that with the TV's internal speakers I got a delay so Im not sure if its my xbox or the LG but either way it kinda sucks but since its only for gaming I just set it to stereo until I see a fix as my apple tv covers all my media consumption.

I

iwb100

Collaborator II

Hi Ryan. This is encouraging. Did the testing involve the Beam as part of a 5.1 surround set, playing DD 5.1? If so, my ideal TV and surround pairing becomes an LG OLED C8 with the Beam, a Sub, and 2 Play 1s.

It's not a Sonos issue but it does exist, It just depends on your source it seems I have an LG B7 OLED and with my beam in a 5.1 setup using apple tv 4k set to dolby digital its glorious surround and absolutely no delay but my xbox one x is another story if I set it out bitstream dolby digital I get a delay the strange thing is even without the beam when I changed it to that with the TV's internal speakers I got a delay so Im not sure if its my xbox or the LG but either way it kinda sucks but since its only for gaming I just set it to stereo until I see a fix as my apple tv covers all my media consumption.

Want to know what is weird? I have a C6 and get very little if any delay using Xbox and DD5.1 but get a noticeable delay using the internal apps. Also the internal apps seem to not pass dd5.1 properly in some cases as the sound is dreadful compared to using the same app via the Xbox.

M

Mettaman

Avid Contributor I

Hello. I've got and LG OLEDB7 (2017) with TV signal from Optimum Cable HD set-top box. Lip-sync was never an issue until I added the Beam. No other devices are connected.

Sonos customer support says there's a history of audio delay issues between Sonos sound bars (Beam included) and TV's manufactured by LG and Sony. Really? Why then does Sonos release a product knowing there will be sound delay issues?

Sonos support said I should contact LG. I'm thinking the tech folks at Sonos need to work out a solution with the TV manufacturers, please.

Show more replies

Sign up

Login to the community