Question

How to Sync the Sonos Surround sound with tv display.

  • 25 November 2013
  • 26 replies
  • 45071 views

Is there a way to sync my Playbar, Sub Woofer and two Sonos 1's surround sound system with the video content? It seems to be just a tad off: like one-tenth of a second.

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26 replies

Userlevel 5
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Hello, 

Sure it is possible, go to the Sonos Settings, PLAYBAR Room Settings > Select Advanced Audio -> TV Dialog Settings > Audio Delay (Lip Sync).

Drag your finger across the slider to increase or decrease the sound delay if the image and the sound are not in sync.
Userlevel 1
This setting seems to only allow you to delay the audio. I am having the opposite problem - the video is already ahead of the audio (I've used a test loop, and it appears to be about 3 frames slow). It's not enough to be a show-stopper, but it is one of those things you notice in the "corner" of your mind. The TV (a Vizio e701-A3) has settings for lip sync as well (although I'm not sure they're active on the optical output), but they would also perform the same function - delaying the audio even more. What I'm seeing makes sense, I suppose - the audio has an extra step to make (from the TV to the Playbar and then decoding in the Playbar), but is there a way to fix it?
I am thinking of adding the play bar to my Sonos system but I would like to see this question answered before I make that investment. (The answer given does not address the problem the original poster is having) I know this may sound like nitpicking but audio out of sync can be really distracting and I don't want to spend that much to create a distracting movie watching experience.
I ran into this recently....each device has a time delay setting, turn to zero, then turn off the smoothe motion setting, because it adds video processing timing issues. I was able to get it really close, except the food network.
I have an apple hi-fi speaker that is connected to my television via a speaker to stereo (red and white) cable that I got at radio shack. It works but I would like to upgrade to one of these products to use the blu-tooth capabilities. I went to the apple store and was going to get one but they told me that they "think when you use a Sonos speaker that has a direct connection to the television that you have to shut off the blue-tooth capabilities" but followed up that they "were't sure about this." Is that true? Just to recap - if I take a sonos speaker and connect it to my television will I also be able to connect to it via - blue tooth from my computer and or iPhone? If anyone would let me know that would be great. Thank you!!!
Userlevel 1
I ran into this recently....each device has a time delay setting, turn to zero, then turn off the smoothe motion setting, because it adds video processing timing issues. I was able to get it really close, except the food network.
I would expect that would fix the issue if the audio was *earlier* than the video.  I'm not sure exactly what problem the OP was having, but the situation I described is the opposite.  The video seems to be processing faster than the audio.
Hi. As a Playbar user I don't have sync issues even though I pass the audio through a digital optical switch on its way to the Playbar (TV is Panasonic plasma). As a Sonos reseller, I have not had any customers come back to me with this problem. This is clearly a genuine problem for the people on this thread, but it's not an inherent problem with the Playbar. I am not familiar with Vizio TVs (not sure the brand is even available in UK) but things I would be asking would be: 1. Does the audio lag occur when using the TV's own speakers? 2. Have you tried changing any other Audio Out settings on the TV and do they make any difference (e.g. do you have a choice to make the output Auto/PCM/Bitstream)? 3. Is there any setting you can tweak on the video that might add some video processing time, e.g. turning on the smooth processing option? This is all pretty speculative but just trying to help. And I'd urge other forum members not to be put off the Playbar by this issue - just make sure your retailer would accept a return if you had this problem. The Playbar is a great piece of kit. John, Canford Cliffs Audio.
Im having the same problem with my music. When I group my units the surround sound connected to my connect is out and its very noticeable. Is there anything can do about this?
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I have a Vizio M651D TV with Playbar, SUB & two Play 1 for surround. I have a Tivo Romio Pro, Apple TV, and Sony Blue-Ray as sources. I have see the lip sync problem on the Tivo & a couple older DVDs but in all cases switching to the internal Vizio speakers did not eliminate the problem. Turner Classic Movie channel is the cable channel I have see the problem on the most and looking at the same show on other TVs (Panasonic, LG & 2nd Vizio) in my home the problem is the same. The problem is infrequent and IMHO it's the source and not Sonos
Im having the same problem with my music. When I group my units the surround sound connected to my connect is out and its very noticeable. Is there anything can do about this?
Hi MaxRobson.  Your issue is actually rather different.  The thread below may help.

https://ask.sonos.com/sonos/topics/audio_delay_between_connect_and_play_5

John
Hello, 

Sure it is possible, go to the Sonos Settings, PLAYBAR Room Settings > Select Advanced Audio -> TV Dialog Settings > Audio Delay (Lip Sync).

Drag your finger across the slider to increase or decrease the sound delay if the image and the sound are not in sync.

tried that...didn't work. video is ahead of sound. slider only delays audio more. No settings for TV to delay video (or audio). It's so annoying i'm thinking of disconnecting Playbar and going back to speakers. (They are in sync)
Hello, 

Sure it is possible, go to the Sonos Settings, PLAYBAR Room Settings > Select Advanced Audio -> TV Dialog Settings > Audio Delay (Lip Sync).

Drag your finger across the slider to increase or decrease the sound delay if the image and the sound are not in sync.

This worked for me, thank you!
Badge +1
Hello, 

Sure it is possible, go to the Sonos Settings, PLAYBAR Room Settings > Select Advanced Audio -> TV Dialog Settings > Audio Delay (Lip Sync).

Drag your finger across the slider to increase or decrease the sound delay if the image and the sound are not in sync.

Got the same problem as User587341. The sound is behind the video and I can only choose to delay it even more. Default should be in the middle to increase or decrease the sound delay.
Hello, 

Sure it is possible, go to the Sonos Settings, PLAYBAR Room Settings > Select Advanced Audio -> TV Dialog Settings > Audio Delay (Lip Sync).

Drag your finger across the slider to increase or decrease the sound delay if the image and the sound are not in sync.

I have this same problem as User587341 with sound slightly behind video and no option to speed it up just delay it.  It says this question has been answered but as far as I can see there is no solution to this.  Has anyone solved this?  Can anyone from Sonos help?
Hello, 

Sure it is possible, go to the Sonos Settings, PLAYBAR Room Settings > Select Advanced Audio -> TV Dialog Settings > Audio Delay (Lip Sync).

Drag your finger across the slider to increase or decrease the sound delay if the image and the sound are not in sync.

The problem is the audio has to go into the Sonos system, be processed and then broadcast wirelessly to the speakers. Hence it is going as fast as it can, you cannot speed it up. It needs a delay on the TV picture to bring it in sync. Have exactly the same problem with my hifi. Found a speaker to phono converter that allows both the speakers and the phono together, but due to the above the speakers and sonos are out of sync by a few beats.
I have a Samsung UHD TV (6500 series) and I found a sound delay adjustment that I lowered to zero and now the Sonos Playbar is in sync!
I have a Samsung UHD TV (6500 series) and I found a sound delay adjustment that I lowered to zero and now the Sonos Playbar is in sync!
Does all HD Samsung T'S have a sound delay adjustment option. Cheers
Badge +2
[quote=Steve_34]It needs a delay on the TV picture to bring it in sync.

Do any TV manufacturers offer this? In theory, the option to set the video delay as 70 ms (thus lagging the video behind the audio) would let Sonos users use their Play:5 line-in for TV audio without synch issues. Rather than speeding up the audio (which is the solution Sonos users are always begging for on these forums) why not just slow down the video. Wouldn't that have the same effect?
Rather than speeding up the audio (which is the solution Sonos users are always begging for on these forums)
Oh dear, not the flux capacitor request again. You can't jump audio forward in time.

why not just slow down the video. Wouldn't that have the same effect?

It would, but I've yet to meet a TV which was willing to buffer extra video in order to stretch out the ~100ms it already takes to process it.
Yeah, no matter how much you try, you will never be able to get the sound out of the soundbar before it actually receives the sound from its source.

I have an HDMI switch with an optical out, and it works great. Audio is sent to playbar at the same time video is sent to the tv.

I would love it if Sonos increased audio delay slider even more so we can enable some of the TV's image processing capabilities. I have my audio delay to the max and had to turn everything off in the TV.
I would love it if Sonos increased audio delay slider even more so we can enable some of the TV's image processing capabilities. I have my audio delay to the max and had to turn everything off in the TV.
Use an external S/PDIF delay unit. You can also find such capability combined with a source selector switch, e.g. Felston.
I would love it if Sonos increased audio delay slider even more so we can enable some of the TV's image processing capabilities. I have my audio delay to the max and had to turn everything off in the TV.
Use an external S/PDIF delay unit. You can also find such capability combined with a source selector switch, e.g. Felston.
Hi,
I'm also on the "video ahead of sound" team. Anyone has found a way to delay video on TV (Samsung Series 7)?
Userlevel 3
Badge +7
I have a Samsung Series 6 and there is a sound delay option under the sound options. With me, video was ahead of sound, I adjusted the slider of the sound delay settings and it worked- I was able to match video and sound perfectly. I don't know if Samsung actually delays the video signal when using the sound delay option!
Just set mine up with new oled...hope I can fix sound delay tomm