If you're experiencing audio delay issues, read this


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I've been living with lip sync issues (audio behind the video) since I got my Playbar about a year ago but I finally decided to do something about it. After multiple conversations with Sonos support and the LG's support people (they kept blaming each other for the audio delay), I decided to email Sonos' CEO about the issue.

After a few hours, I got a reply back from him, CCing a team manager who was going to look into the issue. We scheduled a call and he had me send various diagnostics to him. He said that the engineering team was going to investigate and get back to me.

A week later, I got an update. He told that they are still working on the issue. He also said that only one other person had reported the same issue (I assume that means that only one other person with an LG TV). So, if you're having audio delay issues and you've tried all other troubleshooting, reach out to Sonos support and have them look into it. If it helps you might mention my reference number, which has already been escalated:

Keep in mind that my setup is pretty straight forward (LG C6 OLED TV connected directly to the Playbar via Optical, audio playing from the built-in apps) and every single thing LG and Sonos suggested, including going into the TV's service menu and changing things there.

I know there are multiple post on the topic so hopefully we can solve at least some of the issues causing audio delay.


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That sounds really frustrating, Prodan, thanks for sharing. It looks like that case you mentioned is open with one of our most senior technicians, so you're in good hands. Let me know if I can help with anything else, and hopefully we can get all your questions answered soon. Talk to you soon!

Keith is there any progress on this case AT ALL? I too am living with the delay and am about ready to get rid of my entire Sonos collection for something else as the audio delay is absolutely terrible. The company is obviously VERY aware of the issue but there have been a whole lot of “We are working on it” responses with zero results.
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My set up is an LG55C8 with a Sonos sound beam and two play 1's connected to the TV via ARC and HDMI all okay on Freesat TV and when my MAG322 is connected for my iptv and also fine on the TV's in built iptv with my paid for subscription service
But my issue is once I have connected my brand new 4K Firestick TV I then get lip sync issues with the firestick on live broadcasts of iptv
The Firestick has been tested on my other TV and works with no noticeable lip sync issues but as soon as its loaded onto the C8 I get the issue. I have tried switching the sound to pcm and stereo but the lip sync issue does not go away.
I have the same iptv provider on the Firestick and on the Mag and the inbuilt iptv app on the C8
I have tried everything but can only work out that it is some issue with the TV sound set up and not the actual Firestick or Sonos.
Just a quick update This morning I unplugged everything and just ran the Firestick through HDMI 1 with the TV sound only and the lip sync was even worse.
The Firestick has been tested independently and is working perfectly so I can only assume that there is a compatibility issue between the C8 and the Firestick 4K settings
I don’t have an LG but my Sony 950g was having these same issues. I switched my sound to pcm on my tv and it has seemed to fix this issue so far.
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This problem has been going on long enough ive read post 2 years old new tvs have come and gone firmware updates and yet this problem still exists 1 second delay.
I saved hard purchase my new tv ( Samsung) sonos beam 2 sonos 1 over £3000 and yet the dreaded lip sync problem still exists ive tried allsorts to no avail. running my hdmi lead from my beam in to the optical connector straight in to sky q box
This works for sky viewing but if i want to use the apps on my tv no good if i want to watch a station on my tv no good
I may aswell of set fire to £ 3000
Would i recomend sonos yes but not for surround sound connected to what seems to be all up to date TVs
Very very disappointed
Hello, I have a Sony 65xf9005 with a Beam and two Play 1s connected using the HDMI-arc input. Delay is terrible when using the inbuilt Prime app but noticeable with everything else. Just wondering if anyone else has the same setup and has managed to find a settings combination which works? Thanks in advance.
I just set up LG C9 65” with the playbar and the audio synch was pretty bad (audio slower than video). I found a setting that seemed to help. On the LG optical out menu I changed it from “auto” to “pass through” and it seemed to be a big help. I also set my xfinity box to Dolby 5.1 and my Apple TV to Dolby 5.1. I am still testing it out a bit during the playbar return period. But it seems like pass through may have worked for now.

if not I will try the hdmi switch next although I would rather not deal with that if it can be avoided.

Would be interested to know if the audio pass through setting works for others.
I have a Sonos beam connected to a Sony KD-65XG7003 via HDMI (ARC) port.
I have really noticeable audio lag when using streaming services eg Netflix. Anyone else having similar and can advise on how to eliminate it?
Thanks
For those of you who have the LG B6 or C6 and have been having the delay issue, there is new firmware available on the Korean LG site. They usually release first in Korea and it takes months if not longer for it to make it to North America. I've installed on my C6 and am seeing very positive results. Both PCM and DD 5.1 look in sync on multiple sources (Tivo, Apple TV, Xbox).

From the release notes, it specifically mentions an audio fix:: "Improved watch / play game's game subtitles and video / audio time mismatch (05.30.70)"

If you use Chrome and navigate to the Korea LG support site it will offer to translate which makes things easier to find. The firmware itself is not specific to Korea and works fine on a North American model.

Link: https://www.lgservice.co.kr/download/selectSearchView.do#none

For C6 filename is webOS3.0_M16_F16_75UH6850_93XX_96XX_05.30.70.zip
For B6 filename is webOS3.0_K2L_UH79_87_05.30.75.zip
Same problem here. Sonos Beam connected to a HiSense tv via the HDMI (ARC) port. I'm watching now and have the video is about a half second faster than the audio. I thought maybe it was due to not having it hooked up to a higher-end television, but after seeing all of the different brands listed here I'm assuming that's not the case.

I love the features of the Sonos, but when the sync gets this bad I find myself wishing I'd chosen another product.
Sonos can only play the audio as quickly as it is given the data. If your TV is delaying the audio for some reason, there isn’t much Sonos can do to control that.
Userlevel 2
I've been living with lip sync issues (audio behind the video) since I got my Playbar about a year ago but I finally decided to do something about it. After multiple conversations with Sonos support and the LG's support people (they kept blaming each other for the audio delay), I decided to email Sonos' CEO about the issue.

After a few hours, I got a reply back from him, CCing a team manager who was going to look into the issue. We scheduled a call and he had me send various diagnostics to him. He said that the engineering team was going to investigate and get back to me.

A week later, I got an update. He told that they are still working on the issue. He also said that only one other person had reported the same issue (I assume that means that only one other person with an LG TV). So, if you're having audio delay issues and you've tried all other troubleshooting, reach out to Sonos support and have them look into it. If it helps you might mention my reference number, which has already been escalated: 171023-002526.

Keep in mind that my setup is pretty straight forward (LG C6 OLED TV connected directly to the Playbar via Optical, audio playing from the built-in apps) and every single thing LG and Sonos suggested, including going into the TV's service menu and changing things there.

I know there are multiple post on the topic so hopefully we can solve at least some of the issues causing audio delay.

I’m still having issues with my SONOS Soundbase and LG C6 OLED TV.  We’re you able to get this resolved? If you have can you share the resolution with me. You can reach me directly at IMRNET@AOL.COM.  Thanks in advance.

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Just had a long conversation with samsung regarding audio delay/lipsync problems for them to turn round snd say there just not compatible thats there reply £3000 spent for them to not be compatible.

 

 

Unfortunate. You’d still be able to use an HDMI switch to pull the audio out before it reaches the circuitry of the Samsung, and use your Sonos, though. Slightly less neat,  but a better chance of not tossing the investment. 

Just had a long conversation with samsung regarding audio delay/lipsync problems for them to turn round snd say there just not compatible thats there reply £3000 spent for them to not be compatible.

Presumably, some TV internal processors are just too slow to decode and deliver the Dolby Digital 5.1 audio signal through their ports in a timely manner.

Where relevant, I would buy an audio splitter and choose to bypass the TV altogether and let the TV fallback to using PCM stereo. Pity that your Samsung TV does not support audio pass-through.

The connected Sonos HT device can only play the audio, of course, as soon as it is received and some TV’s simply can’t send it in a timely fashion to keep up with the video on screen. More recent TV’s are quite efficient in this area, but sometimes they can come at added cost.

LG TV’s are pretty good IMHO and their recent TV’s not only have faster internal processors, but now also provide 'pass-through’ on the ports of some WebOS supported models ..and appear to sync rather well with most connected devices, but again these things are a little more expensive than some other TV’s.

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Nearly £3000 for a tv i would hope it would work property 

Nearly £3000 for a tv i would hope it would work property 

You would hope so… it’s rather a lot of money for a TV… I hope it is OLED and has multiple HDMI-eARC ports too for that price?

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If yiu have read through the audio delay problem you will know i have a Samsung tv 

Although it affects a lot of brands i suggest you find the email address of the ceo of the brand you use 

If yiu have read through the audio delay problem you will know i have a Samsung tv 

Although it affects a lot of brands i suggest you find the email address of the ceo of the brand you use 

I don’t see what the brand name has to do with it being an OLED TV with HDMI-eARC? However, the audio extractor/switcher, as suggested by Bruce in his post above, is perhaps the only way you’re likely to presently resolve the TV lag issue. By by-passing the delays in the Samsung TV processor/ports, it should (hopefully) resolve your lip-sync problem.

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Changing the optical setting to pass through instead of Auto has seemed to work for me.

 

Im running a LG Oled with the playbar 

Changing the optical setting to pass through instead of Auto has seemed to work for me.

 

Im running a LG Oled with the playbar 

Yes,  if playing a Movie/Channel (for example) from a Cable TV Box, or a similar device, attached to a TV’s HDMI Port, where the TV  has lip-sync issues, then switching to 'pass-through' makes complete sense. It’s like attaching the Cable TV Box direct to the Receiver/Beam/Soundbar, or to an audio splitter/extractor, as there is then no ‘middle man’ ...(The TV)... to delay things.

Some TV’s like the LG OLED models now have this pass-through option, which is excellent. 

It was for this reason (and a few others), that I also purchased the LG C9 TV, ...that, plus the fact it has the faster HDMI-eARC Ports.

See Table for Port comparison and note the maximum audio bandwidth and mandatory lip-sync correction requirement ...

 

I have the C9 as well. @Ken_Griffiths  can you give a bit more info on how to set the optical to Pass-Through?

The HDMI switch referenced in the previous post is an automatic switch. I have two DVRs to connect and while I am watching one, the other may turn on to record a schedule recording. I don’t want the switch automatically switching to that DVR so need to use an HDMI switch/extractor that has manual switching capability. Has anyone had success with a manual HDMI switch which works with the playbar and the LG (C9 in my case) solving the lipsync issue?

I would think any manual audio splitter/extractor that supports pass-thru/5.1 or 2 channel and ARC will work .. here is an example of a 2x1 that uses a remote, but I’m sure you will find a few others if you look on Amazon and other similar sites…

 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Tendak-Switcher-Optical-Toslink-Extractor/dp/B07YD2CLMY

@Ken_Griffiths   You mention that setting the optical to Pass-Through also solves the lip sync issue.  I have the LG C9.  Can you tell me where that setting is?  If that works without the need for the switch, that would be great.

@Ken_Griffiths   You mention that setting the optical to Pass-Through also solves the lip sync issue.  I have the LG C9.  Can you tell me where that setting is?  If that works without the need for the switch, that would be great.

Yes, goto the TV Settings/Sounds/Sound out… it will appear when either the 'HDMI-ARC’ or 'Optical' option is selected. Switch the “Digital Sound Out” setting.

@Ken_Griffiths   You mention that setting the optical to Pass-Through also solves the lip sync issue.  I have the LG C9.  Can you tell me where that setting is?  If that works without the need for the switch, that would be great.

Yes, goto the TV Settings/Sounds/Sound out… it will appear when either the 'HDMI-ARC’ or 'Optical' option is selected. Switch the “Digital Sound Out” setting.

Perfect!!  Thank you.