Question

Lip sync fault - Samsung QE43Q60R QLED (2019)


The Beam has lip sync problems with the new 43’ QLED TV when audio is delivered to it in dolby. No sync error with PCM.

From a cursory reading on here it seems Samsungs generally work with Sonos (ie without sync errors).

Other than adjusting to PCM are there other settings I could adjust to retain dolby while eliminating the delay?

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Sonos - no; retailer suggested only the audio delay setting in the sonos app, which doesn’t help. Consensus seems to be that there’s latency in the audio output through hdmi-arc when using dolby, presumably due to processing, which the Sonos can’t do anything about. If the latency theory is true then I assume it can only be fixed by Samsung updating the firmware so the audio output syncs with the video. I’ve given up playing with the settings; if there’s a way to retard the video to allow the audio to catch up I’d like to know what it is.
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I have the same problem, please see me other replies.  I was able to use the optical output off the DVR, and also the optical from the TV for the TV apps, and the voice lag went away.  I utilized a J-TechDigital optical switch to control the input.  I realized this does not “solve” the TV problem.  But I like the Samsung Q80 75” that I bought, and this adapter solves the lag.  If I see a firmware update, which I don’t expect to the TV, that resolves this I’ll reconsider my need for the adapter, but for about $30 for adapter and cables - problem resolved.

Thanks, Samsung have sent out an engineer (3 visits) who have reported back that there  appears to be a compatibly issue with the soundbar.

 

I have chamged the settings on the tv to PCM and the sound sync is fine, I will now go back to Samsung regarding the TV processor .

 

Thanks 

 

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Did you fix this? I just got the Q90R ‘Flagship’. I often have negative lip sync and I can only add a positive delay. PCM doesn’t sound great. The lip sync varies so much I am changing constantly.
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If the video is ahead of the sound then I’d expect it to be a TV issue. If the sound is ahead of the video just use the delay settings to correct it. 
 

For video ahead of sound all you can do is raise it with Samsung and escalate the issue. You can contact the CEO from their website. The more people that do this the more chance we have of a fix. I raised for Q90R. 
 

https://www.samsung.com/uk/info/contactus/email-the-ceo/

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Hi. I raised an issue with Samsung. I would suggest you do the same as the more people raising, the more attention it might get. I also have the retailer chasing Samsung and fortunately have the offer to return or exchange the TV.

Meanwhile, the only work around is to use PCM output instead of Dolby 5.1. Not really acceptable but at least it works!

Thanks.

Pretty clear indication the delay is being caused in the TV?

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I have seen complaints about Audio Lag on LG in this forum as well.   But I have not come across any for the Sony.    I see there is a X950H with eArc.  But maybe it’s too new for people to have noticed yet.

 

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Audio Lag Solution:

I now have the Cablebox to TV as HDMI for video. And discovered there is a Optical Output from the Cablebox which I used with Optical/HDMI adapter to run directly into the Beam. I'm going to get a 3-1 Optical adapter to ultimately connect all audio components including TV apps, BlueRay, and Cablebox.

https://jtechdigital.com/product/spdif-toslink-3x1/

After many months on the Optical I tried the HDMI ARC port again.  Lo and behold, it’s not giving the audio delay.  I keep track of the firmware updates on the TV and maybe the the S2 update to Beam did something - no idea.  But here’s one odd thing, the audio was now slightly faster than the video.  Almost imperceptible.  So using the TV Sound/Expert settings, I added a slight delay.  

Now got to decide if I want to upgrade to the Sonos Arc.   I know I won’t probably get Atmos,  but oddly, my TV settings have a selection for that.  But I wonder if the sound stage is better than the Beam   

The Audio Lag problem returned within a day of this post.  So disappointed.  I forgot to return here to update.

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Have you considered the hdfury device

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Audio Lag Solution:

I now have the Cablebox to TV as HDMI for video. And discovered there is a Optical Output from the Cablebox which I used with Optical/HDMI adapter to run directly into the Beam. I'm going to get a 3-1 Optical adapter to ultimately connect all audio components including TV apps, BlueRay, and Cablebox.

https://jtechdigital.com/product/spdif-toslink-3x1/

After many months on the Optical I tried the HDMI ARC port again.  Lo and behold, it’s not giving the audio delay.  I keep track of the firmware updates on the TV and maybe the the S2 update to Beam did something - no idea.  But here’s one odd thing, the audio was now slightly faster than the video.  Almost imperceptible.  So using the TV Sound/Expert settings, I added a slight delay.  

Now got to decide if I want to upgrade to the Sonos Arc.   I know I won’t probably get Atmos,  but oddly, my TV settings have a selection for that.  But I wonder if the sound stage is better than the Beam   

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I'm having a similar issue with my 2019 Q85R where when I'm playing my PS4 or Xbox One X there's a delay between actions and sound. It's fine when watching Freesat or the inbuilt apps but I game quite regularly and it was really distracting when playing The Last of Us Part 2.

 

I have a 5.0 set up with a Beam and 2x Sonos Surrounds. I'm connected via HDMI ARC and I can't really use the optical solution from console straight to Beam as I'll have to swap it constantly which will be fiddly.

Is there any way I can possibly get around this?

Hi Mark, I’m not getting any sync issues when using the TV speakers - but not a comprehensive tests as I’ve not tried it with all channels that were causing problems before (BBC1 HD was worst I think). Have you found a fix? Samsung need to update the firmware to allow voice and video modulation as the Apple TV update provides (assuming that’s the fix).
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Audio Lag Solution:

I now have the Cablebox to TV as HDMI for video. And discovered there is a Optical Output from the Cablebox which I used with Optical/HDMI adapter to run directly into the Beam. I'm going to get a 3-1 Optical adapter to ultimately connect all audio components including TV apps, BlueRay, and Cablebox.

https://jtechdigital.com/product/spdif-toslink-3x1/

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With the concept that misery loves company (not sure that really true).   I can confirm the same problem on my 2019 Q80 (U.S. version).  When I have Xfinity set to Stereo no issues.  But when set to Dolby 5.1 it has the video ahead of audio sync problem.   I have one more item to throw in the mix.  

 

My Xfinity X1 box HDMI Out is sent to my Denon AVR HDMI input.  Then the Denon HDMI out feeds the Samsung HDMI input.  And lastly the Samsung HDMI ARC feeds the Sonos Beam.  I have the Denon set to HDMI Pass-Through for when it’s not active and in Standby mode.   I have the Denon in the mix, because I also use it to play music to on my B side connections to my patio.  I use the Xfinity Music channels for that at times.  

 

I have not yet experimented if removing the Denon from the path of connections would rectify the lag problem.  But based on my reading of others, I don’t think this will help.  I have yet to try  +Firestarter999 usage of the Optical.  But I really didn’t want to give up the HDMI-CEC function of having one remote from Xfinity to both control volume and power on/off the set.

 

Lastly, I acquired two Sonos One’s a few days after getting the Beam, and successfully connected them as Left/Right Surrounds to the Beam.  With Xfinity set to Stereo, I hear audio for through the Ones’. Although, it’s not clear to me if they’re acting as Surrounds.  I don’t have the Sub.  So my set-up is 5.0.

Can someone provide guidance on this last comment?

Thank you.

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Pretty clear indication the delay is being caused in the TV?

Absolutely.  

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@Jonjon1239  This may be a possibility, albeit it’s expensive. 
https://jtechdigital.com/product/8x1-audio-extractor-1080p/
 

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Set your A/V sync on your tv to ON and not Auto.  Lip sync problems sorted beteen tv and beam and sky Q. 

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I raised it with samsung and they are adamant it is a sonos problem after going  back and forward emailing swapping settings 

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Hdfury “Arcana” will solve this problem.

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Where is the A/V Sync setting?  I can't see it on the Sound menu. 

I have a  2019 Samsung Q7 which I purchased direct from Samsung and have been complaining to them since I purchased it, I have sky Q connected via HDMI and playbar connected via optical cable.

When I switch the optical cable to Sky Q to Soundbar there is no lip sync issue but I cant use TV apps 

 Samsung have sent me firmware update and last week replaced the motherboard, neither sorted the issue as I need a negative adjustment on the sound. 

I am now advised that there is a compatibility issue with the sound bar and this is not Samsung’s fault., I am continuing to press them for a full refund.

 

Any assistance or advise would be greatly appreciated as this is driving me insane. 

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Did you try using the optical connection via the included hdmi-to-optical adapter? Might help. You won’t loose any sound quality, although you won’t have HDMI-CEC support either. On the flipside, Beam has an IR receiver and it can “learn” your TV remote, so you can control volume that way.

I have a  2019 Samsung Q7 which I purchased direct from Samsung and have been complaining to them since I purchased it, I have sky Q connected via HDMI and playbar connected via optical cable.

When I switch the optical cable to Sky Q to Soundbar there is no lip sync issue but I cant use TV apps 

 Samsung have sent me firmware update and last week replaced the motherboard, neither sorted the issue as I need a negative adjustment on the sound. 

I am now advised that there is a compatibility issue with the sound bar and this is not Samsung’s fault., I am continuing to press them for a full refund.

 

Any assistance or advise would be greatly appreciated as this is driving me insane. 

It sounds like a case of the TV processor is ‘maybe’ not operating quickly enough to send the Dolby surround audio out its port to the ‘Receiver’. Some brands/models of TV still seem to have this issue as the manufacturers tend to spend more on the display/picture quality perhaps, rather than improving internal components for audio. TV speaker quality on some brands are testament to that. 

There is little that can be done for the in-built TV Apps in this type of case, but a separate audio extractor/splitter will at least work in most circumstances for external components, like Sky Q boxes, Apple TV’s etc. Fortunately most of those products now have the majority of useful A/V Apps, like Netflix, Amazon Prime Movies, YouTube, Spotify etc; just to name a few of the popular ones.

You say you have ‘now been advised that there is a compatibility issue with the soundbar’ but it’s unclear from where you have obtained that information, what is the source? and is the compatibility issue merely the case that your TV cannot process the audio quickly enough through its own port? If that is the case, you may need to approach customer care at Samsung and discuss the matter with them further, rather than with a Sonos user community here, which will likely show some bias towards and in favour of the Sonos product. It’s a Speaker after all and so the PlayBar will only play the audio when it gets it and clearly in your case the PlayBar sounds like it is getting it later, rather than sooner. That infers it’s a TV issue.

One thing you may want to try is switching off any audio enhancement features on the TV itself and perhaps even try PCM stereo audio output from the TV instead, just to see if the TV processor can send that signal quickly enough for the A/V to be in lip-sync and if it does work for you, it may go some way to point toward the TV processor being too slow for managing surround sound.

Hope that assists.👍

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On the Q90R Samsung UK have been able to reproduce the lip sync issue and have passed it to HQ for further analysis.