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Sonos ARC > Sky Q > Lip Sync Issue

R
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Hi,

I have recently swapped an old 5.1 system out with the Sonos Arc.  The 5.1 system had all components connected into the A/V receiver with one HDMI from the receiver to the TV (Sony Bravia KD49XE8005) and had absolutely no lip sync problems.

I’ve now set up the Arc (via ARC) and, I thought, everything was still fine.  I had no lip sync issues on apple TV, PS4 and some Sky content.  Sonos Arc is connected via ARC (HDMI 3 in my TV’s case) with the Apple TV, PS4 and Sky Q box connected via other HDMI inputs.  

However, I have identified a very specific issue with Sky Q.  When watching stereo content (i.e. non HD) I have no lip sync issues.  When watching UHD Atmos content (output via DD+), there are no lip sync issues.  However, when Sky Q outputs DD5.1 the audio and video go out of sync in the way that can’t be fixed (i.e. video is ahead of the audio).

I have tried a power cycle and the issue still persists.  Additionally, when I set the Sky Q HDMI output to normal and it outputs in stereo the audio and video are in sync.

I really want to find a solution to this because the Arc sounds great and Atmos content is brilliant, but lip sync issues for what is likely to be the vast majority of my TV watching is a bit of a deal breaker!

Any ideas?

Thanks for your help!

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Best answer by RussHill919 5 July 2020, 08:09

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48 replies

R
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I’ve had a call from one this morning so he’s going to see who he can get onto about it 👍🏼

Any luck Rich?

All I’ve heard is that it’s landed with the right people and they’re starting to look into it, I’d say it’ll be a while yet but at least they’re aware of it 👍🏼

R
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I have the same issue with my Philips OLED TV and Sonos Beam. No other issues with lip sync with PS4, Firestick etc but only with Sky Q. Switching from Dolby Digital to Normal fixes it but I don't want to watch a UHD picture with Stereo 2.0 sound. I've reached out to Sky who say they are not aware of any issues!

If I went down the optical switcher option that is found to resolve it. But I fear I would have to use the switcher to move the audio each time I was to change source to my fire stick etc.

Depends who you’ve spoken to at Sky, I’ve been speaking to some of the right people and they’re aware of this issues and testing things in the background, I’ve been talking to one of them again this even and trying a few bits for them. 

R
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I’ve passed the info on to some people I know at sky to see if they can push it to the right places 👍🏼

R
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Not sure how long it may take to be fair, at least the right people are now aware of it and starting to work on it 😁

slidchapman
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I have the exact same issue with my recently purchased Philips OLED854. The Same set up with my previous Samsung Tv did not exhibit the problem at all. My only solution is to change the skyQ sound output to “normal” which kinda defeats the purpose of having a Dolby digital/Atmos sound bar. Logic suggests it has something to do with the way the tv is processing the Dolby digital signal which adds a delay. As the sound is behind the picture there are no adjustments via the tv, skyQ or the Arc that can help. 

R
Userlevel 1

I’ve passed the info on to some people I know at sky to see if they can push it to the right places 👍🏼

Oooh that would be amazing.  I had a Sky engineer come out and he said he’d never heard of any lip sync problems before and his solution was to ‘just listen in stereo’.  Needless to say, I pointed out that wasn’t an option….

 

I’ve now got an optical switch and everything plugged directly into the Arc and placed a pre-order for the Arcana which should be shipping soon!  A quick Google search shows that this issue isn’t anything new to Sky Q so I’m not expecting a quick fix from them anytime soon!

R
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I’ve had a call from one this morning so he’s going to see who he can get onto about it 👍🏼

R
Userlevel 1

I have the exact same issue with my recently purchased Philips OLED854. The Same set up with my previous Samsung Tv did not exhibit the problem at all. My only solution is to change the skyQ sound output to “normal” which kinda defeats the purpose of having a Dolby digital/Atmos sound bar. Logic suggests it has something to do with the way the tv is processing the Dolby digital signal which adds a delay. As the sound is behind the picture there are no adjustments via the tv, skyQ or the Arc that can help. 

I feel your pain :(

 

After a ridiculous amount of research and a visit from the sky engineer, there’s nothing that fixes it.  It seems to be something to do with the DD signal from Sky Q, it’s a pretty well documented problem!  I even looked at returning the Arc and getting a different soundbar with multiple HDMI inputs so I can plug loads of devices directly in, but there doesn’t seem to be anything that does that and has good reviews.

 

What does work is plugging directly into the Arc via optical.  So for now, I’ve resigned myself to an optical signal with a switch to plug everything into.  There is a HDMI product called the Arcana from HDFury that will resolve the problem and allow full Atmos signals but is not available until October.

C
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Another option is to try a native NowTV App if your TV has one, bypass the SkyQ box.

 

slidchapman
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It is definitely an HDMI related issue as I have now  also linked up using optical and no problem at all with lip sync. Grrrrrr😤

R
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I have the same issue with my Philips OLED TV and Sonos Beam. No other issues with lip sync with PS4, Firestick etc but only with Sky Q. Switching from Dolby Digital to Normal fixes it but I don't want to watch a UHD picture with Stereo 2.0 sound. I've reached out to Sky who say they are not aware of any issues!

If I went down the optical switcher option that is found to resolve it. But I fear I would have to use the switcher to move the audio each time I was to change source to my fire stick etc.

Depends who you’ve spoken to at Sky, I’ve been speaking to some of the right people and they’re aware of this issues and testing things in the background, I’ve been talking to one of them again this even and trying a few bits for them. 

Ok that’s really good news. I hope they release an update soon.

D

I too have this problem. With Samsung TV and Sky Q. 

J

I think the Arc and Sub will be a fantastic combination and most people have no issues with the lip sync 

I solved mine just be fine tuning the set up to suit my Sonos,Sky and Samsung TV set up as described in the previous post

This didn’t need any audio splitter etc

The only issue I can see with the Sonos Arc is that it will work with a standard HDMI arc ( eARC is preferred) connection but you are going to hope your TV will pass though the digital audio output from Sky to the Sonos 

Obviously you can use the optical connection but would the lose the advantage of using the voice control 

Hope you enjoy the Arc and Sub 

 

R
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Thanks BMF, I will try some more here with mine.

 

R
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Not sure how long it may take to be fair, at least the right people are now aware of it and starting to work on it 😁

Hey @RichH3nson , 🙋🏻‍♂️ 
 

did they ever get back to you on this issue, just keep seeing more and more complaints about it, Sky never seem to address it in any updates.

 

I tried the people I knew at Sky, but not heard any positive information back.


After doing the rounds with some of the test/audio folks they’ve all said that it’s down to how the tv handles the decoding of the signals. 
If it was affecting all tv’s then potentially it could have been their issue but because it only happens on certain models and they’ve not changed anything the whole way through they say it’s down to the tv manufacturers. They’re still looking at other things though.

I have both Philips and LG and it doesn’t happen on either. The Philips used to fall behind a little when it had been paused for a while and rebooting the tv fully sorted it, after an update it’s been fine ever since.

R
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Thanks for the update, seems a bit weird that it happens with multiple different TV manufacturers / models and in my case, at least, not with any other devices connected to the TV, Sky Q is the only common item across multiple brands of TV and sound bars that I have tried since getting Sky Q in 2016. Philips, Panasonic, Samsung TV’s, Yamaha, Playbar, Beam and Arc sound bars.

 

 

True, this is the exact kind of evidence I’ve sent across to the test team.

They’ve said they’re still looking into different things but it’s not a quick process unfortunately 

S
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Do we know which department in sky is looking into this? So if we were to call we could get a direct update?

for me on a Panasonic dx750 and sky Q and Sonos beam some HD channels are now out of sync but then they can also be in sync. It is very hit and miss but more miss. All connected via ARC.

T

I have solved my lip sync issues with Sky Q 2TB  Samsung Q80 series 2020 model and my Sonos Beam , Sub 2x SL2

Set all sound delays to zero on all three devices

Sky HDMI to Dolby Digital 

Then on the TV in Sound Settings -Expert

HDMI -eARC  Set to Auto

Digital output audio format to Pass-through

This last setting I think is the key to solving the delay

While not an expert I think this then allows the audio signal to be processed by the Beam and not the TV

The TV processing is causing the negative sync

Hope this may help 

 

Thanks Jessica, boom 💥 sorted since you said “HDMI -eARC  Set to Auto” i followed your instructions and it worked. I’m using a 4K Sony KD65A8 OLED and was pulling my hair out with arc lip sync issues with Sky 2TB box. 

S

Had Samsung 2014 4K tv future ready. Sky q and Sonos both said no issues with sound. I could only use the Normal setting on sky q.

Been trying Jessica’s settings out, I get different results. Will work for sky news hd, massive sync issue for sky golf and recorded program. Setting to 0 for lip sync for Samsung and sky q is ok. But you still have a group delay setting on Sonos.

I am not impressed with either Sonos, Samsung and Sky Q on the fact that as technology improves issues like this appear. It’s so frustrating that the sound issues are still an issue. I have found a solution for now is sitting it Dolby digital, just can’t get the plus version without doing my head in.

 

wilo wait and see if sky q upgrades the technology with Sonos and Samsung 

 

J

Hi Steve 

Sorry to hear you are having the lip sync issue

Sky digital plus as far as I know is another name for Dolby Atmos so to get this signal to the Arc you will probably need a fairly new top end TV that can process or pass through the audio codec

Also it must be an HDMI connection from the Sky box if you want Dolby + as it is not available with an optical connection 

Mine is a Samsung Qled 2020 model with eARC and the fix I described in a previous post has definitely worked for me

My previous Samsung TV 2016  UHD model would only pass through the standard Sky audio 

If you tried to change it to Dolby digital or Digital + the sound disappeared when ever you chose a channel that was broadcasting in one of these formats 

Fingers crossed you find a solution 

 

S

I have just bought a Samsung 65inch Q95T. Previous tv only worked with normal. Hence frustration.

 

thought everything was sorted. It’s one step up from normal but could do with DD+ working on sky q for all channels. Have posted on their.

 

so problem just keeps getting pushed to next technology! Oh well. Wait and see 

J

What's available?

Dolby Atmos is currently available on live Ultra HD broadcasts of English Premier League matches, selected Ultra HD Sky Cinema downloads and at times, selected Box Sets from Sky One and Sky Atlantic (if you have the Sky Signature or Sky Ultimate TV packages)
 

Don’t know if this helps but this is on the Sky set up pages for Digital +
 

 

S

I was under impression that if you set it to DD+ That the sky q would transition it to atmos automatically. That may explain the reason of lip sync issue and varying degrees of issues for different channels in DD+. I’ll just leave in DD for now and see if sky get back to me. 
 

all I know is Arc and TV are 2020 and Sky q is at least 2 yrs old and is current box. One day all the tech will talk nicely to each other  

R

So, a week into installing Sonos arc + sub, to work alongside a 2016 Panasonic 65DX902B. Amazing improvement on sound compared to my previous Yamaha YSP-2500 sound bar set up, particular bass and filling the room with sound. It is not atmos due to TV but netflix / amazon sounds great with digital 5.1 showing in the system read out. 

However, with my SKY HD box on digital setting, I have massive lip sync issues - sound is way behind the picture, so cannot be corrected. I have to put the SKY box into ‘standard’ stereo sound to correct. Even more annoying is that the old Yamaha soundbar, which had multiple HMDI inputs and Arc output, processed the sound perfectly and pushed the picture to the TV, no problem. 
 

Not sure why Sonos insist on the TV processing everything first and then passing to their equipment. Surely, makes more sense for the advanced Sonos to do the processing first? Fortunately, sufficiently pleased with the sound improvement, not to return it.
 

Guess it will have to be a (premature) TV upgrade at some point, to get both the atmos benefit and the lip sync resolved.  

J

Great news Glad it worked for you to👍

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