HDTV Forum

Don't spend a Dime on any Add-On Device to correct Audio ~ Video Lip Sync Issues.

The Problem's in the TV's Firmware, ... and can be Very Easily reprogrammed. Very easily!!! The Technician downloads the correct information to the TV and is off to go and do the next guy.

If you have an Audio Delay. It's an EASY Fix! You DON'T have to BUY ... anything. The House call is FREE!

Just call the Customer Service Line for your Manufacturer.
Open a Case.
Get a Case Number.
POLITELY and Relentlessly demand the FIRMWARE Upgrade.

Don't let anybody give you a bunch of Techno-speak saying stuff like your Video is processed faster than the Audio and you need a Magic Black Box with a Digital read-out that costs 4-Bills and contains 75-Cents worth of electronics.

Just tell the Customer Service Rep: "If you can't get the Audio to match the Video ... come and get this thing out of my house."

RickCoMatic

Lip-sync error creeps into programming at every step in the broadcast chain where video is "processed". Broadcasters are "supposed to" measure the video delay they introduce and compensate with a corresponding audio delay. But life isn't perfect and they sometimes don't.

When that happens the lip-sync error introduced cannot be automatically removed.

These errors are cumulative.

Many people think lip-sync error is a fixed video delay from your flat screen TV (Plasma, LCD, DLP, etc.) that can be compensated with a fixed audio delay.

That isn't the case and anyone who understands the way programs are edited and produced and broadcast will verify that. If the source material were in sync and broadcasting introduced no error then a fixed audio delay could fix the problem caused by yopur display's video processing delay but the "source" material is seldom in sync.

Three companies make the little boxes to delay digital audio by remote control and correct lip-sync error that you mention: Alchemy2, Felston and Primare.

Two of them do make devices that cost 4 "bills" as you say but my Felston DD740 was only $249 and I would not be without it. Some programs need only a few milliseconds adjustment while most need 25 to 50 but there is the occasional one that requires over 200 ms. I've been told some HD applications encounter as much as 330 ms lip-sync error and there is no way a cable box can automatically correct this since there is no synchronization information or watermark in the audio and video signals to define when they were ever in-sync.

I worked in Broadcast TV for 30 years. Saw film give way to tape. Saw tape go from 2 Inch to DVC Pro. Saw DVC Pro challenged by Direct to Disc.

Been there. Done that. I cannot remember ever having seen Program Content with "SEVERE ... DISTRACTING ... LIP SYNC ... issues."

Most people have a Cable that delivers the TV Signals with the Program Channels and content they plug into ... to watch TV.

The Signal that arrives on the Cable does NOT have a Lip Sync Problem ... does it? No. No. It does NOT!

The problem is in the TV.

EDITED BY MODERATOR

To add more optical ins you can use this. The only problem is that it is manual and yoy have to get up to switch.

http://www.monoprice.com/products/produ ... 1&format=2

rickcomatic,

The problem with LG is not everybody elses problem... Please stop using this as the pat answer for lip sync issues that have been well documented and on going since the arrival of DTV and that includes legacy HDTV CRT products.

There are numerous places where the error can occur and as nexsen points out it can also be cumulative. More often than not the easiest solution is to deal with it yourself using one of the devices mentioned.

System: Pace HD PVR - 4 tuner; Yamaha RXV-563 7.1Ch AMP/receiver; Panasonic Full HD Plamsa - TH-P42s10m. Tuner connected via HDMI cable to receiver, connectec via HDMI to Plasma.

Problem/Scenario: When booting the tuner and it loads on a HD channel, the 5.1 surround is in perfect syc with pic. Now when changing to a 2.0 channel on the tuner and then back to the HD 5.1 channal, there is a big noticable delay in the sound vs pic. Problem can only be fixed via a reboot if the PVR.

I have tried co-ax/ optical and HDMI routes for connection to the amp - no difference.

When putting the 5.1 hd channel on sterio 2.0 as default, there is no problem at all.

What could this be due to???

It's either the DVR or the Receiver. Try connecting the DVR directly to the TV via HDMI and see if the problem persists. If not then it's the receiver. It it does then it's the DVR. Check for a firmware update.