New install, lip sync issues. Any options? Cancel service?

popechild

Active SatelliteGuys Member
Original poster
Aug 11, 2005
16
0
I just got a vip-211 installed a few days ago for my first Dish service. (HD-only plan.) I'm having terrible lip sync issues. It's noticeable on every channel, although some are definitely worse than others. (Bravo seems to be especially bad). The dish online support guy says it's a known software problem, with no idea if/when it will be fixed. He also said I'm stuck with my new 2-year contract and that there's no "trial" period or anything if I'm not happy with the service.

Questions:
1) Are many others having the sync issue? I've googled and found people saying it's indeed a problem with the 211 receivers. But I'm not seeing much about it here, and I can't imagine others wouldn't be bothered by it if they're seeing what I'm seeing.

2) Any strategy to convince them to let me try a different model receiver if it's a problem with the 211? I can't even get them to try swapping out for a new 211 in case there's really a problem with my specific unit. Since they say there's a software problem, they say swapping out the unit won't help.

3) Considering that it's nearly unwatchable on certain channels, I'm starting to wonder whether to fight to cancel the service. Is there really no backout timeframe option, even with service that's not working correctly? How can they hold me to a 2-year contract for service they admit isn't working properly?

(FWIW, I'm using the component video outputs. I've tried composite, optical, and hdmi for audio. I've run it directly to the tv, as well as through a receiver that has no sync problems with any of the other sources I'm feeding it.)

Any help on any of these points would be greatly appreciated!
 
Have not heard of issue with the 211 like this, though have not installed one in a month or so. Since you tried all other options for audio, yes they should replace the receiver. I would call back and try again. There is a trial period, but it is only three days.
 
Interesting. I wonder if someone with a 211 could tune to BravoHD and check the lip sync for me. That channel seems to be off by a full second at least. If it's working fine for others, could you tell me what outputs you're using, and what "dolby digital" settings?

Thanks.
 
Have not heard of issue with the 211 like this, though have not installed one in a month or so. Since you tried all other options for audio, yes they should replace the receiver. I would call back and try again. There is a trial period, but it is only three days.

Maybe not. Usually if it is a known software issue, they'll send out a memo saying not to replace the receiver since the new one is likely to have it also. Replacing hardware doesn't cure the software. It's up to the engineers to come up with a "fix" that they can download to the receivers.

Unfortunately, that doesn't really help the OP at the moment.
 
RE: lip-sync...

I don't think its the receiver. I've noticed it on Comcast, Directv and DISH. I'm not a techie so I can't tell you the source or the cure...I only know that it's very irritating. In short, if anyone knows where the problem is occurring, they're not telling.

I'll go check BravoHD...I have 211s as well.
 
Tried to check...

BRAVOHD, but that hunk-of-junk 129 is falling out of the sky again, and there's NO SIGNAL. I guess that trumps the lip-sync issue :(
 
new install also and just got a 211. when i connect the audo directly to the tv i got the lip sync but when you connect the audio to 5.1 the lip sync goes away. do you have a surround sound receiver?

i think 211 receivers are bad because i get those see through lines on the left and right edges on the SD channels. do you have that also?

btw what's the signal strenth on regular SD channels and HD channels? i got around 45- 55 on SD and 50-65 on HD ... i want to call them back to reaim the dish.
 
I have a 211 and the lip-sync issue comes and goes. I always just attributed it to something that was wrong with the signal being sent to Dish because it'll show up on some channels, but not others.

I have mine hooked up to a 5.1 receiver via TOSlink.
 
Both my HD upconverting DVD player and Video Upconverting receiver have lip sync adjustments in milliseconds. Do not know about the 211, but the 722 has a couple of set up switches to adjust lip sync. Beleive it was a switch to let the unit know if it was connected to HDTV or SDTV. The installer told me to play with it until I found a position with the best lip sync. As stated above lip sync changes with the channel.
 
211 doesn't have the "high def" menu option for sync. I just had a technician bring out another receiver to exchange and it has the same problems. Lip sync off by enough to be noticeable on ALL hd channels. On some it's really bad, but not all. Either way, the SD versions of the channels - even the really bad ones - are all right on. So it's obviously just an HD problem. Maybe this is why more people aren't having this problem?

Even the technician said it was very noticeable, but had no suggestions on what to do about it.

Man, this is frustrating. Any suggestions on options - even external to the receiver - for what can be done about this? I assume the fact that the audio is already delayed later than the video means that the delay functionality on a receiver wouldn't help, or can that delay "go both ways"?
 
Cartoon HD has been consistently out of sync for me for the last month with my 622. It seems like almost all the HD channels on 129 are giving me problems.
 
Lip-Sync

Guess we should just chalk it up to "thats life!" I'm guessing that the signal may be sent out ok, but gets fu**ed up in the processing and delivery to consumers. I've seen it on DISH, Directv, and Comcast. I find it very irritating, but there's nothing you can do about it.

Another irritant...volume. I've noticed on numerous SD/HD channels where the volume on the HD feed is about half its SD neighbor. Drives me nuts! Oh well, I'm nuts!

At least we're not watching 10" b&w sets with rabbit ears.
 
I'm actually not real keen to chalking this one up to "that's life", as I've had pretty much every different tv source you can have over about a 15 year period, and have never had any service with any provider where the a/v sync was consistently off on every channel like this is. Yeah, it happens occasionally on a certain channel or show for a little while, but not every channel all the time. That seems unacceptable to me.

I'm going to see if I can't get a few clips uploaded to show some examples of what I'm seeing. Maybe that way people can tell me if I'm imaganing things, or if this is just as good as what other people are getting.
 
As promised, here's a short clip I just grabbed off one of my HD channels. It's pretty representative of what I see on pretty much every HD channel. It's a low quality clip to save bandwidth, but hopefully it'll be obvious what I'm talking about.

http://www.summersetproductions.net/sync/sync.wmv

Does this look like what people are used to seeing with Dish?
 
I replace my 411s (2) with 211Ks. The lip sync is enough that my wife won't watch TV with when it is in HD (Maybe not too bad after all) but is annoying for me also. I can remember both of my 411s had the same problem when they 1st came out but in the last 2.5 years since I have had the 411s it seemed to be fixed. BTW I actually replace only 1 411 and the other replaced a failing 301. I 211k is hooked up through and HDMI switch and the other goes into a DVI switch.

Rich Dunklee
NR2D
 
My ViP722 has some lip sync issues with the optical audio output to my surround sound receiver. I have a Yamaha RX-V995; it's 9 years old, but still works great and cost $999 brand new. I've tried a lot of different things, but the sync issues still persist.

When listening to audio just from my TV set (via HDMI) there's no lip sync problem at all. I'm looking at buying a new receiver in a couple months or so and that may solve the problem entirely. I'll be listening to audio only by way of HDMI connection. And the receivers I'm looking at have auto lip sync functions for HDMI.

I'm pretty sure what's going on with Dish and its lip sync issues has to be a software error. When I bought my 80GB Playstation 3 in January it had a lip sync problem when playing DVDs with DTS audio tracks (I tried out Jurassic Park and Saving Private Ryan). I updated the PS3 firmware and the lip sync error disappeared.
 
When Dish first came out with a receiver that would let you pause live tv for up to 1/2 hour, there was no HD. However, I complained to Dish at that time because of lip sync issues. I assumed at the time that Dish was at fault in their recording function, since everything was recorded with a 1-2 second delay in presentation on the tv. If this problem is occuring on an HD receiver (rather than DVR), then it is a different problem.

The instructions from my Yamaha 6.1 S.S. receiver indicate that lip sync problems are often found on LCD monitors. I adjusted the 6.1 sound delay as per instructions and it reduced the problem significantly.

One thing I have always noticed in lip sync problems -- the sound always precedes the picture.
 
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