Why can't they keep the audio/video synced?

[padarjohn]

I've been a DTV subscriber for years. When I got an HD plasma TV I really looked forward to getting the HD programming from DTV, particularly because there are trees that interfere with local signal reception, and in bad weather the satellite signal is much better. But I swear they're going to drive me back to cable.

Luckily I have the HR20 with OTA support, or I wouldn't be able to watch local channels at all. For some reason all of the rebroadcasted local channels have the audio anywhere from 1/2 sec to 1-1/2 sec out of sync with the video. Why? Is this rocket science? I can tell neither the source nor the HR20 are the problem because I can switch to the OTA signal on the HR20 and it's fine.

It may not sound like much, but it's like watching a poorly dubbed kung-foo movie. It's OK if it's sports, but trying to watch regular network programming or news is out of the question.

I don't think it's limited to local stations, but that's the only instance I can point a finger with certainty. Most of the time the "cable" channels (TNT, USA, etc) are OK. Although they occasionally exhibit the same problem.

What can I do?

 

[yourbeliefs]

Well.. I would not recommend going back to Cable just yet. I don't know what the cause of the delay is. There may be a setting on your TV or receiver that could fix it. Its not uncommon for HD feeds to exhibit this behavior, but its more common with video games. Sometimes TVs have a setting called "Game mode" to help deal with this situation. I don't think it is necessarily a D* thing. I would look into the receiver and television settings. Check the manuals and you may find something about this, because as I said, this is not a very uncommon problem.

 

[Questioner]

It is pretty much a directv thing with the newer mpeg 4 channels, and also some older mpeg 4 locals in markets like boston, where they haven't upgraded the rebroadcasting equipment still. You can't correct it with your tv or audio receiver because it's not consistent from channel to channel. I rarely see this with other hd providers like fios and comcast, and if you do, it is more consistent from channel to channel so you can correct it.

 

[levibluewa]

Its not just Directv...

I've noticed the same problem with DISH and Comcast analog.

 

[Questioner]

Comcast analog? Who uses that.....the only analog you should use these days is if you watch HD from OTA.

 

[charper1]

Neither of my MPEG4 setups have sync issues and nor do any of the friends an family I know that have it. These are particular user issues not across the board.

 

[Questioner]

Neither of my MPEG4 setups have sync issues and nor do any of the friends an family I know that have it. These are particular user issues not across the board.

I find it hard to believe that you have never seen this problem on at least the recently launched national mpeg 4s. I noticed starz hd and food hd for example being out of sync both in my local area on directv, as well as my friends home in tampa, and my relatives place in vermont. It's very widespread, but it bothers some more than others. However, the problem seems to be less common among mpeg 4 locals released in the last year or so.

 

[jdspencer]

Comcast analog? Who uses that.....the only analog you should use these days is if you watch HD from OTA.

Umm, I believe OTA HD is digital.

 

[Questioner]

Sorry I meant to say using ota hd in combination with analog cable.

 

[knode89]

Yes this a big problem for all HD networks both from the channel side and the cable/satellite provider side,especially when you are dealing in both HD and SD formats. The problem is that there has been one set of standard audio/video timing in use for the past 20-30 years for SD formats but HD has a completely different timing. With SD the time it takes for a video signal and an audio signal to reach the same place over a length of cable is off by just a few 10ths of a second. So all telelvision stations and channels having timing gear in their stations that takes those signals and evens them out so that they will arrive at the transmission points at the same time.

Well HD with the even larger video information is double or more the slowness of SD. So they have to have seperate timing equipment for the HD stuff. Generally it is a set and forget system but when you are a station or channel that is jumping back and forth between HD and SD the timing can get knocked off especially when you are sending it out to a transmission facility somewhere. It might look good at the station and from their broadcast tower because it is sent to those places directly but if the uplink facility runs the signal through a router to get it to the correct satellite to send it up and they do not recheck the timing then you get the lip flap and the station or channel may not even know about it.

Timing is very complicated since the difference in the type of cable you use could affect the timing of the signals to certain areas and when you are dealing in 10th and 100ths of a second it can be difficult to get it all timed out correctly.

 

[Jimbo]

It is pretty much a directv thing with the newer mpeg 4 channels, and also some older mpeg 4 locals in markets like boston, where they haven't upgraded the rebroadcasting equipment still. You can't correct it with your tv or audio receiver because it's not consistent from channel to channel. I rarely see this with other hd providers like fios and comcast, and if you do, it is more consistent from channel to channel so you can correct it.

IF that was the case (It is pretty much a directv thing with the newer mpeg 4 channel) then EVERYONE's would be doing it as MOST of us are using mpeg4 now.

Jimbo

 

[Questioner]

IF that was the case (It is pretty much a directv thing with the newer mpeg 4 channel) then EVERYONE's would be doing it as MOST of us are using mpeg4 now.

Jimbo

I believe everyones is doing it. It just doesn't happen on a particular channel 24 hours a day.

 

[charper1]

tinfoil hat

 

[uncrules]

It's not a problem with either one of my MPEG 4 receivers.

 

[CRUZN8R]

If you notice the sync is off, try changing the channel, then change back to it. Most of the time it fixes it.

 

[Plywodstatebum]

Never had a problem here But I don't watch the food channel, hehe

 

[ArtWIS]

Very very rare that we ever have a sync problem on any channel SD or HD. HR20 on our HD set and D10's on 2 SD tvs. None on OTA either.

 

[Silvia2112]

I have audio sync issues everyday in some form. It is very annoying and could lead to me dropping DTV when my contract is done. My brother was over watching the Fox Daytona broadcast and made a comment. There are many posts concerning this and audio drops. Some people say this is a software issue with the hr21-700's. I am hoping it is and they will send a firmware patch out to fix this.

 

[Jimbo]

I have audio sync issues everyday in some form. It is very annoying and could lead to me dropping DTV when my contract is done. My brother was over watching the Fox Daytona broadcast and made a comment. There are many posts concerning this and audio drops. Some people say this is a software issue with the hr21-700's. I am hoping it is and they will send a firmware patch out to fix this.

I never had any trouble with sync or audio drop outs while watching the Daytona 500...
Then again, I rarely have any of these issues anymore, since my dish was changed to the Slimline.
Matter of fact, I may not have had ANY since the change out....

Jimbo

 

[Silvia2112]

I never had any trouble with sync or audio drop outs while watching the Daytona 500...
Then again, I rarely have any of these issues anymore, since my dish was changed to the Slimline.
Matter of fact, I may not have had ANY since the change out....

Jimbo

Yeah - that is great you have no issues. I am sure for every 1 person that has an issue - 100 people are fine. There are a lot of variables to contend with. Kind of frustrating because when I watch a blu-ray or play video games - the sync is fine. Video games are usually where people encounter sync issues - and I don't have that problem.

Hopefully whatever is causing the sync issue for a few will be fixed over time with firmware patches.