HT-RT3 Audio Delay

[aj87uk]

Hi all,

I have recently purchased a HT-RT3 with a Sony Bravia KD55X8509C. 

I have the sub connected to the TV via HDMI ARC and a Chromecast Audio connected to the Aux input. 

The issue is almost everytime I go to use the Aux input there is a delay of 500ms to a second processing the sound, therefore the speakers in one room are out of sync with the other Chromecasts, which is very noticable.

I found a work around is to go into the menu > audio > effect and toggle the setting on or off, the brief silence whilst it changes something removes the delay. The state of the effect setting makes no difference, it can be toggled off and on again and it'll remove the delay just the same. 

For a £250 audio system, added to the rather loud fan in the sub (mentioned elsewhere on here) I cannot recommend this product at all at the moment. I'm wondering if persisting and hoping a firmware update fixes this or if these seem unpopular for a reason?

Thanks.

[rooobb]

Just out of curiosity: why do you need a chromecast audio on your bluetooth enabled HT system connected to a google cast enabled TV?

[aj87uk]

The Chromecast Audios can be grouped together to play multi-room.

You can't add the TV to the group. I assume it only allows Chromecast Audios to be grouped, this is quite new and wasn't possible when they were released.

[rooobb]

Thanks for the explanation. What I can suggest could be to try connecting something (your smartphone maybe using a youtube video you know for sure is lipsync free) directly via cable to the aux in and try to verify if the delay you hear can be related to the processing of the analogue input to your soundbar or rather to the wifi connection of the chromecast

[aj87uk]

I can unplug the Chromecast from the sub and connect it to a cheap Anker speaker and it syncs perfectly (The Chromecast audios are rather impressive at this for £15 each).

My 'fix' for the delay works every time, but then making it go out of sync again is a little bit less reliable. Sometimes just changing the source back to TV and to Aux again reintroduces it. I thought it might be the TV changing some setting but it happens without the TV connected.

[rooobb]

I'm just guessing here, but it is possibile that the audio processing of an HT system is rather more complex than a small standalone speaker or that having its own BT /NFC receiver-transmitter may interfere  with the chromecast one...for this reason I was suggesting to check with a direct connection to AUX IN

[aj87uk]

Ok, sorry didn't mean to sound dismissive, I appreciate someone taking an interest!

Connected my Samsung S7 directly to the Aux port and played the "Audio Video Sync Test" video thats on Youtube. Via the Aux port there is still a delay, out of curiosity I paired it via Bluetooth to the HT and the same video plays perfectly in sync 

I did however determine 

• once 'fixed' it only takes toggling around the inputs (from Analog -> BT -> USB -> TV -> Analog) to knock it out of sync.
• once 'fixed' If you turn the unit off and on again without changing input it doesn't go out of sync
• without the toggle effect fix if you turn the unit off whilst analog is selected and turn it off and on again it doesn't fix it.

I'm guessing as a software engineer, that toggling the effect on or off resets a variable set by one of the other input modes, there's definitely something logical going on, something in firmware that could be fixed I hope.

[rooobb]

I can only suggest you to try resetting the soundbar ... as a sofware engineer (like I am too ) sometimes it solves

1. While holding INPUT, touch VOL – and  simultaneously OFF for
   5 seconds.
   

2. 1. Disconnect the AC power cord (mains lead).

[aj87uk]

I missed the reset instructions in the manual, its on the last page with all the supported sound formats.

So hopeful as it normally does fix everything. But it does until the source is changed from Analog either by pressing the input button or the TV switching the source via HDMI Control. Reseting without the TV connected makes no difference either so can't blame the TV doing something to the settings.

[j_coelho]

Hi everyone!

I'm having exactly the same issue, my TV is a Sony Bravia KDL-55W800C, so I expected it to work properly with a Sony soundbar.

I tried toggling the setting in menu > audio > effect but it fixes the issue for a couple of seconds and then the audio goes out of sync again. Tried resetting the subwoofer and...nothing changed. Couldn't find any reference about the possibility of updating the firmware and, actually, there's no new firmware for the HT-RT3. So, basically I'm hopeless.

Did any of you find a solution for this? If not I think I'll have to return the product since this kind of issues are unacceptable IMHO.

Thanks!