HT-XT3 sync issue, audio lag/delay!

[mr.hertzberg]

Just got a HT-XT3, and there is a slight delay in audio. Not much, actuallt I might not have noticed right away if I wasn't looking for flaws.

I use optical toslink from my tv.I love the sound, but thisbugs me. The audio is delayed, even if I have of course set the in-built lips sync to 0ms. Adjustingit up makes it worse. I first noticed when running the tv speakers and the ht-xt3 at the same time, I heard this echo effect. I have had two other soundbases here for testing, and they have been totally in line with the inbuilt TV-speakers (both soundbases connected via optical)

When I run a youtube- test like this one: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=szoOsG9137U - the inbuilt TV speakers are totally on the spot, but there is a noticable delay with the HT-XT3. 

I have updated the XT3 to the latest firmware. I use the toslink connection. It is the same with all sources (PS4, BlueRay and my digital cable TV-box)

[OrangeWindies]

We're still having this problem (KDL-55W808C connected to HT-XT3 by HDMI-ARC) switching the HT-XT3 off and back on will fix it for a while but it's been getting to the point where it's happening several times in an evening.

I haven't checked for new firmware for the HT-XT3 for a while, but it's set to update automatically.

[mr.hertzberg]

I ended up returning the htxt3 to the store, after having had sony service looking at it and telling me it was normal. I tried several soundbases. The Philips 5130also had a lag, but not as bad as the Sony. The canton dm50 had no lag, but retracted midrange made it unfit for low volume tv. The Geneva Cinema was good, no lag. The two sound bases with HDMI had a lag, the two without did not. I suspect the more demanding sound processing is what does it 

I ended up getting the KEF EGGs mini speakers and don't regret at all - they have not powerful deep bass but I am actually glad it doesn't, and if I feel the need they have a subwoofer output. 

[ronny.todgers]

For what it is worth I have experienced this and seem to have fixed it - not just a work around.

So using the Arc connection gives random sync delays after a period of time when watching TV - it can be adjusted but soon wanders out again - very very annoying.

Nothing in the sony settings seems to help - the toslink is muh better but far far less convenient. So I wondered why that might be and found there is a setting in my TV settings controlling what is outputted down the ARC link - and the options are TV monitor or AV2. It was on TV by default.

On a hunch that this might mean the audio was sent down before the image data was processed I switched it to monitor (sounds to me like the latest stage / post processing)  - and boom, perfect sync, holds steady over several hours.

So I think it isn't actually Sony's fault - the sync issue, in my case at least, was down to the TV video processing causing minor slowdown on the video stream which the TV would be linking back to the audio stream for output to it's own speakers - however the default ARC setting was to strip the audio and send it pre-processing so jitter in the video processing led to an ever increasing sync error. (~50ms per hour)

Essentially a dumb default setting on the behalf of the TV ( Pannasonic 42" plasma) - the toslink seemed to use this post processed feed anyway and cannot be altered - hence it's also perfect.

Hope this helps someone else - massive relief to me as I really dont want to have to send it back!

[mr.hertzberg]

That is truly great news for any HTXT3 owner!

I wonder how Sony couldn't tell me about this - this is stuff they should know about, right? I tried really hard to figure this out. Now you make me regret sending it back (if there is such a setting on my TV, though).

But to be sure i get you right - you say the toslink was perfect as default? Or did that change with the setting as well? I actually had no problem with the audio drifting. Just a constant minor lag, that bothered me when watching people speak. 

[ronny.todgers]

Sadly seems more complex and there is something hokey with the ht-xt3. So what I said has fixed the TV input - still perfect.

Any hdmi input plugged into the TV is also perfect. So if I plug a dvd into the TV's hdmi port so I can watch it and have the ht-xt3 on the "TV" input - again perfect ( my TV remember is set to monitor so what ever would be coming out of the tv speakers gets piped down the ARC link.)

BUT

if I plug the dvd into hdmi 1, 2, or 3 on the ht-xt3 i get lag which is variable and really really irritating - you can adjust to it and then it wanders off again - sometimes it seems to be picture in front of audio which you can't adjust for.

And yes for what it's worth the TV ever increasing lag issue was only present on the ARC cable - is perfect with the toslink.

So fixed for TV and seemingly anything plugged into the hdmi ports on the TV - a bit of a mess for the hdmi ports on the ht-xt3 itself which is annoying as they were one of the big reasons i bought it

[mr.hertzberg]

OK - too bad. But good for you that you found a solution that work in your setup. The XT3 with no delay isues would be/is a superb soundbase 😃