4K Apple TV audio sync issues?

Try reconverting mp4 with with wondershare uniconverter this stopped out of sync issues I was having with all movies I was having this issue with. Worked for me, Apple needs to address this problem. I think the problem came from update 14.6.

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I have this very same issue with ’two’ 4K appleTVs each connected to a separate TV since newest update. Never ever had this before using it for years. One appleTV is connected by WiFi the other by Ethernet. No other changes were done except updating to 14.5. The audio goes ahead of the video after a few minutes into the movie. I stop the movie and exit the player, then resume playing and soon after the situation is the same. Unwatchable.

I tried reseting the video setting in appleTv settings, changed audio mode from auto to 16bit. Nothing helped.

would very much appreciate ideas too.

So... I was hoping that 14.6 would help, but it didn't. I watched a bunch of Netflix tonight after updating from 14.5, which was fine for an hour or so. Then switched over to HBOMax to watch Last Week Tonight and within a few minutes:

• popping (sounds like brief cutouts at a few Hz)
• audio that goes further and further out of sync

After a few more minutes, it's close to a second out of sync. So, the TV is an OLED CX, and I played around with the audio settings for a bit. I found that - very repeatably - if I choose any other audio mode than "AI Video Pro" this does not happen. If I switch back to this mode, it starts happening right away. So... a workaround for now for me.

If I had to guess, I would say the ATV is trying to do something super clever with its output to make the audio sound good, and the TV is trying to do something super clever with its input to make the audio sound good, and these things are interacting in a bad way.

I also have this audio problem. Upon updating my AppleTV HD to 14.5 the audio sync and crackling started with home sharing videos from 2012 Mac Mini on Catalina.

I tried everything from switching to another tv, getting new HDMI cables, restarting computer, router, etc. I even tried erasing/restoring the AppleTV but nothing worked. I did get the problem fixed after downgrading back to 14.4. However I have several AppleTV 4K that I cannot do that with. The AppleTV 3's I have continue to work fine and do not have any audio issues playing the same files.

This audio problem is definitely something Apple broke with14.5 and has not fixed with 14.6. Please fix this Apple!

I have left feedback on https://www.apple.com/feedback/apple-tv/

Like everyone else who upgraded Apple TV 4K from TVOS 14.4 to 14.5 and then 14.6, ‘Home Sharing’ audio sync issues continue to be a problem with many of MP4’s from iTunes on my iMac.

I performed Audio Sync calibration on Apple, TV 4k and made no difference - audio sync issues persist.

I’ve unplugged it and plugged in my Apple TV 3 (running 7.7 software) and no audio sync problems (never has been) with same equipment same files from ‘Home Sharing’.

I plugged in my 2nd Apple TV 3 and also no audio sync issues.

I’ll be patient and wait for for official TVOS 14.7 update release. If the pending update doesn’t fix audio sync fault, I can bring it back for full refund.

Looks like Apple TV 3 are going to become collector’s items for ‘Home Sharing’ enthusiasts!

TVOS 14.7 update worked for my AppleTV 4K box to fix audio sync issues.

Auto Update software has now been disabled.

I won’t update software unless I check first that there will be no new bug issues with an update.

Hello h.frommiami,

Thanks for your question. Let's be sure your Apple TV 4K is up-to-date. Here is how you can tell: How to update your Apple TV

Which model iMac are you using and what is the version of macOS that it is running? You can see this at Apple menu  > About This Mac.

Is your Apple TV 4K connected wirelessly to your network? There may be wireless interference if it is. Take a look here as well: Resolve Wi-Fi and Bluetooth issues caused by wireless interference

We look forward to your response. Let us know if you have any questions.

There is no way to downgrade the AppleTV 4K software. When I took my AppleTV in for service at the request of Apple Support they replaced mine with a new one with 14.4 installed. Now it prompts me to upgrade about 5-10 times a day but at least it works. I also have this problem on my iPhone and iPad after the 14.5 upgrade. I missed getting them downgraded by a couple of days. When 14.5.1 came out Apple stopped signing the 14.4 software so there is no way back now.

I'm running Catalina as well, it's not a Big Sur issue.

Look. I'm an IT Professional. I've been troubleshooting hardware and software problems for 30 years. I have narrowed the fault I'm experiencing all the way down to an upgrade of the Apple TV software 2-3 weeks ago (or firmware to be technical about it).

Reading through everyone's posts, there are a lot of common denominators and a lot of differences, but take out all the differences, and it all comes down to the latest software pushed out to Apple TV. Doesn't matter if it's an Apple TV HD or 4K, if you've installed the update then you will have popping and crackling noise and the video will play faster than the audio, getting worse the longer the show plays, when playing from your home library.

The latest latest update (came out a few days ago) has seemed to fix the popping and crackling noise, at least on my Apple TV HD box. Haven't tested it with my 4K box yet, but will do this week. But the audio/visual sync is still a big issue.

The questions I have are: Is Apple aware of this bug? And, do they care as it doesn't seem to impact on their streaming service or other streaming services? Are they intentionally trying to end people having their own home library of films, or not? If they are, then maybe it's not a bug.

I switched from my Apple TV 4k and used my HD box for awhile. Last weekend I switched back to the 4K box, running software version TVOS 14.5. I then ripped a couple new shows and they played perfectly fine.

No problems at all, video and audio in sync.

But, when I went back to play older shows ripped awhile back, same problem sync issue, although the popping crackling is gone.

Not sure yet if I used different settings, going to test re-ripping some older shows. I re-ripped my 3TB library after upgrading to the HD version. Really don't want to have to do that again. But, guess it's a chance to clear out shows from my library I never watch.

I have the same problem. Usually, when the opening music for a TV show or movie has a faint (and sometimes more noticeable) ticking noise, I know there will be sync problems. The longer the movie or show runs, the farther behind the video will be. I tested a roughly two-hour movie and the audio was almost a full minute ahead of the video.

These problems started only after the 14.5 update. I have checked and recheck all my settings, cables, everything. I have rebooted everything several times with no improvement. I am firmly convinced the issue is with the 14.5 update.

Apple, if you are listening to your customers, please fix this problem. I have since started using a Roku and have used my Apple TV less. The Roku does not have this problem, BUT I want to use my Apple TV instead, considering the money I paid for it.

Me too - however, in my case the audio and vid starts in sync and then drifts apart. If I stop the play then press the menu button on the 4K TV controller and then resume play it all syncs back again for a few minutes and then drifts.

As with you I have a large physical library and it has been fine until recently.

I generally play TV and Movie shows stored as MP4 with video codex H.264 and audio aac 44.12kHz stereo - these are supposed to be Apple TV friendly video formats - and I draw from a library connected via 1 GB Ethernet on a MacBook Pro (16-inch 2019 running Big Sur 11.4). The 4K Apple TV is running TVos 14.7.

I purchased a movie from apple today and it played fine when I streamed it to the 4K TV. BUT -- after downloading it I was prevented from playing it on my Apple 4K TV using the Apple TV "computers" "this content cannot be played on apple TV" -- BUT - I can play it using the TV app on my computer and sending it via Air to the 4K TV. Just NUTS !!

Sync timing is not an initial issue so I am not suffering a hardware set-up problem. BUT why does the audio drift out of sync later?

Easy fix on this, on the Apple TV reset back to factory settings, when it’s finished unplug it for 1 min, power back up reinsert your settings, with an iPhone it’s easy and you are done :)

I would like to just add in here that for me those very same problems exist on two appleTV HD (AppleTV5,3).

I opened a thread for that some time ago. So for me it is 'not' related to the appleTV 4K only it's a common problem since tvOS 14.5.

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/252722595?answerId=255206943022#255206943022

(please note that I originally wrongly stated in that post that I have two appleTV 4K but I actually only have two appleTV HD ;)