Apple TV audio/video sync issues

Ccastle84,

We aren't really able to speculate about upcoming tvOS releases. We learn about Apple software updates as they're released, too. 

Apps are engineered for the devices where they're downloaded, so you may have different settings or performance for each. For example, the Netflix app may work differently when downloaded directly on your Smart TV than it does when downloaded on your Apple TV, or it may require various settings to be customized to optimize performance through that device. 

Have you had a chance to try and calibrate the audio using the Apple TV app on your iPhone? These articles explain:

Use Apple TV to play audio throughout your home - Apple Support

Adjust video and audio settings on Apple TV - Apple Support

Still experiencing audio latency? You might try to reach out to Netflix or HBO to see if there are settings within the app that need to be adjusted.

Cheers!

I've experience this issue also, since a recent update. In my case, I was running the audio through a Yamaha receiver, via Airplay. After reading these comments, I tried connecting to the receiver via Bluetooth rather than Airplay (Settings > Remotes and Devices > Bluetooth). This seems to fix the problem. So I suspect the issue is related specifically to Airplay on the AppleTV? But who knows, you can't reproduce every situation, with every piece of hardware and 3rd party software...

If you route the sound directly through the Tv speakers, so hdmi from Apple to TV, that’s it, does it stay in sync then? That’s one think I haven’t tested yet. Effectively moving the soundbar from the equation.

I have a similar lip sync / audio lag when watching Apple TV programs in 4K using the Apple TV app on my 2018 LG 70" UHD SMART TV 70U6.

The lag is so bad, that I use my old Apple TV 4th gen to watch Apple TV programs. I don't get to watch my Apple TV programs in 4KV (nor in Dolby Atmos) but it least the sound matches. I do not have this problem when watching Disney+ nor HBO Max (using the respective Apps on my LG TV).

I don't know where your sound output goes to (directly from the TV or into some type of sound system) but I was able to fix the sound lag from my TV to my Sonos Arc by purchasing an HDFury Arcana. Huge difference. Now I can watch all my cable box items with no lag. I probably could avoid all the lagging audio by purchasing a TV with an eARC output (vs ARC) but I am not ready to purchase a new TV just yet.

I think the problem is with Apple and how they package their sound with their 4K products since Disney+ seems to be able to do it with no issue. (or my Apple tv app is written poorly for my LG TV).

I have since spoken to Apple today and trouble shot the issue with them and they have indicated it’s the third party app. I have now sent a support request to YouTube about the issue and need to send a few others to the other app publishers to get there input into it. Hopefully they take it seriously and update their apps

Hello all,

Some new observatios with this common problem:

I just added another Apple TV 4K. There was no audio lag issue, whatsoever, with any app or system.

For some reason I still chose to calibrate audio in the settings, and immediately after calibration, the issue started! Ran the calibration again and again, to no victory.

The audio now lags in all streaming, INCLUDING Apple TV+.

Apple really should investigate thei audio calibration tool, seems to cause this issue...at least for me.

I don't believe this is an LG TV issue. The same thing happens with all brand TVs, it's just that so many have LGs these days.

This is clearly an Apple TV 4K issue, for me it happens with LG TV, but also with my second ATV 4K connected to an Optoma 4K projector! This is in no way related to the display device!

As said earlier, the problem is not there out of the box, but for me it started happening once I ran the Apple TV optimizations offered in the menus. The thing that is supposed to make it "even better", breaks everything up!

Yeah so this is happening for me too. I had to disable the 5.1 because apparently there is a bug between samsung tv's and appletvs. So the sound is on stereo and SO off even a reboot isn't fixing this. Anyway now I have a roku on this tv and the sound and video are 100% in sync. Problem with the Apple TV. Two problems with the apple tv really making me just want to return this junk...

This is an update to a previous post. I have had most of the lagging issues that I have been reading about. I have three Apple TV's; one new and two previous generation. Both generations lagged on my Sony x900 TV, all worked fine on my older Panasonic Viera plasma TV (remind me again why we ever dropped this superior technology). I was using the TV inputs and sending sound to my Onkyo nr656 receiver when I switched to using the inputs on the receiver it was the same thing. I reset everything to default factory; TV, receiver and Apple TV. This forced me to review each setting and do a little research on some. I do not know what I may have changed from previous since I wrote nothing down but there is back ground communication between HDMI ports between receiver, TV and Apple TV. After some frustrating moments I came to the correct settings by first programing the receiver then the Sony TV then the Apple TV. I streamed Apple TV from eArc on receiver to eArc port 3 on Sony TV then I had to go back and reset a few video settings on Apple TV that were greyed out originally until they started talking to the TV. I wish I knew what the actual problems were but it was all trial and error. In addition my Sony 4k blue ray player has HDMI audio out to the receiver and HDMI video out to the TV. There was never a problem with the blue ray player.

Cheers

Your lucky it’s resolved for you, unfortunately the issue is not caused by using an LG tv as it affects many different brands of TV’s and setups and it’s not down to your network connection or type of lan cable or hdmi cable. The issue occurred after an OS update and has yet to be resolved I’m afraid. Apple have a long history of ignoring issues with there applications and hardware and sadly customer feedback does little to resolve issues they are aware of.

I’ve tested the issue by rolling back the OS on my 4K ATV after exhausting all the suggestions and advice on various forums and from apple support and the only thing that fixed it was rolling back the OS a long way which is challenging to say the least and not easy for most and it also renders many updated apps unusable so isn’t really a practical solution.

sadly I find it unlikely apple will put any significant effort into fixing this as there is no profit in it for them and it’s not really high on their priorities list.

Fixed in 15.1

Strangely enough (or by design?) the content that was out of sync (video / audio) is now fixed for me after tvOS 15.1.

Found something interesting,

if when I do the audio sync calibration, I hold the phone on my sitting position instead of putting it close to the tv, the sync is almost perfect.

If your TV is in the loop for the audio, which it most likely is, try adjusting the audio and picture modes on your TV. That fixed mine and was the best discovery ever!

So I’ve had geek squad over and we’ve figured out what’s going on. When using Airplay to my receiver, the audio appears to initially be fine but within a few seconds the audio and video are out of sync. The audio is playing before the video with an increasing time delay of the video over time.

When using AirPlay through my AirPods or Sonos speakers there is no delay. The delay only exists when I connect through my Bluetooth into my receiver.

I contacted geek squad because I initially thought this was a receiver issue, even though we had no interference with the receiver and no reason for it to suddenly delay. It wasn’t the receiver.

Here is the issue, when using the Bluetooth to my receiver, the video coming from the Apple TV ( which has a direct hdmi connection to the tv) has intermittent micro pausing of the video stream which causes the video to slowly delay behind the audio. It’s clearly an Apple TV issue and an update bug fix is required. I have performed all necessary steps to fix the Apple TV ( reset, audio sync, etc), but none worked.

I live 10 minutes from the spaceship, so if any of the engineers wants to come over and check it out, come over! Seems like an easy fix….

thanks