Apple TV 2 - Audio out of sync.

I was happy to find others having these silly problems. It has been DRIVING. ME. CRAZY. So annoying to spend the time converting something and then have A) no audio at all or B) chipmunk audio or C) out-of-sync audio.

My next frustration - when I hold the middle button on the ATV remote I only get SPEAKERS and a choice of where I want my audio output - it does not let me select a 2nd audio channel. It lists my other Airplay devices (a 2nd ATV and my AirPort Expresses). Sheesh, I'm a geek, I eat sleep and breath tech, and this Apple stuff is supposed to "JUST WORK"! Instead a lot of the time it JUST DRIVES ME NUTS. /venting

Cheers!

Yup, Same issue here - audio out of sync. Culprit was the AAC (Core audio) default in handbrake. I am running the sound via an optical cable to my Sony Surround Sound System. If I pick the second track - no sync issues or if I recode using handbrake and delete the first audio track and use the AC3(ffmpeg) version all is well. So I don't know if this is an apple issue or a handbrake issue but clearly someone's issue! AND it was a frustrating issue for me until I stumbled upon this great thread on the issue....

So Handbrake version Handbrake Version 0.9.9 x86_64 (2013051800); coded with either universal or Apple TV 3 presents (all had the issue)

Brand new Apple TV 3

Sony Bravia TV and Sony Dav500 surround sound system.

So drop the AAC Core Audio track and viola - prefect!

Cheers

D.

Message was edited by: deanfromedmonton

does everyone recommend handbrake over any other program to covert movies to mp4? I am having the same issues but my movies were converted by using FLV Crunch. Any help will be appreciated.

Hey,

I use handbrake because under the audio options it quickly allows one to chnage the default coder. So I can quickly chnage it from the default ACC which does not seem to work well with my ATV3 to the AC3 format which I have not had a single issue with.

D.

I'm not sure if this assists your problem, but the sound can become delayed when I watch movies on Hulu Plus or Netflix after turning my Apple TV. I find that going into settings, putting the device to sleep and then turning it back on fixes the problem every time. It seems basic but I agree that there should be a patch that fixes sound delay issues.

Thanks for pointing this out!

I have the same problem. If I wake it up on almost any circumstance to airplay a video or to play something from hulu or Netflix, the audio is terribly out of sync. Putting the Apple TV to sleep and waking it back up solves the problem.

Annoying workaround, but at least it's still usable. The update that fixes this will be welcome.

When I press and hold down the Center Key, the one to the right of my thumb, I get "Subtitles" and "Speakers" in the menu but nothing about Surround Sound. When I select "Speakers" It gives me the menu option to play through my airport express units or other Apple TVs in the house. Is there another way to get to this menu to select "English" vs "Eglish Surround"? This out of sync thing is driving me a little batty.

I wanted this to work but then I see the post is from 2011. Surely they have fixed this issue by now.

Tom,

I get this on my Apple TV 3 as well but only when there has been a single audio track embedded in the file. If two audio tracks are avaiable I can select the audio stream I want by holding the button. I am still having sync issues and often I have to recode files several times trying different settings. For me ately the AAC(faac) audio setting has been working virtually all of the time with my Apple TV 3 after using handbrake to recode.

Hope his helps.

D.

Just purchased the latest Apple TV. My sync issues are obvious starting at the menu screen. When I move the selector around, the click sounds lag, and this lag carries through all the apps. Probably and OS issue. The only way I've found to correct the issue is from restarting the entire unit.

(skip to the last paragraph for solution)

Hi, I've had the same issue for the past several months with audio encoded from 2.0 sources. At first I blamed Handbrake... the easy fix was to re-encode problematic files with the iPad preset or simply dropping the surround audio track. The easier fix but more annoying was to hold the play button each time and manually change the audio track to select the no surround one. I realized tonight that it happened on file that previously worked before... sorry handbrake, I blamed you for no reason....

Here is the permanent solution.

Go in Settings - Audio and Video - Audio Effect (or the third from the top as my system is in a different language) Deactivate that and if the cause of your issue was the same as mine, it will be solved. I have an Apple TV 2 with latest updates. Since then it has been fixed.

I have a much easier solution. If the audio is ahead then just hold down rewind very briefly and if the audio is behind then hold down fast foward very briefly. It always works for me. Never had to try any of the other suggestions.

Wow! That statement about sums up the approach to most things I have encountered with my apple products.

I am really quite fed up with the ATV that held so much promise out of the box. Pulling my hair out dealing with Home Sharing devolving into a custody battle over My Library, renting movies that I suddenly can't stream to my TV...

Oddly, there were never any sync problems when I could stream from my computer, which sorta puts paid to the latency excuse -- my sync issues are with "native" ATV 'casters like Netflix, Stan (downunder), YouTube, etc.

This dialogue sync problem is one more straw on the hump of a camel all too ready to break under the load.

Done all of the above and have found I have become an incredibly gifted lip reader -- sure enough.

Next thing, someone will suggest turning on Closed Captions. Now there's a workaround!!