Sony Android Smart TV - sync issues

Channels Android TV
#1

I just replaced one of my secondary TVs, a standard older HD unit with a Firestick 4K, with one of Sony's android TVs, the 55" x750h series (2020) - a budget TV with what appears to me to be a good picture and a decent feature set. I already have a Shield hooked to an LG OLED and full home theater setup in my main viewing area, and like the Android TV experience there.

I've just had the system set up for a day or so - but notice that the audio for TV playback via Channels is ever-so-slighty behind the picture. I have the sound output via HDMI ARC to a soundbar, though the issue is actually present on the native TV speakers as well, and similarly if I connect the soundbar via optical. The TV is set to "PCM" output rather than the other option it has, "Auto", and in Channels client, "Surround Sound" is "off".

One unfortunate thing is that the audio options for delay etc that one finds on the Shield are not available on the Sony Android TV implementation, at least this model, so I cannot change delay etc.

Some data points:

  • Channels audio seems behind - Netflix and other app audio does not
  • Sync is off regardless of external audio (soundbar) or internal playback
  • Sync is off whether I set in-home playback to "original" or transcode
  • No similar issue with existing TVs in the house

I am going to re-connect the Firestick and see what gives there, though that defeats one of the reasons I bought this thing. I am hoping there is a fix for this either via some setting I am missing, or an update of some sort to the software or TV firmware etc. I am running the latest "beta" clients and pre-release server (i7-based PC running Linux).

#2

Does it make any difference if you turn off surround sound under settings > playback > advanced ?

#3

Not really - I had surround on, and noticed the issue - turned it off last night, and it was marginally better, but still delayed enough to be irritating - update - just plugged the Firestick into the TV/Soundbar combo and audio sync is perfect, so seems to be an issue with the video playback on this specific Android TV

#4

Can you click Settings > Support > Submit Diagnostics > Video Player in the app after playing a video for 30s

#5

Just submitted those diagnostics - thanks

#7

I just got the x900h tv and had similar issue with my Vizio soundbar, only with the Channels app, none of the other built in apps. None of the sync options on the soundbar would get the audio to sync up either. What fixed it for me was to turn off Surround in the app, as well as A/V Sync off, eARC to Auto, Digital Audio Out to Auto 1, Dolby Digital Plus output, Pass Thru Mode off. I think it was the DD+ to on that actually got things working, but played with so many things that once it started working correctly left the settings as is and stopped playing with it. My soundbar does not have eARC or DD+, but don't care now that the problem is solved.

Just send diagnostics as well in case they want to compare mine to your.

#8

Thanks... My model actually does not have all the settings yours does so I am hoping there is something the logs show can be tweaked

#9

I have not heard back on the diagnostics, but did want provide a brief update - this particular model of Sony Android TV has a stripped-down settings interface, so some of the choices available to others in the basic settings for sound output are not there. I was happy to discover that installing the "Alpha" version of the client, rather than the "Beta" - has seemed to solve the issue. Are there clear differences in the playback audio processing from these two different app versions?

#10

Can you report back the version numbers from the app that works and does not?

Getting diagnostics from the working app would also be helpful.

#11

I will pull the version number of whats working - it was just installed yesterday to the AndroidTV via "Install Alpha" - I am assuming that one may be "beck rev" in some ways, but the player audio works for me. The version that was not functioning was the "Beta" installed on the new set just Saturday - I'm not sure if it is still on there, but I will check. I can also run diagnostics from the working Alpha

#12

So the "problem" Beta is: 102.26.158

The "Working" Alpha for audio sync with my setup is: 11.1.1914

It does appear maybe the Alpha is older and does not contain updates like PIP etc? Not a big deal for me, would rather have synced audio. I did just upload diagnostics from a playback using the working alpha - its playback of the same clip I sent along earlier in the week.

#13

That alpha build is from 1 November 2020. It's very old. And if I'm reading the version number of the beta correctly, it's from 26 February 2021.

#14

Makes sense... Latest or nearly latest beta has issues... It's been a while since an alpha was released for Android.... This is the current one available.... Point is that it syncs audio correctly on my system where the beta fails to

#16

I've seen audio sync issues on my Sony android TV as well. It's tolerable with surround sound disabled.

#17

Please submit diagnostics

#18

I'm the OP - the issues are solved, well, kind of, as I have been using the November Alpha - I was hoping the issue that plagues the recent Beta I want to use could be solved with a comparison of the two? Thanks