Audio lag on HW-Q70R

[Bentzi]

I just bought a Q80R tv and a Q70R soundbar and I'm having audio lag issues with external devices when using any sort of surround options.

• All my devices are connected to the 'one connect' box (PS4 Pro, Nintendo Switch, set top box) and the soundbar is connected to the HDMI ARC port.
• Setting the PS4 and cable box to Dolby Digital creates an audio lag that is very noticeable. Watching Netflix through the TV has no issues.
• The sync settings on both the TV and soundbar were already set to 0 so I can't even adjust it through there. 

If I connect the PS4 directly to the soundbar then it works fine but the TV doesn't recognize the device and doesn't optimize it to gaming mode automatically (also since there's only one input on the soundbar it leaves the other devices with the same problem.

This is very dissapointing, I spent quite a bit of money on this setup and it's ridiculous that such an issue occurs as this is the whole point of the products.

[JohnS1963]

---

@fry19 wrote:

<SNIP>

I think this test is pretty revealing of the huge delay issue introduced by the TV when set to Dolby (although there is a delay when set to PCM, it is much harder to notice in practice). I know that this thread was started because of issue with the Samsung Soundbar, but this test uses a different receiver and in my mind it clearly shows that it is a problem with the TV not the soundbar.

---

Interesting.  I see no issues, whatever the connection method is, when playing a TalkTalk Freeview box through the One Connect box but using the TV's own speakers.  It's only when I output to the Soundbar (again using all available connections in turn) that I get lip sync issues.  They also appear to 'drift'.  That is they can be fairly close to video and during the course of viewing, become much further out of sync.

The issue has been reported to Samsung and they have agreed to investigate.  Although not seen anything much by way of an update, to either bit of kit.

[F_ck]

Turning off adaptive volume under intelligent mode seemed to help a bit as well. I'm having the same issues with a Bose hooked up through optical. I have to constantly change my delay depending where I am watching and what quality the video is. Comcast vs Streaming.

Suck it Samsung.  

[dtefft620]

Received my replacement Q80R tv today from Samsung. It has the exact same issue. 

[kprzybyl]

isn't that a little ridiculous...  just aknowledge & patch it already Samsung!

[dtefft620]

Yep. I just got off another hour long phone call with them and they said they're starting the process all over again with this tv and someone will call me in 48 hours. 

[JohnS1963]

I have found switching off surround sound as a setting in my Freeview box has stopped the lip sync issues for me. Trouble is I guess I'm no longer getting a surround sound feed to the soundbar, even with the soundbar set to output surround sound? As mentioned earlier in the thread, when using the TV's own speakers and the Freeview box set to surround sound, there's no issue. So for me at least, on firmware HW-Q70RWWB-1007.9, my only lip sync issue is with an externally connected box outputting surround sound.

[dtefft620]

Yes switching your input devices to pcm or stereo sound resolves the lip sync but no one buys a dolby atmos soundbar to listen to 2 channel sound. Samsung claims its Qled Tv's and their soundbars work together seemlessly so they need to give us a fix!

[fry19]

I give credit to Samsung to be willing to replace your TV entirely. But it seems very obvious to me at this stage (and it should to Samsung support...) that this is not a defect in a specific TV: it affects every single TV (at the very least in the QxxR series).

The conclusion is, it is either:

* a software issue... in which case a fix will hopefully be coming

* a hardware/design issue... and I don't know how they fix this without first fixing the hardware issue and then changing everything single TV...

But simply swapping TVs with the same unfixed one is not going to fix the problem...

As far as I am concerned, I ended up upgrading my receiver to a 4k/hdr compatible one and bypassing the TV entirely. The PS4 Pro is set to output Linear PCM via HDMI and the receiver actually receives 7.1 of uncompressed audio and happily sends it to my speakers. And then the receiver simply sends the image to the TV via HDMI. No more delay in the audio/image signal. And although I was worried that it would introduce lag (in terms of gameplay) I have not been able to notice any.

All in all I think it is very disappointing that Samsung didn't do any kind of testing on this feature (it is not a random issue.. it is 100% reproducible and is very easy to reproduce) and advertise this TV as having been designed for gaming...

Yan

[dtefft620]

Exactly, you hit the nail on the head. I got a call from Samsung this morning and they set a service call to have a technician come to my house and verify the issue with the replacement tv. The exact same thing they did a month ago with the original tv. Even though there are no technicians in my area. I asked the rep if he knew that's what happened last time and he said yes I know there are no technicians in your area but I have to follow protocol and you'll have to wait until Monday to receive a call saying so and then we'll start the refund process. All the exact same thing that happened with the first tv. I've spent hours on the phone with them and this process has went well over a month. I don't want a refund I want a fix or a different model that works!

[kammyTT]

My problem is that I already have the flagship model so no idea what they could offer me? A new tv is pointless unless there is a new model comes out this year.