Audio Latency between HDMI and Analog audio path

[sculptair]

I'm outputting my digital music library through an Apple TV via HDMI into an audio extractor, which in turn has a 1/8 inch analog stereo OUT to a stereo amplifier and speakers for music, and an HDMI OUT to my TV for watching movies.

The audio quality through only the stereo amplifier is splendid for my budget. Thinking of adding a DAC someday but that is another story.

Watching movies through only the TV audio is underwhelming. If I use both audio systems simultaneously it provides a near cinema experience for my budget, but the spoken word is hard to understand because of the latency in the audio signal produced by the TV. That is to say the TV audio is a fraction of a second behind that of the amplifier audio which makes the spoken word almost incomprehensible.

I've tried connecting the TV audio OUT to the amplifier IN which brings the audio back into synch, but the resulting loss in audio quality is unacceptable for music listening.

I'm wondering how others have dealt with this problem.

 

[whoaru99]

By using a HT receiver/pre-pro that has "lip sync" delay setting. Takes 17ms dialed in using a LG LED TV and Yamaha RX-V1700 to make it right on that combo.

 

[sculptair]

Ah...a digital delay. Great idea. So I guess this would do it!? SES-A-V-SYNC

 

[Ross6860]

I had this problem with my new Onkyo. It has a second zone and a weird requirement that the second zone be fed by RCA in only...

In any case, there was a distinct delay on one of the channels. The Onkyo does allow for +/_ 100 ms adjustment for lip sync. This allowed a "good-enough" adjustment.

FWIW in hindsight I would not buy this receiver again if it blew up...

 

[whoaru99]

I had this problem with my new Onkyo. It has a second zone and a weird requirement that the second zone be fed by RCA in only...

...

It's actually fairly common that digital signals are not passed to other zones. So, in those cases, must be fed separately by an analog input.

 

[sKiZo]

Read the manuals. You may find you already have digital delay capabilities either in the AV receiver or tv ...

That apple have component out? All analog, all the time, no delay, and good up to 1080i on the video side.

 

[Ross6860]

It's actually fairly common that digital signals are not passed to other zones. So, in those cases, must be fed separately by an analog input.

It may be common, but I guess I don't understand why. Wouldn't this just add to the latency or audio syncing issues? It obviously wouldn't matter if the second zone were completely isolated, like on another floor, but I'm running a slave unit in the kitchen/dining/sun room so the same show is on in the family room and the dining room. The audio delay is aggravating. It sounds like being at an old drive-in theater.

With all the advances in technology, you would think they could just re-transmit the signal to the second zone amplifier regardless of the original source.

I will say this, at least the Onkyo has a phono pre-amp and decent stereo compared to my previous Yamaha, Pioneer, and Sony HT receivers.

The most aggravating issue is that no signal is sent to the subwoofer in stereo mode even though the manual clearly states it is. Crutchfield has not even replied to my inquiries on this topic.

It's an Onkyo TX-NR646 in case anyone has the same model. Does your subwoofer work in stereo mode? I'll probably post this question separately.

 

[whoaru99]

The reason, generally, is it would take more stuff inside to do it. So, it's usually a feature on high/higher end models. I have an older processor that did it/will do it, but it was MSRP $3400 13 years ago.

 

[Ross6860]

The reason, generally, is it would take more stuff inside to do it. So, it's usually a feature on high/higher end models. I have an older processor that did it/will do it, but it was MSRP $3400 13 years ago.

All the gear I own was less than that...I guess I'll have to live with what I have.