Symptoms
- Voices don't match lip movement
- Delay is worse on some content than others
- Started after a firmware or app update
- Delay changes when switching sources
Likely causes
- CommonVideo processing delay in the TV or receiver not matchedTVs process picture (especially with motion smoothing) slower than audio passes through, causing a mismatch.
- CommonNo audio delay/lip-sync adjustment appliedMost receivers and many TVs offer a manual audio delay setting to compensate.
- PossibleStreaming app or source-side buffering issueSome apps introduce their own sync issues independent of the receiver.
- PossibleTV picture processing mode (motion smoothing/game mode mismatch)Turning game mode on or off changes the TV's internal processing delay.
What to do
- Check the receiver's audio delay or 'lip sync' setting and increase it in small increments while watching dialogue.
- If the TV has its own audio delay setting, use only one of the two (TV or receiver) to avoid compounding the adjustment.
- Turn on 'Game Mode' or a low-latency picture mode on the TV, which usually reduces video processing delay.
- Restart the source device and the receiver, since a stale HDMI handshake can sometimes cause drift.
- Test the same content on a different app/source to see if the issue is source-specific.
- Update firmware on both the TV and receiver if updates are available.
When to call a pro
Not typically needed; persistent sync issues traced to one specific streaming app are usually best reported to that app's support.
Safety
Generally low risk
Generally low risk for a careful person. Stop if anything looks different from what this guide describes.