Delay between video and audio (directv) to surround reciever

I have directv hd receiver, 46" samsung lcd, onkyo 5.1 surround reciever.
I run HDMI from the directv reciever to the TV. I run the optical out from the directv reciever to my onkyo surround receiver. I mute the tv's speakers.
there is a slight delay between the video signal and the audio signal. The video through HDMI is getting to my TV a split second faster than the audio is getting through the optical cable to my receiver. (FWIW the optical cable is only 3 feet long)
I also use this same setup with my DVD player (HDMI to TV, optical out to receiver) and my XBOX 360 (component to TV, optical out to receiver).
I started noticing the problem a lot while watching live basketball games, it is most noticeable when a player shoots a free throw and there is a close shot from behind the player. The sound of the swooshing net comes later than the visual of the moving net.

I know this sort of thing may seem trivial to many people, but the main reason I have this home theater is to watch sports, and of course this is a big time of year for basketball. Is there any solution for this problem?

Thanks for your help all

 

I don't have one of these setups (surround sound receiver), but I always thought they had settings for adjusting the sync between audio and video.

 

not that i am aware of, this is why i started the thread...

 

I've noticed this as well on my setup. I'm using HDMI for video and optical for sound. I think it has something to do with the data throughput traveling at a much faster rate on the HDMI cable. So the video is being sent through the HDMI cable faster then the audio is being sent through the toslink cable?

Or it could also be that the tv is processing the video much faster then the receiver is processing the audio.

Is there a solution to this? I think a good receiver will have a delay control, built into the unit itself. So the only way to correct the problem is if you got a new receiver or went HDMI for audio and video.

That's just my thoughts on this.

 

Thanks for the thread. I too have a similiar issue, though it appears to be intermittent from channel-to-channel. I have the DirecTV HR-21 (HD-DVR), a low end Sony 5.1 surround system and Vizio 42" LCD HDTV. The HR-21 connects to the Visio by HDMI (6 ft) and to my Sony receiver via optical Toslink cable (3 ft). I also have a Samsung DVD upconvert player that runs HDMI to the TV and digital coax to the receiver.

I do not have any audio/video sync issues except with the DirecTV receiver. The channel is shows up on most is Showtime HD, and it is VERY consistent. I've also been streaming video content from a PC on my network, and the audio is out of sync. If I stream HD video, with 5.1 audio, it BLARES badly through the front speakers, so much so, that you cannot watch the video without it annoying you.

Also, on some channels, the bass through the subwoofer rattles like it's going to blow up. I can watch a movie like Die Hard on Cinemax, and the explosions sound crisp, but if I watch, say Monday Night Raw on USA, the background noise, such as slams or even music, makes me cringe.

Anyone know WTF is up with all of this? Any suggestions are welcome.

Also, since this was in the receiver thread, I thought I would note another problem that I am having. I use my laptop to view some of the HD videos that kill my DirecTV audio. The audio feed from the laptop comes the headphone jack, into a Y cable split for L/R stereo RCA jacks into my Sony. The video feed is via a direct VGA cable connection. The audio and video are terribly out of sync. Sometimes its better than other times and depends on the video. I am streaming these videos over a network as well. If I play them on the host PC (desktop upstairs) there is no lapse in the audio sync. Both the laptop and DirecTV are hardwired and NOT wireless connections.

 

Some of the Onkyo receivers have an A/V Sync setting, although it looks to me like it slows down the audio. It might be worth checking it to make sure it isn't set to 20ms or something. Its in the "audio adjust" config:

 

hmm, my reciever is the HT-S790, the a/v sync isnt listed in audio adjust or anywhere else in the settings, but now that you mention that, i swear i have seen that pop up sometimes on the receiver's front panel when i'm using directv
it's probably an auto setting on this model of onkyo receiver and not able to manually adjust...

 

Page 56 of the users manual talks about an adjustment;perhaps it's relevant.

 

good eye sir! i swear i was staring at that page in the manual last night and somehow did not see it.
the delay was set on 40ms or 20ms for the directv reciever, anyway i set it back to zero now. the swoosh of the basketball net should be in sync now, lol. thanks a lot for your help.

reason i couldnt find it in the first place is because you can't access the the delay with normal menu options, you have to hold down the button on the remote (button for the corresponding input) for 4 seconds, then it brings up the delay option. kinda strange.