Regarding audio and video not synced with Google TV Streamer

[GoogleNestTeam]

Hey everyone,

We are aware that some users might be experiencing an issue where audio is not synced with video from their Google TV Streamer. This appears to be related to specific audio equipment and configurations, and does not seem to be a widespread problem. We are actively looking into the issue, and will provide an update once we have more information.

In the meantime, if you are encountering this, we encourage you to contact Google Nest Support.

[Reedith]

I'm also experiencing this issue 

Streamer plugged into HDMI 1 of LG GX 

HDMI 2 arc from LG GX plugged into ubiquiti amp 

Multiple seconds of audio lag not recoverable through any audio delay features in TV or on streamer 

The funny thing is the same streamer worked flawlessly for weeks plugged into Black magic HDMI to SDI- BLACK MAGIC CONSTELLATION 4K1 ME - BLACK MAGIC SDI TO HDMI -LG C2 

PERHAPS THAT VIDEO EQUIPMENT WAS ADJUSTING FOR THE DELAY AND RETHINKING I'M NOT SURE BUT IT WORKED GREAT FOR MANY WEEKS ON THAT SETUP BUT WHEN I BROUGHT IT INTO THE LIVING ROOM BAM UNWATCHABLE 

IF YOU GUYS NEED ANY MORE INFO I'M HAPPY TO GIVE IT I'M REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO PUTTING THESE THINGS ALL OVER MY HOUSE AND LITERALLY PURCHASING 10 MORE FOR FRIENDS AND FAMILY BUT AT THIS CURRENT STATE IT'S UNUSABLE 

[Jontehedning]

Do you need logs or anything from users with the issue ?

[artikweb]

There seems to be a huge delay as well when streaming using the Moonlight app. Everything works flawlessly on Nvidia shield, but on the Google Streamer there’s a big - big! - delay in the audio. It’s completely unusable. (I’m playing audio on tv speakers, connected with HDMI) 

[Harr]

My family, my kids, a dog, my aunt, my brother, my friends

[Harr]

Family my my kids

[COMPsmith]

Google just enable bitstream TRUE-HD and DTS-MA HD lossless audio to our AVR's. 

[DavyBaccaert]

Same here. Strait from the streamer to the tv. Starts out ok but gradually gets worse and worse. Changed cable, port and settings but nothing helps. Gonna need a fix for this soon or I'm sending this back. Can't even watch a full movie without rebooting

[Skywalker27k]

Same here. No sound bar, just the streamer + TV. Reproduced on 2 TVs.
Even after a fresh reboot there is a very slight delay, and it gets worse with time, it can go up to 1 or 2 second delay after 24 or 48h.

Here is the thread I opened 2 weeks ago: https://www.googlenestcommunity.com/t5/Streaming/Google-TV-Streamer-audio-sync-issue/m-p/647868#M574...
Many other people have the issue.

[Skywalker27k]

Does any one else notice dropped frames and youtube not actually outputting 4K?
There might be actually be an audio/video performance issue.

You can check the dropframes number on youtube following these steps:

• Open youtube on the Streamer plugged on a 4K TV
• Play a 4K video
• Display the "stats for nerds" in the Player options (or "advanced stats" depending of your language)
• BUG 1: Viewport is stuck to "1920*1080" (even thought selected resolution is 4K)
  BUG 2: dropped frames keep increasing. Test at least 5 minutes.

[virnab]

Hi there,

Thank you for reaching out to our community.

I’m sorry to hear that the audio and video are out of sync on your Google TV streamer 4K. I appreciate the information you have provided and the answers you have given to the questions posted by maedacortez and cifuentesj in order for me to help you more effectively.

Please attempt the troubleshooting methods listed below:

1.  Make sure that you are using an HDMI 2.1 cable to connect the Google TV Streamer.
2. Reboot the Google TV Streamer.  Here you have the instructions to do it:
   1. From the Google TV
      1. At the top right of your TV screen select All settings.
      2. Select System, then choose the option Restart
   2. From the power source follow this steps:
      1. Unplug the power cable from Google TV Streamer
      2. Leave it unplugged for one minute
      3. Insert the cable back into Google TV Streamer
3. Check whether your TV, AVR or soundbar has an audio offset adjustment setting:  When delays are constant, you can try adjusting the audio delay settings within their TV, AVR, or soundbar.
4. Check if the “Dialogue enhancement” and “volume leveler” settings are disabled.  If it’s enabled, turn it off.  Here you have the instructions:
   1. At the top right of your TV screen select All settings.
   2. Select Display & Sound, then select the option Audio options, then turn off Dialogue enhancement and Volume leveler
5. Check if the surround sound setting is disabled.  If it’s enabled, turn it off. Here are the instructions to do it:
   1.  At the top right of your TV screen select All settings.
   2. Select Display & Sound, then go to Advanced sound settings, then choose Format selection, then select the option None: Never use surround sound.
6. Reboot the router:
   1. Disconnect the Wi-Fi router from the socket and leave it unplugged for 2 minutes. 
   2. Check if the router's LED lights are off when the router is unplugged. Some routers have backup battery packs, so the customer needs to disconnect the battery packs to ensure the router completely turns off.
   3. Once all router LED lights are back on and your network name shows on the list of available Wi-Fi networks on your phone or tablet, check if the streaming device can connect to the Wi-Fi network.

Please let me know if these guidelines are helpful. I will be looking forward to your kind answer.

Best regards,

Virna

[Skywalker27k]

@virnabVERY IMPORTANT: You need to reproduce the steps in my previous message and confirm you did.
Then confirm BUG 1 and BUG 2 as mentioned in my previous message.
I have already given those steps in my ticket regarding audio sync and my ticket regarding dropframes and no one from google tried.
Both video and audio are underperforming compared to any other device I have tested.

You are not even trying, and you give irrelevant troubleshooting even though it is more than obvious that this a is not a setup/settings issue. It seems everyone is affected.

Right now the Streamer is back in its box, I will return it before the return period expires.

[Reedith]

None of these troubleshooting steps will fix a physical bug in the code

[reachcobb]

Useless canned script that completely ignores the symptoms and setup the OP described.  

[Scott_Edy]

I'm not sure I have ever been so insulted (as part of tech trouble shooting thread and post evidencing what I a d We have presented).

What have you done. What steps have you taken to recognise either they are all a problem or you have a dodgy batch of hardware ?

[vdmkk]

If you will choose your TV resolution with 50hz.  Youtube will drop the frames 200 from 1000 in 30/60 fps videos . Absolutely unacceptable.  Google chromecast with google TV 4K don't have thus issues. 

[Skywalker27k]

Not only 50hz. Even matching the TV refresh rate it drops.
This is indeed unacceptable.. I keep asking google to test in this ticket and 2 others, they don't do anything. We live in a world were there are less and less professionals.

[Reedith]

It's almost been a week since you guys acknowledged the bug can you please provide an update to the community?

[jrlutz29]

Any update? Very close to returning it. 

[thejeffbeck]

The thing I don't understand is - if this is a problem specific to hardware, why is the problem consistent on multiple setups in my house. I tried moving it to a different TV, one without a soundbar. Same problem. And choosing "Never use surround sound" is not a solution - we purposely have multi-channel audio systems for a reason. 

[reachcobb]

Exactly

[Skywalker27k]

Hey google it seems you are struggling. Contact me in private if you want to hire an Android TV Software Engineer with 8 years experience on Video Streaming Apps and Team Lead, I know we are rare. Google is a great company, it's a shame to see you don't have the correct man power. 

Releasing the Streamer with those issues is unacceptable for a company like Google.

[reachcobb]

Nor testing lab apparently

[Prizzuto]

Same issue.. audio lag on every app. All sound settings at their most basic. Outside of return window.

really disappointing Google. 

[Oscarxau]

When will the new hardware be available to download for fixing this issue?

[ncksprr]

Just chiming in- no amount of turning things off (surround, leveling, dialogue enhancer, etc) has resolved this issue, the audio delay seems to always be present. Android is supposed to compensate for lag with bluetooth devices too, is it not? Well that doesnt seem to work anymore either.

Dynamic range is busted (needs to be set to system preferred, any other option gives frame rate issues). There is still screen tearing/fps drops every now and again (this was evident on the CCWGTV4K too but was "fixed" by disabling hardware overlays in the developer options - disabling it on the streamer just contributes to more framerate issues).

Definitely needs some patches and it needs them yesterday.

[jrlutz29]

Apple TV it is then I guess

[Dniclayton]

Why the lack of follow-up. Google has confirmed it’s a bug and that it will be fixed by an update. So, when? When should we expect it to be resolved? A day? A week? A month? Customer support in this case is shockingly bad. 

[jrlutz29]

Just found out I had an a/v sync deep within my TV settings (Sony x900f) that was set to auto. I turned that off and it seems to have completely fixed the issue...for now at least. I also had this setting on my soundbar which I turned off immediately but it never fixed the problem. Didn't know my TV also had the setting. 

[GoogleNestTeam]

Hi all,

Our teams are still investigating the audio issues with Google TV Streamer that some users have reported. While our initial findings show this is not a widespread issue, they do highlight the importance of using HDMI 2.1 capable A/V equipment (TV, A/V receiver, or soundbar) with a certified HDMI 2.1 cable for optimal performance.

Here's what to look for:

• Ensure your HDMI cable is HDMI 2.1 certified, also known as "Ultra High Speed." This type of cable is necessary to connect your Google TV Streamer to your TV, A/V receiver, or soundbar. You can purchase one on the Google Store or through other retailers.
• Your TV and, if applicable, your audio system must be HDMI 2.1 capable in order to deliver high quality, high throughput audio content such as Dolby Atmos. If the Google TV Streamer is directly connected to the TV, the audio system must be connected to the TV via the e-ARC HDMI port and using a HDMI 2.1 cable. 

We are committed to getting to the root cause of these issues and will provide further updates as soon as we have more information.

Thank you for your patience!

[thejeffbeck]

This is a reason Google should have included an HDMI cable in the box. It was never an issue with Chromecast because the HDMI cable was built in. While I made sure to use a 2.1 certified cable connecting the Streamer to the TV, I don't know what the HDMI connecting my soundbar is. I've ordered one, so I'll test it tomorrow. I really hope that fixes it.

[popgoesvoice]

and annoyingly in the UK Google store they don't actually sell a HDMI cable so can cop out by saying whatever one you buy probably isnt suitable...

[reachcobb]

it won't change anything to change the hdmi from your tv to your audio. May people here saying their audio is optically attached or using the tv speakers.

[Skywalker27k]

To be clear the problem is not the HDMI cable, before I stopped using the Streamer I tried multiple HDMI 2.1 cables. And the problem happens without any soundbar/audio system.
As I have mentioned already there is a performance issue with video as well, very easy to see on Youtube: there is always dropped frames in 4K (displayed in the stats).

[vdmkk]

Fully agree with that.  It's not a hdmi cables issues. 

[Jontehedning]

Ordered 2 new Hdmi 2.1 just to see but that was money thrown in the trash since it had zero effect.

Setup is (with Hdmi 2.1 and e-ARC HDMI port) with issues on Netflix, Max, Prime or Plex with or without soundbar connected.

Sony KD-65xh9505

Sony HT-G700

However, there are no issues on daughters Tv, an LG 43NANO756PR with no Soundbar connected.

[thejeffbeck]

I can confirm- hdmi cables DO NOT solve this problem. I replaced ALLLLLLLLL the hdmi cables in my setup with 2.1 certified ultra high speed cables. The audio sync problem remains exactly the same as it was. Now this has cost me EXTRA money and it’s still unwatchable. Thanks Google. 

[MikeFromHouston]

No it's your piece of sh*t streaming box that has issues.

[Dniclayton]

Communication and support is shocking.

I got this from their Twitter team today.

 

 

[dwarthog]

I'm experiencing this issue. Here are the steps I do to resolve the issue.

First my setup. 

I have the streamer connected to the HDMI media port on my AVR via a "certified" high speed 2.1 HDMI cable.  

The streamer is connected via the lan port to a media router.

Steps to get the issue resolved. 

Go into the Google TV Streamers settings --> Display & Sound then toggle "Match Content Dynamic Range" off then back on. 

Exit settings then the content I'm watching through the Google TV Steamer device play the correct sound formats. 

Hopefully this helps someone.