Sky Stream - Audio Issues with Soundbar

[Thevoid]

Hi, I have posted before about this but it's getting incredibly annoying now.

My setup is like this:

LG TV: HDMI aRC port > Sony XT-X8500 Soundbar

Sony XT-X8500 Soundbar: Spare HDMI port on back > Sky Stream Puck

Issues:

When adverts start playing, there is 2 seconds of no audio at the start of every advert.

Some, not all, movies on Sky Cinema occasionally have a very quick 'pop/crackle' sound. Less than half a second during the movie.

Attempts to fix:

Have replaced all HDMI cables in the chain above to decent HDMI 2.1 cables - no improvement

Have had a new Sky Puck from Sky - no improvement

Tried plugging Sky Stream into another HDMI on the TV rather than soundbar - no improvement

Settings on Sky/TV:

Audio is set to passthrough on TV itself, although this shouldn't matter as sky puck is plugged directly into the soundbar.

Audio on Sky Puck is set to Auto. Have tried Dolby Digital and this stops the silences at the start of ad breaks, but audio is then out of sync. Unsure of pop/crackles stop.

I'm at my wits end! I was even going to return my soundbar, but I've not noticed these issues with other devices such as Playstation and a quick google shows others have had similar issues.

Any ideas please? Not sure what else to try. I was going to look at Optical, but then I'd lose the ability to turn the tv off/volume with the sky remote, and I don't think the audio is as good as HDMI/no Atmos?

Thanks

[Exiled-in-HH]

Is the audio out of sync by a variable amount for different channels or apps?

All devices allow correction of fixed sync amount🤔

[Thevoid]

Do you mean when I've attempted to use the Dolby Digital option on sky stream? There is the audio delay option yes but I've tried up to 60ms and it's still out of sync. I wanted Auto so that I get the best experience and if a movie has Atmos.

[Nigelb1972]

It seems to be a common issue with this soundbar. Firstly check for a Firmware update from Sony as one might have been issued, then Google "audio drop outs over arc) and your model number and you'll find lots of people discussing this and they seem to have potential fixes. I'd post the links but I think it's against the law 

[Exiled-in-HH]

What did Sony say about your soundbar having issues switching audio codecs?

[Thevoid]

I don't have issues with other devices though, just sky stream. I can't find any fixes, maybe you could message me some links please?

[Thevoid]

They said it's to do with the connected device and can't help me!

[Exiled-in-HH]

Do you other devices switch audio codecs?

[Thevoid]

I'm not sure. 

Is it normal then for a delay in sound for a second when the codec changes? Is the a way to have a standard codec?

[Nigelb1972]

@Thevoid it is normal because if you're using Arc or eARC, the audio also has to resync to the new audio track.

[Thevoid]

I don't get this when I select Dolby Digital on the puck settings though? Audio is just out of sync instead.

[Exiled-in-HH]

The syncing issue on the soundbar is strange🤔

[Nigelb1972]

@Thevoid if you're using an Arc or eARC connection, part of the protocols is to keep the audio and video in sync. It's definitely not an issue with Sky Stream though because I'm connected via eARC, Puck - Samsung QLED - Sony HT-G700 soundbar and it all pulls Atmos through with no glitching, sync issues or drop outs  other than when the broadcast swaps between codecs but this is noted in the instructions for the TV and soundbar.

[Thevoid]

Ok so you also get the quiet second or so before each advert in advert breaks?

What settings do you have for your tv and sky stream, i.e. auto, dolby?

[RichTBiscuit]

Posted this on another thread, may/may not help. Id also say i get the delay when switching Codecs and an occasional pop/crackle but not during programming. 

Just wanted to add to this discussion, as ive hopefully worked through my issues with a Stream box activated last week. 

Set up is a Samsung Q70R TV with a Bose Smart Soundbar 600. Stream connected to TV with HDMI 2.1 cable (purchased to replace 2.0 as part of the process) and Soundbar connected to TV through HDMI Arc with 2.1 cable. 

The way ive got it to 1.) Stop cutting out for 1-2secs during Atmos programming and 2.) Correct Lip Sync is to set the Stream to Passthrough, the TV to Dolby Digital Plus and NOT select the Atmos button. This seems to have corrected Lip Sync (i have a 40ms delay set to the soundbar but this works across the stream and TV apps) and the other issue when i watched the football last night. 

In essence, it seems the trick is not to allow the Stream box or the TV to decode the Atmos signal. Letting the soundbar do its job seems to be the answer, and although Atmos is deselected on the TV i think this refers to the processing element as the soundbar still outputs an Atmos signal. 

My TV is Arc, not EArc so this was my last attempt before biting the bullet and upgrading so i can use the EArc protocol. Hope this helps anyone in a similar situation, but i presume EArc is the way to easily resolve if available.