Audio lags behind video?

I’ve had my 990 for a week now. When I watched my 1st Dolby Digital movie with it the audio lagged way behind the video. It was ok in 2-channel mode. I was ready to throw it out the window. Then the next day I reset the 990 and it was much better but I think the audio still lags behind the video. I see this with DVD and satellite receiver. It might be my imagination because I am watching it much more critically because I want to make sure that there isn’t a problem with the 990.

Has anyone had this problem?

The video for both my DVD player and satellite receiver are connected directly to the TV via component video. The audio for both devices are connected to the 990 via Toslink. I’ve made sure the lip sync delay is set to 0.

I have not had this problem. Why don't you run the audio AND video thru the 990? Seems like the obvious, easy solution to the problem. Of course it may not be easy, but you know what I mean.
It can't hurt to try it, and see if it fixes the problem.
Good Luck,
Lonster
P.S. If you DO throw it out the window, let me know where you live so I can be there to catch it :-)

I run my video directly from source units to my TV and have had no synch problems. Wish I could be of more help.

Using the 990's video switching shouldn't make a difference - and bypassing the switching shouldn't create any problems. The things that occur to me to check are make sure you don't have some really odd distance settings for the speakers (since distance settings just impose delay) and make sure the audio isn't ahead of the video due to processing taking place in your sources or at your TV. I've had to apply some sync delay for several sources due to slight video delays - I've got anywhere from 15ms to 25ms of delay on my Yamaha DVD player, Oppo DVD player, and HD cable box, and it can be hard to tell just which one is off when you're making adjustments (especially small ones like the ones I've got applied).

I've noticed the lag problem too.. i can use the trim Delay feature for the audio.. which solves the problem... but i also wish that Delay would go into the - minus as well.

On some Dish Network programming even with the trim Delay.. the audio still seems off.. and I can't get it to match.. it's close, but still off somewhat.

The audio delay can't go into the negative range because that would require delaying the video (which would entail buffering the entire video signal in memory for the amount of time being delayed, a much more memory-intensive process than buffering the audio) or doing things to the audio signal that violate some laws against time travel that I think scientists are real serious about us all adhering to. Odds are that any out-of-sync condition you see is related to the video being behind the audio, unless the source itself (the mastering of the DVD or the broadcast being sent to your cable or satellite box) is just simply messed up to begin with.

I've heard the "Clever Little Clocks" are great for this sort of thing!

Cisco -- LOL and here we go again!

I initially had this problem with SAT and DVD. My problem was related to what Gonk stated-odd distance settings, speaker calibration. I have a Martin Logan subwoofer with various inputs. Once I changed the input to 0.1/LFE In, the lip synch problems were gone. You may want to experiment with speaker calibration/ subwoofer settings.

jmacari, i find this very interesting.. I never realized that a subwoofer and delay settings could cause a sync delay in the audio.

I have calibrated my system several times in the past month. Whenever I let the 990 pre do it automaticaly, it sounds better than when I do it manually. I do use a Avia set up disc and a SPL meter too.

THe 990 appears to set the distance just right.. but one time while running the auto set up.. it did set the volume for the surrounds way to high... something like +7 and +6.

In my case, it did. I was told to use the 0.1/LFE input by Scott (Outlaw tech support) when I described my lip synch problems with SAT/OTA audio...I never would have looked in that direction if I didn't call support. I initially was using the lip synch delay setting in the OSD menu at first, without any satisfying results-then I called Outlaw.

so you changed inputs on your ML sub then.. not the 990 pre?

Right....I originally had a Y-connector (Left and right sub input) going to the 990 sub output; now 990 sub output (single cable) goes to 0.1/LFE input (single input).

i have a y connector of sorts. i use one sub cable from the 990 out to both inputs on my subwoofer. do you recommend I unplug on of them on the sub end?

You could try that.....but if your still having lip synch problems, I would give tech support a call.

Last night I connected my Yamaha receiver back up and watched one of the same movies I did with the 990. Every scene and every word were synced up perfectly with the video. Another problem with the 990 I don’t like is that it takes a while for it to figure out what kind of audio signal it is receiving. So when I change the channel I get no audio for a second or so. Same thing happens when I play a CD. I miss the first second or so before the 990 starts decoding the audio. Before I bought this unit I was considering an Adcom Pre/Pro but one of the reviews I read described that same problem so I crossed it off my list. Now the 990 is going back.

i think there will always be a delay in the audio and video processing as components get more advanced. that delay is not uncommon with many other brands of receivers/pre amps.

It's amazing to me how quickly people give up and to quote that old saying, "throw the baby out with the bath water". if you catch my drift!

Tomorrow is my day for calibrating the 990/7500 and LFM-1. I have had it for a couple of weeks, but have't found the time. When I hooked up the LFM-1 the other night the audio lagged. So I disconnected the LFM-1 until I get a change to calibrate.

Will give a write-up tomorrow.

get that sucker up and running Chris. LOL your basement looks amazing... i'm so jealous. ha ha ha.

good work there bud. Now rock on with the new set up.

I think the audio lag problem has gone away. After disconnecting the 990 for a day while I used my old Yamaha I reconnected the 990. I've tested with a few DVDs and I don't hear the lag in audio like I did before. Did leaving it unpluged from power for 24 hours fix it? I didn't make any other changes. It was not my imagination. Well even if it was I'm happy now and I won't be sending it back.

that's interesting.. i may give that a try as well. Did you lose all your settings when you unplugged it for a day?

No I didn't loose the settings but I did a reset it a couple days before and that does wipe out the settings. If you haven't reset the unit I would do that too. The directions to reset are in the back of the manual.

I will try a hard reset tonight.. i have played around several times when the lip sync delay. and i can't seem to get it right. the audio is always off slightly. so a reset is on the menu for tonight.