Audio Out of Sync

[Kutter]

Hi all, been a LONG while since i have been here.

And i'm here because of a problem that doesn't 'appear' to be too commonplace (not easy to google anyways) yet I have seen it on many PC's myself.

I talk about AVI audio being out of sync with the picture (usually behind it). I see it all the time, on Youtube, downloaded files, all manner of Video types!

Also.. Windows media players inability to play 'proper' DVD's on some systems (no sound at all! yet picture perfect!)

These issues are driving me mad and it was about time I posted here to get the low down on these issues and possibly some help!

I have tried codecs (pretty much all of them) Newer versions of software.. Different software, etc etc...

The worst culprit is youtube, yet on other PC's i have seen the exact same video play faultlessly.

Put simply... WHY OH WHY does Windows have this out of sync issue!!

Please help!

Kutter.

 

[cdogg]

Kutter,
It sounds like you may have a driver issue with your sound card, or the hardware itself is failing. Try removing the sound device in Device Manager, reboot, and install the latest available from the PC manufacturer's website.

A good test if that doesn't work is to take out your hard drive and throw in a spare. Load a fresh install of Windows and Service Pack 3 to see if you can get it to work before you go and install any 3rd-party apps. If it still won't, then you can be sure you have a hardware issue (buy a cheap PCI add-in card at that point).

~cdogg
"Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results." - Einstein
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[LawnBoy]

I've seen this when using cheap built-in sound cards. Try a cheap PCI card as cdogg suggests.


"We must fall back upon the old axiom that when all other contingencies fail, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth." - Sherlock Holmes

 

[BadBigBen]

1.) this can happen when two different standards of Video are used, e.g. PAL has a 25 FPS, and NTSC has 23.98 FPS, so playing a PAL video you will get sound lacking behind...

2.)

When I play DVDs on my PC, i can't hear the audio?
Most obvious thing to do is first check whether you have audio in your PC at all, try playing some audio files with some media player first and if you don't have audio in your PC at all, continue reading...

This typically happens because the DVD player software you're using doesn't support the audio format the DVD is encoded with. Two most common audio formats on DVDs are AC3 (often called also Dolby Digital) and DTS.

If you're using freeware player like Media Player Classic, it might be that it doesn't come with AC3 or DTS codecs (although the latest versions should come bundled this these audio codecs). For AC3, you might want to try downloading freeware AC3Filter package that normally solves the problem.

For DTS, first thing what you should try to do is to change the audio selection from DVD's menu, as according to official DVD-Video specs, DTS audio can't be the only audio available on the disc. Most of the DVD tools that come shipped with your DVD drive, don't normally support DTS, but the support has to purchased separately. Every now and then you might find out that you've downloaded or copied a bootleg DVD (downloading such items is illegal in various countries, but legal in many western countries) that has only DTS audio left on the disc. In this case, try the Media Player Classic we mentioned earlier, its latest versions (when writing this, v6.4.7.8) have an "experimental" support for DTS.

source: AfterDawn

3.) as mentioned sometimes driver issues are the culprit to the problem, or even compound the problem even further... Try turning down the Hardware Acceleration to see if it changes anything...




Ben

"If it works don't fix it! If it doesn't use a sledgehammer..."

 

[SimonDavies]

In all honesty it sounds like a codec issue, go to

http://www.codecs.com

and download the klite codec pack and install it.

SimonD.

The real world is not about exam scores, it's about ability.

 

[Kutter]

Thanks guys, your quick replies are much appreciated. My apollogies for not putting this sooner, I should have been more thorough, but i did write the last post in a bit of a hurry.

Firstly this is not just 1 machine. This is many, over my carrer as an engineer. (although it does include my machine)

2. I have tried every codec pack there is (i believe) to solve this issue, none have worked.

3. I have a soundblaster audigy in my machine, and a good friend of mine has a Terratec pro studio card that does the same thing.

4. I have tried different soundcards in my machine. So has my friend.

5. I have had two COMPLETELY different machines (my last 2 consecutive ones) that have had this exact same issue.


BADBIGBEN - You may have something with the NTSC, PAL deal although I have been experiencing this for years now (on and off) and VERY often the video in question will work for a period of time and then go out of sync.

6. I have in the past been able to correct this issue by sliding back the play bar (Windows Media Player) a few seconds. This corrects the audio for an indeterminate amount of time... Then if it happens again, you can slide the play bar again etc etc...


As I have said here folks, this is not an isolated incident. I have actually had customers report this issue to me. My sister has had this issue, and I know it does the same thing on my dads laptop..

This is a 'common' problem that doesn't seem to have a solution, and its getting me annoyed as hell .

Thanks for the solutions already posted, and although I of course appreciate whats been suggested, I am 99% certain that this is NOT a codec, driver, sound card issue.. But some weirdness that windows has (along with every other weirdness it has lol.

Thanks again

Kutter.

 

[Kutter]

And yet again more appologies...lol

I have left out possibly the most important information..

Its not ALL video files.. Just some.

Different formats too, not just one particular format.

Kutter.

 

[allteltec]

Yes a common problem, sometime it is the way the video is made. I know when I put DVD's together putting a chapter marker ever couple min. forces the video and audio to re sync. Getting out of sync is a common problem when making home DVD's I remember reading a detailed info on the problem when I first got in to making DVD's. can't remember the details.

 

[linney]

How to change the graphics hardware acceleration setting in Windows

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/263391

These are perhaps not relevant, but something to consider if the problems are concerning YouTube.

vista and youtube.
thread1583-1458810

Can't watch videos ....
thread779-1331667

 

[BadBigBen]

To tell you the truth, I've only experience this problem, when viewing AVI's that have a messed up video track (where error correction kicks in and skips a frame or two, then the sync is out of whack), and it is rare on my machines...

I seriously think you ought to try VLC, Video Lan Client, and playback a video that WMP is out of sync with... under the settings there are myriad settings as to which renderer is used to play the video, as some are slower or faster than others...
Video Lan Client

it's actually just a hit and miss situation... and syncing marks, as mentioned by allteltec, may play an important point here...



Ben

"If it works don't fix it! If it doesn't use a sledgehammer..."

 

[cdogg]

Its not ALL video files.. Just some.

Different formats too, not just one particular format

Since this is now a "widespread" issue, it's almost impossible to diagnose. The only thing you can be certain all systems are sharing in common is the video file/source. Yet in your first post you said:

"[blue]The worst culprit is youtube, yet on other PC's i have seen the exact same video play faultlessly[/blue]"


So it doesn't make a whole lot of sense. I have seen the issue before, but in every situation I've come across, a clean install of Windows or changing the sound card has fixed the issue if nothing else worked. Either that or it's the video source.

Can you think of anything else (perhaps a software app) that you and the other problem computers share in common?

Bottom line is that I support thousands of workstations where I work, different brands, and have built quite a few over the years. The out-of-sync issue does not affect everyone! I strongly suggest you follow my suggestion of a clean install. You won't lose anything and it only requires 2 hours of your time and a spare hard drive.

~cdogg
"Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results." - Einstein
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