I used to own an HR20, and I didn't really notice any audio syncing issues. About three months ago, I bought an HR21, and I have had many problems with audio sync. Regardless of what combination of I use, my audio is not in sync with the video on all HD channels. I have used just HDMI, HDMI+Optical, Component+Optical, Dolby Digital On/Off, everything. My ESPN and HBO HD channels are generally great, but almost everything else with the exception of a few channels is clearly out of sync. I want to know who else is experiencing these problems, so please vote in the poll and leave comments below. I want to know if this is common of if I should be calling DirecTV and requesting a replacment HR21.

I have had this problem a lot with several HR 20's that I have when using HDMI. The problem goes away, at least for me, when I use component.

I have had this problem a lot with several HR 20's that I have when using HDMI. The problem goes away, at least for me, when I use component.

Hmmm interesting... I noticed a problem a few weeks ago with my HR21 using component, I will have to retest this because it is starting to get annoying! I am about ready to ask for a new receiver. I reset the unit and it seems to be working better... Now the question is does it happen just on my local channels.

I used to own an HR20, and I didn't really notice any audio syncing issues. About three months ago, I bought an HR21, and I have had many problems with audio sync. Regardless of what combination of I use, my audio is not in sync with the video on all HD channels. I have used just HDMI, HDMI+Optical, Component+Optical, Dolby Digital On/Off, everything. My ESPN and HBO HD channels are generally great, but almost everything else with the exception of a few channels is clearly out of sync. I want to know who else is experiencing these problems, so please vote in the poll and leave comments below. I want to know if this is common of if I should be calling DirecTV and requesting a replacment HR21.

I have two HR20s and once in a great while there's a lip sync problem. The last one I remember was a week or so ago with the boxing match on HBO that was broadcast from Cancun. Most of my viewing is of the HD channels so I'd notice if there were more problems.

If you're having constant problems on most HD channels you need to look into getting another DVR sent to you. You don't happen to have a delay set in your receiver, do you?

And I didn't vote in your poll because my answer is between the first one and second one...sometimes a lip sync problem but I wouldn't say it's channel specific. My answer would be between the first two choices.

You don't happen to have a delay set in your receiver, do you?

I constantly have to change it. I've gotten all too skilled at changing my 'audio delay' on my Denon. 0ms for most HBO shows. 10ms for The Office. 40ms here, 80ms there. I had to have like 110ms for the Super Bowl. I can't take it anymore!!! I shouldn't have to keep changing it!! I built a $6,000 home theater and put it in my parent's basement, and they won't even use it because the audio is hardly ever in sync with the video. :(

C'mon... who else owns an HR21 out there? I can't be one of the only ones...

Several are having this issue, including me, more discussions at dbstalk.com... (sorry, I can't post links yet...)

Sweet, that was magic number 3! Here you go...

http://www.dbstalk.com/showthread.php?t=121213
http://www.dbstalk.com/showthread.php?t=121214

^ Yea I've checked out those pages before, but I want to see how many people are having sync'ing issues. I haven't had a single audio drop out, which is what the majority of people in those threads are suffering from. I'm just so sick and tired of my audio being out of sync, but I need to know if I'm the only one. Is there anyone out there with an HR21 that has perfect audio/video sync on every HD channel? Does that exist, or am I dreaming? Is my HR21 defective, or normal? Should I send it in for a new one? Will I get a refurb back?

this poll might be more meaningful if we knew how the DVR was connected (component video Vs HDMI)

this poll might be more meaningful if we knew how the DVR was connected (component video Vs HDMI)

Good point. If you vote, please list your model and connections used for audio/video. I'm using an HR21 with HDMI for video and Optical for audio right now. But no matter the various connection types, i don't get ideal audio sync.

I'm probably 50%, maybe a little better with sync like lets say 40% crappy, 60% close or accurate. I watched MI:3 the other night off Showtime HD, and it was pretty poor. If you didn't watch the lips it was fine....haha.

The other problem that is most common with HD....the volume level on HD programming is much lower then the SD counter parts.

As for my equipment:
*5 week old HR21
*2 year old Sony 42" Grand Wega
*HDMI connection direct to TV from HR21
*FiberOptic cable from HR21 to Sony receiver

My sync issues are either on TV viewing/listening or while using my receiver. Most times, my TV sound and stereo sound do not echo when using both together. So I don't get the "box store" sound effect! Some programs however do have the echo effect with a millisecond delay between TV sound and receiver sound.

I watched MI:3 the other night off Showtime HD, and it was pretty poor.

I have that recorded, so I'll have to take a look at it this weekend to see if my audio is off too...

So I watched MI:3 tonight, and yup, the lip sync was baddy. So maybe I'm not the only one? I also watched a bit of TV, and I noticed quite a few shows still sucking. TNT for instance, do they ever have anything in sync?!

I wish the people that claim their audio/video sync is flawless would let us in on what equipment, connections, and settings they're using. I just have a hard time believing that anyone's is flawless. I mean, how can half my channels sync perfectly, and then half sync sloppy? And the ones that sync sloppy aren't consistent. i.e. if I set a 40ms audio delay to fix one baddy channel, I may turn it to another baddy channel that requires a 65ms delay. There's so much inconsistency that I'm under the strong impression that the programs are being broadcast in a way that it is screwed up for everyone, but either some of you just aren't tuning into those specific channels or you are completely ignorant to sloppy audio/video sync. But then again, I don't want to sound ignorant. If your setup truly has flawless audio/video sync, please enlighten me!

Maybe the people who say it is always flawless have poor hand-eye coordination too, therefore, not able to notice the delay in sound. haha Just kidding of course.

It does seem hit and miss. Mine seems to be very bad on Speed HD with AMA motorcross. The announcers are out of sync as they introduce the show or sometimes during rider interviews. But on another broadcast it's very well in sync, close enough I can't tell. It has to be broadcast. Bit rate perhaps? Traffic, is that an issue with line of sight satellite, I would think not.

Our local HD NBC pulled 3/2.1 audio from OTA (do not get through D*) due to poor results such as sync. I guess they are not able to transfer enough bitrate for high quality video without the sacrifice of good audio. So the PQ is fine and they send the 2/0 audio.

^ My Speed HD has been outta sync too. I tried to get my dad to watch Nascar, but when the announcers came on none of their vocals lined up with the video. So, back to the 27" bubble tube upstairs he went. :(

Just updating you guys - My HR21-700 received firmware 0x0221 this weekend and my audio sync issues have completely disappeared on SpeedHD, Discovery, and HGTV. These channels all had terrible sync issues with prior to the update.

Here is the official thread regarding this update: http://dbstalk.com/showthread.php?t=124774

Next weekend when I have time, I'm going to go back and check some movies I had recorded that had known sloppy audio sync. I want to see if it cleared up any of my previously recorded material....

moshock,

I beat you to it. I had a copy of MI:III from free showtime a few weeks ago and I checked it out the day mine was updated and it was still horrible. However, my other problems have gone away. The audio dropping, the missing audio while using FF or Replay (and others) and also sync issues.

Have you seen the dedicated HR20/HR21 master topic here?
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=931226

Yeah, I skimmed through that thread a while back when it was around 50 pages, lol.

What connections are you using? I'm wondering if I should try some different cable combinations again after the update.

Right now, this is my setup.

HR21-700
HDMI (video) connected to 50" 1080i Hitachi Plasma.
Optical (audio) connected to Denon A/V Receiver, connected to a Klipsch 5.1 setup.
Dolby Digital "On" in the HR21 Settings.

Yeah, I skimmed through that thread a while back when it was around 50 pages, lol.

What connections are you using? I'm wondering if I should try some different cable combinations again after the update.

Right now, this is my setup.

HR21-700
HDMI (video) connected to 50" 1080i Hitachi Plasma.
Optical (audio) connected to Denon A/V Receiver, connected to a Klipsch 5.1 setup.
Dolby Digital "On" in the HR21 Settings.

Pretty much the same setup as you. I have different equipment but same connections.

Here's a test you can do to see if any of the sync issues are because of your own setup, if you have an A/V receiver. Make sure you have audio to both the TV and to the A/V receiver (for example over HDMI to the TV and over optical audio to the A/V receiver.. Configure them so that you get audio from both sets of speakers. If you get an echo from the speakers - one set of speakers (probably the TV) being later than the surround sound speakers, then that problem is in your setup. It is because your TV has a video processing delay, and compensates by delaying the audio. When you connect the audio to your A/V system, the audio isn't going through the delay circuit in the TV so you get an audio/video out of sync condition.
You could probably solve this by taking the audio from the TV "audio out" and connecting it to your A/V receiver, but unfortunately the "audio out" from most TVs will not output Dolby Digital when the audio came in over HDMI.

It is difficult to solve this problem. Often the audio delay in the TV will be different depending on the resolution of the signal. The deinterlacing circuits delay the video more when the signal is interlaced. Your best bet is to set the DVR to have native "off" and send a fixed resolution to the TV, so the processing delay is the same for all programs. Then a fixed delay on your A/V receiver, or using one of the add-on A/V sync boxes, will probably remove all the sync problems not caused by sync issues at the source.

And going back to the original post. The only sync issues I have are those that seem clearly to be from the source, ones that show up simultaneously on more than one HD receiver (I have three HD DVRs and two HD receivers). Other than these source problems, which are pretty well always caused by problems and lack of attention at the station, I honestly don't have sync issues - and my wife notices the slightest "out of sync" problem. All my receivers are connected directly to the TVs, except for one. That DVR has optical to my A/V receiver, and then sends the video signal over component at 1080i to a CRT-based RPTV, which since it is not a digital progressive video "flat panel" (Plasma, LCD etc) does not have any of the video delay issues.

Here's a test you can do to see if any of the sync issues are because of your own setup, if you have an A/V receiver. Make sure you have audio to both the TV and to the A/V receiver (for example over HDMI to the TV and over optical audio to the A/V receiver.. Configure them so that you get audio from both sets of speakers. If you get an echo from the speakers - one set of speakers (probably the TV) being later than the surround sound speakers, then that problem is in your setup. It is because your TV has a video processing delay, and compensates by delaying the audio. When you connect the audio to your A/V system, the audio isn't going through the delay circuit in the TV so you get an audio/video out of sync condition.
You could probably solve this by taking the audio from the TV "audio out" and connecting it to your A/V receiver, but unfortunately the "audio out" from most TVs will not output Dolby Digital when the audio came in over HDMI.

It is difficult to solve this problem. Often the audio delay in the TV will be different depending on the resolution of the signal. The deinterlacing circuits delay the video more when the signal is interlaced. Your best bet is to set the DVR to have native "off" and send a fixed resolution to the TV, so the processing delay is the same for all programs. Then a fixed delay on your A/V receiver, or using one of the add-on A/V sync boxes, will probably remove all the sync problems not caused by sync issues at the source.

And going back to the original post. The only sync issues I have are those that seem clearly to be from the source, ones that show up simultaneously on more than one HD receiver (I have three HD DVRs and two HD receivers). Other than these source problems, which are pretty well always caused by problems and lack of attention at the station, I honestly don't have sync issues - and my wife notices the slightest "out of sync" problem. All my receivers are connected directly to the TVs, except for one. That DVR has optical to my A/V receiver, and then sends the video signal over component at 1080i to a CRT-based RPTV, which since it is not a digital progressive video "flat panel" (Plasma, LCD etc) does not have any of the video delay issues.

First off, great response to this thread in general. Much appreciated!

I have tried testing the optical + hdmi audio (5ch speakers / tv speakers) like you suggested a few weeks ago. My findings were this: not only were both audio streams off from the video, but they were off from each other, giving an echo. Both different, both wrong, lol. I also considered running audio through the tv to the AVR, but like you said, odds are it won't pass DD.

Do you know if running video through hdmi versus component would make any difference? Do they use the same componentry in regards to audio delay when the information hits the tv?

Can you elaborate on that native "off" setting?

It is always possible that the processing of audio via component and HDMI will be different; I haven't seen anything definitive, and of course it will be different TV to TV.
If you switch native to "off" and send all signals to the TV in a single resolution, then it's reasonable to assume the video processing delay in the TV will be approximately the same for every program which makes the use of a single delay setting in your A/V receiver more likely to work.

Because I have several HD receivers/DVrs, including three connected to the same TV, it is really easy for me to see if the sync problem is in the DirecTV signal, because it shows up on all the receivers. Most (I would say "all" but I can't be 100% sure) of these sync issues seem to be from the source. Once the current program finishes they often go away. Some channels have gone through periods when certian specific programs were out of sync all the time ("Dirty Jobs" had that problem for several weeks). There are also several occasions when a channel is in sync in the studio and out of sync when the programming is coming from the field; on CNN this even shows up in a split screen. Also sometimes you will see the program out of sync and the commercials in sync. There is nothing DirecTV can do about these situations.
Over the last twelve months I can also think of two cases in total (on my three DVs) where a program being played back on a DVR was way out of sync - I mean 20 seconds or more. Stopping and replaying solved those problems, and that has not happened for several months now.

If your TV and surround speakers are not in sync with each other there's a good example of the challenges. Not only do we have the effect of the video processing delays in the TV, and any delay circuits that compensate for that, but the processing time for the Dolby Digital audio in the A/V receiver is not the same as for the PCM stereo being processed by the TV.

I have posted before that this problem cannot be completely solved without some sort of link in the datastream between the audio and video signals - right now they are essentially "free running" in relation to each other - in conjunction with enhancements in the HDMI 1.3 protocol to allow the TV to signal to the A/V receiver what sort of delay the video is incurring. And that is a very long way off.

Does this sync issue happen with standard HD receivers, or only with DVR's? I never ever have problems OTA, only with both of my DVR's that I have owned.

I think the simple answer is that the source (D* or whatever system you have) corrects it. There are a lot of novice users out there who spend several grand on a new HD and audio system. Do you think they want to connect and reconnect. Or go through an intense menu system to set delay, only to have it not effective on a 2nd program? No! So, if the signal comes to our home correct we don't need to mess with it ourselves.

Most of the delay I have noticed is due to the DVR being about 5 seconds behind. For some reason the hard drive can't seem to play audio and video simultaneously. The latest firmware has seemed to correct it on he HR21 so far.

Does this sync issue happen with standard HD receivers, or only with DVR's? I never ever have problems OTA, only with both of my DVR's that I have owned.

I think the simple answer is that the source (D* or whatever system you have) corrects it. There are a lot of novice users out there who spend several grand on a new HD and audio system. Do you think they want to connect and reconnect. Or go through an intense menu system to set delay, only to have it not effective on a 2nd program? No! So, if the signal comes to our home correct we don't need to mess with it ourselves.

Most of the delay I have noticed is due to the DVR being about 5 seconds behind. For some reason the hard drive can't seem to play audio and video simultaneously. The latest firmware has seemed to correct it on he HR21 so far.

It happens with receivers as well. I have both DVRs and receivers and in almost all cases when there is a problem I see it on both. I do see it on OTA stations from time to time, our local NBC station has had problems since the news went HD - the news program is sometimes out of sync but the commercials are OK.
You seem to be missing my point here. First, the signal may not be coming to your home correctly. If the signals are out of sync at the station/channel there is NOTHING DirecTV can do to correct it. Second, the problems I am describing are in the equipment you have in your home. Spending several thousand dollars on equipment is no guarantee of a solution to this problem - in fact the people who just connect the DVR to their TV have LESS problems than those with A/V receivers, for the reasons I have mentioned. Again, there is NOTHING DirecTV can do about these problems. If the audio from your TV speakers is not in sync with the audio from the surround sound speakers when you do the test I mentioned, the problem is IN YOUR EQUIPMENT. try the test and see what results you get.

In general the DVRs are NOT five seconds behind. My three DVRs have excellent sync except when the source program sync is screwed up. As I said, there have been a couple of occasions when one of my DVRs has been MASSIVELY out of sync but that situation has been extremely rare.

It's very tempting to believe that somehow DireCTV can wave a magic wand and solve these problems, when very few of them are in DirecTVs control. If you check with some of the TV broadcasting groups you will find they all recognise this as a major weakness of digital TV. There are working groups specifically set up to try to solve the problems, but a solution is still a way off. The sync capabilities built into HDMI 1.3 might help, when there are TVs and A/V receivers that will communicate with each other (the DVR is not involved in this at all) because the TV can tell the A/V receiver what delay it needs to put into the audio to compensate for the video processing delays.

The DVR/Tivo from DirecTV are indeed behind by approximately 5 seconds over normal air or cable systems. I've had it in my house for 6 years. A program from a standard receiver or OTA has always been delayed. As a matter of fact, a friend of mine and I were watching hockey on the VS network across the country. Me on D* with DVR, him on D* with standard. I could hear the score in the phone before I even seen it was potentially a goal on my end. So yes, there is a delay in equipment. Maybe I said it incorrectly the first time, I don't mean the audio is 5 seconds behind. I mean the actual feed is behind. Or perhaps it's just the hard drive, not the feed. Sorry I don't know what it is, but it is something.

I was not implying that thousands of dollars in equipment would correct a sync issue. I was stating that there are folks out there who have no clue after spending that much cash as to why the expense gives them crappy results.

I will still disagree that the equipment is the problem in a non audio sync issue. I've experienced this problem on different channels where sometimes I have major echo and other times it's perfect. Does that means that my equipment is sub-par because of it's intermittent sync?

I will however agree about the feed being a problem from the local transmissions instead of DirecTV. That was my mistake in saying that D* can't provide a good signal.

As I said in my initial post, I have not seen any audio/video sync problems since the latest software has arrived.

The DVR/Tivo from DirecTV are indeed behind by approximately 5 seconds over normal air or cable systems. I've had it in my house for 6 years. A program from a standard receiver or OTA has always been delayed. As a matter of fact, a friend of mine and I were watching hockey on the VS network across the country. Me on D* with DVR, him on D* with standard. I could hear the score in the phone before I even seen it was potentially a goal on my end. So yes, there is a delay in equipment. Maybe I said it incorrectly the first time, I don't mean the audio is 5 seconds behind. I mean the actual feed is behind. Or perhaps it's just the hard drive, not the feed. Sorry I don't know what it is, but it is something.

I was not implying that thousands of dollars in equipment would correct a sync issue. I was stating that there are folks out there who have no clue after spending that much cash as to why the expense gives them crappy results.

I will still disagree that the equipment is the problem in a non audio sync issue. I've experienced this problem on different channels where sometimes I have major echo and other times it's perfect. Does that means that my equipment is sub-par because of it's intermittent sync?

I will however agree about the feed being a problem from the local transmissions instead of DirecTV. That was my mistake in saying that D* can't provide a good signal.

As I said in my initial post, I have not seen any audio/video sync problems since the latest software has arrived.

yes, the feed is behind - I misunderstood what you were saying. HD is significantly behind SD because the amount of data involved, and because of all the processing in the signal path.

The sync issue has many causes - as I said often it is a problem coming all the way from the source, sometimes a program will be out of sync and the commercials will be in sync, sometimes a program will be out of sync and the next one in sync, and so on. Some of it is lack of familiarity with HD at the channel end, sometimes it is problems in the distribution, and sometimes it is delay introduced in the DirecTV signal path. But often it is a consequence of our own equipment, and the configuration we use. I have had people post that they tried the test I mentioned, and the TV speakers and the surround speakers were out of sync with each other, and they still blame DirecTV (or Dish, or Comcast, or whoever is their provider).

I have had people post that they tried the test I mentioned, and the TV speakers and the surround speakers were out of sync with each other, and they still blame DirecTV (or Dish, or Comcast, or whoever is their provider).

Well who else do we point to when neither our TV speakers or surround speakers are in sync with our video? :p

Well who else do we point to when neither our TV speakers or surround speakers are in sync with our video? :p

As I said, usually to the source. The only way DirecTV could do anything about that would be to have someone manually monitoring the sync on every channel, including all the locals, all the time, and then getting the sync adjusted by the source channel so it was correct. DirecTV should, and I think does, complain to the channel about regular sync issues but they can't actually fix them. The number of source sync problems on the new HD channels has, thankfully, significantly reduced in the past few months, but some channels always seem to be worse than others. If you are out of sync on one channel, and you switch to another channel and it is in sync, and then immediately back to the original channel and it is out of sync then there is a source problem.
If you have a DVR and are having this problem on "live" TV, and you pause the program, and when you play it again the sync problem has gone away, then the sync is being introduced by a delay in the DVR. In my experience, with my three DVRs, that is incredibly rare, in fact it is several months since I had that problem.
If you are watching your HD locals through DirecTV and one of them is out of sync you can be pretty sure it is a station issue. If they are ALL out of sync but your regular satellite channels are in sync then it's probably a DirecTV issue, somwhere in the processing path of the locals.
If you are out of sync all the time then it's almost certainly a problem with your equipment/setup. Again it is rare, but some TVs have A/V sync issues of their own - one manufacturer had to recall a TV because the sync would get progressively worse after several hours and the only way to solve it was to power the TV down.

As you can see the problem with sync issues is that there are many potential sources, but few good solutions.
You might be interested in these papers http://www.pixelinstruments.com/articles4.htm and http://www.pixelinstruments.com/articles1.htm that talk about the issues the broadcaster faces in getting correct sync in the production and broadcast equipment. The video processing delays introduced in TVs are also mentioned.
Other interesting papers are http://www.tvtechnology.com/features/Tech-Corner/f_rh_technology_corner-01.07.04.shtml and http://broadcastengineering.com/RF/Society-of-Motion-Picture-and-Television-Engineers-20050218/ And to show you that the professionals are taking this seriously, http://www.aes.org/events/123/broadcast/session.cfm?code=B8
.

HR21-700....every program/channel I swotch to, I must have my remote ready for my Yamaha to adjust audio delay. :mad:

As I said, usually to the source. The only way DirecTV could do anything about that would be to have someone manually monitoring the sync on every channel, including all the locals, all the time, and then getting the sync adjusted by the source channel so it was correct. DirecTV should, and I think does, complain to the channel about regular sync issues but they can't actually fix them. The number of source sync problems on the new HD channels has, thankfully, significantly reduced in the past few months, but some channels always seem to be worse than others. If you are out of sync on one channel, and you switch to another channel and it is in sync, and then immediately back to the original channel and it is out of sync then there is a source problem.
If you have a DVR and are having this problem on "live" TV, and you pause the program, and when you play it again the sync problem has gone away, then the sync is being introduced by a delay in the DVR. In my experience, with my three DVRs, that is incredibly rare, in fact it is several months since I had that problem.
If you are watching your HD locals through DirecTV and one of them is out of sync you can be pretty sure it is a station issue. If they are ALL out of sync but your regular satellite channels are in sync then it's probably a DirecTV issue, somwhere in the processing path of the locals.
If you are out of sync all the time then it's almost certainly a problem with your equipment/setup. Again it is rare, but some TVs have A/V sync issues of their own - one manufacturer had to recall a TV because the sync would get progressively worse after several hours and the only way to solve it was to power the TV down.

That reinstates all of my beliefs about DirecTV and HD programming. Honestly, everything you said there I consider to be factual. I just want to thank you for laying it all out there. :)

HR21-700....every program/channel I swotch to, I must have my remote ready for my Yamaha to adjust audio delay. :mad:

lol, man i feel ya. i built a $6k home theater and installed it into my parent's basement, and they won't even use it because the audio/video isn't synched up consistently, and they don't have the intelligence/patients to change the audio delay on my Denon AVR.

Lastly, viewing at the poll, it's my belief that those that claim ALL of their channels have perfect audio/video sync just simply don't watch enough HD programming! :p

Wow, my programming has been so good lately. My Mecum Auto Auctions are noticeably off yet, but the rest of the shows I watch have been better so much better. Ah, Showtime still sucks, but there's the reason I have HBO...

That 2nd to last update must have worked well for you. It seemed to have cleared up a lot of my issues also. Nice to see a fix that actually fixes what it was intended to huh?

Yes it really did. Does anyone have Showtime in HD? Mine is still off, always has been. I can't check it though, only when the free promo's roll around. I always record a bunch of shows, only to find out the audio sync is disgustingly off and I end up deleting them all.

I just got an HR 22 - 100, I am still working on setting it up. I am using it on an older Sony 36 in, 4:3, CRT, with DVI input; a Sherwood RV-5030R reciever; and Cambridge Soundworks Ensemble III speakers (yeah, I know, Fred Flintstone has higher tech stuff). I tried converting the HDMI signal from the satellite receiver to DVI, the highest quality video input on the Sony (wasted $ on the converter) and audio was REALLY out of sync. It is better with component video and left and right RCA audio inputs. I do run the audio to the TV and back to the receiver as the DVD is set up that way. Made it easier to program the remote's macros (Harmony 880) when it was all new to me.

I'm going to try running the audio inputs for the DVD & for the TV directly to the receiver vs present set up of running audio to the TV & back to the receiver which worked well with my old Sammy Song DTV HD receiver (tho I only got ~ 10 HD channels with it). Hopefully this will do away with some lag between the two when it rears its ugly head and not cause other synchronizing problems.

The Sherwood RV - 5030R does not have video switching capabilities. I was advised to run everything through the TV and then run the audio back to the Sherwood, and it worked well until I entered the digital age.

I just got an HR 22 - 100, I am still working on setting it up. I am using it on an older Sony 36 in, 4:3, CRT, with DVI input; a Sherwood RV-5030R reciever; and Cambridge Soundworks Ensemble III speakers (yeah, I know, Fred Flintstone has higher tech stuff). I tried converting the HDMI signal from the satellite receiver to DVI, the highest quality video input on the Sony (wasted $ on the converter) CRTs are analog, so you are correct, using a DVI/HDMI cable on them is a waste of money.

I have gotten so disgusted with digital audio (never ending sync problems and horrible sound level differences from source to source), I just use the TV's speakers, or RCA cables and Dolby Pro Logic for casual TV viewing.

I just upgraded to a Sammy A550 1080p set, from my previous display was a PC monitor that wouldn't take 1920x1080. So I ran it at 720p for a long time with no real issues. After forcing 1080p on my new display, I started experiencing inconsistent sync issues between audio & video. Basically, the video lagged behind the audio enough to be easily distracting.

After fiddling around, I realized that the video lag was much greater directly following a large change in the video. This tipped me off to just go ahead and drop my DVR's output back down to 720p, to cut down on processor load. I immediately was relieved of distracting audio lag. I'm not saying it's 100% perfect all the time...but it's a lot better. (On another note, the next gen DVR, above all else, needs faster more powerful CPU to hand the HD load. The current HD DVR's a slow and overloaded).

I dislike that my DVR doesn't have the balls to push 1080p without lag. But, I take solace in believing that there has yet to be true 1080i or 1080p programing on any directv channels, and that 720p will serve it up just fine.