[Ken Ross]

This gets really old after awhile and detracts from the enjoyment of Showtime HD movies. Does anyone have any technical explanation as to why the lip synch on this channel is off so often? I don't experience this with any other channel, HD or not, not even Showtime's regular non-HD channel. What gives and why can't they get it right? It's hard to believe that the engineers aren't aware this is happening. It's actually become a bad joke in my family. I've seen it on 3 different HD receivers and 3 different HDTVs.

 

[hammerdwn]

I have watched about 2-4 titles a month on SHO HD over almost three years, and I have never noticed this on my system.


EDIT: Dish Network 6000 w/spdif


Hammer

 

[kevinivey]

Never had a lip sync problem with Sho-hd in the 1.5 yrs. that I've had it. I receive it from cable.

 

[Andrew_Ballew]

I have experienced this at times, too. So have others. Do a search.


Andrew B.

 

[Ken Ross]

It's really hard to believe this is an equipment oriented problem given the variations of equipment I've had while still observing this issue. I've seen it with 2 different audio receivers and 3 different HDTVs (one of which isn't even connected to an external audio receiver). I'm gettting Showtime HD from DirecTV and I'm not sure if that's part of the equation, but as I mentioned before, I simply don't see this issue on any other HD or non HD channel whether OTA or DirecTV.

 

[bhambrad]

i noticed it yesterday during "hardball"

 

[thehud2112]

I get the lip sync problem on Showtime HD often as well. Perhaps it is DirecTV that is the cause? Has anyone seen Showtime HD with no lip sync problems ever on DirecTV? I have a feeling that the people that responded here are getting it from cable or perhaps Dish? I've been told to change the channel and change back to get rid of the lip sync problem, but it never works for me.

 

[Ken Ross]

Yup, channel changing has never worked for me either.

 

[BSpielbauer]

>>>Has anyone seen Showtime HD with no lip sync problems ever on DirecTV?

 

[mmarolda]

I see lipsynch issues on Showtime-HD as well (mits/hughes STB). I've tried the various approaches for fixing it - channel changing, rebooting but, unlike for HBO and OTA lipsync problems, they don't work for Showtime HD. Fortunatelly, the sound is only off by a small amount so it's only moderately annoying.


Mike

 

[btmoore]

I see lip sync issues on sho all the time. Legally blond is a great example of the lip sync problem with Sho and the sync problem is very consistent with every showing. I think is is a problem with how they are encoding some of the movies and they are not paying attention to the audio drifting from the video when they created the master tape. The lip sync problem is not with all programming but the programs with lip sync it is consistent so I think it is a content source problem not an STB equipment problem. For those of you who do not think they have a problem check out Legally Blond next time it comes around.


FYI I am using a Hughes e86 with spdif


Regards,


Brian

 

[kevinivey]

Can anyone with Dish or cable confirm that this may only be a Direc problem?

 

[Paul_Seng]

I have had shohd on directv with 3 different receivers and HDTV's for over 2 years now. Never had a lip sync problem.

 

[balazer]

I have DISH. I've observed lip sync problems at times.

 

[Ken Ross]

I really can't understand why some people have this problem pretty consistently (there are times when it's fine) and others say they never have it. We seem to have eliminated D* from the equation and enough people with different D* receivers DO have the problem (I've had 3 different receivers ALL with the problem). So what gives? There MUST be something on Showtime's end or those with the problem would have reported seeing this issue on other channels. I for one almost never have this problem with any other station OTA or D* other than Showtime. Something is up, it's been going on far too long.

 

[anyone b united]

I have D* and have seen/heard the problem many times. It seems to be movie dependent. For example everytime "Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back" was on it showed the problem. Most recently "Legally Blond" also show the problem..


My 2 cents..

 

[oleus]

i've had this problem frequently on showtime-hd (directv)..channel switching does not remedy it. I seem to remember seeing it on DOMESTIC DISTURBANCE and THE SCORE.....

 

[Ken Ross]

It absolutely amazes me that they do nothing about the issue. The problem is obviously widespread enough to warrant some serious investigation. What also amazes me is that people are so quick to knock aspects of HBO HD yet Showtime seems to get a pass on an issue as serious as poor lip synch. I find this really detracts from the enjoyment of a movie when it's present.

 

[keithaxis]

These issues are in the STB, Ken H (i think) mentioned a while back that in the coming generations of STB's should fix a lot of this. Probably why some who have DirecTv get lip sync and some don't, different STB's. I have the Mits HD5. Curious what STB's the ones show never get lip sync have?


The most notorious on my system are showtime and ABC with lip sync problems. The Score had to be one of the worst I have encountered but there have been more than 20 that really were off quite a bit that I have seen on Showtime.


Paul Seng, what STB or STB's have you used that you never see lip sync?

 

[btmoore]

I dont think these are issues in the STB, I have seen timing problems with STBs and when you reset the STB or change channels it usually resolves the problem (at least temporally). I would bet that the audio drift problems are in at the source, when they encoded the video the AC3 drifted and they did not correct it.


It would be a good experiment for those people who do not think they have audio drift problems watch a program that is clearly identified to have this issues like "Legally Blond" or "Jay & S Bob SB" and make sure you are listening to the Digital Audio stream not the Analog output from your STB. I have no idea if the analog stereo audio is in sync or not but I am sure that the DD5.1/AC3 sound track is drifting from the video.


These problems on Sho are very consistent and repeatable, I think "Legally Blond" plays again on the 26th at 8PM EST. Check it out.


If anyone knows how to contact someone at Sho who will actually do something I would love to send them an email about the problem.


Regards


Brian