Solving playback issues

[bmfc1]

If you scan the 25 pages in this topic it was resolved by the latest update but obviously, it hasn't.  It happens to be randomly, usually after having the TV on for a few hours.  There are various short-term fixes (resetting the audio; pulling the power cord and waiting 30 seconds; shutting off the soundbar) but none of the fixes are permanent.

[rackflot]

i just received a 7+ as a gift.

First, the delay. my previous Energy sound bar would allow me to play it and the tv audio at the same time. Not with this, the delay is like being in a cave. Updated the sw per instructions, no difference.

Second, I need to use the remote that came with it. the Energy bar that I had would inc/dec with the TV volume. I don't remember if i had to program it from my remote. I will be looking this up.

Third, Using SPDIF Optical, HDMI ARC did not work, even though it came up on screen and either remote would work. Looks like sound bar would communicate with TV over HDMI, either remote would change the volume on the screen but there was not any volume.

Since this was something like a gift, I will be giving it away to someone. Cant send it back. Will to to Best Buy and buy a new one after i research it. I really don't think that they can fix this.

[user700]

I have had some luck on the newest Roku TV firmware 9.4 update on my 55R617. Setting audio to passthrough and using game mode on my external HDMI inputs.

This syncs the audio reasonably well with my Sonos Beam. Every now and then the audio goes really badly out of sync, but so far a reboot of the TV has resolved that.

I'm going to disconnect the TV from WiFi so that another update doesn't mess things up again!

[xjavontax]

It was happening on my old set, but I just had a 2020 6-series 55” replaced because of a faulty screen, now this is the other issue I’m having. 

Using a Sonos Beam, issue is present regardless of ARC or Optical.

TCL and Roku, you guys need to work this out. This is a ridiculous problem for a consumer product to have. At the very least implement some kind of system level adjustment. 

[TCL50user]

I'm having the exact same issue. I specifically bought this so it would work with my surround sound setup (sonos). My old TV could only produce a PCM stereo signal. This TCL very proudly boasted Dolby Audio and Dolby Vision. So I got it and yes it produces a Dolby 5.1 signal. But the audio is out of sync.

The best way to see this is in the menu when you go up and down between options. You can hear the click noise happen after the TV has scrolled to the next option. When I switch to TV speakers I can hear the click happen as I press the down arrow as it's supposed to. 

When I play FIFA on playstation I kick the ball and only hear the sound of the kick after the ball has left my foot. 

When I watch a movie the audio is distractingly out of sync. 

I read online that this is a very common issue and TCL/Roku's recommendation is to switch to stereo, which is ridiculous. Using features as a selling point and for those features to not work is misleading to say the least. It seems that the TV can't process he signal fast enough. I don't know if this is a software issue. It seems more hardware based. The TV is just not powerful enough to fulfil the tasks it says on the box it can complete. 

I hope TCL will refund my money

[Visitor45763]

BTW: I wonder if perhaps the tv (audio) worked ok when it was made and distributed, and a Roku update caused the problem? 

TCL might give you the runaround that way. I've seen people say TCL (and other brands) told the customer to contact Roku, it's not a hardware problem, etc. This shared pointing fingers seems like something which would justify (even more) FTC and AG complaints.

Hopefully TCL will take responsibility and lean on Roku (whom TCL entered a relationship with). Your warranty is with TCL. You can't be in some twilight zone of having no warranty because two parties say it's the other party. That would be self-serving. It has to be someone's responsibility. You bought the TV from TCL. They chose to use Roku as the OS. If they're getting clobbered with Roku problems, that's their problem to work out with Roku. (Maybe Roku would listen to TCL.). 

I bet you're going to have to be prepared to assert those options. Hopefully just communicating your next steps will get TCL to deal with it.

[Warren12]

I bought a TCL 652s421 and love it, bu tnow after 3 weeks i'm noticing a bad audio/vido lip synch issue. 

It's mostly when watching via the Spectrum TV Cable box.  You can tell the lips don't match up with the sound.   Sometimes it seems worse than others. 

I have read lots of posts on this in various forums and tried turning "game mode" on but it doesn't seem to help much if at all. 

I don't notice it as badly when using a built in app like Netflix or Hulu if at all. 

I have it hooked up to the Spectrum box via an HDMI cable. 

I have a Samsung soundbar using optical out but the issue also occurs if using the TCL built in audio speakers. 

[Visitor45763]

There are others, just those two stood out as the most recent I've seen. (That last one is 26 pages long, and started almost 2 years ago. Like so many other Roku problems, there's no indication Roku recognizes it as a problem, or what the priority is to fix it. We could still be talking about this in another 2 years. There are problems like that.).

If you can still return it, I would. Even if you find a way to fix it, Roku's untested updates are notoriously destabilizing. Lots of people here have to use their TVs as dumb tvs, not connected to the internet, with an external streaming device. "Mene Mene Tekel Upharsin." (The writing on the wall....).

[Visitor45763]

I forgot to add one suggestion: It could be helpful to do a home>settings>system>advanced>factory reset. But, during the initial setup process, tell it you don't have internet. The tv will load whatever version it came with.

You can then go to settings>network, and setup the network connection. This will give you a few hours (or minutes) to see if the problem went away. (Roku will automatically check for updates every day or two.). So, do this when you have some spare time to check it out (in a race against the update). If the problem stops, but then starts again after the update, then you'll know you've been hit with one of Roku's famous untested updates.

If that's the case, and it's too late to return the tv, what some people are doing is leaving the tv disconnected from the network, and using an external streaming box. Basically turning their tv into a "dumb tv" (no smart tv). Personally, I think that's a good way to go no matter what the tv is. Roku is a perfect example of the dangers of putting all your eggs in one basket. People have been "cutting the cord" from that kind of cable/satellite situation for years. I see Roku being the poster-child for "Cut the Cord 2.0." Keep your options open.

[Venturafan]

Have you tried turning audio leveling off?  that's what worked for me.  Press the Star button on the Roku remote. After you select the star on remote for Options, a menu opens, then scroll down to VOLUME MODE. Be sure it is NOT on leveling.  Worked for me and been over a year with no issues since.