Solving playback issues

[Azleatherneck]

I have had my Roku sound bar Hardwired with a usb adaptor since day one hulu live ONLY has this issue. Friend same setup same issue ONLY hulu live audio sync. I have considered ditching hulu tbh because of it. 

[JohnnyWater]

I found a great solution…

I put in a Firestick Max and that fixed it.

Lots of other good benefits, wifi 6, Disney+ with ads now works. 

[Third3]

I have had this problem for quite a long time - a year or more.  After trying everything everyone suggested, it wasn’t fixed.   I was at wit’s end, and began to think I was on candid camera or something.  But then, I hit on it!

I stopped using my “Best” Roku devices - the ones with 4K and ALL the features.  I got a Roku Basic that only works in HD - 1080p.

Problem gone!

I still see commercials with no audio, and have even had my shows come back with no audio for a few seconds, but when it corrects itself - No Sync Problem!

My solution still doesn’t answer the question of why the problem exists.  It is some combination of my WiFi system and the full featured Roku.  Either Roku can’t handle 4K, or my WiFi isn’t delivering what is needed.  At this point, I don’t care - I stopped the sync problem!

[mitchstein]

well there has been no forward movement from Hulu on fixng this issue.

BUT, I did a bit more research into it...

it happens only on certain live channels on hulu..

it consistantly happens on the CMT channel and it happens on the PC, the Firestick, Roku 3,4 ultimate, roku stick, roku soundbar pro, roku 4k sticks, firebox, apple tv and the Hulu app on every Android device we tested (including galaxy s22, pixle 6 &7 and various lesser quality ones..

So it appears it is something Hulu is not going to address because after hearing from over 1100 people with the sme problem the timefrme it has been happening is as fr back as the beginning of the pandemic to today.

there were about a dozen channels it is happening on, food network ws another very popular one it consistntly happens on and more.

But I cn honestly say it is not a Roku only problem..

[panaxdave]

If I run Hulu straight through my Samsung TV, I get no lag. If I run it through my Roku sound bar, I get lag after every commercial on live TV. Currently watching TNT West and it's happening. It also never happens when I cast Hulu from my phone to a Google Chromecast. 

[RokuLianna]

Hi @panaxdave

Welcome to the Roku Community!

We'd like to know more about how we can help! Do you encounter any error messages? Are all the other streaming channels operating normally? How long has the issue existed and what troubleshooting done to resolve the issue?

With detailed information, we will be able to assist you better.


Warm Regards,
Lianna

[panaxdave]

It's been happening so long, I'm not even sure. A year at least, but really prob longer.  As far as channels, I don't have a list but quite a few of them. Science channel, TNT, MSNBC, Fox.... I'm honestly not sure of a channel that it doesn't happen on. The only troubleshooting I've done is to see if Hulu lags on other platforms like streaming on Chromecast or directly through my Samsung Smart TV. The only platform it seems to lig on is through my Roku sound bar.  The only thing that resolves the issue is to change the channel and then back again. That works until a commercial comes on and then the audio lags again. Seems my issue is identical to the comments that are above mine. Put all those together and you should have a pretty good idea. From reading some of the other comments I'm not sure if it's on Roku or Hulu.  Hope we can figure out where. 

[Third3]

I am not defending Hulu, by any means - yes, I agree they are the ultimate culprit.

But my point was - Getting away from the 4K and high quality Roku resulted in an end to my problem with the audio sync problem.  Period.

You cite a large number of devices - that are all 4K based.  Try the Roku Basic.

Since solving my problem, I still have any number of Hulu related problems with reception, mostly related to the commercial breaks.  Ads have no audio for the first 10 or 20 seconds, even the show I am watching comes back on with NO audio for 10 or 15 seconds.  But when it does kick back in — IT IS IN SYNC!

[panaxdave]

I appreciate what you're saying, but I'm not going to buy a Roku that's capable of 4K and a TV that's capable of 4K only for a workaround to be using lesser quality.  It's not on me to find some workaround to fix this. It's on Hulu or Roku to make it work as advertised. 

[Third3]

There are no error messages, just out of sync audio/video.  That problem is cumulative, too.  After each commercial break, it’s a little more out of sync.  Let it go long enough, and the audio comes after the speaker left the screen.  I does seem to be a bit worse on some channels, like Magnolia TV, Science, National Geo Graphic channels, animal planet, etc.  But on main channels, like CBS or ABC, the obit of sync problem, when it appears, is slight.

I personally think that Hulu is trying to cram way too many ads into the ad breaks - 9 or 10 ads is just too much!  But I don’t think Hulu can handle them - all the switching from ad to ad to ad.  Or maybe Roku can’t.  I dunno.  But for main channels like CBS/ABC, I don’t think Hulu messes with the ads, and they have a lesser to none problem.

Like I said, changing to Roku Basic - and getting away from the 4K products - solved my sync problem.  That should give you a good lead to go on.