The two problem's we have with our new box is :

1. Having successfully started recording a program sometimes it isn't possible to watch certain channels eg record bbc1 cannot watch bbc2 itv - it's bizzare.

2. Lip sync on HD channels is out forwards so when I try to adjust it just get worse and worse - doesn't seem to be possible to go backwards in ms only forwards.

Any advice would be much appreciated. Thanks.

I've had this on HD. The fix was to press stop then start playing again. I have not had my box for long so I don't know if this is a common problem or not. Experienced same thing in the past on a cheap freeview recorder (non hd).

Sounds like the box thinks its in single cable mode. Did you originally install it with only one connected? Can you check if both cables are on the outer two of the three connections at the back of the box.

Assuming the cables are connected correctly, note down your schedule and perform a factory reset from the menus (this will wipe the recording schedule, but not the disk), and check that the HDR indicates it can see two feeds as it guides you through setup.

Your 1 is answered below.

for 2 please describe how audio is connected. I.E. Direct to TV, Via amp, etc.

If via amp then this could be the problem depending on how the output is set in setup.

mjr has likely guessed your problem to #1. Only ever have this sort of problem when the box is recording three programmes at once (which it can).

Regarding #2: This is a problem that is particuarly bad on ITV. As you say, attempting to sync it manually just makes it worst. It is the broadcasters problem, somewher along the uplink path. It is NOT the box as I can switch to the Freesat tuner in the tv and it is the same.

The other HD channels are generally ok, but I have started to notice BBC HD is not as good as it used to be in this respect. What is going on? Cheaper production suites?

IK

Do you by any chance have a LG TV in respect of question 2 ?

I'm suffering the same audio lag problems on BBC HD and ITV HD (particularly bad on ITV) and I do have an LG TV - is this a known issue with the Humax box? I have no idea where to start looking for help and don't know if it's a problem with the TV, Humax box or signal. Any help would be greatly appreciated

I've got an LG TV and a Humax HDR, only had the HDR since Saturday and have not noticed any Lip Sync problems on any HD channel, but then I do have the HDR connected to a cheap surround sound system that I got from Asda using Audio cables that have a piggy back socket on them and then connected to the component surround sockets on the back of the Amp, it's not outputting true surround,but at least it gives the sound a bit of umph in the Base department though.

Roland

It's a problem with the TV. For some reason the TV does not compensate correctly for the video processing delay to match ac3 sound used by the HD channels. The latest firmwares have a fix by forcing ac3 sound output to downmix to lpcm stereo that hopefully will solve the problem for you.

Menu Settings TV Setup Dolby Digital - OFF

I take it that running the sound through an amp even if it's not outputting Dolby Digital stops the Lip Sync proble, as I've still got Dolby Digital switched on and I'm not noticing any Lip Sync problems?

Roland

Yes it does. The problem is purely using some LG tv's for the audio. If you mute the TV and use an external amplifier (as I do but not for lip synch reasons) any audio problems then down to amp not TV.

Ok so this is clearly the LG tv problem. Now as has been said above, ITV was by far the worst offender. This is no doubt due to the fact that thet transmit so many programmes out of sync.

My wife was complaining about the issue on the 'red and black' programmes at the end of last week. What must we do to get ITV to sort this?

IK

None of these are out of sync on my hdr so can't be a ITV problem. Have you tried changing the Dolby Digital setting I detailed above (post 9) and replaying an offending recording ?

I've been using this tip for months now with an LG TV that has had lip sync issues. It works fine and I've had no sync issues worthy of a mention.

The problem is that I do not believe it is a Humax Foxsat problem. I see it as a broadcaster issue, as my Sony TV (has a Freesat Tuner in it) also has the problem at the same time. Also there are many other posts around about the ITV issue.

I will look at your post 9 though, as I have not seen it yet.

Ta

Thanks for this - turned the Dolby Digital off but sadly it made no difference. I did notice though that the timing issues were much more out of sync on the adverts last night than on the program I was watching which was barely noticeable. I'd have guessed that means it's an issue with the signal, rather than the hardware.

Last night at about 23.00 - the ITV film was on (zombies or something) - the film was dreadfully out of sync and the adverts were only slightly better. Often when an ad break starts the sync changes/corrects itself - definately an ITV transmission issue in my opinion. BBC and C4 HD are very rarely a problem.

I actually watch very little on ITV now - they need to get it sorted - terrestrial channel of the year - says who!

ITV1 on Freeview has no lip sync issues, so it could be down to how they uplink the DSat version that is putting some kind of delay between the picture and audio.

Roland

There's something wierd going on, we watched ITV1-HD (ITV-HD Granada) last night in chasing playback for the 2 hrs recorded between 19:00 and 21:00 and then the BBC 1 HD first episode of The Body Farm also in chasing playback. Audio is via s/pdif to a Denon amplifier which has an appropriate delay setting on the amp. No lip synch problems on either (My better half would notice instantly) despite same delay settings for ITV and BBC. Freeview-HD is the same but in this case audio is provided to the Denon by HDMI. I never use the TV sound but I will try turning it on to see what happens. If there's any difference it will be obvious because the two sources will produce an echo effect.

Tuned into the current Rugby propgrame, no problem with the studio discussions and no echo with TV sound enabled.

Perhaps try a factory reset

Just to add, I haven't noticed a problem here either with my HDR ITV1HD lip sync. Dolby Digital is enabled, connection is HDMI to Toshiba TV, TV speakers turned down to zero, TV optical audio out to Pioneer AV amp feeding decent speakers. Graham's suggestion of a factory default reset sounds a good idea.

Thanks for the last two comments. What is common between you is that you are taking audio through AV amps - I am not I use the TV to amplify sound. It would be good to see what happens when you also try the tv sound instead.

In the future I intend to get an AV receiver for all the source switching and listening to audio. Trouble is I do not really want 6 or 8 channel AV receivers! Until then I am stuck with what I have and ITV is no good. I get the HD signals via Freesat - what about you two?

IK

I get Freeview-HD and Freesat-HD. If you read my post you will see I turned on my TV's speaker outputs and left the amplifier on. If there was any time difference between the two sources it's immediately obvious depending on the time difference it will either sound like an echo or if more severe you hear words repeated. If you still can, try viewing a digital channel with an analogue TV tuned to the same channel in earshot. You will get what I mean

Technically in my case the ITV-HD channel is delivering Dolby Digital 2.0 (Stereo) to my AV amp via a s/pdif connection which feeds speakers either side of the TV. The hdmi link to the TV delivers the same to the TV. The TV downmixes DD2.0 to lpcm stereo and sends it to the internal speakers which are adjacent to the left/right front channels of my 5.1 setup. This is because each item of kit is correctly delaying the audio to match the picture. Turning on the speakers in the TV merely makes it a bit louder as the current volume on the TV was a tad higher than the amplifier.

I have one more test, the TV has an analogue audio output connection to the amp. Selecting this also gives no lip synch problems. I use this connection because my wireless headphones are connected to my amps zone 3 audio output. Zone 3 is only selectable to analogue inputs on the amp so I can use this to listen to the pvrs using headphones via the TV.

I am not sure when a change was made but last night I realised watching a film recorded from BBC HD in the last week or so (Glorious 39) that I need to advance the lip sync on my Foxsat back to were I had originally set it. Some months back I had retarded it as ITV1 HD had changed so it needed less of a delay. Watching the rugby later showed that the longer delay was now right(ish) for ITV as well as for BBC. So yo-yo-ing between 100ms and 160ms for me.

Graham

Thanks for your patience - I did not read into the last lines of your comment about the Rugby that the test was proving there was not an issue at your end.

Not sure where I go now, as I have two freesat receivers (one in the tv and the other in the Humax) and I get the problem. So is it the TV which is common here and is handling the sound for both sources. The PVR is connected via HDMI to tv.

When I listen through my audio installation (old fashioned stereo amp) I use the sound from the TV line out jacks as the tv is currently the source selector for everything.

So I have a test I can try - I will arrange to take the audio to the stereo amp from the line out of the Humax (I assume there is one) instead - thus avoiding the tv amplifiers altogether. Probably do this at the weekend.

IK

Analogue Red and White RCA Phonos next to the Yellow Composite Video. Digital optical (toslink) s/pdif. If your amp does not have a Dolby Digital decoder but has toslink, turn off Dolby Digital as posted to output Stereo lpcm.