Xbox Series X Dolby Atmos delay issues

[Barney Gumble]

I had this issue with a LG BX, Xbox Series X and LG SN7Y. Once setup if I enabled Dolby Atmos on the Xbox it would introduce a significant delay causing sound sync issues. If I switched to Dolby Digital instead it would remove some of the delay. Given the only reason I bought that soundbar was for Atmos sound it was very disappointing.

I have actually found a fix for the issue now though using the HDMI audio extractor below from Feintech.
Amazon product
Note there is a cloned unit on the UK Amazon site which looks very similar but I couldn't confirm if that will work the same.
Amazon product

So the below is how I use this in my system. Note in my case the critical part I almost messed up is that the HDMI cable from Out2 on the device goes to the HDMI IN port on the soundbar and NOT the TV/Arc port on the soundbar. So as far as I can tell this would only work on a soundbar that has pass through capability with a HDMI in and arc out port. Of course it should work with any AV receiver as far as I can see that supports Atmos of course!

View attachment 1696029

So the reason this seems to fix the issue is it ensures there is a earc connection between the LG TV and the audio extractor. The signal received by the extractor then effectively passes through the audio and inserts a "blank" video signal. This then gets passed to the HDMI input port on my soundbar and is encoded according to the format sent and the blank video gets routed to the tv port that is not connected.

I think the delay that is generated is mainly occurring to those using Arc devices (not earc) and it feels like something that likely happens in handshaking that connection across the 3 devices using that format. It feels like it's probably a Xbox issue to me but hard to prove.

Note using this solution I still connect my XSX straight to the TV so still get 120fps, 4:4:4 and VRR, etc, etc. This is the only way I've found to get Dolby Atmos from the Xbox without delay with my current equipment. I tried every conceivable fix prior to this and they made no difference.

HDMI-CEC still works using this method for me so my soundbar volume works on my TV remote and turns on and off with the TV. The only outstanding niggle is when my soundbar turns on it selects the wrong input so not figured out anyway to sort that but I'm happy to press the input select button for the moment and enjoy the good audio. Also it's worth noting if you switch into games/dashboard there is sometimes a moments loss of sound and then it flashes Atmos and sound is back but I think that's a qwerk of the soundbar and the sound doesn't cut out when in use only when first loading into a game or back to dashboard.

The ‘cloned one’ on Amazon UK isnt HDMI 2.1 and can’t passthrough 4K 120Hz and VRR. Presumably why the other is more than twice the price.

 

[shagaboopon]

The ‘cloned one’ on Amazon UK isnt HDMI 2.1 and can’t passthrough 4K 120Hz and VRR. Presumably why the other is more than twice the price.

Neither are 2.1, you don't pass the video through the device. You connect your XSX direct to the TV. You connect the TV EARC port to out1 on the device then connect from out2 2 to the HDMI in port on your AVR/soundbar. Your Xbox video doesn't touch the device which is why you don't lose the HDMI 2.1 features. It only needs to be 2.0 compliant to handle the Atmos earc signal.

 

[Barney Gumble]

Neither are 2.1, you don't pass the video through the device. You connect your XSX direct to the TV. You connect the TV EARC port to out1 on the device then connect from out2 2 to the HDMI in port on your AVR/soundbar. Your Xbox video doesn't touch the device which is why you don't lose the HDMI 2.1 features. It only needs to be 2.0 compliant to handle the Atmos earc signal.

My mistake .

 

[stephentw]

I did wonder about some sort of splitter at the Xbox end to fix this other issue we have with audio cutting up. If the xbox had 2 HDMI outputs it might work sending 1 to AVR for sound and 1 to TV for video. I do that with my blu ray player.

 

[Barney Gumble]

I did wonder about some sort of splitter at the Xbox end to fix this other issue we have with audio cutting up. If the xbox had 2 HDMI outputs it might work sending 1 to AVR for sound and 1 to TV for video. I do that with my blu ray player.

It's a means to an end for sure, but at the end of the day, it's a workaround for something that should work.

Personally, if Panasonic don't resolve this via a firmware update and ASAP, my JZ2000 will be going back.

If it helps others with the Atmos delay though, more power to 'em.

 

[stephentw]

Can you do that though, after 30 days? Be interesting to see if they offered you an LZ.

 

[Barney Gumble]

Can you do that though, after 30 days? Be interesting to see if they offered you an LZ.

I can and will, regardless of my legal entitlements, due to the relationship I have with the original point of purchase (Richer Sounds). I wouldn't expect Panasonic to admit any sort of culpability. And I can't see how it will even work on the LZ range if it isn't on the JZ range, should Panasonic be using HDMI chipsets capped at 40Gps, or even the same chipset carried over between iterations.

Edit; I'm no Ally McBeal , but there probably are legal ramifications for making claims, exaggerating a products capabilities, if it can't fulfil them.

 

[shagaboopon]

Yeah the solution I posted is a workaround to something that shouldn't be an issue and is very frustrating. It's pretty ridiculous when you look at the forum posts and see how long this has been going on for.

 

[shagaboopon]

I can and will, regardless of my legal entitlements, due to the relationship I have with the original point of purchase (Richer Sounds). I wouldn't expect Panasonic to admit any sort of culpability. And I can't see how it will even work on the LZ range if it isn't on the JZ range, should Panasonic be using HDMI chipsets capped at 40Gps, or even the same chipset carried over between iterations.

Edit; I'm no Ally McBeal , but there probably are legal ramifications for making claims, exaggerating a products capabilities, if it can't fulfil them.

To be fair the only reason you need more than 40Gbps is for 12 bit 4k 120Hz 4:4:4 and I'm not sure if there is a panel that can display that in the commercial market. Its so annoying that manufacturers just ignore new standards and make it up as they go along though.

 

[Barney Gumble]

To be fair the only reason you need more than 40Gbps is for 12 bit 4k 120Hz 4:4:4 and I'm not sure if there is a panel that can display that in the commercial market. Its so annoying that manufacturers just ignore new standards and make it up as they go along though.

I assumed that 40Gbps would and should be enough for what most things are capable of that will be connected to the TV, any TV, which claims to have a HDMI 2.1 chipset on-board.

Alas, this is proving not the case or, for whatever reason, manufacturers are throttling the bandwidths of the chipsets.

Something isn’t right and it is the trend with all things HDMI 2.1.