Netflix audio out of sync when using Bluetooth

I am also experiencing the same problem, i called netflix to let them know of the issue. I am on a Galaxy Note. you should call them at 1-800-585-7265 so they can be aware of the issue

I think this issue isn't related to Netflix. I experienced the same delay (~3sec.) thru bluetooth on all my Android devices (Liquid E, i9000, xperia play, atrix, ideapad k1)

Try watching a video on the stock video player... I noticed a delay in that too (on the Atrix)

My car bluetooth is really annoying seeing that I press the skip button and have to wait before it actually skips to the next track...

Here are some threads showcasing the same issue:
xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=683073
xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=1347508

I've had similar issues with Netflix on a Galaxy 8.9, Galaxy 7.0, and an Acer Iconia A100. The BT headphones I have work great with my iPhone and iPad -- no lag whatsoever. It hasn't been just the Netflix, but virtually all video apps.

When I did pair my BT headphones there were 2 ways to pair it (headset or headphones). After I found that setting, it dropped the lag from about 5 secs down to about 1 second. Still too disconcerting to watch a video though.

The Acer Iconia A100 has been the best so far. It actually played YouTube vids without a lag (the through the app and the browser).

I thought the issue was 3.0/3.1, but Iconia is 3.2. I'm going to see if ICS makes any difference.

(Side Note: I found that at least one of the Galaxy tabs uses the same BT chip as the iPad so that's probably not the culprit.)

its not the CPU or the ROM, or the app and it won't be fixed in ICS. Its a artifact of the Advanced Audio Distribution Profile (A2DP) Bluetooth protocol. It buffers a couple of seconds of audio before it starts transmitting because when it was specd. they intended it only for music playback. Now it is pressed into service for video audio and there is no way to sync the playback. Perhaps more advanced players will arrive on the scene someday and allow for adjusting the timing. something like VLC maybe, but for now, you can't fix it.

To me it only affects crackle and netflix. By the way other devices like galaxy nexus does not have this problem along with other phones. What ever it is it must be our bt drivers of our Notes

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The built in codecs "attempt" to compensate for those formats that they support. Since Netflix is propitiatory, that does not work for Netflix, its an application problem.

Hat makes sense. I called netflix and tried to tell them of the issue

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DigitalMD said:

its not the CPU or the ROM, or the app and it won't be fixed in ICS. Its a artifact of the Advanced Audio Distribution Profile (A2DP) Bluetooth protocol. It buffers a couple of seconds of audio before it starts transmitting because when it was specd. they intended it only for music playback. Now it is pressed into service for video audio and there is no way to sync the playback. Perhaps more advanced players will arrive on the scene someday and allow for adjusting the timing. something like VLC maybe, but for now, you can't fix it.

Click to expand...

Click to collapse

By the way your explanation is bunk.bunk.bunk.

I upgraded to ICS and the out of sync is no longer there. Netflix is same exact version. sorry dr. quack. I knew your explanation was fishy

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Regardless if his explanation is accurate or not, what's true is that it's a common problem for Bluetooth to lag and not sync the audio with different video applications.
It doesn't just happen on the HTC View, and it doesn't just happen with netflix.

I haven't researched why it happens, nor do I have any suggestions on how to fix it. I just know it's a common issue.

While I'm not sure if DigitalMD's explanation is 100% accurate, I'm inclined to take his word for it. It was the way Bluetooth was designed, and it truly wasn't intended to be used for videos. The reason it might appear more obviously in our devices is due to the use of Bluetooth 3.0? I really have no clue though, but it's a thought!

Its the Bluetooth stack or drivers in our device. what else would it be? After upgrading to ics, all.of the sudden it works. other phones i had didn't have this issues before.

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supac said:

Its the Bluetooth stack or drivers in our device. what else would it be? After upgrading to ics, all.of the sudden it works. other phones i had didn't have this issues before.

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Click to expand...

Click to collapse

That's probably exactly what it is. Other devices may have drivers or software that can compensate for the lag. I have had the problem on other devices but not *every* device. I'll actually be able to test my thunderbolt tonight to see if it has the same issue just because I'm curious

EDIT: yup, lag exists on thunderbolt too

supac said:

Its the Bluetooth stack or drivers in our device. what else would it be? After upgrading to ics, all.of the sudden it works. other phones i had didn't have this issues before.

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Click to expand...

Click to collapse

One more reason for ICS!

Im not using HTC, but I got delayed... And I'm on ICS 4.03... T_T

supac said:

By the way your explanation is bunk.bunk.bunk.

I upgraded to ICS and the out of sync is no longer there. Netflix is same exact version. sorry dr. quack. I knew your explanation was fishy

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I717 using Tapatalk

Click to expand...

Click to collapse

From what I have gathered he is correct about the problem being in the BT stack. Even if he is wrong there is not reason to attack him and be so insulting. That makes you way more wrong than he may be.

Here are my own experiences with Android and Bluetooth audio.

Some video material itself has an inherent lip-sync issue that will show up no matter what you play it back with, so you have to rule that out. However, there is also a known lip-sync delay bug with the Android Netflix client and Bluetooth audio devices. I have tried the following Android devices:

• Samsung Galaxy S4 (Android 4.4.2)
• Nexus 7 2013 (rev2) (Android 5.0.2)
• Hisense Sero 7 Pro (Android 4.2.1)

with the following Bluetooth audio devices:

• Monoprice 11947 On-The-Ear Headphones
• Monoprice 10585 Premium On-The-Ear Headphones
• Creative D80 Portable Speaker

There is a significant lip-sync delay (anywhere from 1/4s to 1/2s) with the Android Netflix client with all combinations of these that I have tried. With these same Android devices and Bluetooth audio devices, the following apps play back perfectly with no lip-sync issues:

• Amazon Video
• Hulu
• TiVo Roamio Streaming
• YouTube
• Native Android video player
• Other Android apps (games, etc.)

The only combination with a lip-sync delay is the Android Netflix client with a Bluetooth audio device. Wired headphones are fine. I also tried the iPhone Netflix app with the Bluetooth audio devices and that plays back fine, so this is a problem only with their Android client.

Bluetooth itself has a 3ms latency; the delay is not a Bluetooth problem. In games with sound effects, they happen immediately through Bluetooth audio.

I called into the Netflix customer service department so many times. Every time, the same script - clear the app cache, restart the Android device, charge the battery in the Bluetooth device, power-cycle the router and cablemodem, unpair and repair the devices, etc. Some customer service reps told me it was normal Bluetooth behavior (it is not - the latency is 3ms), most told me it was the Bluetooth interfering with the Wifi connection (wat?). I repeatedly explained my testing results (long) and how it entirely points to a software issue. After many calls, I begged the rep to contact the next-level support to report this as a bug, and finally got confirmation that their Android client "has some issues" with Bluetooth audio, but no mention of a fix.

So there you have it. Call into Netflix customer support, repeatedly! Maybe we can get them to fix the problem.