Isn't it the truth!?!?!!

We got a new TV for Christmas. Sony huge screen, our kids got us a new sound bar. We can't get the voices synced to the lips.

It reminds me of the old Godzilla movies when the actors would say something, and then later you'd hear the voice.

Drives me crazy!!!

I expect a small percentage of electronic/digital devices to have defects or fail, sometimes DOA.

I purchased a Sony TV in December. The HDMI-CEC ARC would fail to connect to home theater 3/10 times.

After contacting Sony, they did an over the phone troubleshooting and determined the intermittent switching problem was caused by the TV. So they ordered a replacement.

Once I received the tracking number, I did a settings backup to a USB drive in order to save the professional calibrator settings.

Five days later I received a "white glove delivery" of the replacement TV. It now connects 100% of the time.

I am 1000% satisfied with Sony customer service.

pudgeder,

What Soundbar brand and model? There's usually a setting to delay/advance audio-video sync. Some soundbars, like AVR's have an AutoSync button.

Before my daughter left the country she deposited her big TV in my living room (I was in France at the time). I got no manual, and there isn't one to be found online. I can't get Netflix over it. Really sucks. Have to watch the little TV in the kitchen for Netflix, or my laptop.

They ...

... used to ...

... make quality products!

Some said, "The quality goes in ... before the name goes on!".

And - warranties were built in!

ole joyful

Moni, for around $35 or so, if your TV isn't otherwise enabled, you should be able to get a dongle of some kind (like Firestick or Chromecast) and have access to Netflix and other content sources.

We also had to have the Geek squad out to figure out our new TV, Roku, sound bar, etc. Our previous TV worked great with the soundbar but the new TV (which I won or otherwise we wouldn't even have it because the old one was fine), which has Roku built in it - we now have to use a separate remote to control the sound. A minor annoyance but an annoyance just the same.

And, the commercials are now louder than the shows again since we no longer have Direct TV. Another ugh.

Thanks Michael! I'll check on that tonight!

Secsteve,

You don't identify the TV brand. If it's a Vizio, you'll need to turn off the "sound leveling".

You'll find that setting in the "Audio" settings.

Share,

The problem you're having is common on most TCL brands. If you contact TCL, they have a few troubleshooting steps to offer.

Michael - what is TCL?

Share, what brand is yours? Major brands don't offer Roku built-in, so it's a TCL or similar, Hisense, Sharp etc.

Share, TV is a new Samsung. Along with Michael, I'd like to know what TCL is?

Am I the only one who wishes they could simply hook up their modern day electronics (tv, computer, whatever), turn them on and have the reasonable expectation that they would work as intended without having to spend all this time troubleshooting or calling in The Geek Squad to determine the problem?

One shouldn't have to be a rocket scientist to figure this stuff out. Ugh!

TCL is a Chinese TV manufacturer. Its products are cheaper than those from other companies. They're are reasonably okay but not always comparable to other brands. Reviews often conclude that unless saving money is an important consideration, paying more for better brands is the recommended route. (Not sure why the game playing was necessary)

In my opinion, it never takes anyone approaching rocket scientist credentials to connect anything to anything. Products always come with instructions. Follow the instructions and accomplish what you want without help. It's like following a recipe in the kitchen, though sometimes easier. Even someone who's approaching a never before done new task should be able to do most of these short projects. Repeat that experience 2 or 3 times and confidence and know-how are developed.

The Geek Squad and similar services exist because people decide certain tasks are beyond their ability and that becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. They refuse to read and follow simple instructions. With an open mind and compliance with instructions, anyone can do anything.

Whatever you say, Elmer.

secsteve,

If you're buying a new soundbar, I suggest a brand match to the Samsung TV, IOW, a Samsung soundbar. Samsung is often picky/fussy/stubborn when it comes to HDMI-ARC connections to other devices like receivers, soundbars, powered speakers, etc. It'll cost you more $, but will eliminate a lot of frustration with connections.

TCL is a Roku streaming TV, versus Android and others. IMO Android TV is a better choice.

Dawn, I prefer sophisticated settings to match the listener/viewer preferences, especially picture and audio settings. If I'm watching a Marvel movie, I want the AVR to switch to Action or Drama, if it's a musical like Mary Poppins, Music Video is the setting, Sports is sports setting, etc.

To watch TV with no cinema preferences or audio enhancements, out of the box works reasonably well.

As with other things, if you decide in advance you can't do it, then that's the outcome. You can't do it.

Please show me where I said I or anyone else couldn't do something. I said I wished these things were less complicated. I doubt I'm alone in that wish. Having said that, I'm out. It's a beautiful day and I have no desire to argue with you over setting up a television.

You said "without having to spend all this time troubleshooting or calling in The Geek Squad to determine the problem?"

Look, I don't care one way or the other. It was only my observation and one I see often. Maybe this doesn't apply to you, great! Many people develop phobias and preconceived notions concerning tasks related to technology or electronic devices and they stop any effort to deal with them without even trying. I'd be shocked if anyone reading this (of our mostly post-millennial aged population) doesn't know many people like this. Most of these tasks are not difficult for someone who can follow instructions without having a bad attitude about what they're doing.

Here's a hint - 20 years ago, these same people had VCRs whose clocks flashed "1200". Yeah, they couldn't even set the time. There are many more around but that's a starting point.

I find connectivity issues between components is where the instructions tend to have sinkholes. Just had a new Rheem furnace installed and the thermostat offered wi-fi connectivity, but you had to use an app on your phone to connect the the thermostat to the wi-fi signal. I am neither a rocket scientist nor a Luddite, but I was unable to get them all to connect because I didn't understand a couple of the terms in the instructions. I find I get tripped up really easily with tech because I don't deal with it day in and day out. I had to call the furnace installation company for help, and it took the expert 45 minutes to figure out how to make the thermostat, my phone and the wi-fi router connect. The instruction book that came with the unit was the size of a matchbook. I had to find the on-line 68 page instruction book.

People who find instructions for new technology easy don't realize the degree of knowledge they possess when they have new technology in front of them. Not everyone has that background.

Most everyone has some core knowledge in certain fields, but when you don't, the instructions are not sufficient. A middle-aged friend of mine decided he wanted to sew a shirt. No background in sewing whatsoever. I sat down with him and we went over his sewing pattern and I explained what he was looking at. Without the basic knowledge of sewing, the pattern instructions - clear as a bell to me - were a foreign language to him.

Is anyone else around here old enough to remember how difficult it used to be to set up a VCR to record? OMG! And each one was a little different than the next.

graywings, I think the problem was your installer, not with you. He or she failed to complete all steps needed to provide the service you contracted for. Not completing all the connections for the thermostat is, in a sense, no different than if they had installed the furnace but not connected the gas line to it. For you, setting up a new thermostat was a rare event and it's unlikely any prior experiences with other gizmos would have been much help.

(I'll admit that when I had new equipment and thermostats installed a few years ago, I had to read the installation booklet and guide the technician through the setup to get full app and wifi connectivity. In hindsight, it was quite straightforward but he was more of a metal knocker than a digital whiz and he was struggling with it.)

Technical writers are not always gifted technical writers and some make mistakes that go unchecked. Some leave you scratching your head and wondering why he or she didn't state it more clearly or correctly.

A popular flush valve company provides incorrect assembly instructions along with a tank to bowl kit. The instruction and picture shows the metal washer against the tank instead of the rubber washer. Well, I know that's wrong and it will leak!

Elmer, every time I went to my mothers I had to set the clock on the microwave! LOL!

P.S. change your clocks this weekend as we spring into spring!

You're a star!

I think a lot of the instructions for things are being written in China, if that's where the components are made, and English may not be the writer's first language. Not sure if that's true for electronics, but it sure is for many other things.