How to delay audio in VLC Android?
VLC media player is a popular open source, cross-platform multimedia application developed by the VideoLAN project. It supports playback for a wide range of audio and video formats. VLC also has mobile apps available for various platforms including Android.
The VLC app for Android allows users to play local and network media files on their Android devices. One useful feature it offers is the ability to adjust audio delay. This enables users to delay the audio playback relative to the video, which can be helpful in various situations.
Adjusting audio delay can help resolve audio sync issues in videos where the sound is out of sync with the visuals. It can also be used creatively, like delaying audio to match up with a mic input, or for DJ style audio effects. Overall, it gives users more control over the audio/video sync and playback.
Enable Audio Delay in Settings
The first step to adjusting audio delay in VLC for Android is to enable the audio delay option in the app settings. According to the VLC user forums on Reddit, this option may not be enabled by default:
“In the audio settings, Switching output from “OpenSL ES” to “Audiotrack” solved my delay problems over bluetooth.” (Source)
To enable audio delay in VLC for Android:
- Open the VLC app and go to Settings
- Go to the Audio section
- Enable the “Audio delay” option by toggling it on
This will allow you to adjust audio sync and delay while playing videos in VLC. With the setting enabled, you can fine-tune the audio delay as needed both in the app settings and during video playback.
Adjust Audio Delay During Playback
The easiest way to adjust the audio delay in VLC on Android is to do it during video playback. Just tap the delay button on the playback controls while a video is playing. This will bring up a slider that allows you to increase or decrease the audio delay amount in milliseconds.
To increase the delay, slide the button to the right. This will delay the audio track so it plays later compared to the video. To decrease the delay, move the slider left. This makes the audio play sooner and catch up to the video playback. You can fine tune the delay in increments as small as 10 milliseconds.
According to users on Reddit, a delay of around 500ms seems to fix most audio sync issues in VLC, especially when using Bluetooth headphones which commonly cause lag. But the optimal amount can vary based on your device, headphones, and the video itself. So tweak the in-playback delay slider until the audio matches up perfectly with the video.
Source: https://www.reddit.com/r/VLC/comments/kpkyiw/vlc_on_android_audio_delayed_using_bluetooth/
Set a Default Audio Delay
You can set a default audio delay in VLC for Android that will be applied to all media played in the app. This can be useful if you consistently experience audio lag and want to sync things up. Here’s how to set a default audio delay:
Go to Playback Settings:
– Open VLC and tap the three dots icon in the top right corner.
– Select Settings.
– Go to the Playback section.
– Tap Default audio delay.
Set a default audio delay amount that applies to all media:
– Use the slider to set the desired amount of delay. Positive values will delay the audio, while negative values will speed up the audio.
– Try values between 50-300ms if you experience lagging audio.
– Tap OK to save the setting.
Now VLC will automatically apply this audio delay to all videos, music, and other media played through the app. You can still adjust the delay during playback of individual files if needed.
Sync Audio with Video
Sometimes the audio track in a video can become out of sync with the video. This can happen due to issues with the encoding or playback. Using VLC’s audio delay feature is an easy way to resync mismatched audio and video tracks.
If the audio is playing too early relative to the video, you can fix this by applying a positive audio delay. This will effectively delay the audio playback to match up with the video track. Here are the steps to sync audio and video using audio delay in VLC for Android:
- Play the video in VLC for Android.
- Tap the audio and subtitles icon during playback.
- Under Audio Track, tap the Audio Delay option.
- Use the slider to add a delay to the audio in milliseconds. Start with small adjustments like 50-100ms.
- Tap OK and check if the audio now syncs up properly with the video.
- Repeat, adjusting the audio delay as needed until the audio and video are in sync.
The optimal audio delay amount can vary for each video file. But VLC’s audio delay feature makes it simple to resync audio by ear until it matches the video track timing.
Source: https://www.makeuseof.com/fix-out-of-sync-audio-vlc-android-tv/
Fix Audio Lag in Games
One common use case for VLC’s audio delay feature is to fix lagging audio when streaming games to an Android device. Games streamed from a PC or console can sometimes have delayed audio due to network latency. VLC’s audio sync controls allow you to compensate for this lag by delaying the audio to match the video.
To fix audio lag in games, first launch the game stream in VLC and look for sync issues between the audio and video. If the audio is lagging behind, open VLC’s audio settings and increment the audio delay value. Start with a delay of 50-100ms and test if that corrects the lag. If the audio is still out of sync, increase the delay in 50ms increments until the audio lines up with the video.
The optimal audio delay value can vary based on the specifics of your network and gaming hardware. Don’t be afraid to experiment with larger values like 200-300ms if needed to sync the audio. Just make sure to test each change before settling on the right delay. With some tweaking, VLC’s audio delay can dramatically improve streaming lag in games.
Source: https://www.reddit.com/r/VLC/comments/kpkyiw/vlc_on_android_audio_delayed_using_bluetooth/
Other Uses for Audio Delay
In addition to syncing audio to video, the audio delay feature in VLC has some other helpful uses:
Compensate for Bluetooth latency – Bluetooth speakers and headphones often have a slight delay compared to wired audio. Increasing the audio delay in VLC can help compensate for Bluetooth lag.
Sync audio for multiple speakers – If you want to play audio over multiple synchronized speakers, like in a home theater, the audio may not be perfectly in sync due to hardware differences. The VLC audio delay can help align the audio.
Adjust for slow audio hardware – Some speakers, TVs, and audio receivers may have slower internal processing that causes audio lag. Adding audio delay in VLC can help account for sluggish hardware.
Limitations
While VLC’s audio delay feature is useful for synchronizing audio, there are some limitations to be aware of. VLC on Android audio delayed using Bluetooth earbuds | Reddit If the audio delay is set too high, it can cause playback issues like audio stuttering or distortion. The maximum audio delay available in VLC for Android is 5000 milliseconds or 5 seconds. Any delay beyond this can start to degrade audio quality.
VLC’s audio delay feature only adjusts audio synchronization within the app itself. If there are AV sync issues between VLC and an external device like a TV or Bluetooth speaker, further synchronization may be required. Features like HDMI-CEC, optical audio delay, or manual lip sync on the display may be needed in addition to VLC’s audio delay. So while useful, VLC’s audio delay has limits in addressing more complex AV sync issues.
Troubleshooting Audio Delay
If you continue to experience audio sync issues after adjusting the delay, try resetting the delay back to 0 ms in the settings. Sometimes the accumulated delay can get out of sync, so resetting can help realign the audio.
Also be sure you have the latest version of VLC media player installed, as app updates may include fixes for audio sync bugs. Go to the Play Store to check for and install any available VLC app updates.
Additionally, incompatible audio codecs or hardware limitations could potentially lead to audio lag. Try playing different media files with standard codecs like AAC, MP3 or using different headphones to see if that impacts the delay.
As a last resort, you can submit bug reports directly to the VLC Android app developers so they are aware of any persisting audio sync issues.
Conclusion
In summary, VLC Media Player on Android offers several effective methods for delaying audio, both in the settings menu and during video playback. The audio delay feature allows you to fix audio lag and sync audio with video in situations like Bluetooth streaming, gaming, and playback on TVs or external screens. While limited to simple manual delay adjustment rather than precise lip sync, it provides a quick solution for most use cases.
For more help with VLC Media Player, check out their official user forums and documentation. Some key resources include:
With some experimentation, VLC’s audio delay controls can help resolve lag and sync issues for an improved listening and viewing experience.
