How to Fix It When a TV Picture Lags With the Sound

You sit down to watch your favorite reality TV show. You have your popcorn ready and grab the remote. But when you turn on the TV, something strange happens. The sound doesn't match the picture. There can be a variety of reasons the voice doesn't match the mouth on TV, only some of which are within your control. If, for instance, the issue is with the broadcast itself, there's not much you can do. But most often, the delay has to do with your TV being connected to external devices, such as a DVD player or a home theater system. A little troubleshooting can have everything in sync again.

If the voice doesn't match the mouth on your TV, first do an inventory of how your sound and video are being delivered. Are you watching something through your Blu-Ray DVD player? If so, it could be the disc or a bad connection between your TV and the device. If possible, disconnect the TV and try playing the TV independently. If your sound and picture are out of sync on a Samsung TV, for instance, you'll know it's a problem with the TV and not a connection.

If you have another TV in the house, one of the first things to check is if the same issue is happening on another TV. That will tell you if the issue is coming from the show itself. If it's only happening on one channel and all others are in sync, that's another sign that the problem isn't on your end.

If your TV is connected to a home theater system, the issue is likely related to a delay between your TV and the receiver. This can be easily remedied in the menu of most newer TVs. If the sound and picture are out of sync on a Samsung TV, you'll press the "Menu" button, then choose "Settings." Choose "Sound," then "Expert." Choose "Audio Delay" and adjust the number until you've resolved the problem.

If your TV connects to a sound bar, that could be why the sound doesn't match the picture. Whether the sound and picture are out of sync on a Samsung TV or another brand, the sound bar may come with its own menu settings that let you adjust the audio sync. Go into menu settings and see if you can find an option for that. You can also try disconnecting your TV from your sound bar and see if it still is out of sync. That will at least help you get to the cause of the problem.