Sometimes when I download an episode of a programme the picture and the voices are slightly out of sync. Has anyone else had this problem? It is only a split second or two,but it's really annoying, especially if the dialogue is going really fast!

If it is happening to you enough to remark on it, my guess would be that you are probably lacking in some codec or other.
If you are not using VLC player, try it, it will play things perfectly that are out of sync on other players.
If no joy with that, download and install K-lite codec pack and install that.
Both VLC and K-lite are free downloads, just google them.

I honestly can't remember when I last download something out of sync, it was a long long time ago.

It only happens when I put it onto a dvd to watch on the tv. It plays on vlc player ok (it was this weeks Lost on which was out) It dosn't happen too often,I use Nero 7 to burn the disc, would you recomend trying another way?

I have had this happen with my divx player. I have found that sometimes if you hit the pause button and then restart the file with the play button it adjusts it back into sync. I am not sure why this works but it seems to reallign the audio and video tracks. Sometimes you have to do it a few times, but it usually works for me.

@iancham i have had this prob;em also but only with Lost for some reason.
i use VLC player for most viewings , for dvd i use nero xpress or roxio both seem okay so far. hope you fix your problem. its not really that funny to hear a mans voice and watch the woman speak .lol

@iancham

I read that wrong sorry(haven't had enough coffee yet). You are converting to dvd. I suggest if you have some spare cash that you buy a dvd player that has divx compatibility then you can bypass this conversion process. This way you can burn the files as data files (works with avis and mpegs) and it is much quicker and easier.

Another way this can happen is this: Hardware decoders like in a DVD player need markers in the file to keep audio and video frames in sync. In software however (like VLC) it is a lot more flexible in that there are a lot of different ways to pack the audio and video together (look at all the containers and codecs), not all of which use these markers for video sync. The reason the software can get away with this too is that it is typically running on hardware many times more powerful than the lowly DVD player. Without those markers, the DVD player can't keep up.

I run into this too and to fix this I use a wonderful free (and cross platform) tool called Avidemux. First, if this map is hosed in the file it will prompt you to rebuild it on load. It takes seconds. You can also transcode to other formats (xvid, mpg, etc), manually tweak the audio, do simple editing (I use this to quickly remove commercials from shows) and more.

Now one other possibility here is that the software you are using to master your DVDs is having a problem with some files because of the codec used. Try as a test to transcode the file to something really basic like Xvid or even mpeg as a test. Then use that as your input to the mastering software. Obviously, test the intermediate file first.

Hope this helps.

W
Theres no place like ~

A cheaper suggestion if I may.

Organize your TV to be your monitor for playbacks and use VLC.

See your local computer dealer to purchase the necessary cabling and switching device.

I watch all my downloads on my TV direct from computer
but continue to use my monitor for other computer work like now.

@Quark;
I know. Didn't want to say anything but yeah, burning shows to disc to watch them on a standard player and standard TV seems so....2000.

I don't think that I have watched a show directly from any feed in my home like that since then. The only thing I need to close the loop completely is to bring the cable TV directly into my network which I can do, just not manage it well enough to be a capture device. :(

W
Theres no place like ~

I converted the download to Divx and that played fine on the dvd player. Thanks for all your help & advice, I know where to come now if I have any more problems.As for the direct feed I'll look into that one.

Cheers,everyone!