Syncing TVs from Room to Room

[sc.jhnson]

I have TVs located in rooms that are more or less side-by-side.  However, the TVs are about a second or two off from one another.  We often have the TVs set on the same channel as we work from room to room or work in the kitchen and pass from room to room.  It's maddening not to be able to get the programs to sync.  Any suggestions out there?

[texasguy37 ACE - Champion]

There is a little trick that you can try that works for me.  After you tune both TV's to the same channel, move one of the TV's from that channel then back again.  You might have to do this a couple of times, but you should be able to get them fairly in sync.

[aviewer ACE - Wizard]

sc.jhnson - If you are fanatical about having the two TVs is synch & they are located really close, Hook up one TV with both STBs component output and the other with both TVs HDMI output (or a different combination that is easy for you to remember) When you want to watch the same channel, put both TVs on the same STB.

You can also buy an HDMI splitter if you like.

http://sewelldirect.com/Sewell-HDMI-1x2-Splitter-v13b.asp?ad_source=GoogleAdWords&ad_medium=PPC&ad_t...

[sc.jhnson]

Thanks, I'll give this a shot.  Frankly, this is the first time I've experienced a problem like this.  We didn't have the issue with cable.  It's just frustrating passing between the two rooms and not having the TVs in sync.  One would think this would be addressed but it seems as though it will not be.

[sc.jhnson]

Thanks.  Not finatical.   Just disappointed that this is even a problem with no way to resolve.   

[oufanindallas]

I had the same issue with Dish, Direct and TWC. 

[RCSMG ACE - Master]

I didn't know about the trick TG suggested.  I have noticed my TVs weren't in sync and I used the pause feature to get them close.  But that was hit and miss.  I am going to try it just to see how well it works.  It sounds a lot easier than my method.

[Computer-Joe]

Stream


__________________________________________________________
How can you be in two places at once, when your not anywhere at all?
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I really want to become a procrastinator, but I keep putting it off.
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There are three kinds of people, those that can count, and those that can't.
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“Our great democracies still tend to think that a stupid man is more likely to be honest than a clever man, and our politicians take advantage of this prejudice by pretending to be even more stupid than nature has made them." :Bertrand Russell

[RCSMG ACE - Master]

S T R E A M, S T R E A M S,  S T R E A M I N G,  S T R E A M E R,  S T R E A M E R S,  S T R E A M E R Y ( I just made that last one up.

[Computer-Joe]

That should not have been an issue DISH, I've never experienced that with my DISH.

I believe the reason it happens with Uverse is because it is not a "broadcast" technology. If you turn on a TV in one room it uses an individual streem to that STB, if you turn on another TV, it has it's own streem. The streems have to negotiate/share the path to your home as well as negotiate/share your local (in home) network. Each streem must take turns transmitting over the network, a packet for STB #1, a packet for STB #2, a packet for STB #1, a packet for STB #2. Although theoretically, this sharing should be imperceptible, any problems with the network can cause the disparity between the streems to become noticable.

If your too busy to stay in one room and use one TV, I would suggest turning the sound down on all but one TV. That will eliminate the "echo effect". There is also the pause button, press it when leave the room, press it again when you return, then you don't need the other TVs going, not to mention the energy saved by not running 2 or 3 unneccessary TVs.

 


__________________________________________________________
How can you be in two places at once, when your not anywhere at all?
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I really want to become a procrastinator, but I keep putting it off.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
There are three kinds of people, those that can count, and those that can't.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
“Our great democracies still tend to think that a stupid man is more likely to be honest than a clever man, and our politicians take advantage of this prejudice by pretending to be even more stupid than nature has made them." :Bertrand Russell

[Computer-Joe]

Finally worked, but only after mispelling all instances.

__________________________________________________________
How can you be in two places at once, when your not anywhere at all?
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I really want to become a procrastinator, but I keep putting it off.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
There are three kinds of people, those that can count, and those that can't.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
“Our great democracies still tend to think that a stupid man is more likely to be honest than a clever man, and our politicians take advantage of this prejudice by pretending to be even more stupid than nature has made them." :Bertrand Russell

[RCSMG ACE - Master]

CJ I hope you don't take this the wrong way.  But that issue gave me a pretty good laugh.  And I was more amused when I tried typing the words in the previous post.  Without the spaces that is.

[Computer-Joe]

Yah, now lets see if I get edited for circumventing the word filter.

__________________________________________________________
How can you be in two places at once, when your not anywhere at all?
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I really want to become a procrastinator, but I keep putting it off.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
There are three kinds of people, those that can count, and those that can't.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
“Our great democracies still tend to think that a stupid man is more likely to be honest than a clever man, and our politicians take advantage of this prejudice by pretending to be even more stupid than nature has made them." :Bertrand Russell

[RCSMG ACE - Master]

We will see.

[oufanindallas]

If I hadn't seen your post regarding the issue with the word stream I would have had to laugh at your spelling.

[SomeJoe7777 ACE - Geek]

If you are using two STBs, you should be able to get them nearly exactly in sync by doing the following:

1. Tune STB A to the desired channel.
2. Wait 30 seconds.
3. Tune STB B to the same channel.
4. Wait 30 seconds.
5. On STB A, do channel up (changing channels away from the desired one), followed by channel down (changing back to the desired channel).
6. On STB B, do channel up, followed by channel down.

They should be almost precisely in sync.

This procedure generally does not work between an STB and the DVR.

[sc.jhnson]

Once again, customer service drops the ball on the syncing issue.  I called yesterday and was discussing the issue with the CSR.  He asked for an alternate number in case we got disconnected while he ran the obligatory tests.  Of course, we got disconnected but there was never ever a call back.   I took a chance with CHAT and connected pretty quickly.  The rep there also ran some tests and determined there was a problem on the line and that could be causing the problem with the syncing.  A service call was scheduled for today, complete with the 4 hour wait window.  Fortunately, the Service Guy showed up early.  

The CSRs need a good bit of training.  There is no way to effectively sync the TVs.  Each box has a buffer and that causes the problem.  The service guy was only here a few minutes because he knew right off that there was no real way to fix the problem unless two TVs were wired to the same box.  Unfortunately, one of the TVs is located in a room on a slab so running an additional wire is not possible.  

The service guy was great, very knowledgeable and professional.  I've had several interactions with customer service via toll free number and Chad and find those channels to be very frustrating.  The reps often don't listen to the full story and seemingly only run down check lists without thinking through the process.  

There is no way to really report these issues.  AT&T uVerse customer service seems to be designed to be difficult.  The agents need training an maybe a does of common sense.  

[sc.jhnson]

The TVs are close to one another but in separate rooms. One room is built on a slab so running additional cable becomes a problem. Wonder if it's possible to have a wireless connection. It's not that I am "fanatical." I just don't like having two TVs in close proximity to one another, within hearing difference, not being in sync with one another. It's very disconcerting.

[MicCheck]

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sc.jhnson wrote:
The TVs are close to one another but in separate rooms. One room is built on a slab so running additional cable becomes a problem. Wonder if it's possible to have a wireless connection. It's not that I am "fanatical." I just don't like having two TVs in close proximity to one another, within hearing difference, not being in sync with one another. It's very disconcerting.

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Did you try SomeJoe's advice right above your post?

[mduha29912]

I have a tv in the den and a tv in the kitchen which are right next to each other. I used to have a box for each tv. I just bought a hdmi splitter and operate both tvs with the same stb. Works great and no diffence in the audio and I save $7 a month. I did the same thing with two other tvs.  Save $14 a month.

[nikesboy]

Yes but it didn't get the TVs sync'd.  The gateway is one of the rooms and perhaps that affected the issue.  At any rate, the Repair Guy who was out here yesterday and said there was no real way to correct that problem.  He did suggest that I try setting the TVs/DVS on pause and then try to sync them by releasing pause.  It might also work if I have both TVs/boxes recording the same show and try to sync the recordings.  That would work if we plan ahead.  Unfortunately, that doesn't solve the impromptu situations.  I guess this must be something we will have to live with.  I'l guarantee, however, that if I were to call customer service today, I'd get a different answer and probably new solutions.  

[oufanindallas]

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nikesboy wrote:

Yes but it didn't get the TVs sync'd.  The gateway is one of the rooms and perhaps that affected the issue.  At any rate, the Repair Guy who was out here yesterday and said there was no real way to correct that problem.  He did suggest that I try setting the TVs/DVS on pause and then try to sync them by releasing pause.  It might also work if I have both TVs/boxes recording the same show and try to sync the recordings.  That would work if we plan ahead.  Unfortunately, that doesn't solve the impromptu situations.  I guess this must be something we will have to live with.  I'l guarantee, however, that if I were to call customer service today, I'd get a different answer and probably new solutions.  

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That's because there really isn't a way to have them truly 100% in sync.  My mom has a different provider and hers does the same thing.  The only real way to have them in sync is to have the same feed going to the two tvs via a splitter.

[dhascall ACE - Professor]

Syncing worked perfectly with analog cable but it is virtually impossible, in today's digital age.  SomeJoe7777's "trick" might work for two non DVR boxes.  AT&T, nor Comcast, Dish, Cox et al., will allow you to sync a DVR box and a STB.  Not possible.  

Radio is the same way - you can't take the radio to a ballpark because of digital delay and match a pitch to the broadcast.  It would get confusing.

[nikesboy]

It's interesting that no one has addressed the time wasted by customer service.  Pardon the pun but the communication between customer service agents/sites is apparently broken.  It would appear that the agents simply run through check lists which are not updated very frequently.  It was such a waste of my time, not to mention that of the serviceman, to have them come out and visit.  When he arrived, he knew immediately that there was nothing that could be done.  I gave him excellent ratings because he was certainly professional and really was not disparaging towards the customer servcie group when he had every reason to be.  Customer service on the other hand gets a D-.  That's a shame. 

[nikesboy]

One other thing - there have been suggestions to run two TVs from one box.   Is there a wireless solution in lieu of the cable runs?  One of the TVs is located in a room that is build on a slab and there is no way to feasibly run the cable.  A wireless solution would solve that issue....I am not speaking, of course, about the wireless box itself.  

[aviewer ACE - Wizard]

nikesboy -
There are wireless solutions. Start here at amazon & Google around to find one with good reviews - http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_2?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=wireless+tv

Do you want HDMI or chan 3? Both are available.

http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=109&cp_id=10110&cs_id=1011011&p_id=8087&seq=1&for...


http://sewelldirect.com/search3.aspx?q=wireless&x=-659&y=-27
But - you say one TV is on a slab & you are not interested in a wireless STB. Does that mean that that TV is fed COAX?

If yes, use that existing COAX to feed the TV from another STB - eliminating the STB in that room.

If you want to be able to synch or swim(STB) Then use a COAX A/B switch at each end. One end selects line feed vs STB out, the other STB in or TV in.

[nikesboy]

The uVerse box is fed by coax but the TV is connected to the box via HDMI.  The room is built on a slab.  The room was wired, however, for cable, when it was build.  The ceiling is a pitched, cathedral-type construction so there is no crawlspace.  Running more wire would be difficult and I'm not sure how that would solve the problem without a lot of switching.  Your thoughts?

[aviewer ACE - Wizard]

nikesboy- My thought is that it is so far away why does it have to be synched.

I probably would not do what I suggested because it is not HD when COAX off the STB.

My suggestion is just a way to do it. If it does not appeal to you, it matters not to me.

I had a case where i thought it was impossible to run a wire. One day I decided to run it behind some moulding. If you could do that you could do it HDMI & HD. But, you would still have to select the input on the TV when you want to change. Is that too much switching?

[nikesboy]

It's not that far away as far as earshot goes.  It would represent a long run if additional wires were to be run.  There are also several doorways that would have to be addressed.  Unfortunately, it looks as though it's a problem that cannot be easily solved with spending a good bit money and going through a switching routine or two.  I don't think the responders necessarily get it because, on several occasions, the questions about "What's the point?" have been asked.  It's a problem period.

Customer service calls have indicated that this should not be a problem only to have the service people who actually get sent out to tell me that it's impossible. But, to continue to question why doesn't serve much of a purpose. 

I'm disappointed because it's something with which I've not had to deal. Other providers have not created the same problems.  There just seems to be a great deal of confusion and, quite frankly, misleading selling on the front end.  That's my fault for believing the sales person.  Such is life.