MHL Video Lag

[bradly1101]

I'm utilizing a tablet to watch HBO-GO (only available on mobile) - I have HBO but can't use On Demand because I use Media Center, not cable boxes.

So in trying to get this mobile content on a TV I used an app. that does it wirelessly, but the video was choppy with no lag. So I tried an MHL adapter in the tablet's USB port (Tab S 8.4, but is also present on my S3) and the video is perfectly smooth, but there is a tiny lag in the video (running a tiny bit behind the audio).

Before coming to you guys I did a lot of searches and the consensus seems to be that the mobile device doesn't have enough horsepower to run two screens, but if that were true why isn't the video choppy as well? I couldn't find any fixes but thought maybe some of you may have run into this.

I looked for an app. that would delay the audio but couldn't find any.

 

[paperwastage]

disable any video postprocessing on your TV (to eliminate some of the lag)
you should use "Game mode" (gamers don't like latency)

check if your tv (or your audio system) has some audio-delay mechanism

 

[bradly1101]

disable any video postprocessing on your TV (to eliminate some of the lag)
you should use "Game mode" (gamers don't like latency)

check if your tv (or your audio system) has some audio-delay mechanism

Thanks. I tried the TV and it made no difference (it has 120Hz 'Internal Motion Rate' to cut down on lag). I can't get modern HDMI signals to go through my receiver (I use a separate optical connection for the HTPC) so I'm using a bluetooth speaker for this with no such provision.

 

[poofyhairguy]

The problem is that Android lacks real 24p support. Its why I honestly consider all Android boxes as second tier HTPCs. You will always have microstutter and unsynced audio on true HD material on a 120hz TV.

If you play local video files in Kodi it will allow you to adjust the audio delay. I don't know a way to do that systemwide for streaming apps.

Maybe the solution is an easy fix, have you tried forcing 30hz in the settings?

 

[paperwastage]

in that case, the next simplest solution is to get a Chromecast

(HBO Go supports Chromecast now)

Doesn't solve your problem if you want to watch other stuff though (via youtube app, stream from mobile phone storage/...)

 

[soccerballtux]

that '120hz internal motion rate' is what you need to disable.

 

[poofyhairguy]

in that case, the next simplest solution is to get a Chromecast

Great point.

 

[bradly1101]

The Philips TV has no frequency adjustments. The 120Hz is only for internal processing to remove lag. When the input is the HTPC the Nvidia driver reports 60hz. Screencasting has no lag but looks a little choppy. MHL video is excellent. My mind is starting to overlook the delay (it is small), so I'll get used to it.

 

[Talaii]

The Philips TV has no frequency adjustments. The 120Hz is only for internal processing to remove lag. When the input is the HTPC the Nvidia driver reports 60hz. Screencasting has no lag but looks a little choppy. MHL video is excellent. My mind is starting to overlook the delay (it is small), so I'll get used to it.

It's not to reduce lag, it interpolates between frames to try and make the video smoother. But it needs to buffer a couple of frames to do so, and it takes a bit of time to do the calculations, so it increases input lag; so turning it off improves input lag noticably. It's called "Motion Compensation" or something in the OSD for my (Sony) TV, there might be something similar you can turn off.