Capture · Record · Stream · Encode · DecodeCapture · Record · Stream · Encode · DecodeIn most cases the cure is a fixed delay on whichever of sound or picture arrives first, set in your capture software. First find out where the problem is. Check whether audio and video are out of step in the finished recording or stream, or only in the live preview on your screen. A delayed preview is normal and does not affect the result. If the recording or stream itself is out of sync, the cause is in the capture or encoding chain and the steps below apply.
In OBS Studio, choose Advanced Audio Properties from the Edit menu, or from the gear icon in the Audio Mixer. Each audio source has a Sync Offset setting, in milliseconds. A positive value delays that audio source, which is what you need when the sound arrives ahead of the picture. Start with a small value, record a short test and adjust until they line up.
Audio arriving before video: Video usually takes longer to process than audio, in the camera, in any scaler or switcher and in the software. The result is sound slightly ahead of the picture. Add an audio delay with the sync offset and adjust by testing; the right figure depends on your equipment.
Bluetooth headset audio: Bluetooth adds its own delay. If you monitor on a Bluetooth headset the recording itself may be fine — it is your monitoring that sounds late. Check with wired headphones before changing any settings.
Overloaded computer: If the computer cannot keep up with encoding, frames are dropped and sync can wander during a long session. Lower the output resolution or frame rate, or use your graphics card's hardware encoder if your software offers one, to take load off the processor. Also set the same audio sample rate, normally 48 kHz, on the source, in the operating system and in the software.
Clap your hands in front of the camera and review the recording. The clap should be seen and heard on the same frame. If the sound comes before the picture, add audio delay with the sync offset. If the picture comes before the sound, delay the video instead: in OBS, add a delay filter to the capture source under Filters. Repeat the test after each change.
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Audio and video take different times to pass through the camera, the capture chain and the software, so one can arrive ahead of the other. In OBS, set the Sync Offset for the audio source in Advanced Audio Properties. Most production software has a similar per-source delay control. Change it in small steps and test until sound and picture line up.
In OBS, open Advanced Audio Properties from the Edit menu and find the Sync Offset for your Magewell audio source. Increase the value until the audio matches the video. The right figure depends on your source equipment and computer, so check it with a clap test.
Yes. Magewell HDMI capture devices take the audio embedded in the HDMI signal along with the video, and it appears as an audio device in your capture software. SDI models capture the audio embedded in the SDI signal. Most USB Capture devices pass up to two channels to the computer.
The usual causes are in the settings and software around the capture device: audio sample rates that do not match (set everything to 48 kHz), a computer that is struggling to encode, or processing in the source equipment that delays the picture. Magewell Pro Capture cards stamp audio and video frames from a hardware clock, which gives software an accurate reference for keeping them together.
In OBS, set a Sync Offset for the audio source in Advanced Audio Properties and adjust it in small steps. If sync wanders over time, reduce the load on the computer, for example by using a hardware encoder where your software offers one. Make sure the audio sample rate is the same on the capture source and in the OBS audio settings; 48 kHz is the usual choice.
Yes. Magewell HDMI and SDI capture devices capture embedded audio with the video. How many channels reach your software depends on the model: most USB Capture devices capture up to two channels, while Pro Capture SDI cards capture up to eight channels at 48 kHz. Check the product page for the model you are using.
Check that the source is sending audio embedded in the HDMI or SDI signal. Confirm the capture device has locked to the input: its LED stays on when it has. In OBS, make sure the Magewell device is selected as the audio source. With a games console, check that its audio output is set to HDMI, not to an optical or headphone output.
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