GLO

Hi,

I'm enjoying my w205 but am discovered some Bluetooth audio issues that I suspect unknowingly affects all users.

Here is how to test.

1. Connect your Smartphone via bluetooth to car (same as along a call)
2. Dial to BT Audio and select your device (you can have a phine connected to BT phone and another phone/device connected to BT AUDIO at the same time if you wanted)
3. Launch youtube and your favourite news broadcast where you can see someone clearly speaking. Play the video and listen to the audio lag. Normal voice/sound only you don't notice it, but a video really emphasises the issue.

How many others does this affect? And is there any fixes?

Thanks

Mike5215

BT audio (A2DP) is processed using a compression algorithm (SBC) that condenses the signal on the device side and expands it on the receiver side. That process will create a delay relative to audio from a video source.

Since BT audio is intended as a 2 channel audio-only format, there's no mechanism to sync a video frame rate to the audio output.

Instead, use a direct hard dock connection to the device rather than BT Audio and the audio should sync to a video source.

lbowroom

Are you sure the audio lags the video and not the other way around? I don't think using your car as a surround system for your smartphone was really the intended functionality of the Bluetooth system. Yes, it's nice that audio from youtube ports through the car but for all we know the lag could be the fault of the phone. Either way, the easiest fix to that problem would be to have an audio delay control built into the youtube app. Do they have a suggestion box?

Shadwell

I wasn't aware / hadn't noticed before.. but now i am..


Thanks for nuthin..

ManiacGT

It's not the encoding and decoding that causes the biggest lag, it's the buffering that is done to cope with signal interruptions.

Mike5215

Buffering would stop the audio and video stream simultaneously. Shouldn't see the video freeze, get the buffering icon, but still hear the audio.

ManiacGT

Buffering is on the receiving device (the car) and would not stop the video in the sending device. Therefore audio would lag behind video.

AMG_BUFF

I'm kind of wondering why you're watching YouTube while driving....

Mike5215

Is he talking about displaying video on the car's screen, or watching video on his phone but listening to it through BT audio?

Mike5215

Well then there's that.

LateC300

yes. yes i have.

GLO

Hi guys,
Thanks for the replies so far.

I don't watch videos whilst driving but thanks for your concern.

This test came about because when making my mobile phone calls, the other party would say my words get clipped or cut out the last part of every 2nd word. (using my HTC M8, I also factory reset the phone and updated to Android 6.0 Marshmellow)

And whilst BT Audio streaming appears to work flawlessly (no way to determine any lag) I decided to test with a video.

I used this clip from YouTube as the the test video and audio sync as it has 2 speakers (no I'm not learning English!)

Even testing an iPhone 6S plugged into usb as the source shows similar audio lag via usb cable (with audio set to connected media not bluetooth)


I have attached a sample call made from my mobile phone to my work voicemail. At the following times you can notice the clipping occurring.
9s 11s 15s and 30s

Here is the clip. (my iPhone won't save it, sorry for the direct link)
http://media.io/x-accel-download/voi...c-d43d7eb71419

Let me k ow what you think.

ManiacGT

I suspect this isn't the correct diagnostic path. I have no call quality issues on my iPhone 6, clipping or otherwise, but I suspect the lag is reproducible as this is a different issue.

GLO

Hi ManiacGT,

agreed that they are 2 different issues, but the initial issue affecting my HTC, my work issued Iphone 6S does not exhibit the same call clipping, but the video/audio lag is present.

My primary focus is to have the Voice Call clipping addressed so I dont have to use my work iPhone for calls.

JosephCT

The fact is, it is lousy programming. I lease and get a new model every few years. About 3 models ago, it used to play audio in sync with video. It is my understanding that MB will be using a different software suit soon and this problem will go away. This won't help us existing users however.

But the reality is... It worked in the past, they broke it with the current release, and it will work in the future. I did contact MB Germany and they refuse to fix it.

Sad part is, it could probably be fixed in 10 minutes by the right programmer, but MB Germany won't bother.

Dave Lau

I own a C300 hybrid (2015), to some of you, answering phone calls and listening to music will be fine, but for myself who is in the car stationed waiting for my daughter after school activities and my wife shopping, I uses the bluetooth to play the audio part of streaming news or watching youtube. It isn't great watching something when there is a delay with the audio. My wife have a C220 (2017) and her bluetooth seems to be perfect with video and audio syncing in perfect timing.

I have dropped the car to the dealers for a regular service and have asked them to update the firmware and check this bluetooth out of sync issue. They have charged me £156 for diagnose the bluetooth issue, and was unable to fix it. They said that it is the actual system that causes this delay and even with the latest firmware updated, it didn't rectified the issues. Although I mentioned about my wife's car works perfectly, they said that the system on the C220 (2017) is different to my C300 hybrid (2015), so what can I say, Mercedes must knows about this problem, but yet they're not sorting it out and would dare to charge a customer for a non-fixable diagnostic charge of £156!!!!!!! I wonder how many times have they charged the customer £156 to do this, and have they cascade this issue back to the Mercedes HQ to rectify this issue.

Anyway, I became a Mercedes owner because I had really bad problem with Volvo, and now Mercedes is making me feel the same because they charge you for their problems and then don't do anything about it.

It looks like I may have to move on to the next brand once I have had enough the car. Don't get me wrong, they are great to drive..... but little things also count.....

Thanks for reading, and if anyone found a solution to this, please share.....

Dave

nasroo7

Hi guys, have you found a fix for this?

I got into many W204s that had no bluetooth audio lag.
Sadly, I used to watch youtube videos many times while waiting for a loved one in my car, and that lag annoys me a lot now.
I got a 2017 W205 recently, and the lag is like 2 seconds! That's insane!
I've had a 2015 Hyundai Sonata that had the bluetooth audio synched in time. a HYUNDAI! What's the deal with "MERCEDES" ?

Victor Gheorghe

Hi everyone, I'm bew here but having the same issue. W447 V-class and audio has a big lag while watching video on my phone or tablet. If anyone has a solution please let me know. Mercedes is a total loss of time 🙈
I'm looking to fit a Ps4 and tv and I'm hoping to find a solution for this lag.
I've might have a solution but looking for suport to answer my questions.

https://avantree.com/audikast-plus-b...smitter-for-tv

If anyone knows this product please give a feedback.
Thanks

kafklatsch

If it is true that a direct connection is also delayed (according to others), then this device cannot solve the problem because the signal processing delay is in the car, so when the signal leaves this device it will still be processed by the car and thus delayed... I have passengers that use video often in my car, in addition to me when I’m stopped ... and the delay is very UN-LUXURY... it’s a real bummer... a boatload of tech and this was missed....this is an “impossible to miss omission”.... it does not have to be a problem..Case and point, I have a Grom Audio Bluetooth module connected via the cd changer socket in my 1994 E420... ZERO DELAY..... it’s a 94

Victor Gheorghe

So there is no option to get rid of this delay? Even through a direct connection you still get delay🤦‍♂️ Why do we pay for this then?
Anyone with a good solution?

YasS

I guess there's no solution.

Just got a W212 E-Class with COMAND NTG 4.7 and this is a problem when watching videos on my phone.