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Adobe Premiere CC 2020 Audio Out of Sync After Export

Forum|Forum|5 years ago
February 27, 2020
12 replies
32777 views

I have a project timeline where audio has been synced, but when I export to h.264 or other codecs, it goes in and out of sync at random areas. It doesn't just go out of sync, it comes back in sync again. But in the timeline it is all in sync. What could cause this and how to fix?

This topic has been closed for replies.

Correct answer Kevin-Monahan

Hi roycefilmmaker (and other),

I'm so sorry about your specific issue. These past months, I have found that Premiere Pro can play back most kinds of H.264 footage (especially with proxies). However, when exported to H.264 or HEVC at 4K or 8K quality, some computers might not be powerful enough to actually play back the resulting H.264 file. You can test it out a couple of different ways to make sure.

One way to test this: upload the file to video file sharing site. Any of them will do. If your audio is playing back in sync in the uploaded file, then indeed, your hardware is not powerful enough to simply playback your H.264 or HEVC source file.

Another test: It just may be that you need to export a somewhat smaller file, say in HD quality, in order to play the file back smoothly. If the resulting HD H.264 file plays back smoothly, your hardware isn't powerful enough to play the 4K version. You can still upload your 4K, though!

Let me know if that not having a powerful enough computer is, indeed, the case. 🙂

If you are still running into audio sync problems after uploading the file to YouTube, Google, Vimeo, or other such site, please create a separate post from this one. We will try and lend further advice.

Thanks,
Kevin

T

Théodore5C4F

Participant

Hey there,

I have the same issue. 2 clips with constant fram rates 50i/sec, 2 audio files 48hz, it's synch on the time line, but the sync is progressively out after export (at the begening it seems ok, but the more the video advance the worst it gets.

Please help, it has been two weeks that i am struggling with that.

M

Michael Grenadier

Legend

Never easy to troubleshoot premiere problems from a distance so please tell us your system specs: OS version, Premiere version, amount of RAM, Hardware specs including graphics card and if you have any 3rd party plugins installed for Premiere... Also, sequence settings and clip properties can also help. Although you can throw almost any format into premiere, some formats can be problematic, particularly on an underpowered system.

A

A7iiishoota

Participant

I've had the same issue recently since the newest update. The playback of fine everywhere else, accept on iPhones. I've tried everything. I'm going to start using another program.

M

Michael Grenadier

Legend

you can always revert to the previous version of premiere that was working properly... And if you want to take a closer look at your workflow, we might be able to find out what's going on... First thing, Please tell us your system specs: OS version, Premiere version (yeah, I know you say the newest update, but someone may find this thread when there's a newer update available), amount of RAM, Hardware specs including graphics card (which is probably not the problem, but worth answering cause ya never know).

GCustom

Participant

What ended up working for me was to use the render and replace function since everything was great on the timeline, I also did the 2-pass on export because I was getting frustrated with all the re-tries, but it was a combo of the VBR media and a sneaky 2x framerate clip when someone bumped the camera settings from an old clip with the same camera the A-roll was shot with.

I

I5C23

Participant

I got the audio and video to sync by disabling hardware acceleration. It's much slower to export, but at least it exports correctly now: Edit -> Preferences -> Media -> H264/HVEC hardware accelerated encoding [uncheck] -> OK [restart]

T

Tern Team

Participating Frequently

Thank you for this solution. I took a screenshot to try in the future. I've been using Final Cut Pro since my sync issue with Premiere started, wasted too much time trying to figure out a fix and missed an important deadline; I almost lost my job over this nonsense. I wish I had made the switch sooner. Final Cut Pro has been working perfectly but in case I need to use Premiere again, I will try this fix and see if it works.

D

defaultflok5b7388k1

Participant

I am having this same problem. Is appears that it is because of the new operating systems. How do we fix this?

Thank You

Jack

J

JoshP1001

Known Participant

Hi Jack, it's a real nightmare isn't it!

It's not just you having issues. Many people are having these problems at the minute!

If you are exporting to an external hard drive, try exporting your desktop.

If that doesn't work try exporting through Premiere Pro rather than Media Encoder or vice versa.

cheers

Josh

IG josh_preece100

cullenp53360153

Participant

I am having this same problem and am trying to determine if it is my new computer. I have an Apple Mini with the m1 chip. I have the base model with 8gb Ram and I know this is a light weight. But, I'm editing sony xavc files pretty flawlessly. I can render edits of 7 minutes or so long in encoder and or directly from premiere and there is no audio sync issues. But, when I go to render an hour and a half program that I filmed, I just can't get it to render a synced audio and video. I've uploaded to Youtube (h.264 4K) and the sync issue stays with it, so I feel like this rules out a preview or quicktime playback issue. At any rate, main question: Is anyone else using the M1 chip from apple and is this a contributor. Or am I likely in the realm of OS not playing well with others? Thank you for any help.

-Cullen

Kevin-Monahan

Correct answer

Community Manager

Hi roycefilmmaker (and other),

I'm so sorry about your specific issue. These past months, I have found that Premiere Pro can play back most kinds of H.264 footage (especially with proxies). However, when exported to H.264 or HEVC at 4K or 8K quality, some computers might not be powerful enough to actually play back the resulting H.264 file. You can test it out a couple of different ways to make sure.

One way to test this: upload the file to video file sharing site. Any of them will do. If your audio is playing back in sync in the uploaded file, then indeed, your hardware is not powerful enough to simply playback your H.264 or HEVC source file.

Another test: It just may be that you need to export a somewhat smaller file, say in HD quality, in order to play the file back smoothly. If the resulting HD H.264 file plays back smoothly, your hardware isn't powerful enough to play the 4K version. You can still upload your 4K, though!

Let me know if that not having a powerful enough computer is, indeed, the case. 🙂

If you are still running into audio sync problems after uploading the file to YouTube, Google, Vimeo, or other such site, please create a separate post from this one. We will try and lend further advice.

Thanks,
Kevin

Kevin Monahan - Sr. Community & Engagement Strategist – Pro Video and Audio

J

JoshP1001

Known Participant

I think my head just exploded haha. Thank you for your answer Kevin. My video isn't even 4K, just HD. It does play perfectly in premiere pro like you say, and I made sure I upgraded my Mac to be able to cope with Premiere pro stresses so I'm relieved at that.

My problem fixed itself when I moved my file from my external hard drive to my Mac desktop and it played perfectly when stored on my Mac desktop rather than the usb drive. A big mistake from me that I just never thought of so I think I'll be changing how I use my hard drives now haha.

Thank you for your help

Josh

S

starr3r

Participant

I read your comment, moved my video from hard drive to my desktop and -- like you said-- working perfectly! Thank you Kevin and Josh!

J

JoshP1001

Known Participant

Hi there, I have the same problem at the minute. I'm wondering is it an issue because I am using footage from an iPhone too? I would appreciate some help as I can't re-record and I need to finish the project.

Please advise!

Thank you

M

Michael Grenadier

Legend

yes. see my earlier post on this thread. iphone footage is variable frame rate and it needs to be converted to a constant frame rate using handbrake. If my earlier post is not clear, post back with any questions.

J

JoshP1001

Known Participant

thank you so much. I just wasn't sure if I needed to change the whole video or jus the iPhone footage. Is handbrake free?

nadworks-cb

Known Participant

Same problem here. Been doing this 50 times per week for approx 6 months with great results - with same footage type / audio type - and it suddenly is out of sync by approx. .5 of a second (which is huge for live music).

M

Michael Grenadier

Legend

are any of your sources from a smartphone or screen capture utility? If so, the problem is caused by a variable frame rate. And the issues caused by this are inconsistent and impossible to predict. do some searching here for the workaround for vfr material. If that's not your problem, Please tell us your system specs: OS version, Premiere version, amount of RAM, Hardware specs including graphics card and your source properties and sequence settings.

Have you done any updates to your OS or Premiere? Could be what's causing the problems...

M

Mazdep

Participant

I am having something similar – maybe not exactly – but its doing my head in!

I have imported a voiceover WAV file and dropped it into timeline and started editing it (audio only) to introduce gaps etc and alter timing . Then I noticed that the waveform didnt make any sense with the actual audio. Im on Premiere Pro 2020 (14.9 Build 52) on Mac OS (Mojave). I took the audio on to a mac laptop (Premiere Pro 14.0) and edited the timeline without any problem. I then took that project back to my edit suite computer (more powerful and better for eding a UHD project), it looked good but then as soon as I brought in any kind of picture (even a still) the timeline sync isssue started again. Im not usre – I think it might be a frame rate thing or a mpeg keyframe thing – I dont know.

To edit to the music I have to render the timeline then play the show from the top and the sync is OK and it plays through but when I export the timeline (2 and a half minutes) I get a progressively more out of sync audio and picture and the picture which on play through took 2 and a hald minutes remaining in sync with sound it over in about 1 and a half minutes…

Im tearing my hair out here and getting very little back from Adobe support…

Ideas anyone?

-

-vaco-

Participant

October 2020, and I also encountered this very same problem (using Adobe Premiere & Media Encoder CS6 though).
I have tested around a bit and it seems that the "audio out of sync after export problem" happened to me only by Media Encoder Export (Queue). Whenever I exported it directly from Adobe Premiere, it worked just fine. Now I really don't know what the exact problem is/was - does that mean that Media Encoder is just buggy or might there be some RAM related problems if a Media Encoder export is executing while still actively working in Premiere.
Have to admit though, these tests cost me nearly half a day ~ thought it might have been .wav / H.264 problems, fiddled around with bitrate / audio settings, just to get the revelation that Adobe Media Encoder had a problem... I still wish to somehow queue my renders though.

So long story short: If someone could also test with a small clip and verify that exporting via Premiere works just fine, but Media Encoder throws in audio sync problems - that would be very appreciated!

A

Aidan 5E66

Participant

I found this page as this is a problem which has persisted with my Premiere/Encoder for a good couple of month now and is making it impossible to submit college work from home.

I did the test you asked for and found that the issue persists on both. The footage was shot at 25fps, I manually selected 25fps on export and this didn't do anything. This issue persists on Encoder and Premiere.

Is this something that I am doing/have done? I really need to know as this puts my college projects on the line.

-

-vaco-

Participant

Hi Aidan! Thanks for testing this out. In my case, I think that my system reqs might not be "strong" enough to work with Adobe Premiere and Media Encoder together - either not enough RAM or the graphics card is not efficient enough... Who knows. I only know that if I export in Premiere, everything renders just fine.

However, for your case, something must be different in order if that problem also persists with Premiere. Though... Maybe it is the same issue as mine? Have you tried to export with only Premiere open? Because afaik Premiere and Photoshop are applications that use tremendous resources of RAM...

R

rochelleb53107374

Participant

Same problem here as well. All is synced until I export to h.264

Kevin-Monahan

Community Manager

Marjiea,

Which camera shot the footage? If you acquired the footage with a mobile device, drone, or screen capture software instead of a camera, kindly optimize your footage by transcoding it prior to editing with it. I recommend ProRes LT.

After that your editing experience and exports have few problems.

Trying to maintain the integrity of a video file from start to finish with H.264 or HEVC files that have a frame rate that is fractional and/or variable instead of 24 fps, or 30 fps or 60 fps is a lot to ask.

One good rule of thumb to follow is:
Optimizing your video files before you begin editing with them, always offers a better result on export. I would ask you to try a test with your current workflow and see if you get a better result.

Thanks,
Kevin

Kevin Monahan - Sr. Community & Engagement Strategist – Pro Video and Audio

R

rochelleb53107374

Participant

Thanks for your reply, Kevin!

The footage was recorded using Zoom and a quality headset and microphone on a desktop computer. The footage plays nicely on the timeline (video and audio are synced), but gets just slightly out-of-sync (just enough to notice) after export. Could our setup still be the cause? (didn't use mobile, drone, etc.)

I appreciate your help! I will try your suggestion to see if it makes a difference.

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