Adobe Premiere CC 2020 Audio Out of Sync After Export

[roycefilmwriter]

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?

[Phillael1984]

Same problem. Just updated OS to Catalina, and updated Premiere and Media Encoder to CC 2020. Audio completely out of sync in exported video file. Timeline is in sync.

Please send help...

[CrystalDragons]

I am so fustrated!!!  I have tried everything I can think of and still having the same problem.  Has anyone found a fix yet?????

[rochelleb53107374]

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

[Kevin-Monahan]

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

[rochelleb53107374]

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.  

[mgrenadier]

yeah, that's the problem.  use handbrake to convert to constant frame rate...

use mediainfo to determine whether your source is variable or constant frame rate

https://mediaarea.net/en/MediaInfo/Download

if it's variable use handbrake to convert to constant frame rate

https://handbrake.fr
and here's a tutorial on how to use handbrake

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=34&v=xlvxgVREX-Y

[rochelleb53107374]

I did already check the original/source video with mediainfo and it was constant framerate.  That's why I'm finding this so confusing.

Thanks again for any feedback ... it sure is appreciated!

[default5q76d5yxq34p]

I had been working on this for hours and playing around with export settings that didn't help. Your solution was finally the key.  Thank you!

[rdylewski]

I have started to have this issue as well, though my footage looks out-of-sync on the timeline.  I shoot with a Sony FS7 using I-XAVC at 29.97.  I drag the entire file structure directly to a HDD, then import into Premiere.  Am using a brand new Mac Pro tower running Catalina.  In ten years, I've never had this problem.

Whether this is a Mac or Adobe problem, I don't know, but I've got to get it fixed.  Sync appears off by about 3-4 frames.

Thanks for any input or help you can offer.

Ron

[-vaco-]

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!

[Aidan 5E66]

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-]

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...

[nadworks-cb]

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).

[mgrenadier]

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...

[Mazdep]

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?

[mgrenadier]

please tell us the frame rates of your sources and the properties of your voice over wav file and your sequence settings.  Do you have an audio interface connected to the edit suite computer?  You might tell us your audio hardware settings.    You might reset your premiere preferences and delete your caches.  You might try disconnecting all peripherals except keyboard and mouse and hard drive and disconnecting the computer from the internet.  And you could try creating a new user with administrator privileges in your mac system settings.  Happy to go in to more detail if you need help with any of this.

[Mazdep]

Hi

Thank you for response – I have an issue logged with Adobe suppiort that has been escalated to senior level but Ireally need to sort this as I have a deadline and am unable to work properly - as you might imagine.

The wav file is just a regular wav file. I have tried another wav from last year that came through a diffrent route and problem is replicted

The project has following settings

25fps
3840 x 2160
Progressive
Display format 25fps
Quicktime preview using animation compressor

The video is all still images – PSDs an others that are scaled and overlayed – Im alost doing an offline edit for an AE project


Audio Hardware Settings:

Core Audio
Built in I/O
MAsterclock: Built in output
I/O Buffer 2048
Sample Rate 4410
O/P Adobve desktop audio


I have tried deleting cache and I think technical adobe folk remotely reset prefs (though cant be sure) - maybe you could talk me through it if nothing above rings any bells.

Many thanks

Andy







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Andy McGregor Design + Media Ltd
1 Summerhall
Edinburgh EH9 1PL

0131 558 3433
07711 923955

www.andymcgregor.com

[mgrenadier]

what are the properties for the wav file, sampling and bit rate.  although I don't think it's the issue, generally the audio sampling rate is 48k, so might be worth trying changing that.  If you want to do a short teamviewer or zoom session with me, happy to give it a shot.  I feel your pain, and know how stressful these issues can be when your under a deadline.  To send me a direct message, just click on my username at the top of my post.

I'm in New York City so I'm guessing I'm 6 hrs or so behind you...  

[JoshP1001]

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

[mgrenadier]

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.

[JoshP1001]

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?

[mgrenadier]

yes handbrake's free and if the iphone footage is the only footage that's variable frame rate, that's all you need to convert.  Most smartphone footage and most screencapture recordings are variable frame rate and may require conversion to constant frame rate...

[JoshP1001]

Thank you so much

Josh

[Kevin-Monahan · Accepted solution]

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