First check the stream as viewers receive it, then work out whether the mismatch is steady or gets worse over time. A fixed offset may be correctable in the existing encoder; progressive drift needs diagnosis of the particular devices and signal chain. Do not assume a restart, a sample-rate change, or new equipment will fix every case.
1. Check the viewer-facing stream
Watch the live stream on a separate phone, tablet, or computer—not only in the production preview. Note which comes first:
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- Picture leads: the pastor’s mouth moves before the voice is heard.
- Audio leads: the voice is heard before the corresponding mouth movement.
Estimate the mismatch and note when you observe it. Check again later: is it about the same, or does it grow during the service? Church-specific troubleshooting guidance recommends checking from a separate device and noting the direction and approximate amount of the mismatch. WorshipMetrics’ church-stream guidance
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2. Determine whether it is a fixed offset or progressive drift
If the mismatch stays roughly constant
A steady mismatch may respond to a sync offset on the audio source in the existing production setup. In OBS, open Advanced Audio Properties and locate the sync-offset control for the input that is actually in the outgoing mix. Focusrite’s OBS guidance says the appropriate offset depends on the computer’s audio and video processing, so find it by testing rather than copying a value from another setup. Focusrite: How to set up a Focusrite interface in OBS
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If the mismatch grows during the service
A fixed offset cannot explain a difference that changes over time. Note when drift begins, whether all inputs are affected or only one, and whether the problem occurs in a local recording as well as the stream. Keep a sample recording and the relevant OBS logs and configuration for whoever will diagnose the system. Official guidance cited here does not establish a universal clock-drift repair, sample-rate setting, or reboot that will fix every setup.
3. Compare a local recording with the stream
Make a local recording using the same production setup, then check its audio and video against the delivered stream. This helps narrow down where to investigate:
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| What you find | Where to look next |
|---|---|
| The local recording is out of sync too | Check source configuration, the affected input, and possible source malfunction. Test a sync offset one change at a time. |
| The local recording is in sync, but the stream is not | Investigate delivery conditions, including network or CPU issues. |
This comparison is a diagnostic clue, not proof of a single cause. Restream’s support guidance recommends using a local recording to distinguish a problem present in the recording from one that appears in the stream. Restream: My encoder’s audio and video aren’t synced
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- Identify the audio input that is actually part of the outgoing mix.
- In OBS, open Advanced Audio Properties and adjust that input’s sync offset. The right value depends on the specific system; there is no universal number to enter.
- Record a short test or use a private stream. Watch the result on a separate device.
- If it is still wrong, change only that offset and test again. Avoid changing multiple inputs or settings together, since that makes it harder to tell what helped.
- Save the working value and test it again after a restart or configuration update.
Focusrite describes offset adjustment as a setting to find experimentally; church-specific guidance also recommends testing adjustments rather than treating example values as a standard. Focusrite’s OBS setup guidance · WorshipMetrics’ church-stream guidance
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If your existing setup includes an ATEM Mini-family switcher
If you already use a compatible ATEM Mini or ATEM Mini Pro, check whether its audio-delay controls in ATEM Software Control apply to your model and signal path. Controls can vary by model, so confirm against the manual for the exact unit. A switcher is not a default purchase for a sync problem that may be correctable in the existing software.
5. Do not mistake dropped frames for proof of a sync fault
OBS guidance identifies dropped frames as a sign that the connection to the remote server is unstable or the configured bitrate is higher than the connection can sustain. Test the network and bitrate if you see them, but dropped frames alone do not demonstrate an audio/video timing problem. OBS’s dynamic bitrate option may reduce dropped frames when the connection cannot keep up, but it does not repair the underlying connection and may reduce video quality. OBS: Stream Connection Troubleshooting
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6. Prepare a test and monitoring plan for the next service
- Before the service, check sound and internet and run a private or local test long enough to see whether sync holds.
- Have someone watch the delivered stream from a separate device and report the direction of any mismatch.
- Monitor inputs while live. If the issue returns, record when it started, which sources were affected, and whether it changed over time.
- Keep the recording and relevant configuration details so an AV technician or system integrator can investigate persistent or system-wide drift.
These steps follow the operational checks, monitoring, and issue logging described in StreamingChurch.tv’s church live-streaming documentation.
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