Long Road Trip: Bluetooth Audio Lag

[DJ_S75D]

BLUF: Movies playing on a bluetooth-connected Samsung tablet have ~.75s audio lag on YouTube, Google Play Movies, and Netflix.


Without an 'aux in' 3.5mm port, is there a good way to stream content from these apps without suffering from audio sync issues? A lot of reading on the Internet shows two solutions:
1. Play audio from an application that can delay the video (like VLC).
2. Use a FM Transmitter in lieu of bluetooth.

I don't maintain offline copies of movies outside their native app (like Netflix and Google Play's download for offline use option), and I don't think those apps support video delay like VLC does. Aside from the FM transmitter, does anyone have a good way to deal with the inherent Bluetooth audio lag when watching movies?

It seems like such a waste to have the upgraded audio package with no good way to use it in this fashion... unless I'm missing something obvious (like a 3.5mm jack).

*Note: A youtube test pattern video was used to calculate bluetooth audio delay.

 

[Derek Kessler]

Nope. Bluetooth always has some lag, and it's not just Samsung tablets — I get it on my iPhone as well. But it is particularly obvious in the Tesla.

 

[Kandiru]

There is a reason why Android/Fruit Auto requires a cable connection, BT has limited bandwidth.

 

[jeffro01]

Yeah this isn't a Tesla thing but a bluetooth thing... Universal...

Jeff

 

[Derek Kessler]

There is a reason why Android/Fruit Auto requires a cable connection, BT has limited bandwidth.

CarPlay and Android Auto also work over Wi-Fi.

 

[EvolutionTeʂla]

I wonder if using a portable speaker instead of the car stereo would be a viable option for your movies/videos. Some of them can plug in directly to your mobile device and some even have very little lag over bluetooth. I love my little JBL Charge 3 speaker and somehow there's barely any delay via bluetooth when watching videos on my iPad or iPhone, the battery lasts up to 20 hours and it has some big sound for such a small speaker. https://www.amazon.com/JBL-JBLCHARG...8&qid=1521521456&sr=1-3&keywords=jbl+charge+3 Maybe you could lay it across the centre console cup holders with the sliding door holding it in place? Not an ideal setup, but at least it would get rid of the lag.

 

[DJ_S75D]

I like the portable speaker idea!

 

[DJ_S75D]

Yeah this isn't a Tesla thing but a bluetooth thing... Universal...

Jeff

I feel like it is a Tesla thing. Most cars have an aux in of some type, but for some reason they omitted it. I'm aware of the technical limitations of bluetooth, but I'm just wondering why Tesla didn't account for that by supplying another means of attaching audio sources other than bluetooth / USB.

 

[Derek Kessler]

I feel like it is a Tesla thing. Most cars have an aux in of some type, but for some reason they omitted it. I'm aware of the technical limitations of bluetooth, but I'm just wondering why Tesla didn't account for that by supplying another means of attaching audio sources other than bluetooth / USB.

Because 6 years ago when the first Model S rolled off the lines, the idea of watching movies on a tablet and playing the audio over your car's speakers was considered novel.

 

[SSonnentag]

Plug the phone into your USB cord connected to the car and it will play in sync over the cable instead of via BlueTooth.

 

[Derek Kessler]

Plug the phone into your USB cord connected to the car and it will play in sync over the cable instead of via BlueTooth.

This is false. The USB ports can read audio files off a drive or provide charge to a device. They cannot, at least with the current software, act as a USB audio interface for your phone.

 

[scottm]

Turn on subtitles on the movie, or learn how to read lips?