In television type systems having separate data, audio and video portions, it is desirable to maintain or correct the relative timing of the signals by delaying the lesser delayed one(s) to match the delay of the more delayed one(s). A method and apparatus are described where events leading to significant changes in delay of a first, more delayed signal are recognized before that delay change appears in that first delayed signal, for one example by recognizing delay changes made before or at the input to, or within the system. Information about the significant delay change is communicated to a second signal's compensating delay before hand to enable faster and more accurate tracking of the second signal's delay to the first signal's delay. Additionally the second signal's compensating delay may convey information about potential delay artifacts which would be created by delay changes to the first signal's delaying device in order to affect when and/or where significant delay changes are made in the first signal, thereby minimizing such artifacts. Control of where, how and when significant delay changes are made in order to minimize artifacts is also shown.