An example device for decoding media data includes a memory configured to store the media data and one or more processors implemented in circuitry and communicatively coupled to the memory. The one or more processors are configured to determine whether two or more decoder instances are intended to be synchronized. The one or more processors are configured to, based on the two or more decoder instances being intended to be synchronized, control the two or more decoder instances so as to enable rendering of decoded data from each of the two or more decoder instances at a same presentation time.