An apparatus for adaptive synchronized decoding of digital video may include a processor. The processor may be configured to maintain a next key frame timestamp, decode a plurality of key frames of a video clip, decode a plurality of non-key frames of a video clip which arrive on time, and drop one or more non-key frames until the next key frame if a video frame arrives late and the next key frame is within a calculated drop time window based at least in part on the next key frame timestamp. Corresponding methods and computer program products are also provided.