What cables do you need for a soundbar?

4 ways to connect your soundbar to your TV

  • HDMI. An HDMI cable is by far the best way to hook your soundbar up to your TV.
  • Digital optical or digital coaxial.
  • 3.5mm line out or RCA.
  • Headphone jack.

How do I connect my Sony soundbar to my TV?

  1. Connect one end of the HDMI cable (sold separately) to the HDMI IN port on your TV.
  2. Connect the other end to the TV OUT (ARC) port on your sound bar.
  3. Then, connect an optical audio cable from the TV’s Optical digital audio out to OPTICAL IN on your sound bar (this is necessary to hear the TV audio).

What HDMI cable do I need for a soundbar?

If your TV has an HDMI eARC port, that’s the one to go for when it comes to making the connection, otherwise, any spare HDMI port will do. Once you’ve connected the soundbar to the TV, ensure the cables are firmly in place.

How do I connect my Sony sound bar?

Sample steps when pairing to an Android TV™:

  1. Turn the TV on.
  2. On the supplied TV remote, press the HOME button.
  3. Select Settings → Bluetooth settings → Add device.
  4. Select the soundbar from the list and perform pairing.

Is optical cable better than HDMI?

The major difference is that HDMI cables can pass higher resolution audio which includes formats found on Blu-ray like Dolby TrueHD and DTS HD Master audio. Fiber optic cables won’t be able to transmit these high-res sound formats. HDMI can also pass video signals.

What’s the difference between HDMI and HDMI ARC?

While a regular HDMI connector is only able to transmit video images, ARC has an added function that allows you to transmit audio from a TV back to the source, like a receiver or soundbar. This means you only require 1 cable in order to transmit both video and audio signals.

Is HDMI ARC cable different than HDMI cable?

What is optical cable for soundbar?

If your TV or soundbar doesn’t have an HDMI connector, you need to use an optical cable. This small port gives your TV a new sound experience. This connector has a hexagonal shape and the connector is protected by a plastic cover.

Can I use a regular HDMI cable for arc?

Any HDMI cable will work universally for HDMI and HDMI ARC/eARC ports. Only a few very outdated HDMI cables could potentially struggle with some of the higher quality audio formats with eARC, but this is unlikely to happen.

Do I need a special cable for HDMI ARC?

Using HDMI ARC does not require a new HDMI cable. Any HDMI cable should be able to cope with the requirements – it’s only when we move on to eARC this could (potentially) become an issue. But more on that later.

Is HDMI or optical cable better for soundbar?

If you’re looking for the best audio quality, HDMI is your choice. While an optical cable can still pass surround sound and super high-quality audio, thanks to the added bandwidth in the latest HDMI versions (2.0) you’ll be able to pass higher resolution and audio.

What’s the difference between HDMI ARC and optical?

HDMI ARC or digital optical audio? HDMI ARC is a better option. It supports Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby Atmos, and up to 7.1 channels of uncompressed audio while Digital Optical only supports Dolby Digital and up to 5.1 channels of uncompressed audio.

Can I use a regular HDMI cable for ARC?

Is it better to use optical or HDMI?

Both cables can be had pretty cheap. The biggest difference is that HDMI can pass higher-resolution audio, including the formats found on streaming services such as Dolby Atmos and DTS HD Master Audio. These formats can’t be transmitted across optical. In terms of simplicity, HDMI also passes video signals.

Which is better optical cable or HDMI?

Is there a difference between HDMI and HDMI ARC cable?

How do I know if my HDMI cable is ARC compatible?

Can you use ARC? Check the HDMI connections on the back of your TV, soundbar, or receiver. If the HDMI port has ARC, it should be marked as such. Both your TV and the soundbar or receiver must have ARC for it to work.

Does 4K require special HDMI cable?

When it comes down to 4K TV, you do not need to pick up special HDMI cables. The HDMI cable standard can impact color and resolution, but newer versions are not required for 4K TV.