4 ways to connect your soundbar to your TV
Enhancing your TV's audio with a soundbar can be a total gamechanger for your home entertainment setup. We're talking a bigger and bolder sound that brings the immersive cinema experience to your living room -- all without taking up much space.
But there are a few different ways you can connect a soundbar to a TV. We've highlighted four of the best ways.
1. HDMI cable
Using an HDMI cable is by far the best way to connect your soundbar to your TV. These cables can carry large amounts of uncompressed digital audio data -- resulting in a cleaner and more dynamic sound. An HDMI cable can cope with any sound system from 5.1 to 7.1 surround sound, and even process newer tech like DTS:X and Dolby Atmos.
How do I connect my soundbar to my TV using HDMI?
Your TV will need to support HDMI-ARC (Audio Return Channel), which means audio can travel in both directions along the cable. Connect to the HDMI-ARC port on your TV and use the HDMI-ARC or HDMI Out ports on your soundbar.
Tech tip: Most TVs will automatically recognise your soundbar. If not, go to your TV's audio settings and select the correct external speaker option.
2. Digital optical or coaxial cables
If your soundbar doesn't have HDMI, use a digital optical cable or digital coaxial cable. These transfer digital audio up to 5.1 surround sound.
Optical cables have a square connector and work by converting electrical signal to optical light. Coaxial cables have a circular connector. Both deliver high-quality digital signal -- it's almost impossible to tell the difference.
3. RCA or 3.5mm cables
For older TVs without HDMI or optical ports, RCA and 3.5mm cables are your best bet. These carry analogue audio, so they can't deliver full digital surround sound.
For RCA: plug red into red and white into white on your TV's output, then connect the other end to your soundbar.
For 3.5mm line-out: use the one labelled 'line-out' on your TV, not the headphone jack.
4. Headphone jack
As a last resort, you could try the headphone jack. Some TVs let you change the headphone jack function to line-out in settings. Otherwise, you'll need to adjust volume, bass, and treble settings. Remember that anything plugged into the headphone jack has reduced volume for safety.
FAQs
What is the best way to connect a soundbar to a TV?
HDMI cables -- they transmit high-quality, uncompressed digital audio and can also carry video signals.
How do you connect a Bluetooth soundbar to your TV?
If your TV has Bluetooth, put your soundbar in pairing mode using its Bluetooth button. The pairing process varies by model, but the audio quality won't be as good as HDMI.
