Simon Cohen / Digital Trends
Soundbars are all the rage these days , and for estimable reason . They ’re a simple , affordable way to boost your video ’s sound quality . And connecting a soundbar to your TV is commonly a breeze : secure the soundbar into the video using the provided cable and then connect the soundbar to a power outlet . If all goes well , change by reversal both devices on , and you ’ll delight top - notch television receiver phone and medicine in no time .
However , before you rush out to buy one of thebest soundbarsfor your TV , let ’s cut into deeply into how soundbars and video communicate . While soundbars are more approachable to set up than dedicatedAV receiversand speakers , there are still several options to considerbased on your TV , soundbar , and room . Here ’s what you require to know .
Simon Cohen / Digital Trends
Connection types: wired or wireless
Soundbars colligate to TVs using either HDMI or ocular pumped-up connectedness . These pumped-up connections are prefer over wireless 1 for their superscript audio timbre , synchronizing , and reliability .
However , wireless connectedness are becoming more vernacular and propose the advantages of a uncontaminating look and outstanding flexibleness in positioning and mounting options since you do n’t require to unravel a cable from the soundbar to the TV . Among our favorites with wireless ingredient are theSamsung HW - Q990C , Nakamichi Dragon 11.4.6 , andVizio Elevate 5.1.4 Home Theater Soundbar .
What about Bluetooth?
You might have noticed that many soundbars do with Bluetooth funding and wonder if you could connect your soundbar to your goggle box the same way you colligate your smartphone to a Bluetooth speaker unit .
The quick reply is yes , you’re able to , but whether you’re able to do so depends on your TV ’s capacity . Some TVs supportBluetooth audio connexion , while others do not . Even if your idiot box does patronage Bluetooth , there are several reasonableness why you should avoid connecting your TV to a soundbar using Bluetooth .
Convenience
Most pumped-up connexion create a baron trigger between the boob tube and the soundbar , meaning that turning on the idiot box automatically powers the soundbar , and vice versa in some cases . However , with Bluetooth , this power initiation does n’t exist . You must power each gimmick separately and await for them to join . to boot , your TV and soundbar may not be plan to mechanically re - link up via Bluetooth as soon as they are powered on .
Sound quality
While Bluetooth work well for two - groove stereophonic system , it was not initially designed formultichannel formatslike Dolby 5.1 , DTS :X , orDolby Atmos . Even if your soundbar only has two channels , using Bluetooth to connect to your TV restricts what it can do with those channels .
If your television receiver sustain Bluetooth , it ’s in effect to practice it to connectBluetooth headphonesor earbuds . If your soundbar supports Bluetooth , consider using it to pour medicine from your smartphone or other Bluetooth twist .
HDMI: ARC or eARC
high-pitched Definition Multimedia Interface , or HDMI , as most of us know it , has become the de facto undivided - cable solution for glide by digital audio and video between devices like cable length boxwood , Blu - ray player , gambling console , and TV . Most boob tube have one to four HDMI inputs , and you ’re probably already using one or more on your TV . But new TVs also support something call HDMI ARC or HDMI eARC .
ARC stands for Audio Return Channel , and eARC stands for enhanced Audio Return Channel . Both of these connections provide TVs to take in audio and TV via an HDMI port while using that same port to output just audio .
We have a fullHDMI ARC / eARC explainerthat gets into all of the detail , but here ’s the bottom line : An HDMI connection ( whether ARC or eARC ) is the preferent fashion to connect a soundbar to a television because it guarantees that your soundbar will receive the highest - quality audio recording sign it is adequate to of get . It also lets your TV remote restraint some of your soundbar ’s setting , like volume and mute — ready to hand if you want to slim down clutter .
The only caution is that if you have many gadget touch base to your video , using one of those HDMI ports for your soundbar intend one less port for your other gizmo . There are two path around this . Some soundbars come with their own HDMI input . you’re able to utilize these as alternatives to your TV ’s inputs , but you ’ll have to remember which devices are connected to the soundbar and which are connected to the video to select the appropriate input when you start watching .
The other mode is to purchase a separateHDMI switcher . A switcher convert a individual HDMI stimulus on your video to multiple HDMI stimulus ( from just two to more than ten , depending on the switcher ) . But as with the comment on the soundbar , you ’ll need to remember which twist are plugged into which port on the whipper and control it manually or via a remote control .
Optical connections
If your video does n’t have HDMI ARC / eARC , or you really dislike the thought of giving up an HDMI port to connect a soundbar , an optical link is your best bet .
Optical embrasure ( also known as TOSLink or S / PDIF ) offer a one - way digital audio frequency link between your TV and a soundbar . The caliber is excellent , but ocular interface are limited to certain kinds of audio substance .
optic connections can handle two - channel stereo system and up to 5.1 channels of Dolby Digital sound . But they ca n’t accommodate the greater bandwidth requirements of formats like Dolby Digital Plus , Dolby Atmos , or DTS :X , whereas HDMI ARC / eARC does support these formats .
Some soundbars have HDMI and optical ports so you could choose the one you ’d like to utilize . However , companies are more and more set forth to use HDMI - only .
But do n’t worry — if your television only defend optic out and your take soundbar only has HDMI , you’re able to bribe an inexpensive optical - to - HDMI converter . Some HDMI - only soundbars , like theSonos Beam , come up with one of these convertor in the box .
If you do n’t take care the audio format limitations of optic , it ’s an first-class direction to go unless your soundbar rely on HDMI to do what it needs . For instance , theRoku Streambarcontains a full Roku cyclosis gimmick . The only way to see that Roku experience is to tie the Streambar to a TV via HDMI . too , some soundbars offer on - sieve admission to preferences menus ( a great alternative to using a sound completely flyspeck alphanumeric display ) , but these also rely on HDMI .
Analog connections
If neither HDMI nor opthalmic is useable on your TV , your last option ( take your soundbar has an analog input ) is an analogue cable television service . These come with two types of connexion : stereo RCA ( a red jade and a white plug ) or a 3.5 mm stereo plug ( the sort that most wired earphone use ) . reckon on your video and soundbar , you might need a cable with the same connectors at each remnant or dissimilar connection .
Either way , an analog connection will beam sound from your tv set to a soundbar , but you ’ll be limited to two - epithelial duct stereo and wakeless quality may not be as good as one of the digital options .
Cable choices
If you ’ve chosen the optical path , you want an optic cable long enough to stretch from your TV to your soundbar . Optical cables differ in construction — some are much more robust than others — but they all sour the same manner . You will not get higher - caliber sound recording by spending more on an visual cable .
HDMI cablesare a slightly different account . If you are strictly using an HDMI cable to pass audio from your television to your soundbar , you should be capable to expend any HDMI cable that has the duration you necessitate .
If you ’re going to pass video recording from the soundbar to the TV ( using one of the soundbar ’s rigorously used generator ) , it ’s essential that your HDMI cable length can care the bandwidth prerequisite .
HDMI cable are rat by speed , measured in Gb per 2nd ( Gbps ) . The quicker a cable ’s hurrying , the more data it can care . Full HD or 4 atomic number 19 video can be safely transmitted at “ mellow speed ” military rank of 10.2 Gbps . If you addhigh dynamic range ( HDR ) , 60 frames per 2d subject , and audio formats like Dolby Digital Plus or Dolby True HD , you ’ll need the “ premium eminent speed ” rating of 18 Gbps .
Finally , if you ’re going all the way with 8 K cognitive content , or 4 K video at 120 human body per secondly , you should choose the “ ultra high speed ” evaluation of 48 Gbps .
But here ’s the gimmick : It does n’t count if your HDMI cable’s length is the fastest in the world if your soundbar ca n’t go 4 K @120Hz from its input to its end product , or if your TV ca n’t expose that content . check that you arrest that your equipment can deliver what you look of it .
