If you ’re bought yourself aswanky new TVand want to tie in it to your A / V arrangement , you ’ll have the option of a few different cable types to apply . There are classics like 3.5 mm and visual , but you ’re really better off using a secondaryHDMI cable television . This lets you take advanage of ARC or eARC technology that will both streamline your A / V cabling , whilst also improving admittance to Modern sound features like DTS :X or Dolby Atmos .

You ’ll ask a idiot box and A / V system that are compatible with standardHDMI connexion , but that ’s very standard in 2025 so is improbable to be an issue unless you ’re snare up some old verbalizer .

But what are the differences between ARC and eARC ? And why might you use one over the other ?

Let ’s examine HDMI ARC and eARC more closely , including comparing audio timbre and the downsides of both connection types , to help you decide when to choose between them .

ARC: Audio return channel

Audio Return Channel or ARC , contribute the ability for a TV to post audio backward along an HDMI cable to its rootage machine . This lets you quash the number cables within your A / fin setup , streamline the whole mental process . Without this , you ’d have to have a much more complicated system connecting individual devices to the same TV , which could get out you run low on ports .

If you own an AV receiver , and you plug in yourBlu - irradiation players , biz console , orstreaming deviceinto it , the receiver will work the audio fortune through your place dramaturgy Speaker and send the picture portion along to your TV . So far , so good .

But not every source of television you might desire to observe comes from an external twist . Some TVs have their own cyclosis apps or goggle box tuners . Before the Parousia of HDMI ARC , if you wanted to hear these sources on yourreceiver ’s speakersinstead of the ones progress into your TV , you needed to be given a 2nd cable length ( typically an optical cable ) from your telly back to your receiver . That not only destroy the simpleness of a single - cable television connectedness , but it also mean you involve to push some extra push button to get things work every clip you exchange to using your TV as the heavy rootage .

HDMI ARC bring that simpleness back by rent you once again use a single cable for all your indigence .

Better sound

Optical cables are great for sending Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound from gimmick to machine . However , throw a newersurround speech sound formatat it , likeDolby Atmosor DTS :X , and it chokes . HDMI ARC , with its larger data capacity , can transmit these formats too , so if you ’re using your TV to stream a Dolby Atmos claim fromDisney+ , you ’ll be able to send that signaling to your compatible AV receiver or soundbar .

There is a caution here : Even though HDMI ARC can transmit higher - bandwidth format like Dolby Atmos , your television receiver still has to bear these formats . For instance , some older boob tube will play Dolby Atmos using their built - in speakers , but they ca n’t pass along that same Dolby Atmos content via their HDMI ARC connection ( known as Dolby Atmos passthrough ) . Always devote close attention to a mathematical product ’s specification to know what it can or ca n’t do .

Simpler switching

Normally , when using an optical joining from a television to a receiver or soundbar , you demand to manually swap to the optical input when you want to try your goggle box ’s speech sound , and then switch back to the HDMI inputs on the receiver or soundbar when you need to go back to observe an outside source of content . You may also have to enable or incapacitate your TV ’s built - in speakers each time you switch .

With HDMI ARC , you may chuck your soundbar or receiving system ’s remote — as shortly as you set out watching content that originate from your telecasting , yourconnected soundbaror receiver will mechanically swop to the correct input .

What is eARC? Enhanced audio return channel explained

HDMI ARC was a big improvement over optical audio connecter , but the engineering suffer from one limitation that audio purists have always bemoan : It has the bandwidth to corroborate Dolby Atmos , but only the lossy version of this formatting , which uses Dolby Digital Plus . If you ’re only streaming Dolby Atmos ( say from Netflix orApple TV+ ) , this is no big deal because that ’s the same kind of Atmos that these services use .

But physical media , like Blu - re magnetic disk or game discs for consoles , along with certain downloaded euphony files , apply ahigher quality version of Dolby Atmosthanks to the lossless , hi - res capableness of Dolby TrueHD . There ’s also the possibility that streaming religious service will determine to offer lossless sound recording as an rise in the future .

As you might have already pretend , Dolby TrueHD requires more bandwidth than Dolby Digital Plus , and the HDMI ARC specification was never designed to handle it . That ’s why we now haveenhancedAudio Return Channel ( eARC ) , which has plenty of capacity and can handlelossless hi - res audioup to 24 - bit/192kHz , which should fulfil even the most demanding audiophile .

How to use eARC

Like ARC technology , eARC works simply by plugging in the right HDMI cables to the right port . If everything in the chain supports HDMI 2.1 and eARC , you ’re ripe to go . If it does n’t , then it will default to simply ARC .

EARC is mostly useful for folks who connect all of their content equipment to their TV ’s HDMI remark , instead of the input on a soundbar or AV receiver . It ’s particularly ready to hand for those who own aDolby Atmos - up to soundbar , or a capable lot of external surroundings strait speaker .

For people who connect their equipment to an Ab receiver ( or a soundbar with at least one HDMI input ) , the need for eARC is a short less . distinctive sources of high - quality audio ( Blu - ray players mainly ) can be plugged into this gear straightaway , without rely on the idiot box ’s audio capabilities . But there ’s still the chance that you ’ll have a high - closing audio reservoir plugged into your telly , and at these clock time eARC would be handy .

So is eARC just about getting better Dolby Atmos?

No , not only . HDMI eARC has been designed to allow up to 37Mbps of bandwidth for the audio return epithelial duct , whereas HDMI ARC was never designed for more than 1Mbits per second . That ’s a Brobdingnagian difference and it return eARC the ability to kick the bucket a variety of hi - res audio format . For instance , while Dolby TrueHD gives Atmos its practiced display , TrueHD can also be used to deliver lossless interpretation of less exotic audio recording content like 5.1 , 7.1 , or plain - sure-enough two - distribution channel stereo . The same affair go for formats like DTS :X , DTS - HD , and DTS - HD Master Audio .

eARC has an automated mouth - sync feature , so theoretically , you ’ll no longer need to jump out into delay preferences on your tv set or audio power train to get a unadulterated match of sound and picture , the way you sometimes need to do when using HDMI ARC or optic connections .

This has also been improved with the latest HDMI 2.2 monetary standard , which introduces Latency Indication Protocol ( LIP ) that further enhances syncrhonization between sound and television when using more complicated A / quint systems with surround audio setups .

There are also some possible non - audio benefit to eARC . ARC require HDMI - CEC to be enable on your gear — the two work in tandem . eARC has its own built - in mechanism for equipment sleuthing , which does n’t require CEC . So while it ’s still commend to keep CEC enable ( turn it off means you wo n’t be capable to send twist commands over HDMI ) , if it ’s causing you headaches , it might be possible to use eARC without CEC .

What equipment do I need for HDMI ARC or eARC?

For HDMI ARC , you ’ll need a TV with an HDMI ARC port wine , and a soundbar , AV pass receiver , or another audio machine with a like HDMI ARC interface . You ’ll also call for an HDMI cable to connect these two devices — virtually any HDMI cable’s length will do the job as HDMI ARC is not especially demanding when it comes to bandwidth .

For HDMI eARC , it ’s the same thing — both devices need an eARC port , but you ’ll also postulate an HDMI cable that has Ethernet support , like a gamy - Speed HDMI cable with Ethernet , or an extremist - High - hurrying HDMI cable . As we noted above , eARC places more demands on bandwidth than ARC , so using a high hurrying cable television service that ’s rated for 48 Gbps or peachy makes the most sensory faculty .

Wondering if your current gear supports HDMI ARC or eARC ? If it does , there should be an “ ARC ” or “ ARC / eARC ” recording label on the HDMI embrasure that supports these features .

There ’s one significant thing you involve to be aware of : even though newer HDMI machine are contrive to be back compatible with older HDMI devices , this is not always unfeigned of eARC . Most of the time , if you get in touch say , an eARC TV to an ARC soundbar , you ’ll still get audio from the tv set — you ’ll be trammel to ARC ’s lower - quality audio capabilities , but it should shape . But the eARC specification does not require that eARC devices are backward compatible , so there may be some instances where this does n’t work at all . As with all proficient specifications , it ’s best to read the fine mark and two-fold - chip with a producer before buy .

Should my next TV, soundbar, or AV receiver be equipped with HDMI eARC?

In general , we ’d say absolutely . HDMI 2.1(along with HDMI eARC ) is a common standard in 2025 , with many days of growth under it sbelt . HDMI 2.2 is coming down the pipage , but not for another year at least , so it ’s less of a business . Today , it ’s not really a choice between HDMI 2.1 backup and not , as it is about how many ports you get . tinny TVs may only have one or two , while flagship telly can have four or more .

Even if you do n’t plan to take vantage of their benefits immediately , most AV purchases are function to be around for at least 10 class . That ’s a tenacious meter to be stuck with something that is n’t current .

However , if you’rebuying a small TVfor a kitchen or bedroom , and you have no intention of ever connecting it to an international soundbar or receiver , you may probably stick with HDMI ARC ( or indeed , no HDMI ARC ) . And if you ’re bribe an inexpensive soundbar for improving your TV ’s sound , and you do n’t care about Dolby Atmos , hi - rhenium audio , or future - proofing , then that twist is probably hunky-dory without ARC or eARC too .

Are there any downsides to using ARC/eARC?

If you have gimmick that defend it , there are really no downside to using the engineering , especially the advanced reading of eARC , which helps guarantee there wo n’t be any audio downgrade , and may even allow you to win other HDMI 2.1 benefits that you could n’t via other connections . Cable management is easier , too . It ’s also comparatively prosperous to find ARC and eARC devices these days — Best Buy has a whole lookup filter for it , for example .

To reap the benefit of ARC / eARC , all of your gear will need to support it , which could mean a pretty fully grown investment on your part . But it ’s potential to do it in stage . If you really care your boob tube , for case , but it does n’t have HDMI ARC / eARC , here ’s an option : grease one’s palms a soundbar that has an HDMI input , an ocular stimulation , and an HDMI turnout .

This lets you set up up a system that transmit full - caliber sound from a pour gadget like anApple TV 4Kto your soundbar , which in turn air just the video recording to your TV . Any audio that your TV produce will still get place to the soundbar over the ocular connection . That audio will be limited to Dolby Digital 5.1 sound , but if your TV does n’t have HDMI ARC / eARC , then that ’s potential the good sound your TV can create anyway .

You should also start counting your HDMI port wine , as some home field setups may not have elbow room for your ARC / eARC joining . A common lesson is connect an ARC - bear out soundbar that does n’t have an HDMI stimulant , only an output . That means your TV needs to utilize an HDMI ARC / eARC port just for sound . If you are already juggling several HDMI connections , your TV may not have enough ports necessary for this kind of frame-up .