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Start with the TV’s speaker/output setting: switch from the built-in speakers to Audio system, External speakers or the equivalent. Then use the connection your equipment supports—preferably HDMI ARC/eARC—turn on HDMI-CEC and ARC/eARC where required, and select the TV input on the soundbar. Leave the digital audio format on Auto or Pass-through when both devices support the desired format; change it to PCM when you need the broadest compatibility or hear silence. Menu names and format support differ by television, soundbar, source device, firmware and region.
Set the TV to use the soundbar, not its own speakers
A soundbar can be connected correctly and still produce no sound if the television continues routing audio to its internal speakers. Open the TV’s sound menu and find the output or speaker destination. Choose Audio system, External speakers, Receiver or the matching label instead of TV speakers.
On some televisions, a representative menu path is Display & Sound → Audio output → Speakers → Audio system. Other models place the same control under Sound → Speakers → Audio system. These paths are examples, not universal instructions. If your labels differ, look for “speaker,” “audio output,” or “receiver” in the sound settings.
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Use HDMI ARC or eARC when both devices support it
Connect the labeled ports
Plug one end of an HDMI cable into the television’s HDMI socket marked ARC or eARC. Connect the other end to the soundbar’s HDMI port marked ARC or eARC, usually its HDMI output. An ordinary HDMI input on the television is not the same as an ARC/eARC port; the return-audio feature works only through the labeled connection on compatible equipment.
Turn on both devices after making the connection, then select the TV input on the soundbar. If the TV offers a separate ARC, eARC, or TV Audio Input switch, set it to On or Auto as the model requires.
Enable HDMI-CEC for control and detection
HDMI-CEC lets the television and soundbar exchange control commands. It can allow the TV remote to change soundbar volume, wake the soundbar when the TV starts, and switch the system to the correct audio path. CEC has different names across manufacturers; Sony, for example, calls its implementation BRAVIA Sync. Enable the television’s HDMI control/CEC setting and the corresponding control option on the soundbar if the instructions call for it.
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CEC is separate from the audio format itself. A system may pass sound while volume control does not work, or it may show an ARC connection without actually routing audio until CEC is enabled. If the devices repeatedly lose the connection, power both off, unplug them briefly, reconnect the HDMI cable to the labeled ports, and enable CEC before testing again.
Check whether the cable is adequate
Use a working HDMI cable rated for the bandwidth your equipment requires. A BRAVIA connection guide recommends a cable supporting 18 Gbps or higher for the configuration it describes. That is not a universal requirement for every ARC setup, so check the TV and soundbar manuals before buying a replacement. Do not assume a new cable is necessary if the existing one already carries the required signal reliably.
Choose the digital audio format deliberately
The TV’s Digital audio out, Digital sound output, or similarly named setting determines whether the television decodes the incoming soundtrack, sends a compressed format onward, or uses an uncompressed PCM signal. The right choice depends on what the soundbar and the source can decode.
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| Setting | What it does | Use it when | Important limitation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Auto | Lets the TV choose a format it believes the connected system supports. | Your TV and soundbar negotiate formats correctly and you want supported surround formats without manual changes. | Some models choose a conservative format, and behavior varies by firmware. |
| Pass-through | Sends the source audio onward with minimal TV processing. | The soundbar or receiver should decode Dolby or DTS formats, and the TV explicitly supports pass-through. | An unsupported format can result in silence; some televisions offer this only for particular inputs or operating-system versions. |
| PCM | Converts audio to pulse-code modulation, a broadly compatible output. | You hear no sound with Auto or pass-through, or the soundbar does not support the broadcast’s Dolby/DTS format. | It can remove a compressed multichannel format before it reaches a system that could have decoded it. |
PCM is therefore a compatibility fallback, not a universally higher-quality choice. Sony warns that unsupported formats can produce no sound for some broadcasts or video. If PCM restores audio, leave it in place for a basic setup or consult both manuals to determine which format the devices share. For a soundbar that supports the source format, return to Auto or pass-through after troubleshooting.
On some Sony Android TV versions, the device-specific instructions use pass-through Auto for DTS. That example does not establish one best setting for every television. The format menu may also distinguish between built-in apps, an antenna tuner, HDMI sources, and optical output, so test the input that is actually silent.
Understand what ARC and eARC can carry
ARC (Audio Return Channel) sends television audio back through the HDMI cable that connects the TV’s ARC port to the soundbar. eARC is the newer version with greater bandwidth and support for additional high-quality formats. Both the television and the audio device must support the feature and the particular soundtrack.
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Sony describes eARC support for formats including Dolby Atmos with Dolby TrueHD, DTS:X, and multichannel LPCM, while noting that the TV and audio device must support eARC and the format. In Sony’s wording, “It adds support for the latest audio formats, such as Dolby Atmos® audio with Dolby TrueHD, DTS:X, or multi-channel LPCM, including those supported by the Audio Return Channel (ARC).” Treat this as a description of supported eARC-capable equipment, not a promise that every ARC television or soundbar can decode those formats.
If either device is ARC-only, the system will operate within ARC’s capabilities. If one device lacks ARC/eARC entirely, use another supported connection rather than trying to force the HDMI return channel.
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| Connection | Ports and wiring | Format handling | Control and volume | Sync considerations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HDMI eARC | TV HDMI eARC to soundbar HDMI eARC/ARC output. | Highest-capability return path when both devices and the content support the format; may carry formats such as Dolby TrueHD-based Atmos, DTS:X and multichannel LPCM on compatible systems. | HDMI-CEC can provide TV-remote volume and power control. | Usually convenient, but processing in the TV, soundbar or source can still introduce delay. |
| HDMI ARC | TV HDMI ARC to soundbar HDMI ARC output. | Works within the formats supported by both devices and the ARC implementation; do not assume eARC formats are available. | CEC-based control is available when both devices implement it correctly. | Check the TV’s sync controls if voices lag behind video. |
| Optical | TV optical output to soundbar optical input. | Use only formats supported by both manuals. Some televisions’ optical troubleshooting instructions select PCM. | CEC volume and power control are generally not provided through the optical cable; the soundbar remote may be required. | A different processing path can change delay, so verify synchronization after switching. |
Optical is a practical fallback when ARC/eARC is missing or cannot be activated. Connect the optical cable, choose Optical on the soundbar, and select the TV’s corresponding digital output mode. Because optical behavior and supported formats vary, follow the exact manuals for your models rather than assuming that every Dolby or DTS signal will pass.
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Follow this setup sequence
- Identify the ports. Read the labels on the TV and soundbar. Find HDMI ARC/eARC on both, or confirm that optical is available on both.
- Make one connection. For HDMI, connect the two labeled ARC/eARC ports. For optical, connect the TV optical output to the soundbar optical input. Avoid testing several cables and inputs at once.
- Select the soundbar source. Choose TV/ARC/eARC or Optical on the soundbar.
- Route the TV audio externally. In the TV sound menu, select Audio system or the equivalent external-speaker option.
- Enable control features. Turn on HDMI-CEC and ARC/eARC or TV Audio Input when the TV provides those switches.
- Start with a compatible format. Use Auto. If there is silence, try PCM. If the soundbar is known to decode the source format, try pass-through or Auto again after the connection is stable.
- Test more than one source. Play a built-in TV app, a broadcast, and an HDMI-connected device if available. A format supported by one source may not be supported by another.
- Confirm volume behavior. Raise the soundbar volume and check whether the TV remote changes it. If audio works but remote control does not, revisit the CEC settings.
Troubleshoot no sound in the shortest order
The soundbar display shows TV/ARC but remains silent
- Verify that the HDMI cable is in the TV’s ARC/eARC port, not a regular HDMI socket.
- Confirm that the opposite end is in the soundbar’s HDMI output labeled ARC/eARC.
- Set the TV speaker destination to Audio system and the soundbar input to TV/ARC.
- Enable HDMI-CEC and ARC/eARC, then restart both devices.
- Change Digital audio out to PCM. If PCM works, the earlier format was unsupported or mishandled.
The TV speakers still play
Changing Digital audio out does not redirect sound by itself. Reopen the speaker/output menu and select the external audio system. Some televisions automatically revert to internal speakers after a failed handshake or when the cable is removed.
Only one app, channel, or HDMI source is silent
That source may be delivering Dolby, DTS, or another format the TV-to-soundbar path cannot decode. Test PCM for that input, then inspect the source device’s audio setting. If an external player is connected directly to the soundbar, compare that arrangement with routing the player through the TV; the TV may be altering or blocking pass-through.
Optical works but HDMI does not
Use optical temporarily, then recheck the ARC/eARC port labels, CEC, TV Audio Input, and cable. Optical confirms that the soundbar can reproduce TV audio but does not prove the HDMI return-channel setup is correct.
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Fix audio and video that are out of sync
Do not change formats at random when the picture and sound are delayed. First determine whether the delay occurs with every source or only one app or device. TV and soundbar menus may include Audio delay, A/V sync, or a similar adjustment. Sony lists eARC and digital-output settings among model-specific delay troubleshooting steps and recommends trying an external source connected directly to the soundbar if the delay persists.
Connection topology matters: a player routed through the TV can be processed differently from a player connected directly to the soundbar. Test one arrangement at a time, keep the setting that produces synchronized dialogue, and record the value before changing it so you can undo the adjustment.
Check these model-specific limits before expecting surround sound
- Both the TV and soundbar must support ARC or eARC for the corresponding return-channel feature.
- The source device, TV app, broadcast, cable path and soundbar must all support the format you want.
- CEC naming and menu placement differ; look for the manufacturer’s HDMI-control name rather than searching only for “CEC.”
- Pass-through may be unavailable for certain TV inputs or operating-system versions.
- Firmware and regional models can change available format choices and menu labels.
- An HDMI cable suitable for basic ARC may not meet a particular eARC or high-bandwidth installation’s requirements; verify the specification in the manuals.
When a manual does not state support for a format or feature, treat it as unconfirmed. A soundbar can still provide clear stereo through PCM even when a more advanced surround configuration is not possible.
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