Hey guys can just explain to me how should by soundbar be connected ti my TV. So i have a LG 65 4k snart TV a sound bar android box, unifi and astro. Right now the tv is connected to the soundbar via optical. And other sources to the tv via hdmi. Should i do it this way or connect everything to the soundbar via hdmi and the soundbar to the tv via hdmi arc?

my lg tv to my lg soundbar using ARC

the your other source like astro all you connect to the TV or the soundbar?

astro/bluray/player > (hdmi) > soundbar > (hdmi) > tv

Thanks. I dont need to use the optical fibre of my soundbar is it?

You don't need to use digital optical cable. All you need are HDMI cables. Connect your TV (HDMI ARC) to soundbar (HMDI Out/ARC). Then connect your Astro/blu-ray/TV box to soundbar (HDMI In).

You do not need optical anymore.

Connect the TV's HDMI (ARC) to soundbar (HDMI), by doing so TV sound will be sent to soundbar automatically when u use ARC - Audio Return Channel.

For the rest of devices, you have 2 options
1. Connect them to soundbar (HDMI), video will be sent to TV via the existing HDMI ARC connection.
2. Connect them to TV's HDMI, TV will output the sound if you do not turn on soundbar.

HDMI can send video and audio signal.

my astro to the soundbar

Thanks for the clarification

Off topic, does the hdmi arc (2) any different with hdmi 1 and 3?

1 & 3 no ARC

this is the correct setup

I thought the main reason why people use ARC because they don't have enough HDMI -IN ports in the soundbar/ avr / HTIB

So they depends on their TV multiple HDMI in and return output audio channel to the audio system (soundbar/avr /HTIB) via only 1 HDMI Out

It should be like this instead

astro/bluray player/PS4/HyppTv/android box/AppleTV > (ARC hdmi in) > tv > (ARC hdmi out) > soundbar (HDMI in)

This post has been edited by chokia: May 20 2017, 05:44 PM

Yes except, ARC doesn't always work.

Also, not all TVs can passthrough DTS and DD with ARC either.

ARC is a stupid piece of technology that on paper should have rectified complexity in connections. Too bad it didn't and never will.

Exactly, TS uses soundbar btw, so can forget about those lossless or even surround sound.

There are soundbars that can decode lossless codecs. Surround sound may not be possible (TS didn't state what soundbar he/she using), but using a lossless source can lead to an improvement in sound quality, generally speaking.

and there's only 1 ARC connection...how to connect few devices to it ?

Some ways to connect...

Option 1
astro/bluray player/PS4/HyppTv/android box/AppleTV (hdmi out) > tv (hdmi in)...tv (spdif out) > soundbar (spdif in)

Option 2
astro/bluray player/PS4/HyppTv/android box/AppleTV (hdmi out) > tv (hdmi in)... tv (hdmi out) > soundbar (hdmi in)

Option 3 (may not work)
astro/bluray player/PS4/HyppTv/android box/AppleTV (hdmi out) > tv (hdmi in)... tv (hdmi in ARC) > soundbar (hdmi in)

Option 4 (may not work)
astro/bluray player/PS4/HyppTv/android box/AppleTV (hdmi out) > tv (hdmi in)... tv (hdmi in ARC) > soundbar (hdmi out ARC)

Option 5 (tv cannot play to soundbar)
astro/bluray player/PS4/HyppTv/android box/AppleTV (hdmi out) > soundbar (hdmi in)... soundbar (hdmi out) > tv (hdmi in)

Option 5a
astro/bluray player/PS4/HyppTv/android box/AppleTV (hdmi out) > soundbar (hdmi in)... soundbar (hdmi out) > tv (hdmi in). Tv (spdif out) > soundbar (spdif in)

Option 5b
astro/bluray player/PS4/HyppTv/android box/AppleTV (hdmi out) > soundbar (hdmi in)... soundbar (hdmi out) > tv (hdmi in). Tv (hdmi out) > soundbar (hdmi in)

Option 6
astro/bluray player/PS4/HyppTv/android box/AppleTV (hdmi out) > soundbar (hdmi in)... soundbar (hdmi out ARC) > tv (hdmi in ARC)

...then there's mix of source hdmi connections to both tv & soundbar...

Hi, Yes this is an old thread but I could use some help.

I'm going to get a soundbar with HDMI ARC. What I want is to only use the my Astro remote. Nothing else. I've programmed my Astro remote to link to my Panasonic TV, so I can change sources and control the volume.

My Panasonic TV has 3 HDMI ports. I'm only using 2. One for chromecast and the other for Astro.
Now - Do I connect the unused HDMI port to the soundbar? Will sound always travel to the soundbar even though that input is not selected? And can I still use the same astro remote to set the volume?

Don't fully get how this ARC works.

Thanks in advance!

Make sure the unused HDMI port supports ARC, as normally TV only has 1 dedicated HDMI port that supports ARC and the other HDMI ports are just input only.
Check your TV manual which HDMI ports supports ARC

The HDMI ARC support need to be enabled from the configuration of your TV on the specific ARC supported HDMI port and your external audio receiver as well. Also most of the times it is required to enable the TV CEC support.

However there is no advantage of using HDMI ARC other than 1 less connection from TV to the audio receiver. Even though it is a HDMI connection, it can't pass through the high definition audio such as DTS-HD MA, Dolby TrueHD etc. So no different from using Optical output.

true in terms of sound quality - you're right. Not any different from optical.

But convenience - yes. I only need to use the TV remote and still see the TV volume bars on the screen.

Won't get this with optical...

thanks - I'll check this.

That's CEC functionality and not ARC..

Ahh..thanks.

Not sure about astro remote set volume, but if your soundbar got the HDMI Output with ARC, then connect this port to your TV HDMI INPUT (ARC), then when you watching astro, and on soundbar your astro sound will be sent to soundbar via the ARC (TV no more astro sound).


The ARC is just an extra bonus, we just need one connection from AV receiver/Soundbar to TV, then we can have sound from TV (Analog TV programs, Astro) to be output to soundbar (of course you wont be getting HD Audio like DTS HDMA, Dobly True HD). Furthermore TV programs or Astro do not have HD Audio at all.

You can only getting HD Audio from the HD Movies (Bluray, Bluray ISO, 1080p, remux), so just connect your HD player to AV Receiver/Soundbar then you can get the uncompressed HD audio (provided your av receiver/soundbar supported that particular HD Audio).

Parking for reference

I just bought Sony HT-CT800 sound bar and connected it to my Panasonic CX600 smart tv via both HDMI ARC ports and to TB box via HDMI port on sound bar.

I've got 2 problems:

1. Whenever I turn off TV box or TV, sound bar is still on and doesn't go to standby. I've checked the sound bar settings page and have set standby settings to auto. Any idea why sound bar cannot be on standby or turn off?

2. Whenever I play YouTube on my smart tv, the sound comes out from my tv speaker and none from my sound bar. But for my tvbox, sound comes out from sound bar instead of tv speaker.

Any idea how to some these 2 issues?

This post has been edited by jutamind: Nov 3 2017, 10:23 PM

Managed to solve both issues by simply change the sound origins in tv from TV sound profile to Home Cinema sound profile

why when i off my tv... my home theater system automatic go mute...

when i unmute also no sound. but if i on and off it will have sound back.

panasonic tv, sony home theater with ARC only

anyone?