To Control the Soundbar with the TV Remote, go to Settings → Sound Output. Next, select your soundbar and then close the Settings. You should be able to use the TV remote to change the volume and mute it. The soundbar should also turn on and off.
TV Remote Soundbar Mastery
If you are a new soundbar user and you are finding a way to make the controlling simpler of your TV and soundbar, then there is good news for you. You will be able to control both your TV and soundbar with just one remote. It is a good way to avoid dealing with many remotes and simplify your whole entertainment system.
OR, If you want to control your soundbar with your TV remote, then you just have to follow these steps:-
- Look for the ARC connection port on your TV and soundbar.
- Connect the HDMI or optical cable to each
- Start the TV & soundbar
- Troubleshoot and Test Any Connection Problems
- Adjust and optimize your sound to improve it.
The process of connecting and controlling your soundbar with your TV remote mostly depends on the brand of your TV. You have to follow different ways to connect your soundbar for different TV brands. In this article, you will get to know that what you have to do to command a soundbar with your TV remote.
Find the Optical or HDMI ARC Connection on both the Soundbar and TV
Firstly you have to check out your TV and soundbar to see the type of inputs you have available. The best way to connect is HDMI ARC. Now many TVs and soundbars come with this feature. If you don’t have HDMI ARC available, then you can look for a digital optical cable connection. It is really a good option.
If your TV and soundbar have both possibilities, you may be confused about which one you should use. You do not have to consider much you can use any of them. After you decide which one you are going to use, you just have to follow the instructions below.
If you will connect your TV and soundbar via HDMI ARC, you have to connect your soundbar’s ‘HDMI OUT’ or ‘HDMI OUT’ to the ‘HDMI IN (ARC)’ on your TV.
Again if you want to connect your TV and soundbar by Using a Digital Fiber Optical Cable, or you can call it just optical cable. Then you have to find out the ‘DIGITAL AUDIO OUT (OPTICAL)’ or ‘DIGITAL OPTICAL OUT’ on your Television and also the ‘DIGITAL AUDIO IN (OPTICAL)’ or ‘OPTICAL IN’ on your soundbar.
Connect an Optical or HDMI Cable to Each Device
Whether you are using HDMI ARC or an optical connection, you might need the right cables. The soundbar manufacturer might provide you with the correct cable. You just have to plug those cables in the right port.
And if you have an old HDMI Arc cable and a question had come to your mind, can you use the cable? And the answer is yes. Any HDMI cable with the 2.0 standard or more upgraded will work well. But some options on Amazon reassuringly call out the ARC capability right in the listing, like the AmazonBasics Premium HDMI Cable (on Amazon).
- IN THE BOX: 10-foot flexible, lightweight HDMI cable; black
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- DEVICE COMPATIBILITY: Blu-Ray players, computers, Apple TV, Roku, cable, PS4, Xbox One, and other HDMI-compatible devices
- SUPPORTS: Ethernet, 3D, 4K HDR and ARC (4K@60Hz, 18Gbps)
- DURABLE DESIGN: Solid copper conductors and full metal jacket shielding for strength and high-performance connectivity
When you use an optical cable, you have to make sure that the small plastic caps on the ends are taken off. Then you have to keep pushing each side into the TV and soundbar tightly till you hear or feel a click. But do not have any optical cable, or if the fiber optics in your cable have been damaged, you can easily get a cable like the iVANKY Optical Cable Digital Audio Cable for Home Theater for a reasonable price.
- 【Unparalleled Sound Quality】iVANKY digital optical audio cable adopts Japan Toray Original Fiber Core for zero distortion Lossless Audio. This Toslink cable compatible with uncompressed PCM audio and compressed 5.1 to 7.1 surround sound systems including Dolby Digital Plus, DTS-HD High Resolution and LPCM, delivering stunning sound with wide dynamic range to your living room
- 【For Immersive Sound Experience】iVANKY optical audio cable allows you to connect soundbars and home theatres to TVs/PS4/Xbox/Blu-Ray Players, and more devices with standard Toslink (s/PDIF, Optical) ports.Spatial audio places sounds all around you to create a three-dimensional listening experience for music, TV shows, movies, and more
- 【Ultra Durability】Unlike conventional PVC jackets, the optical cord for soundbar with quality nylon braided jacket withstands over 15,000 bends, not easily broken anymore. Aluminum shell and gold-plated connector won't tarnish and decrease conductivity over time
- 【Considerate Design】Precisely designed cuboid connectors make this digital audio optical cable easier to identify the installation angle and fits snugly. Carefully-chosen nylon material is flexible and lightweight, CL3-rated. Removable rubber caps can prevent dust and oxidation when not plugged in
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Turn the TV and Soundbar On
After connecting your soundbar with your TV via an HDMI ARC or optical connection, you have to turn them on. You can turn on your devices by using its own remote or by using the buttons on the devices themselves.
Test and Troubleshoot Any Connection Issues
When Using HDMI ARC:
An HDMI ARC connection makes it simpler to control your soundbar from your TV remote. After connecting your soundbar with your TV via HDMI ARC cable, you will be able to hear your TV’s Sound through your soundbar.
But in fact, if you do not hear any sound, then you have to make some settings. You have to turn off your TV speaker from your TV’s Sound or audio settings. You will also see an option for “HDMI Arc” or something else like this on that settings. Select that option and give your TV the command to route the audio channel through the soundbar.
When Using Optical:
When you use an optical cable to connect your soundbar with your TV, there’s a little possibility that the Television will know to use the soundbar automatically. So you likely have to find the right settings and set everything up.
Now you have to find the ‘Source’ or ‘Input’ button by using your soundbar’s remote. Look at the display on your soundbar and set the input to ‘OPTICAL’ or an abbreviated version such as ‘OPT.’
Adjust and Optimize Your Sound
After successfully connecting everything and adjusting all the settings, now you have to adjust the soundbar’s volume to optimize the Sound. You have to control it from your TV.
Firstly, you have to start the process by turning the volume of the soundbar down by using your soundbar’s remote. Then play audio in different sound settings to find the best settings for you.
If you want to find a range to use the TV remote for the volume most of the time, you have to set the soundbar somewhere between 50-80% of its maximum volume output.
Controlling a Soundbar With a TV Remote – Instructions by TV Brand
The mentioned instructions above are a general way to connect your devices and control your soundbar with your TV. But many TVs from different manufacturers come with different ways of connection. Here you can find some instructions for different TV manufacturers; you can find your listed brand and follow the instructions.
Samsung
You can connect your TV and soundbar using an optical digital or HDMI ARC connection. To do this, you must use the appropriate cable and change the input of the soundbar to “D.IN”
Use a digital optical connection to the soundbar from your Samsung TV. You can hold the left direction on the Samsung TV remote’s direction pad to activate or deactivate Auto Power Link. This feature only works with an optical connection. Make sure that you have changed the TV’s audio output settings so that you can control your soundbar by your TV remote.
But use an HDMI ARC connection. The source of your soundbar will automatically change to TV ARC, and you will be able to use the TV remote’s right direction on the direction pad to activate/deactivate Anynet+. This feature only works with an HDMI ARC connection.
You can get more information on Samsung support.
LG
If you have an LG TV. You can connect your soundbar with your TV in many ways. Such as you can Sound Sync via Bluetooth, a digital optical connection, or an HDMI ARC connection. Moreover, LG TVs also come with Magic Remote.
If you want to use the Bluetooth wireless connection, you have to follow the given instructions:-
- Go to TV settings
- Then find the sound section
- Then select the Sound Out
- At last, you have to click on LG Sound Sync (Wireless).
After doing these, The Device Selection button will appear and look for your soundbar. So make sure that the Bluetooth of your soundbar is turned on. Then select your soundbar and pair them.
If you want to connect via the digital optical and HDMI ARC connection, the process is also the same. You’ll use the Sound> Sound Out area to change the output to HDMI or optical.
You can get more information by visiting LG support.
VIZIO
VIZIO TVs also use the same process as the instructions above to connect your soundbar with the TV through an optical or HDMI connection. The port for an optical connection on the VIZIO TV may be called ‘S/PDIF,’ and for an HDMI ARC connection, use ‘HDMI 1’, which is the ARC port.
When you use the HDMI ARC, your TV may automatically recognize your connection after inserting the cable. If it won’t, then you have to do it manually. For this, you use the menu on your VIZIO remote and go to System > CEC, then change the setting to ‘Disabled,’ ‘Enabled,’ or ‘ARC only,’ whatever you wish.
You can get more information by visiting VIZIO support.
Sony
You can easily connect your soundbar by using both the HDMI ARC connection and an optical digital audio cable. The setup process is also the same as the instructions listed above. When you will switch the audio output setting, make sure you select ‘Audio System’ for all setups.
One important thing you should know that Sony support said that when using an optical cable, you will not be able to manage functions that require an HDMI connection like power interlock and volume with the remote of your TV.
You can get more information by visiting Sony support.
Hitachi
Hitachi is a very well-known electronic manufacturer. They are well known because of their low-priced smart TVs. These TVs also come with Roku TV built-in. You can connect your soundbar to a Hitachi Roku TV and use your Roku remote to control all of your TV and media devices.
But if you want to use the HDMI ARC connection, you have to go to TV settings > Audio > Audio Preferences. And set ‘Audio Mode’ to ‘Auto (DTS)’ to connect to your soundbar automatically. You also have to select ‘Auto-detect’ in the S/PDIF and ARC settings.
After doing all these, you have to go back to ‘System’ on the main settings menu, then go to ‘CEC’ and click the checkboxes for HDMI ARC to give your Roku remote the ability to control your soundbar.
You can get more information by visiting Hitachi support.
Panasonic
Panasonic TVs are also able to connect to your soundbar for controls via the HDMI or digital optical connection. When you use the HDMI connection, you’ll find the ‘HDMI2 (ARC)’ input on your Panasonic TV. Fortunately, an app in Panasonic TV allows you to easily switch between your TV’s speakers and soundbar for audio if you connect via HDMI ARC.
But if you want to use the optical connection, the setup will be the same as above. You have to connect both your devices by an optical cable, and then you have to go to the TV settings, turn off the TV speaker, and change the source to ‘Optical.’
You can get more information by visiting Panasonic’s support page.
TCL
Most of the TCL TVs are compatible with the HDMI ARC connection. So you can use this connection for connecting and controlling your soundbar with a TCL TV remote. You should use a high-speed HDMI cable that supports ARC and CEC control.
After connecting HDMI ARC, you have to set everything up. For this, you have to go to Home > Settings > System > Control other devices (CEC) > HDMI ARC and Select the button to enable ‘HDMI ARC.’ Moreover, you also have to disable ‘System audio’ by unchecking the box by this feature.
You can get more information by visiting TCL support.
Hisense
Most of the TCL TVs are compatible with the HDMI ARC connection. So you can use this connection to connect and control your soundbar; you can control your soundbar from your Hisense TV. You just have to connect your soundbar with your TV by using an HDMI-certified High-Speed 2.0 cable. Then go to your TV Settings > Sound > Speakers > ARC and turn off your TV’s speaker, and enable HDMI ARC.
To enjoy the best quality audio, you can also change the ‘Digital Audio Out.’ Go to Settings > Sound > Advanced Settings > Digital Audio Out > Dolby Digital Plus, and then connect using an optical cable.
You can get more information on the Nakamichi Help Desk.
Conclusion
After reading this article now, you know that controlling your soundbar with your TV remote is not a hard task. You just have to connect your TV with the soundbar and adjust your settings and Sound as necessary. Among the optical connection and HDMI ARC connection, the HDMI ARC connection is the easiest way to do it.
-our editorial board has reviewed this article and has been approved for publication according to our editorial policy.
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Last update on 2025-02-09
