Only a handful of devices currently support eARC technology. In other words, you can enjoy rich, uncompressed audio without any jury-rigging or latency. HDMI eARC uses Ethernet technology to output at the same quality as the input. This can limit your sound quality regardless of whether or not you’re using HDMI ARC. Most modern televisions, even expensive ones, output compressed sound at lower quality than the input. HDMI eARC – the “e” stands for “enhanced” – is capable of 7.1-channel surround sound. The one major feature HDMI ARC doesn’t support is 7.1-channel surround sound. This will get you the best possible quality from your Blu-Ray discs or a modern game console. You get support for Dolby Atmos, Dolby Digital Plus, TrueHD, and DTS HD. HDMI ARC supports virtually any sound format. To get the most out of your powerful stereo system, you’re going to need an HDMI ARC connection.
The problem is that while optical cables are virtually immune to interference, they have a limited capacity.
Optical cable for soundbar full#
That’s quite the limitation for a more advanced soundbar, much less a full stereo system. Moreover, optical cables don’t even support TrueHD, DTS HD, or Dolby Digital Plus. But what if you’re an audio nut, and you use a 7.1-channel surround sound system? In that case, an optical cable isn’t going to get the job done. They support surround sound with up to 5.1 channels. In other words, before you buy a soundbar or A/V receiver, make sure it will work with your TV.įor most home entertainment systems, optical cables are going to get the job done. Since the signals are travelling on separate paths, the audio and the video might be out of sync. This might seem like a good workaround, but it’s actually not.
Optical cable for soundbar tv#
If your TV doesn’t support optical sound, you’ll need to run an optical cable directly from your source. For example, some soundbars don’t support HDMI sound. We shouldn’t have to mention this, but we will: make sure your equipment is compatible.
This makes them impervious to outside interference. However, they transmit the signal via light, rather than an electrical current. These are relatively expensive to manufacture. Optical cables, on the other hand, are made of fiber optic strands, which are made of glass. On the downside, it’s susceptible to electromagnetic interference. Copper is cheap, it’s easy to produce, and we’ve been manufacturing with it for centuries. HDMI cables are primarily made of copper, which is a standard material for any electronic cable. The main difference between HDMI and optical is in their material construction. But this shouldn’t be an issue, since you’ve already got video on your HD television. The only significant difference in terms of function is that an optical cable won’t transmit video. They both transmit multi-channel audio from one device to another. HDMI ARC and optical cables both share the same purpose. Which one is best? Here’s a quick overview.
Alternatively, you can use a fiber optic cable, usually referred to simply as optical. For that, you’ll need to use an HDMI ARC (Audio Return Channel) cable. So if your signal comes through your receiver and into your TV, it can’t run back out again. Specifically, standard HDMI doesn’t support two-way audio transmission. But when it comes to A/V receivers or soundbars, you can run into some issues. Thankfully, HDMI has taken on the role that coax used to occupy. Instead, we have a ton of accessories, like Blu-Ray players, game consoles, cable boxes, and A/V receivers. But we’re no longer technological cave men. In the olden days, when dinosaurs ruled the earth, a simple coaxial cable got the job done for all connections. Congratulations! But now it’s time to make all the connections, and you’ve got some decisions to make. So, you’ve just bought a new A/V receiver or soundbar.