Five Ways to Connect Your TV to an External Audio System
A better alternative to a TV’s internal speakers is to connect the set to an external sound system. Depending on the brand or model of TV, there are up to five options that allow you to send audio from a TV antenna, cable box, or streaming device to an external sound system, such as a soundbar, home-theater-in-a-box system, or a stereo receiver or home theater receiver.
RCA
The most basic option for improving TV listening is to connect a TV’s analog stereo outputs (also known as RCA outputs) to an available external audio system.
Here are the basic steps:
Connect RCA cables to the analog audio output of the TV. Connect the other ends of the RCA cables to a set of available corresponding analog audio inputs on a soundbar, home-theater-in-a-box system, stereo receiver, home theater receiver, or powered speakers. Once everything is plugged in, turn on the soundbar, receiver, or whatever audio device you are using, then follow your TVs external audio setup instructions. Select the input on your audio system that the TV is connected to in order to hear the sound. The RCA connection outputs send a two-channel stereo output from the TV to the external audio system.
If using the analog connection option with a soundbar, check to see if the soundbar has any audio enhancement capabilities, such as virtual surround sound that can expand the soundstage for a more immersive listening experience. If connected to a home-theater-in-a-box or home theater receiver, check for additional audio settings, such as Dolby Prologic II/IIx or DTS Neo:6. If so, then you will still be able to extract a surround sound signal from the stereo input signal.
Digital Optical
A better option for sending audio from your TV to an external audio system is the digital optical audio output connection.
Connect a digital optical cable to the digital optical output on your TV. Connect the other end of the cable to a corresponding digital optical input on a soundbar, home-theater-in-a-box system, or home theater receiver. After connecting the cable follow your TV’s and audio system’s setup procedures. Select the digital optical input as your source to hear the sound. Depending on the brand/model of your TV, this option may not only provide a two-channel stereo signal but also a two or 5. 1 channel undecoded audio signal. A growing number of TV programs are broadcast or streamed in Dolby Digital (either 2 or 5. 1 channels), and some signals may also contain a DTS 2. 0+ encoded signal. If you find that you are not hearing any sound on your external audio system coming from the TV using the digital optical connection, go into your TV’s audio output settings and check for an option referred to as PCM. This may correct the problem. This occurs with some soundbars that may have a digital optical audio input option but no onboard Dolby Digital or DTS 2. 0+ decoding capability.
HDMI-ARC
Another way to access audio from your TV is with Audio Return Channel (ARC). To take advantage of this option, you have to have a TV with an HDMI connection input that is labeled HDMI-ARC.
This feature allows the transfer of the audio signal originating from the TV back to an HDMI-ARC equipped soundbar, home-theater-in-a-box system, or home theater receiver without having to make a separate digital or analog audio connection from the TV to the audio system.
Here’s how it works: The same cable that connects to the TV’s HDMI input (the one labeled HDMI-ARC) receives as well as transmits audio between the TV and the soundbar or home theater receiver. That means you don’t have to make a separate audio connection between the TV and soundbar or home theater receiver, cutting down on cable clutter.
In order to take advantage of Audio Return Channel, both your TV and home theater receiver or soundbar have to be ARC-compatible, and they have to be activated (check your TV and audio system setup procedures).
Bluetooth
Another way to send audio from your TV to an external audio system is via Bluetooth. The main advantage here is that it is wireless. There is no cable required to get sound from the TV to the compatible audio system.
However, this feature is available on a limited number of TVs, mostly select TVs from Samsung (Sound Share) and LG (Sound Sync). Also, the Samsung and LG Bluetooth options are not interchangeable. In other words, for Samsung TVs that are Bluetooth-compatible, you may need to have a similarly-equipped Samsung soundbar; the same goes for LG.
Although the menu and setup steps vary from model to model, here are the basics:
Turn on both your TV and the compatible Bluetooth-enabled speaker, soundbar, audio system, or headphones. If your TV doesn’t have Bluetooth built-in, add a Bluetooth adapter to your TV. Go into your TV’s audio setup menu, select Bluetooth and start the pairing process. Wait for confirmation that the TV and sound system are paired.
WiSA
Although Bluetooth is wireless, LG now offers another way to connect a TV to a wireless speaker system with its line of select WiSA-ready OLED and NanoCell LED/LCD TVs.
Partnering with WiSA (Wireless Speaker and Audio Association), select LG TVs have built-in firmware that communicates with a special plug-in USB dongle that looks like a flash drive. The dongle allows the TV to send sound wirelessly to one or more compatible wireless speakers or audio system.
In order for the speakers to work, they have to be certified by WiSA. Compatible speakers are made by Bang & Olufsen, Klipsch, Polk Audio, Enclave, and Axiim.
Once the wireless dongle is plugged in and the speaker(s) turned on, navigate to the LG TV’s audio setup menu and select Sound Out > WiSA Speakers. To perform any additional setup, go to Device List > WiSA Speakers.
The Problem With TV Speakers
All TVs have built-in speakers. However, with LCD, Plasma, and OLED TVs, the problem is not only how to fit speakers inside thin cabinets, but how to make them actually sound good.
Speakers need space to push enough air to produce quality sound. Today’s TVs obviously don’t have much internal room to produce sound, so the audio always ends up sounding flat and lifeless.
Some TV manufacturers have made efforts to improve the sound on their speakers, but they often fall short. When shopping, check for audio enhancement features, such as DTS Studio Sound, Virtual Surround, or Dialog Enhancement and Volume Leveling. LG incorporates a built-in soundbar on some of its OLED TVs, and Sony features Acoustic Surface technology in their OLED sets, allowing the TV screen to produce sound without speakers.
The Bottom Line
You don’t have to suffer the thin sound of built-in TV speakers. Using one of the five options above, you can elevate your audio experience for TV shows, streaming content, music, or any other media routed through your TV.
If you have a cable/satellite box, Blu-ray/DVD player, or another external source device, and you have an external audio system, such as soundbar, home-theater-in-a-box system, or home theater receiver, it is best to connect the audio output of those source devices directly to your external audio system. Connect your TV to an external audio system for audio sources that originate from or must pass through your TV internally, such as over-the-air broadcasts. If you have a Smart TV, connect audio from streaming content, using one of the above options that you may have access to.
