Want to build a theater-like setup in your house? TCL Smart TV users can connect a soundbar to their TVs and watch their favorite content on TV with next-level sound in their house. Soundbars are designed to amplify your audio experience and provide you with the preferred bass. By establishing a connection between these two devices, you can look forward to the best sound system in your living room.
You can connect a compatible soundbar to your TCL TVs running on OS, such as Roku, Android, Google, and Fire TV, either using a wired or a wireless connection based on your preference. The primary method involves using an HDMI cable to initiate the connection. Apart from this, you can connect the soundbar to your TV via an optical cable, AV adapter, and Bluetooth.
Through this guide, you will learn every possible way to connect a Soundbar to a TCL Smart TV. Moreover, you can get to know the soundbars that are compatible with your TCL TV to make a suitable purchase.
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How to Connect Soundbar to TCL TV With HDMI
Many TCL Smart TVs have the ARC feature, which helps connect a soundbar to your TCL TV using a HDMI cable. The simplest way to connect soundbars to TCL TV is through the HDMI cable. However, there will be a significant difference between how you can connect the soundbar to TCL Roku TV and other TCL smart TVs.
Connect the Soundbar to Other TCL Smart TVs via HDMI Cable
To establish a connection between the soundbar and other TCL smart TVs, you need to use an HDMI cable using the following step-by-step instructions. Also, enable the HDMI eARC to enable your TV to send audio signals to your soundbar so that you can get the best entertainment with perfect audio.
1. Power on your TCL TV and make sure your soundbar is also turned on.
2. Find the HDMI (ARC) port on your TCL TV and plug one end of your HDMI cable into that HDMI IN port on your TV.
3. Now, plug the other end of your HDMI cable into the HDMI OUT port on your soundbar.
4. Press the Input or Source button on the TV remote to display all available inputs on the TV screen.
5. Use your remote to select the HDMI ARC input from the source list.
6. Once connected, there will be a pop on your TV screen confirming the soundbar is automatically connected to your TV. The message ‘Audio device connected’ will appear on your TV.
7. Navigate to Settings on your TCL TV screen.
8. Scroll down and choose the Channels option.
9. Tap on the Inputs option and select the eARC mode.
10. Select the toggle next to the option to enable HDMI eARC.
Note: For connecting the soundbar to the HDMI ARC port, you should use an HDMI cable version 1.4 or above. On the other hand, you will need an HDMI cable version 2.1 or above.
Now, you’ll be able to play any streaming content with perfect sound on your TV.
Connect Soundbar to TCL Roku TV via HDMI Cable
If you want to connect your TCL Roku TV to a CEC-compatible soundbar, get started with the below-given steps.
1. Confirm that your TCL Roku TV and the soundbar are turned on.
2. Plug one end of the high-speed HDMI cable into the HDMI ARC port of the TV and the other end to the HDMI port on the soundbar.
3. Press the Home button on the screen to launch the TCL Roku TV home screen.
4. Scroll down and choose the Settings option from the left menu.
5. Move to System and find the Control other devices (CEC) option.
6. Highlight the option and hit the right arrow button on the remote.
7. Tap on the Search for CEC devices to let your TV scan for CEC devices that are connected to your TV.
8. Make sure your soundbar is under the list of the connected CEC devices.
9. Now, head back to Control other devices (CEC) and press the right arrow button on the option.
10. Choose the ARC (HDMI) option to enable your soundbar to play the audio for the content displayed on your TV.
After completing the above procedure, you can watch any video with high audio quality on your TV.
How to Make TCL TV to Recognize the Soundbar
After plugging the HDMI cable into your soundbar or your TV, the soundbar will work well with your TV in some cases. If your TCL TV cannot recognize the soundbar, you should use the (Control other devices (CEC) feature in the TV to help your TV discover your soundbar. Navigate to the Control other devices option under the Settings menu and select Search for CEC devices. Your TV will scan and display the list of CEC devices that are connected to your TCL TV. You can check and confirm whether your soundbar is found under the list. If the list is longer, press * on the TV remote to view the entire list of CEC devices that are connected to your TV.
How to Connect Soundbar to TCL TV Without HDMI
While HDMI cables can transfer high-quality audio for 7.1 surround systems, there are a few alternatives you can consider to connect the soundbar to your TCL TV.
Using Optical Cable
Older TCL TV models may not have an HDMI port. In such a case, you can use an optical cable to connect the soundbar to your TCL TV.
1. Connect one end of the optic cable to your TL TV and the other end to the soundbar.
2. Go to Settings on the TCL Roku TV and select the Audio setting.
3. Tap on the S/PDIF and ARC option and pick PCM-Stereo.
Using this method, you can listen to the audio from the soundbar when connected to your TV.
Note: If you’re using TCL Android TV, you should go to Settings and choose Sound → Expert Settings → Audio output mode → Optical Out to connect the soundbar to your TV via optical cable.
Using Bluetooth
If you want to go for a wireless connection, you can connect the soundbar to your TCL TV using Bluetooth. For that, you need to first turn on the Bluetooth feature on your soundbar. To do that,
1. Switch on your soundbar and locate the function button on the device.
2. Press and hold the button until the Bluetooth light flashes.
You have now enabled the Bluetooth function on the soundbar. Now, we can start the pairing process. However, the pairing process will differ based on your TCL TV OS.
On TCL Roku TV
1. Move to the TCL TV home screen and choose the Settings option from the left pane.
2. Choose the Network and connection setting from the list of other options.
3. Select Bluetooth and enable the feature. Your TV will now scan for nearby available devices.
4. Now, choose your soundbar and wait till it connects to your TV.
5. Finally, confirm the pairing process when prompted.
On other TCL Smart TVs
1. Press the Home button on the TV remote control to go to the home screen.
2. Head to the Settings menu and scroll to Remote & accessories.
3. Tap on the Add Accessory option and select your soundbar.
After pairing the soundbar to TCL TV, you can watch any content on your TV with high-quality audio.
Using AV Adapter
You can also use AV cables to connect the soundbar to your TV. AV cables connect directly to your TV and soundbar firmly without leaving any loose ends. If you don’t have AV ports, you can use an AV adapter to connect the soundbar to your TV.
1. Use the RCA connectors to plug in the AV adapter to the back of your TCL TV.
2. Similarly, connect the adapter to your soundbar.
3. After turning on both these devices, check if you can hear the audio from the soundbar when connected to your TV.
TCL TV Compatible Soundbar
Before connecting a soundbar to your TCL TV, you need to make sure the device is compatible with your TV. Here are some of the popular brands that offer compatible soundbars in the market.
Soundbar Brand | Soundbar Model | Connectivity Options |
---|---|---|
TCL | TCL Alto 9+ TCL Alto 7+ TCL Alto 6 TCL Alto 6+ TCL Alto 8+ | HDMI ARC, Optical, Aux, USB, Bluetooth HDMI ARC, Optical, USB, Aux, Bluetooth HDMI ARC, Aux, USB, Optical, Bluetooth HDMI ARC, Optical, USB, Aux HDMI, HDMI eARC, USB, Optical, Bluetooth 5.0 |
Sony | Sony HT-S350 | HDMI ARC, Optical, Bluetooth |
Sonos Beam | Sonos Beam Soundbar | HDMI ARC |
PHEANOO | PHEANOO 2.1 CH Soundbar | HDMI, Optical, AUX, Bluetooth |
LG | LG Sound Bar SN5Y | HDMI ARC, Optical, Bluetooth |
What To Do If Your TCL TV Won’t Recognize Soundbar
At times, your TCL TV may fail to recognize your soundbar even though the device is compatible with your TV.
- Check the connections and make sure the cables are connected firmly to your TV and soundbar.
- Adjust the soundbar settings in such a way that your TV can recognize your soundbar easily.
- Restart your TCL TV to fix any temporary bugs in the TV and enable your TV to discover the soundbar.
- Contact TCL Customer Support for further assistance if you still can’t resolve the issue.
FAQ
Yes, you can use a 3.5mm AUX cable to connect the soundbar to your TCL Smart TV via analog audio output.
Yes, you can connect a Samsung soundbar to a TCL TV via HDMI ARC.
If there are audio delays or sync errors on your TCL soundbar, you can turn off and on your soundbar and the TV to fix the problem. Make sure you’ve selected the right source on your TV. Also, update your TCL TV firmware and the soundbar software
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