I own a Vizio SmartCast TV and have used a variety of soundbars with it. Depending upon the model and make, I connect the soundbar to my Vizio TV through HDMI, optical, AUX Cables, Bluetooth, and others. I have never used an adapter, as my Vizio TV comes with all the above-said connection ports built-in. After connecting both devices, I needed to enable the Setting for that particular connection port and start hearing the media being played on my TV.
Meanwhile, if you are a new Vizio Smart TV user and have not yet explored the multiple ways to connect it to a soundbar, then go through this article. Here, I’ve explained all the ways to connect a soundbar to a Vizio TV and the troubleshooting solutions if it doesn’t work.
Ways to Connect a Soundbar to Vizio TV
As I mentioned earlier, soundbars and Vizio TVs can be connected using wired and wireless methods: HDMI, Bluetooth, WIFI, optical, auxiliary, coaxial, and RCA cables. Choose a preferred method depending on the availability of the connection ports and jump to the exact procedure.
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Connect Soundbar to Vizio TV using HDMI Cable
The best way to connect a soundbar to your Vizio TV is via a HDMI Cable. HDMI cable transfers Audio and other media files in uncompressed form and original quality. Before trying to use this method, make sure your Vizio TV model has a HDMI ARC port. It looks similar to the picture I’ve shared below. After this,
1. Locate the HDMI ARC port on your Vizio TV, which is provided at the back of most TV models.
2. Hook one end of the HDMI cable to the HDMI ARC port of your Vizio TV.
3. Insert the other end of the cable into your soundbar.
4. After this, turn on your Vizio TV and your soundbar.
5. Now, go to Vizio Settings and click on the Audio option.
6. In that, select Digital Audio Out and set it to Digital.
Tip! Soundbars with Dolby Atmos or DTS:X work well with eARC-featured Vizio TV models. In these models, you need to enable the eARC option separately, which can be found under the Audio section.
7. Afterward, go to System under the same Settings screen and turn on/enable CEC. Followingly, select the Discovery option provided just below CEC.
Now, your soundbar will get connected to your Vizio TV via HDMI cable. Now, you can control the volume levels of your soundbar using your Vizio TV remote itself and listen to any media file.
Connecting Soundbar to Vizio TV via Bluetooth
As most soundbar comes with Bluetooth feature, you can pair it with your Vizio TV wirelessly and start listening. Here’s how we do it.
1. Power on your Vizio TV and your soundbar.
2. Press the Bluetooth button on your soundbar and put that into pairing mode.
3. After this, press the Settings button on your TV remote and go to its Settings.
4. In that, navigate to the Bluetooth Headphones option and select it. Now, your TV displays all the available Bluetooth devices.
5. Since you are pairing your Sounbars for the first time, go to the Other Devices option, select your soundbar, and pair it with it.
After a successful pairing, you can start listening to music or any media through your soundbar.
Pair Soundbar to Vizio TV Using Optical Cable
The quality of sound coming off of these cables isn’t as great as that of HDMI cables. But you can still use this method as a reliable alternative. Most Vizio TV models have an optical port, which looks like the image shown below.
1. After identifying the Optical port, connect one end of the optical wire to it.
2. Connect the other end to your Soundbar.
3. Now, turn on both devices and go to the Settings of your Vizio TV.
4. After this, click on Audio and set Digital Audio Out to PCM.
5. Also, enable Stereo Sound under the same Audio section.
Now, play any songs on your Vizio TV and hear them through your soundbar.
Connect Soundbar to Vizio TV With AUX Cable
Among all the methods, this one is the easiest as you require just a single AUX or Audio wire. The AUX port on your Vizio TV is located in the same region as the other connection ports. After locating the port,
1. Connect one end of the AUX wire to your Vizio TV and the other end to your soundbar.
2. Now, turn on both devices.
3. After a few seconds, your Vizio TV will detect your soundbar and establish a connection with it.
4. Now, start playing audio using your soundbar.
Pair Soundbar to Vizio TV Using Coaxial Cable
This method only works if both devices have a Coaxial input. The coaxial cable looks like the one shown below. To connect both devices using this method,
1. Locate the Coaxial port on your Vizio TV and insert one end of the wire to your TV.
2. Insert the other end to your soundbar.
3. After this, turn on both devices and click on the Input option provided on your TV remote.
4. Choose coaxial and change the input on your Vizio TV.
5. After this, you can play and enjoy music on your soundbar.
NOTE: This method is mostly used to watch TV using a wireless Antenna.
Connect Soundbar to Vizio TV Using RCA Cables
Connecting via RCA cables is quite outdated and the sound quality via these methods is very average. If you have no idea what an RCA cable looks like, take the reference below. To connect both devices using these cables.
1. Locate the RCA cable connection ports at the back of your TV.
2. As these wires come in color codes, connect the wires to the ports which have the same color. Ensure both ends of the wire are inserted into the respective devices.
3. After this, turn on both devices and start playing media directly on your Vizio TV and listen to it through your soundbar.
Connect Soundbar to Vizio TV via WIFI
This method only works if your soundbar is WIFI-supported and has its own application. The exact procedure to connect both devices over WIFI varies between models and brands. Therefore, I’ve provided just a basic outline of how it works. Here’s how we do it.
1. Turn on and connect Vizio TV to a WIFI network.
2. After this, connect your soundbar to the same WIFI network as your TV.
3. Now, install the smartphone application of your soundbar. After this, pair your Smartphone and soundbar via the app.
4. Then, connect your soundbar to your Vizio TV.
After establishing a connection, you can start listening via your soundbar.
How to Fix Soundbar Not Connecting to/Working on Vizio TV
If your soundbar is not connecting to your Vizio TV or is not working, then follow the troubleshooting methods provided below and get it rectified.
- Check Connections: The first step you need to do is to check if all the wirings connected to your soundbar and Vizio TV are properly inserted. Also, make sure the connection ports and wires are not physically damaged.
- Wrong Input Port: Your soundbar won’t work if you connect it to the wrong input of your TV. For example, your soundbar should be connected to the HDMI ARC port of your TV and not HDMI. Such is the case with every other cable you use to connect.
- Change Input: For some methods like Coaxial, you are required to switch to that particular input manually. If not, your soundbar won’t work.
- Check TV Settings: For every connection port, there is a particular setting you need to enable. If you’ve not enabled the correct settings on your TV, then your soundbar won’t work.
- Restart Device: Try restarting your Vizio TV and your soundbar and see if it solves the issue. Sometimes, restarting removes minor glitches on your device.
- Update Firmware: Updating your Vizio TV adds new features to it and makes it compatible with lots of devices, including soundbars.
- Factory Reset Devices: Factory resetting your Vizio TV and your soundbar removes temporary bugs and errors in them. After a reset, your TV and soundbar will connect and start working normally.
- Contact Customer Support: Reach out to Vizio TV’s Customer Support through their website. Post your queries and get them sorted. If there is a problem with your soundbar, then contact the customer service of the particular brand.
FAQ
There’s no need for the TV remote as you can change the input on your Vizio TV using the Input button attached to it and connect the soundbar
Yes. You can connect the soundbar to the Vizio TV without an HDMI cable via Bluetooth, optical, auxiliary, and coaxial cables.
Some of the best soundbars for Vizio TVs are Vizio Elevate, Vizio M512a-H6, Samsung HW-Q990C, and Sony HT-A7000.
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