How do I connect a Sound Bar to my television?

Bluetooth audio is supported on Google TV and Android TV models with the A2DP profile.
Check the list of compatible devices in the article: What Bluetooth headphones, speakers, and sound bars can I use with a Google TV or Android TV?

Step 1: Set the Soundbar to Pairing Mode

Step 2: Pair the Soundbar with the TV

Notes:

Volume Control: You can adjust the volume with your TV remote, but some soundbars may require manual volume adjustment.
One Device at a Time: Only one Bluetooth audio device (headphones or soundbar) can be connected to the TV at a time.

Once paired, your soundbar will reconnect automatically when powered on. For reconnection help, see How can I reconnect my Bluetooth device?

Image connecting a TV and a Soundbar using an HDMI cable, indicating A, B, C from the left to illustrate the port or cable

A: HDMI IN (eARC/ARC)
B: HDMI cable
C: HDMI OUT (eARC/ARC)

Connect an HDMI cable to the HDMI jacks labeled eARC/ARC:
1. On the back of your TV, find the HDMI IN jack (A) labeled eARC/ARC.
2. On the back of your Soundbar, find the HDMI OUT jack (C) labeled eARC/ARC.
3. Connect both jacks with the HDMI cable (B).
  Note: To use the eARC feature, an ethernet-compatible HDMI cable is required.
Hint: If the devices are connected to HDMI jacks without eARC/ARC, no sound will be output from the Soundbar. For details about the eARC or ARC features, refer to the What is the Audio Return Channel (ARC) feature? article.
Set Speakers to Audio system.
The steps below are an example on Android TV or Google TV.
1. Open the Settings screen. How to access the Settings
  - If the remote control has a Quick Settings ( or ) button, press the Quick Settings button and select Settings.
  - If the remote control does not have a Quick Settings ( or ) button, press the HOME button and select Settings.
2. The next steps will depend on your TV menu options:
  - Select Display & Sound → Audio output → Speakers → Audio system.
  - Select Sound → Speakers → Audio system
Set the BRAVIA Sync control to On.
Note: If your TV is other than a BRAVIA, refer to the instruction manual supplied with your TV to search the settings related to the HDMI CEC function and set it to On.
Set your soundbar or speaker system input to TV by pressing the INPUT or TV button on your soundbar or speaker system remote.
Turn on the Control for HDMI setting on both the TV and the audio system.

Image connecting a TV and a Soundbar using an HDMI cable and an optical digital audio cable, indicating A, B, C from the left on the upper row, D, E, F from the left on the down row

Image connecting a TV and a Soundbar using an optical digital audio cable, indicating D, E, F from the left

A: HDMI IN
B: HDMI cable
C: HDMI OUT
D: Optical OUT
E: Optical digital audio cable
F: Optical IN

Connect the devices using an HDMI cable:
1. On the back of your TV, find the HDMI IN (A).
2. On the back of your Soundbar, find the HDMI OUT (C).
3. Connect both jacks with the HDMI cable (B).
Hint: Connection with HDMI cable enables you to operate your TV with the remote of the soundbar with HDMI CEC function.
Connect the devices using an optical digital audio cable:
1. On the back of your TV, find the Optical OUT jack (D).
2. On the back of your Soundbar, find the Optical IN jack (F).
3. Connect both jacks with the optical digital audio cable (E).
  Note: Depending on the TV, an adapter may be required to connect the devices using the optical jack. Refer to the instruction manual supplied with your TV for details.
Set Speakers to Audio system.
The steps below are an example on Android TV or Google TV.
1. Open the Settings screen. How to access the Settings
  - If the remote control has a Quick Settings ( or ) button, press the Quick Settings button and select Settings.
  - If the remote control does not have a Quick Settings ( or ) button, press the HOME button and select Settings.
2. The next steps will depend on your TV menu options:
  - Select Display & Sound → Audio output → Speakers → Audio system.
  - Select Sound → Speakers → Audio system
If you connect the devices using the HDMI cable, check the HDMI settings:
1. Set the BRAVIA Sync control to On.
  Note: If your TV is other than a BRAVIA TV, refer to the instruction manual supplied with your TV to search the settings related to the HDMI CEC function and set it to On.
2. Turn on the Control for HDMI setting on both the TV and the audio system.
3. In the HDMI settings of the audio system, set the Audio Return Channel (ARC) or TV Audio Input mode to On or Auto.
Set the TV sound to the desired setting of either Fixed or Variable.
Notes:
- Some TV models do not have this setting.
- For Android TV with this setting option, select Audio out (Fixed) and adjust the volume on an external output device such as an audio system.
  If you select Audio out (Fixed), audio will be output from both the TV and external output device. If you want to output TV sound only from the external output device (mute sound from the TV), decrease the TV volume to the lowest level or mute it.
Set your soundbar or speaker system input to OPTICAL by pressing the INPUT or OPTICAL button on your soundbar or speaker system remote.

Note: When the TV’s Headphone/Audio out is set to Audio out (Variable): The volume on an external output device such as an audio system is linked to the TV volume, and audio is output from both the TV and external output device. If you want to turn off only the audio output from the TV, change the Speakers setting on the TV to Audio system.
Note that if you decrease or mute the TV volume while the Speakers setting on the TV is set to TV speakers, the sound from the external output device will decrease or be muted.

Image connecting a TV and a Soundbar using an analog audio cable, indicating A, B, C from the left to illustrate the port or cable

G: Analog OUT
H: Analog audio cable (stereo mini)
I: Analog IN
J: Analog audio cable（RCA）
K: RCA terminal (red and white audio out terminals)

Connect the devices using an Analog audio cable:
1. On the back of your TV, find the Analog OUT jack (G).
2. On the back of your Soundbar, find the Analog IN jack (I) or RCA jack (J).
3. Connect both jacks with the analog audio cable (stereo mini) cable (H). Alternatively, you can use an analog audio cable (RCA) (J).
Set Speakers to Audio system.
The steps below are an example on Android TV or Google TV.
1. Open the Settings screen. How to access the Settings
  - If the remote control has a Quick Settings ( or ) button, press the Quick Settings button and select Settings.
  - If the remote control does not have a Quick Settings ( or ) button, press the HOME button and select Settings.
2. The next steps will depend on your TV menu options:
  - Select Display & Sound → Audio output → Speakers → Audio system.
  - Select Sound → Speakers → Audio system
Set your soundbar or speaker system input to ANALOG by pressing the INPUT or ANALOG button on your soundbar or speaker system remote.
Set the TV sound to the desired setting of either Fixed or Variable.
Notes:
- Some TV models do not have this setting.
- For Android TV with this setting option, select Audio out (Fixed) and adjust the volume on an external output device such as an audio system.
  If you select Audio out (Fixed), audio will be output from both the TV and external output device. If you want to output TV sound only from the external output device (mute sound from the TV), decrease the TV volume to the lowest level or mute it.

Note: When the TV’s Headphone/Audio out is set to Audio out (Variable): The volume on an external output device such as an audio system is linked to the TV volume, and audio is output from both the TV and external output device. If you want to turn off only the audio output from the TV, change the Speakers setting on the TV to Audio system.
Note that if you decrease or mute the TV volume while the Speakers setting on the TV is set to TV speakers, the sound from the external output device will decrease or be muted.