#Polk soundbar remote how to#
#Polk soundbar remote tv#

#Polk soundbar remote tv#

Select this option to tell your TV to route the audio channel through the soundbar. On this same list, you should see an option for “HDMI Arc” or something similar. It should be under ‘TV speaker’, ‘speaker list’, or something similar. If you don’t immediately hear the TV’s sound, then you need to go to your TV’s sound or audio settings and turn off your TV speaker. Test and Troubleshoot Any Connection Issues When Using HDMI ARC:Īn HDMI ARC connection makes controlling your soundbar from your TV remote simple, and after your connection is made through the cable, you should immediately be able to hear your TV’s sound coming through your soundbar. You can do this by their separate remotes or on using the buttons on the devices themselves. Now that you’ve made the connection from your soundbar to your TV via an HDMI ARC or optical connection, make sure that both of your devices are turned on. And if you either don’t have an optical cable or, if the fiber optics in yours have been damaged, a replacement cable like the iVANKY Optical Cable Digital Audio Cable for Home Theater (on Amazon) can be had for a pretty reasonable price. When using an optical cable, be sure to take off the small plastic caps on the ends and push each side into the TV and soundbar tightly, until you feel a click. Luckily any HDMI cable sporting the 2.0 standard or further will work, but some listings on Amazon reassuringly call out the ARC capability right in the listing, like the AmazonBasics Premium HDMI Cable. Plug in the cable to your soundbar and your TV.Īnd if you’re wondering if you have to have an HDMI Arc cable (as opposed to any old HDMI cable you have lying around like directional cables) the answer is yes! (more on directional cables in our guide). Whether you are using an optical or HDMI ARC connection, you should have been provided the correct cable with your soundbar from the soundbar manufacturer. Connect an Optical or HDMI Cable to Each Device Using a Digital Fiber Optical Cable (which I’ll just refer to as “optical cable” in the rest of the article), you will want to locate the ‘DIGITAL AUDIO OUT (OPTICAL)’ or ‘DIGITAL OPTICAL OUT’ on the back of your TV and the ‘DIGITAL AUDIO IN (OPTICAL)’ or ‘OPTICAL IN’ on the back of your soundbar. Using HDMI ARC, you will connect your soundbar’s ‘HDMI OUT’ or ‘HDMI OUT (ARC)’ to the ‘HDMI IN (ARC)’ on your TV. Once you’ve decided which on to use, keep working through the directions below. If so, there’s some more discussion about that in another one of our articles. If your TV and soundbar have both options, you may be wondering which one you should be using. However, a digital optical cable is a good alternative. Many soundbars and TVs have HDMI ARC available, and that is the best connection. Find the Optical or HDMI ARC Connection on both the Soundbar and TVĬheck out your TV and soundbar to see the type of inputs you have available. Here’s a breakdown of what you need to do to control a soundbar with your TV remote. While each TV brand’s method of connecting to and controlling your soundbar is slightly different, it’s fairly straightforward to connect the two.

Test and Troubleshoot Any Connection IssuesĬlick or tap here to jump straight to the instructions for each brand.

Connect an optical or HDMI cable to each.

Find the optical or HDMI ARC connection on both the soundbar and TV.

#Polk soundbar remote how to#

How to control a soundbar with a TV remote:

Luckily, there is a way to avoid fiddling with multiple remotes and simplify your whole entertainment system.

If you recently got a soundbar, or you’re simply wanting to streamline your current soundbar/TV connection, controlling both your TV and soundbar with one remote is ideal.