Choose HDMI ARC for the simplest connection when both your TV and soundbar or receiver support it; it can carry TV audio over HDMI and may let HDMI-CEC coordinate basic controls. Choose optical when it is the compatible option your equipment provides and the audio formats it supports meet your needs. If you need high-bitrate or uncompressed surround formats, check for eARC—not just ARC—and verify support across the devices and settings in your audio path.
Optical vs. HDMI ARC at a glance
| What matters | Optical | HDMI ARC | HDMI eARC |
|---|---|---|---|
| Connection | Requires an optical output on the TV and optical input on the soundbar or receiver. | Uses HDMI ports marked ARC on both devices. | Uses HDMI ports marked eARC on both devices; check the manuals for supported cable requirements. |
| Audio formats | Depends on the exact TV and audio device. Do not assume a particular surround format from the optical connector alone. | Depends on device implementation. Formats available over ARC are not necessarily the same as over eARC. | HDMI Licensing Administrator says eARC supports up to 192 kHz/24-bit audio, uncompressed 5.1 and 7.1, up to 32-channel uncompressed audio, and formats including Dolby TrueHD, Dolby Atmos, DTS-HD Master Audio, and DTS:X. The devices and audio path must also support the format. |
| TV remote and device control | Does not provide HDMI-CEC control over the optical connection. | May work with HDMI-CEC for basic control; setup and behavior vary by manufacturer. | May work with HDMI-CEC for basic control; eARC itself does not guarantee that every control feature is available. |
| Best fit | A compatible older TV or audio system, or a setup whose supported formats are sufficient. | A compatible TV and audio device where convenience matters and ARC supports the formats you use. | A compatible setup where you need formats or channel support beyond what ARC provides. |
These are connection-level distinctions, not a guarantee of what any particular setup can play. Check the TV, audio device, and source-device manuals for the formats they accept and pass through. HDMI Licensing Administrator’s eARC overview describes eARC’s capabilities; a capability does not mean every product implements every format.
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What changes between optical, ARC, and eARC?
Optical: a straightforward alternative
An optical cable connects the TV’s optical audio output to the soundbar or receiver’s optical input. It can be a practical choice when those ports are available and the formats supported by both ends suit your content. The connector alone does not tell you which formats or channel configurations your equipment supports.
For a specific example—not a universal optical-versus-HDMI rule—Yamaha’s November 2023 SR-B30A format documentation lists two-channel linear PCM and Dolby Digital for its optical input. The same product lists Dolby Digital Plus and Dolby Atmos for ARC, and multichannel PCM and Dolby TrueHD among the formats for eARC. Other models may differ.
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ARC: TV audio over HDMI
ARC stands for Audio Return Channel. It sends audio from a TV back to a soundbar or receiver over a compatible HDMI connection. That can simplify wiring and may enable basic device control through HDMI-CEC, depending on the TV, audio device, and settings. ARC’s format support is not identical across all manufacturers or models.
eARC: higher-bandwidth audio return
eARC is the higher-bandwidth successor to ARC. HDMI Licensing Administrator lists support for up to 192 kHz/24-bit audio, uncompressed 5.1 and 7.1, up to 32-channel uncompressed audio, and formats such as Dolby TrueHD, Dolby Atmos, DTS-HD Master Audio, and DTS:X. Those are eARC capabilities, not a promise that a particular TV will pass every format to every soundbar or receiver. The source, TV, audio device, cable, and settings all matter.
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Which connection should you use?
Choose HDMI ARC when convenience is the priority
- Both your TV and soundbar or receiver have ports marked ARC.
- The devices support the audio formats you want to use over ARC.
- You want a single HDMI connection for TV audio and would like to use HDMI-CEC control if your equipment supports it.
Choose eARC when your format needs call for it
- Both ends have eARC ports and their manuals list the formats you need.
- You need eARC capabilities such as uncompressed multichannel audio or a format that your ARC connection does not support.
- You have checked the entire path, including the source device and any pass-through settings—not only the soundbar’s port label.
Choose optical when it is the compatible, sufficient option
- Your TV and audio device have matching optical ports.
- The formats supported through those specific optical connections are enough for your listening.
- Your equipment lacks ARC/eARC, or optical offers a simpler fit for your setup.
Do not choose based on assumptions such as “optical never supports surround” or “eARC always passes every format.” Actual support is model-specific. Samsung Singapore’s model-scoped ARC/eARC guidance, last updated February 23, 2023, illustrates the variation: its table distinguishes ARC from eARC for listed formats, excludes certain listed DTS formats, and notes LPCM limitations for the models it covers.
How to connect and configure the audio
For HDMI ARC or eARC
- Check both manuals to confirm the TV and soundbar or receiver support the connection and formats you want. Identify the HDMI ports explicitly marked ARC or eARC.
- Connect the TV’s ARC/eARC port to the soundbar or receiver’s corresponding TV ARC/eARC port. For eARC, confirm that the cable is supported by your equipment; do not replace a working cable merely on the assumption that a more expensive one improves sound.
- On the TV, select the HDMI audio system as the output if required. If you want device-control features, enable HDMI-CEC using the manufacturer’s instructions. Samsung calls its HDMI-CEC feature Anynet+.
- On a Samsung TV that supports eARC, enable HDMI eARC Mode when applicable. Samsung’s menu names and paths can vary by model and software; use the instructions for your exact TV.
- Set the TV’s digital audio output to a format the receiving device supports. If audio is missing or reduced, Samsung advises testing PCM, Auto, or Pass-Through as appropriate to the connected equipment.
For optical
- Confirm the TV has an optical audio output and the soundbar or receiver has an optical input; check the manuals for supported formats.
- Connect the TV’s optical output to the audio device’s optical input with an optical audio cable.
- Select optical as the audio source on the soundbar or receiver and choose a TV output format supported by the receiving device.
Troubleshoot silence or reduced-format audio
- No sound over ARC/eARC: Confirm the cable is connected to the ports marked ARC/eARC at both ends, not just any HDMI ports. Check that the audio device is on the correct input and that the TV is set to send sound to the HDMI audio system.
- eARC features are unavailable: Verify that both devices support eARC, that eARC is enabled where required, and that the cable meets the devices’ requirements. A TV with eARC does not make an ARC-only soundbar eARC-capable.
- Surround or a particular format does not play: Check format support on the source, TV, and soundbar or receiver, including whether the TV passes that format through. Try a supported digital output setting; Samsung recommends testing PCM, Auto, or Pass-Through for its setup.
- The TV remote does not control the audio device: Check whether HDMI-CEC is supported and enabled on both devices, then follow the manufacturers’ setup instructions. Names and behavior differ; Samsung uses Anynet+.
- Optical is silent or sounds different than expected: Confirm the optical source and input are selected, then check that the TV’s output format is listed as supported by the receiving device.
For Samsung model-specific steps and format limits, consult its eARC setup and troubleshooting page. TCL also explains ARC/eARC concepts and its own support guidance on its ARC/eARC support page; use your own device manuals for final compatibility decisions.
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