Did you purchase a Vizio Soundbar and Samsung TV and wondering how to connect them together? It’s sometimes confusing but there is nothing difficult if you take proper steps.
If you have a Vizio Soundbar and Samsung TV you can connect them using HDMI or Optical Cable and can also control your Vizio soundbar from Samsung TV Remote.
HDMI and Optical are the two best and recommended methods for connecting soundbar and TV. From these two, HDMI is better than Optical.
However, both of these are better than analog (also known as red and white cables) because analog cannot pass high-resolution audio. You would not have a good experience with red and white cables.
Today, we will discuss only two methods i.e HDMI and Optical cable to connect your Vizio Soundbar and Samsung TV.
Method 1: Connecting Vizio Soundbar To Samsung TV Using HDMI ARC
The best method of all is HDMI ARC which you can use to connect your soundbar to the TV.
When Vizio Soundbar is connected to Samsung TV using HDMI ARC, it can be controlled from a single remote (Samsung TV Remote).
Follow the steps below to create a connection between Vizio Soundbar and Samsung TV.
- Get an HDMI Cable
- Plug one end of the HDMI cable into the HDMI port on your Vizio soundbar
- Plug the other end of the cable into the HDMI port of your Samsung TV
- Turn ON both your Vizio soundbar and Samsung TV
- Press the “Input” button on your Vizio Soundbar and select HDMI
- Also, change the audio output on your Samsung TV to HDMI
- Play something and check if the sound plays through the Soundbar
Troubleshooting The HDMI Connection
If after completing the above steps you don’t hear sound from your Vizio soundbar, you need to toggle one more setting.
Go to the TV Settings and then to Sound Settings. Scroll down the sound settings and go to the Expert settings. Within Expert settings, change HDMI and Digital Audio Output to PCM.
After changing this setting, you will hear sound coming from your Vizio soundbar. If not, verify the audio source and audio output on your Vizio soundbar and Samsung TV respectively.
Also Read: Best Audio Settings For Vizio 5.1 Soundbar
Method 2: Connecting Vizio Soundbar To Samsung TV With Optical Cable
The optical cable is also known as Toslink cable or fiber optic. It is the second best method to connect your Vizio Soundbar to Samsung TV after HDMI.
The steps are almost similar to an HDMI connection. Follow the below steps to connect your Vizio Soundbar to Samsung TV using an Optical Cable.
- Get an Optical Cable
- It is mostly covered with a plastic cover. So, make sure to remove it
- Plug one end of the cable into the “Optical Port” on your Samsung TV. This port could be covered to prevent dust. So, make sure the cable is plugged in properly
- Plug the other end of the Optical Cable into the same port on the Soundbar
- Turn ON both your Vizio Soundbar and Samsung TV
- Press the “Input” button on your soundbar remote and select Optical as the input method
- Go to the “Menu” and then select “Audio” where you will see “TV Speakers” and turn them OFF
- From the same option of Audio Settings, change “Digital Audio Out” to Bitstream or Dolby Digital
- Play something on your Samsung TV and see if audio plays through your Vizio Soundbar
Troubleshooting The Optical Cable Connection
If after all the steps above you are unable to hear sound from your Vizio Soundbar and it is either not playing or playing from TV speakers when they are turned ON from the settings, you need to toggle the same setting as we did in the HDMI connection.
Go to the “Expert Settings” on your Samsung TV and change “Digital Audio Output” and “HDMI” to PCM.
After changing these settings, the sound will surely play from your Vizio soundbar.
Method 3: Pairing via Bluetooth
Connecting your soundbar to the TV wirelessly is another option. You can pair them via Bluetooth:
- Connect your Vizio soundbar to the power source and turn it ON.
- Hold down the Bluetooth button on the control panel to enable the pairing.
- Open the “Bluetooth” menu on your TV and turn the Bluetooth ON.
- Your Vizio soundbar will appear in the list of available devices, click it and wait for pairing to complete.
Method 4: RCA Cable
Another way is to connect the two devices using an RCA cable. Here are the steps:
- You need a red and white RCA cable.
- Find the “Audio Out” port on your Samsung TV and soundbar.
- Insert the red wire into the red port and the white one in the white port on both devices.
- Press the Input or Source button on the remote control and choose “AUX”.
- Finally, start watching shows on your TV and the sound should come through the soundbar.
Also Read: Best Settings for Vizio 2.1 Sound Bar
Final Words
These are the two best methods you can use to connect your Vizio Soundbar to a Samsung TV. Some other options like RCA Cable and Bluetooth are also available. If needed you can also use one of these methods.
