HDMI or Optical for Audio on a Soundbar

AlphaDawg

AlphaDawg

AlphaDawg

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21 Apr 2017
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Sorry about my noobie question. This is my first soundbar I have purchased a Panasonic HTB680 and it has both a HDMI and Optical connection. Which is best to use? I have a LG 4K Tv. I'm not 100% how if I connect it through HDMI it would work?

Can anyone shed any light?

Cheers
 
With mine I use optical as it will cover any sound going out of your TV via any set boxes or smart TV apps such as Netflix or Amazon.
 
AlphaDawg said:
That's what I was thinking. However how would HDMI work? Would that not work in a similar way?
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I haven't tried myself but I'm not sure if when using HDMI it will pass the audio from smart apps to your soundbar, unless hdmi arc ports cover this?
 
It's all TV dependent and ARC is TV dependent in what sound format it supports.

I have my PS4 plugged into the HDMI-IN for 5.1 and the Sky Q box via ARC on the TV. I've tried optical but my sound bar and tv only have one spdif input on each so not really a good solution.
 
I have ARC on my TV's, but prefer to use optical in all honesty. I have had problems before with setting up ARC, and optical just sorted it all out.
 
TheVoice said:
They often tend to vary, but normally HDMI with ARC means the soundbar will turn on and off with your TV and you can use the volume control on your TV remote to control the soundbar. With optical, you'd probably have to use the soundbar remote.
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Thanks pal. And does the soundbar just work by plugging it into any hdmi port?
 
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