How to Connect Soundbar to LG TV With HDMI or Optical Cable?

Connecting a soundbar to an LG TV is easier than it looks. But when you don’t establish the proper connection, it might result in audio delay, poor sound, or no audio at all.

Here, we’ll teach you how to connect soundbar to LG TV in different ways.

Ways to Connect Soundbars to LG TV

Connect Soundbar to LG TV with HDMI

HDMI is the easiest and most popular way to connect a soundbar to any TV. Compared to other connections, HDMI has the bandwidth to transmit large amounts of data. As such, it can support high-resolution audio formats like Dolby TrueHD and Dolby Atmos.

To connect your soundbar to your LG TV using HDMI, the TV must have HDMI-ARC support. ARC stands for “Audio Return Channel,” so the cable can relay audio in both directions. 

The first step is to turn on both your TV and your soundbar. Then, connect one end of the HDMI cable to the HDMI OUT port on the soundbar. Finally, plug the other end to the HDMI IN (ARC) port on your LG TV.

With HDMI ARC, you can also connect other components such as Blu-ray players and PS4 to the soundbar. Your soundbar then connects to your LG TV through one HDMI cable. 

While not all TVs have an HDMI ARC port, there are other ways you can link your TV and soundbar.

Wireless Connection of Soundbars to LG TV

Some LG TVs have Sound Sync, which lets you wirelessly connect a soundbar, home theater system, or sound plate. 

To set it up, press the Home Button on your LG TV’s Magic Remote. Select Setting, Sound, then Sound Out. You then need to change the settings from “TV Speaker” to “LG Sound Sync Wireless.”

Once you press “Device Selection,” your LG TV will start searching for compatible devices, which in this case is your soundbar. Then, press the LG TV button on the remote.  You’ll see the soundbar’s name on the screen, so you can simply select that and let your soundbar and TV pair.

Digital optical or digital coaxial

You can use a digital optical or digital coaxial cable for soundbars or TVs that don’t support HDMI. It wouldn’t support higher-end audio formats, but it can still transmit up to 5.1 surround sound audio. 

Now, a digital optical and a digital coaxial cable are a little different. The optical cable has a square connector, which is different from the circular connector of the coaxial. 

But other than that, optical connections work by converting the electrical signal to optical light and then bringing it back to electrical when it reaches the other end of the cable. This minimizes electrical interference, even less than HDMI.

To connect your LG TV and soundbar using your digital audio cable or digital optical, connect one end of the cable to the Digital Audio IN (Optical) port on the soundbar. Then, connect the other end to the Optical OUT port on your LG TV. Finally, set the soundbar’s source to D.IN.

Again, you should check your LG TV’s connections before buying any cables. 

3.5mm line out or RCA

If HDMI, wireless, or optical connections aren’t available, you can still connect your soundbar via the 3.5mm line out or RCA. However, this only relays analog audio and not digital [1]. 

To connect the soundbar to your TV using the 3.5mm line out, plug one end of the cable to your TV’s Line Out port. Then, connect the other end to the soundbar.

On the other hand, RCA sockets are the red and white connectors that old-school TVs and components usually have. To use this connection, simply plug the white connector to the white output socket and the red connector to the red socket. Do this on both the soundbar and TV.

If you still want to establish a quality audio transmission without affecting the sound much or use RCA, we recommend purchasing the wireless speaker kit for your system, though. 

Headphone Jack

You can also connect your soundbar to your LG TV through the headphone jack, but we only recommend this if there are no other options available. 

Some TVs allow you to change the headphone jack’s function to a line-out so there’s no need to adjust the sound settings. If your TV doesn’t have this feature, you have to modify the bass, treble, and volume levels to your preference. 

Find out all about the best soundbars with headphone jacks here.

Tips on How to Connect Your Soundbar to LG TV

Setting up with HDMI

All you need is an HDMI cable with the right length to connect a TV and soundbar with an HDMI ARC. However, if your TV is without an HDMI ARC input, you need to have both HDMI and optical cables. 

Setting up with digital optical

There may be instances when your soundbar can’t decode digital surround sound formats. So even if your TV does, the quality will be downplayed. To fix this, simply change the digital audio output of the TV to PCM.

(Wondering if there’s another fix? Find out if you can add surround sound speakers to soundbars here.)

Also, to make sure that your soundbar is connected correctly, remember to deactivate your TV speakers. You can do this from the TV audio menu by selecting “external speaker” or just turning off the built-in speakers.

Customization options

Many soundbars, especially higher-end ones, such as Bose Soundtouch 20 offer different options and settings to improve the sound further. 

Many soundbars especially higher-end ones offer different options and settings to improve the sound further. 

You can explore sound modes for movies, games, and music depending on the content. There’s even a night mode in some units that keeps the volume low, which is useful if you don’t want to bother the neighbors.

There may be an equalizer feature for soundbars with a compatible app where you can adjust the treble and bass using sliders. In higher-end models like the Sonos Beam, you can also tune the soundbar according to the room’s size, ensuring that you get the best sound possible.

FAQ

How do I get my soundbar to work on my LG TV?

You can get your soundbar to work on your LG TV by connecting an HDMI cable from the TV to the soundbar. If your TV doesn’t have an HDMI ARC port, you can also use a digital optical cable, 3.5mm line out, or Bluetooth.

How do I connect my LG Soundbar to my TV without cable?

You can connect an LG Soundbar including the LG SNC4R, for example, to your TV without cable by using Bluetooth connectivity. However, you can only do this if your TV supports Bluetooth connection. 

Conclusion

You have many options on how to connect soundbar to LG TV. Depending on your TV’s ports, you can use HDMI, digital optical, digital coaxial, Bluetooth, 3.5mm line out, RCA, or the headphone jack. Whichever you choose, keep in mind that some connections relay sound better than others.

Need a soundbar to go with your TV? Take your pick from our recommended soundbars for flat screen TVs, next!

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