Hey everyone! Hope this video was helpful! Remember, ARC and eARC are potentially helpful, but sometimes buggy, quirky in implementation. The key is to keep experimenting! Also, as another commenter pointed out, some TVs (like some Sony models) will get updates enabling eARC as an upgrade from ARC. The spec sheets online may or may not cover that. So check your TV’s audio menu for availability AFTER making sure you have the latest software and firmware updates!
I actually didn't think that the Samsung Q90R wasn't going to get an eARC update, but after following forums and anxiously awaiting, it finally happened.
one thing i am really wondering about as a gamer is input lag (not audio lag). Does hooking the console to the receiver (in my case a Vizio Atmos soundbar), then receiver to the TV,. introduce lag? Do you know anything about that? FWIW I can INSTANTLY tell when game mode isn't on my TV, so I am lag sensitive, and I didnt really notice any lag playing this way, but just want to be sure. Anyways Finally got my setup working, it's a 2018 TCL 6 series (has regular arc, not earc) and a Series X and the Vizio Atmos bar. I had it wired as Xbox to TV, then TV Arc to soundbar. Wired this way, the Xbox doesn't even offer Atmos etc as options in it's audio output settings. Once I changed it to hooked the X to the soundbar, then the soundbar to the TV via arc, a whole bunch of audio settings on My Xbox including Atmos opened up, and trying with Halo Infinite seems to work great! Also, huge shoutout to MS, they have cool audio setup thing, that will individually fire each speaker in sequence along with a graphic where each speaker lights up as fired. Really cool to show noobs like me that it's working, and that all of my atmos speakers are firing! Fantastic little ease of use feature.
I still don’t understand why most tv’s, when supporting 4K120hz, have to include the ARC/eARC feature to one of those ports, such as the tcl 646. The only tv brand, that keeps it separate is the Vizio P series tv’s. I can only assume it’s a cost cutting measure since eARC is technically a 2.1 feature and they want to keep the price of the tv lower while still giving the option of having 4K120hz or eARC. Luckily, it appears the 2022 models are adding 2.1 to all available HDMI ports now, at least the higher end models. Hopefully, this is implemented more in upcoming tv’s.
Thanks! I remember when we put out our first explainers on this tech, our headline was something like “the best feature you aren’t using.” I gather lots of folks still aren’t taking advantage.
@@Caleb_Denison they aren't using it because when people buy a TV they don't pay attention to the HDMI specs and only pay attention to size, and resolution. Everything else is an after thought. I don't know a single person in my family or friend group who knows what ARC or eARC is. I'm mainly the tech heads like us that get into the weeds of specifications.
As other commenters have highlighted, this is an extremely informative and well presented piece. Well done, it helped me as just transitioning to ARC, and he did the best job of capturing subtle potential stumbling points; very succinct yet complete. Bravo.
Great video! Just to clarify for your viewers, “compressed” and “lossy” are not the same thing. Dolby and DTS formats are compressed - TrueHD and DTSHD-MA are lossless (but still compressed). The only uncompressed mainstream format is PCM and LPCM.
He’s also wrong about the lag and lip sync with eArc. He’s right in the sense that those are quote on quote “advertised” features of eArc, however since the inception on eArc, certain and TV’s and devices, such as the infamous Xbox consoles and LG OLED TV’s are known to have significant issues with Dolby Atmos and lag/lip sync issues when using that with eArc.
@@TheLazyGamers LG TVs have issues with everything. Whenever I have to set up a Sonos Amp, Arc Soundbar or Playbar on one, it's always been a total clusterfuck. Samsung or Sony, no problems ever.
@@andrewbobucky4612 every TV has its pros and cons. The LG’s are the best when it comes to gaming features and having a high end panel, which for me are the biggest concerns. My LG G2 can do 48Gbps HDMI 2.1 for 12-bit @ 120hz, and supports all video modes for my series X console without issues. For example Sony TV’s can’t do Dolby Vision @ 120hz, and also has increased latency at Dolby Vision 60hz due to not supporting a DV game mode. Sony TV’s also do not support LFC with their VRR unlike LG and Samsung, and due to not supporting LFC also doesn’t have Gsync nor Freesync Premium/Pro support. With the Samsung’s they don’t support DV whatsoever so that’s a no go for my series X. The G2 is the only TV on the market that supports all the HDMI 2.1 features and new console features (48gbps, 4K @ 120hz, VRR (Forum, Freesync Premium/Pro, Gsync) HDR (HDR10, Dolby Vision), ALLM and can reach 1000 nits HDR), and that’s why I chose it. LG’s biggest issue has always been audio. The audio on their OLED’s is subpar as it is, plus the infamous e-arc bugs that plague the LG sets especially with gaming consoles just makes e arc completely useless on LG TV’s. While the G2 supports all the picture settings for my gaming PC and series X console, it doesn’t support all the audio modes due to the removal of DTS/X over e-arc. So now I have to plug it into a soundbar directly in order to get all the series X audio formats. Only problem is there isn’t a single soundbar on the market that can do full 48gbps uncompressed, as well as passthrough 4K @ 120hz with HDR (Dolby Vision and HDR10), VRR (Forum, Freesync Premium/Pro, Gsync) and ALLM. The closest we get is the Sony HT7000, but that is limited to 40Gbps not 48gbps, as well as can’t passthrough VRR & ALLM. At the end of the day, I wish there was a be all end all tv that just supported everything no questions asked, but unfortunately that’s not the world we live in and we have to pick our poison with TV manufactures accordingly. Hell the fact that we don’t even have viable hdmi 2.1 soundbars yet means I’m just gonna have to play the waiting game for the manufactures to step up their game.
This is to be the best explanation on TH-cam in example format, for different situations, for arc and e arc… EVER! I do appreciate your time. Thank you so much for posting.
This video finally answered all my questions on why my receiver without earc isn't working right so thank you. I've searched for a lot and this is the first video that made sense
So I need ARC to be a feature on my receiver as well?!?! Ughh I just got a brand new LG OLED with eARC, but I have a very old receiver that just has HDMI.. no ARC. Does that mean it won't work?
I'm looking to buy a soundbar with only one Hdmi and I was worried I would not be able to use it with my Bluray player or PS5. This guy has saved my ignorant ass again. Thank you!
You missed an opportunity to show how to connect a sound bar, AppleTV and a gaming console together to a TV. Although you explained what ARC/eARC is, you only mentioned for a few seconds the connection chain to bring these devices together. How about a diagram, or if you have the components, show the optimal connection chain. That's the part I'm missing.
Great information, period. No one else has suggested that we confirm that the TV supports sending Dolby ATMOS or DTS X via the ARC or ARC e port. And if not, to connect all of the other HDMI cables directly to the AV receiver. Thank you!
Thank you very much for your explanation, I have never really thought about this before. But it's quite relevant to me because I thought I would have to buy a new surround sound system when i upgrade my TV because my current Receiver does not have HDMI2.1. But thanks to ARC and your explanation I now know that I do not have to do that at all.
No streaming services offers lossless Atmos or DTS HD Master. For that u need a blue ray/player. Why should I connect my player first to my Tv? Everything goes through the AV-Reciver and the tv only needs/gets the video signal. eARC is not needed for that.
I've been using EARC from my Sony tv to my Marantz av receiver for over a year. For the most part it works really well. It so nice to not dealing with switching inputs.
Got a new older 2023 TV with an ARC option. I am not going to use it but I needed to know what I was looking at. Thank you for making it clear and simple.
Just migrated from optical to arc after a recent tcl Roku tv update. Using a 10 year old Onkyo. Man, the step up from Dolby Digital to DD Plus was noticeable. I don't think my equipment supports earc, unfortunately. But man, I am glad to be done with that optical. Saving the optical for emergencies like old consoles or whatever. You know. In that drawer. You have one. With all the other things we KNOW we will need one day for no goddamn good reason but we know where we last had it! :)
That drawer with extra items. I have several. A multitude of cables including s-video. Also a stack of old equipment including a variety of switch boxes. Radio shack had optical switch boxes
Regards to your comment at 7:00 about tv turning the reciever off/on it is pin 13 on the hdmi cable, you can get an adapter/coupler with pin 13 removed to combat this problem, hope this helps
Your content is by far the most comprehensive, clear and easy to understand. Thanks for all of your hard work. I just bought the Sony A95k 65" and a Sonos arc sound system with a Gen3 Sub and 2 x one sl's for surrounds. I'm just wondering, do I need a special cable to carry the eARC signal from the TV to the ARC? or will any hdmi cable suffice? I'm about to get an installer to come wall mount it for me so I kind of need to get it right haha.
Great question, you need a "High speed HDMI Cable with Ethernet", but that's just about all cables made in the last 10 years, and it should say in printing along the cable that there's ethernet if the Cable has ethernet. HDMI 1.4 cables or better have the ethernet functionality but for future proofing if you don't already have a cable I would buy an HDMI 2.0 or 2.1 cable (with 2.1 being preferable) depending on how long the run is and what your budget is.
OMG, I thought you only did TV reviews, and I began looking for other stuff and you popped up !?!? You're style, knowledge, advice makes you my top reviewer on TH-cam, hope you get that Million soon, keep up the good work :)
I just got a 5.1 soundbar system that supports eARC as does my recently purchased tv. It is my understanding that I need an HDMI cable that supports HDMI 2.1 in order to get the most benefit from these systems. I ordered one on Amazon today and am using the regular HDMI cable that I already had until the 2.1 cable comes in. Thanks for the video, it helped a lot!
You do not need an HDMI 2.1 Cable to use eARC (HDMI 1.4 or better is fine), but if you are passing video through your soundbar you want to use a cable good enough for the video source. (HDMI 1.4 for switch and PS4/Xbox One, HDMI 2.0 for Apple TV/PS4 Pro/Xbox One X/Fire Stick, HDMI 2.1 for PC and PS5/Xbox Series)
@@living757 I found this video because my Xbox one fell where I had it and pulled the HDMI cord out of the TV HDMI earc port and damaged the port. Also, is there a difference in picture from using this earc port and another HDMI port?
@twinturbobmw535xi7 high speed with Ethernet is what you need for ARC/eARC so you are good there! Video quality should also be the same for other ports with an Xbox One device. The new Xbox Series X supports HDMI 2.1 which is higher quality, and many TVs only have HDMI 2.1 on some ports (or no ports) and while it’ll work fine, you’ll miss out on that extra quality.
@@living757 understood , I have the Xbox one x , I was trying to buy the series x (the tower looking one) when it came out , but this was during the pandemic and after the looting in 2020 and no one had them. The ppl that did were price gouging selling them at a whopping $1000+ it was unbelievable. So I broke down and opted to just buy the one x. Visually Still looks great since I was used to the 360 lol. But def disappointed that I couldn’t get the series x. Also thanks for the info. I wanted to make sure that I wasn’t losing out on picture quality by being Forced to use the hdmi 2 port. Infirtur this is a brand new tv only about 2 months old. The hdmi cable yanked out one of the pins inside the port along with a small piece of plastic when the Xbox fell.
Thanks for helping me understand these things. I’m going to stick to having everything connected to my receiver though. I don’t wanna deal with a million cables going to my wall mount TV.
Great video but you do not mention anything about HDMI passthrough capabilities of the TV. Not all TVs can pass Dolby or DTS to HDMI arc from the rest of the HDMI inputs
Hey Caleb. Your mentioning of CEC helped me resolve an issue that I was having. I have an LG OLED55C1 tv with a Shaw cable box, Apple TV 4k and an LG 4k HD Bluray player all connected to hdmi ports on the TV. I decided to get an LG eclair QP95 sound bar for better sound especially since it supports Dolby ATMOS. The tv and the sound bar both have eARC so I have term connected to each other through eARC. The only issue is that when I power up the shaw cable box is that I don’t get audio for about 45 seconds and while I am waiting for the audio the screen blanks out 3 times and after the 3rd time I see a message at the bottom of the screen that says LG ready and then I get audio. I think that the Tv must be enumerating all of the HDMI devices. So after trying about 20 different settings, cables,ports, etc I decided to look for CEC settings on all of my devices. So first I checked my shaw cable box and found that CEC was enabled so I disabled it and suddenly it went from about 45 seconds and the screen blanking out 3 times before I got audio to 18 seconds and no screen blanking out to get audio. 😅Thanks for the videos!!
I would always have preferred a HDMI Audio out as opposed to eArc. I wish TVs came with a HDMI Audio Out port. I know you save a cable but you run into all sorts of issues. Does the TV support DTS? Does it support Dolby? Does the Receiver support Arc? Does the receiver support eArc? All these are automatically resolved with an Audio pass-through HDMI out port. Same with consoles - I would love for PS5 and XSX to have a HDMI out port. I'd pay the cost for it any day.
90% correct. Not all soundbars support DTS. My TCL soundbar (TS813/TS8132) has eARC but doesn't have a DTS decoder so it'll just use PCM 2.0, but it does fully support True-HD/DD+ + Atmos. While the TV is one part of the equation (My Sony X900E only has regular ARC so I only get DD+ and up to DTS 5.1), the soundbar/receiver is another part of the equation (in my case, eARC Dolby Atmos and no DTS). This means the most I get is DD+ lossy compressed Atmos (which is fine as that's what apps like Netflix, Hulu, etc. use). Due to my soundbar, I can't use DTS (which my TV can pass-through). My soundbar does have an HDMI in, but again, no DTS decoder. I can do full Atmos but no form of DTS.
@@Teku175 Yes, it doesn't fix those issues. I'm actually a bit surprised that some equipment doesn't support DTS. It's a real shame cause DTS is the only reason we have good movie sound today. The original DD was 448kbps while DTS was 1.5mbps. Massive difference. DD+ is the same as DTS. The big kahunas were DD TrueHD and DTS Master HD. TVs can just get rid of the optical port which is now practically useless and replace it with Audio HDMI out. They can keep eArc for the masochists who don't mind if the sound drops or something happens here and there.
This was very helpful, thanks. Your videos are very insightful and I look forward to seeing all that you have to offer with your knowledge. This ARC/eARC video was actually a timely video because I have the Samsung Q90R 82"TV that I purchased 2 years ago and a remarkable think just happened: I just got firmware update that added eARC to my TV! As I'm sure you are aware, that this set didn't have eARC at the start, but now that limitation has been eliminated. I'm gonna go thru everything on my set to see how well it works but with your video, this will answer any questions I initially had about the differences. Thanks again!
Unfortunately arc earc stil don't work with my old Vizio Atmos 5.1.2 sound bar. Always have to unplug & replug HDMI cord after I turn the U7G on. Then mostly works all day. A few times the tv switches to tv speaker from arc/earc.
A benefit I found is it allowed me to keep my existing receiver when I got a new TV but still get the best possible audio and video the equipment supports with out having to upgrade my receiver. I can plug into the tv our use the built in apps and to get 4k hdr and the eARC will pass back the Dolby TrueHD or DTS-HD signal back to the receiver. Without eARC I would have to choose between lossless audio or HDR as my receiver does not support HDR and you can't pass the lossless audio formats over optical. I also have the annoying issue with my receiver sometimes turning off and back on and then finally off again a few minuets later when I turn off the tv. It would be nice if eARC would function without CEC.
I have a 2008 Panasonic tv and I was pleasantly surprised when I connected a Chromecast dongle and the TV remote simulated the Chromecast remote and allows me to navigate the Chromecast menus and control all apps like Netflix. It also controls my receiver and DVD player…. Very impressed with my 14 year old plasma TV tech!
Would you consider doing a video on how/why studios choose whether Dolby Atmos and/or DTS-X are chosen as default BD audio formats? I've always been a big fan of DTS audio and while I know they came late to the 'enhanced audio party', the omission of DTS-X on most recent BD's puzzles me - considering that when I do watch a BD with DTS-X to my ears it is noticeably better sounding. Great video as usual. Thank you.
I think it has got a little bit to do with marketing. Like Dolby pushes its product hard. It’s everywhere..in phones, earbuds, tablets..you name it. So what I think Dolby does is that it reaches out to these studios and creates some sort of exclusive deal for BluRays. Because most high budget films are almost always mixed in all the formats: Dolby Atmos, Dolby 5.1, SDDS, Auro 11.1, IMAX 6ch, Dts, dts-x..etc..and Our beloved DTS gets left out. One more thing that could be is that DTS is simply more expensive to license than Atmos.
Back in the 35mm days of movies, all the surround formats were embedded on the film itself. At that point it was just a matter of which equipment was installed in the theatre. Dolby Digital was far more common as it appears it required the least amount of work and equipment.
This is my first time visiting your channel and I am impressed. Great job breaking down the differences here. I have a much better understanding. I have the Sony HTS 200F sound bar because of the size and the space of my set up. I noticed when I use PCM, the audio level is much louder compared to choosing Digital audio out, "auto" and the output being DD+. Is there a reason for that and should I continue using the PCM setting for the louder sounding volume?
I don't know what your source material is, whether a console or the builtin apps of your TV, but when TVs are set to PCM, generally this means downmixing incoming HDMI content (consoles, players, etc) to stereo. With eARC, if you choose Pass Through for digital audio out, you can set your console/player to output Linear PCM 5.1/7.1, thanks to eARC the tv is able to pass that uncompressed surround signal to the audio device. For Blu-ray player app in these consoles it's better to set the internal setting to Bitstream, which will pass through audio, even Atmos, and let the receiver or sound bar decode it.
I never thought of connecting all the cables to the TV, I have always plugged all the HDMI cables to the amp. What you say about eArc makes sense and I will give it a try.
Insightful video with details that I wish were common knowledge years ago, as I jumped on the new format bandwagon too early. I have a Samsung Q9-fn TV and a Samsung HW-K950 Atmos soundbar, which were highly rated at the time, but the manuals had no mention of the lag and compression issues of using standard Arc. It makes for a hefty investment to upgrade both.
This is a great video. Will be receiving my first smart TV in a couple of days and wanted to learn how to connect so that I could use both soundbar and TV speaker audio. Thank you for posting!
I just use the optical connection for audio, don’t know how good it is but sound great. Keep both 2.1 one for PS5 and Series X on my Sony.
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Great video! Could recommend the appropriate set up of cable connections for this case. If I have a TV with regular HDMI ports and 1x eARC HDMI port + a sound bar with regular HDMI and 1x eARC HDMI port how should I connect to get the best audio and video? Should it be: - from Apple TV to eARC HDMI port on TV and from TV HDMI to Sound bar HDMI. Or - from Apple TV to eARC HDMI port on sound bar and from HDMI port on sound bar to HDMI port on the TV. Pretty much I’m trying to figure out which device pair should use the eARC port. Thanks!
Many thanks for the info on ARC and eARC, we are just about to buy a new TV and Receiver as both are 20 years old. Are all HDMI cables the same as reading between the lines on here you have to be sure that each cable is compliant with the appropriate HDMI Version. Buying a cable used to be so much easier
Thank you Sir!!! .. absolutely an outstanding technical video for not so technical people!!! .. 5 stars!!! .. now I know how to connect my PS5 to my new Samsung TV
Trying to get ARC working with my marantz receiver and Sony TV a few years ago, the response from both companies was basically that they have their own implementations that aren't guaranteed to work together. I ended up having to use an optical cable to get the audio to transfer reliably.
I hadn't heard about that, but I did run into problems with SONY receivers in general being very "piggish" in regard to how they handle ARC and CEC. Guess it's true of the displays too. Basically, I couldn't use ARC without CEC, but CEC isn't smart enough, so it was constantly turning on stuff but not off, and the receiver ended up on the wrong I/O. I finally gave up and swapped it for a comparable Denon. Was a shame b/c other than the ARC/CEC issue, the SONY receiver was better...especially handling video.
Helpful video. Only issue I’m having with my setup is with cec. It works for almost everything. But when I go to play a game or watch a movie, the menu for the Sony receiver will open. And no matter how many times I close it, it always re opens
Best way I like to describe it this: In home cinema, with an AVR, you typically plug every devices you have in it. Then, only one cable comes out and goes up to the TV. That way, the video signal of what you are watching reaches the TV. With ARC, it's the same idea but in reverse ! You plug everything in the TV and one cable containing the sound signal goes down to the amplifier or soundbar. Why ARC was developed? Well, I think it's two things. 1. Mostly because people wanted to use small sound bars, instead of having a big AVR with big speakers. 2. People wanted to be able to control the soundbar volume with the TV remote (CEC). Using two remotes to watch TV was annoying. Finally, eARC is just an enhancement to the original ARC technology. Better sound quality for surround sound and other small upgrades. Voilà!
Very informative video but you have forgotten to mention that even though you have eARC on tv and home theater system it does not mean it will pass lossless audio from TV to sound system. None of the built in tv apps across all tv brands pass lossless audio. The only way to get lossless audio is to connect Nvidia shield pro to your home theater system and eARC to the tv for Dolby vision passthrough. There is huge difference in the sound quality between lossless audio and lossy audio when you have full home theater setup
@David Mander I did not mean u get lossless audio from streaming services.. I have a syncler plus membership along with real debrid subscription.. so I get original remux files and watch movies which are close to 100gb size.. you can truly stream lossless movies with this service provided you have atleast 200mb internet speed
Sorry to be a stickler... but you compared Dolby TrueHD to DTSX. Dolby TrueHD is comparable to DTSHD-MA (master audio). Dolby Atmos is comparable to DTSX. Dolby TrueHD & DTSHD-MA are compressed but lossless audio. Dolby Atmos & DTSX are lossless audio that also include discrete height channels. Similar to Dolby TrueHD & DTSHD-MA but with height channels.
Yeah … I have been using HDMI CEC and ARC for over a decade now so I was mostly interested in what eARC adds to it Btw The problem with your AV system and HDMI CEC might be brand related since HDMI CEC is a standard but all brands use there own implementation of it and this sometimes can cause issues (like the AV turning of and back on again) The best way is to have a TV and AV receiver of the same brand This would provide the best experience For other gear this might be a bit complicated but most will work fine The only limitation might be the number of HDMI CEC devices connected as some TVs are limited to only a number of devices I actually have 5 HDMI CEC devices (TV, AV Bluray system, PS3Slim, PS4Pro, Xbox Series X) And I cannot enable HDMI CEC on all these at the same time
@Dj Ravix Example if My tv has earc that supports Dolby atmos but my 5.1 channel sound bar only has hdmi out tv arc port. Will I get 5.1 channel sound on my sound bar which is connected to earc port on my tv?
@@deepinsight1175 this should work since eARC is backwards compatible with ARC Be aware that your sound-bar will not output Dolby Atmos sound but will revert back to a Standart that is supported by the sound-bar Also note that if both devices are from different brands there is a chance of running into compatibility issues since the HDMI CEC implementation one brand uses might not always work with the implementation of another brand (It’s less of an issue nowadays but might be if one of the devices has one of the earlier implementations of HDMI CEC)
I have a Samsung 55 inch tv with eArc and a Samsung ms650 sound bar that comes with ARC only however i believe the sound bar works as a eArc after my latest update audio quality is so much better than ever. 700w subwoofer and rear speakers wake up more than ever. I listen to music on Tidal Master Audio and ill turn off MQA software encoding and let the soundbar decode everything. It truly sounds amazing! High Mids and lows are super responsive.
Remember to get less audio lag with lossless audio like Dolby Atmos or dtsx you need both the tv and soundbar/audio receiver to have eARC. otherwise you'll have audio delay on your soundbar/audio receiver with hi-res audio if your device only has the standard ARC and not eARC.
Hi Caleb, That's a clearly described issue with HDMI in certain devices. Let me share my experience how i have connected My LG TV with Sony HTA9 and Apple TV. With eARC (HDMI2)enabled in the TV and Sony HTA9 initially. Once , they are in Sync, I have connected Apple TV to HTA9 . The LG TV has created a sub menu in the HDMI 2 tab with Sony HTA9 to play audio from TV and another tab to enable apple TV to play audio in HTA9.
I've learned about eARC's downfall very early, and the easiest way I found to fix the issue when it stops working is to just unplug the HDMI cable from the television, and plug it right back in, and it'll be back to normal.
Just so I understand 100% in order to use arc or E arc you need to have a dedicated HDMI cable basically only for audio going from the TV to your receiver correct?
Thanks for the explanation. I guess I sort of knew why to use it but did not fully understand. I have the same problem with the amplifier turning back on sometimes, but I found that using one remote over another turns it off with no problem.
3:07 i had a TV with arc and used only one remote to turn my AVR+TV on using one remote, the tv broke and i now use the older tv which doesn't have CEC. I am sad
It is very important to find out if a tv has eARC. Almost every tv should have it now but it is a huge deal for watching 4K movies or playing games with Atmos or DTS:X. Thanks for the vid!!
It is not that important.. as hardly any content available with the Tv itself has Uncompressed Multichannel audio..if you play competitively you do it with PCM 2.0.. If you have a dedicated UHD player or Dedicated HighEnd Bluray which will play uncomppressed multichannel audio.. you are certainly plugging those devices directly to the Receiver in first place.
A very interesting explanation. I guess your viewers are not the typical tv watchers. Using the receiver or tv as the switching device has limits because there are not enough inputs so an hdmi switch is required. I still have s-video switch boxes that I use and DVD recorders do not have digital inputs. Normally when you turn off a receiver it stays off. I have a Panasonic CD changer that will turn on and start playing after a power failure. The solution has been to unplug it.
I have a Sony a80j and u showed me how to get atmos to my sound bar without using a separate device. I can now get dolby vision and atmos. Before I had to choose. Thanks again.
I'm struggling with this situation trying to connect my new c1 to my old pioneer av receiver... I can't get the audio from hbo max app running on the TV to play through the av receiver... I even bought an optical cable and can't get the sound, I'm about to give up and purchase a new av receiver or the new LG top of the line atmos soundbar with rear upfiring surround speakers, the problem is I have a very nice 5.1 harman kardon speaker setup... I really don't know where to go and don't really want to spend the money since I already have a good system and although I would like to get dts x and atmos I like what I get on these 🤔
Update: returned the lg soundbar and decided to keep the harman kardons, lg sounded like trash cans compared to the Harman kardon... Ordered a new denon x1700h receiver and will go for the virtual height atmos and dts x, with its odyssey multi eq xt calibration, I'm pretty sure I would be more than pleased...
Thanks for the info. I tried earc connected from my Sony A80j and was disappointed with the sound quality. I expected much better. I have it connected to an Onkyo RZ-50. When watching netflix, I compared the apps in my sony thru earc, and using Roku, and there was no contest. The apps sound thru the Roku won hands down.
I've got an LG CX oled and when connecting it to a Pioneer VSX-522-K it loops into sending the sound to the receiver, seconds later back out of the TV, and repeat till forever haha... There is a way to break the loop but, as explained in the video, this tech is still not solid. I use optical out but hate to use 2 remotes, though. This video is super well explained
Very informative, helpful, in-depth review and All the Best Buy Associates should be Required to attend a training by Caleb Denison on the difference between the ARC and eARC…
Thanks for the video, just got my new LG 65'' Oled G2 with a 5.1.2 LG DS75QR system and I noticed it came with a regular high speed HDMI cable to use it with the ARC, but somehow i was not sure if it would be better to get an ultra high speed HDMI to use it with the eARC instead? Now all explained 👍
Excellent explanation. You made it very easy to understand. Question...If ARC or eARC is used and the TV works as the hub, can I still plug other devices into my AVR slots and have the audio fed through it? My concern is that with so many devices that can be plugged in nowadays, there won;t be enough inputs on the TV. How would have some plugged in to TV and others into the AVR work?
I'm kinda in the same boat. I'd like to have the sound from the TV but at times I'd like it through my Denon amp.. eg. Have my blue ray and ps4 sometimes through the TV so as not to disturb the rest of the family at night...and at other times have the sound blasting through the Denon amp with all the wonders of surround sound. It's all a bit confusing 😊. But it's a good explanation of the tech in the video
for gamers,ARC digital formats produce some delay in some systems! better PCM or eARC Q-symphony from Samsung only work best with eARC soundbar, if SB only supports ARC there will be some delay or stuck with PCM no delay but stereo so better get eARC in the first place and enjoy surround without delay!
I hope there is like a ARC convertion to eARC either in a the form of firmware or a gadget to use. My TV is only ARC but my soundbar is eARC. So I can only get compressed Atmos instead of Dolby TruHD or uncompressed Atmos.
I bought the Samsung Q OLED S95B 4K Quantum Smart TV, a week and a half ago and now the Sennheiser Ambeo Soundbar Plus. Do you think I made a good combo? I just found your channel 3 days ago and was impressed with your reviews and technical advice and knowledge. I also subbed btw. Thank you for what you do and keep up the great work! 👍😎
have you got any update on the HDMI CEC issues u talked about like auto wakeup of the sound system? i have a JBL Bar 9.1 connected to a Sony X9500G TV having the same issue. When i connect Sony Soundbar, i do not have this issue. After working with JBL for over 6 months and escalating to highest level, now they have a new firmware which seems to fix this issue. Thought Ill let you know
Hi, great video, again! ...and you have answered a problem for me ...I have a Yamaha 5 .1 amp, I use the TV (smart) remote to turn TV on, this turns on amp, then when I turn TV off, the amp goes off, but then comes back of for a short period! ...so it's not just mine that does that, any clues why 🤔🤔🤔 ...Regards Norm's
If you use EARC should you also remove the optical cable as well? The issue I am having with my surround sound now is when I listen to a movie on MAX like Dune or Mad Max I can’t hear anybody talking…but when the action begins it’s loud but when they go back to talking I can barely hear them talking..I have a 2 year old Denon receiver & 15 year old Energy speakers and sub woofer.
Great video and holy crap! My receiver does the same thing and it drives me crazy. If you ever figure out this issue please let us know what you did to resolve it thank you!
I'm having the same problem with my Sony TV and Marantz receiver since switching from Optical to ARC for my TV audio. I've tried everything I can think of including turning all CEC options off and finally I just set a 1hr idle timer on the receiver for when it cuts on after bedtime. Someone in a forum somewhere said it had to do with the Sony TV systems waking to check for updates without turning on the screen, but I have no way to test this. Please let us know if you find a solution!
Great video, just replying in this thread to mention that I got the same issue and my tv is not a Sony, my set up is Samsung Q60+PioneerVSX-LX304 though this doesn’t happen every time, when I turned my tv off it turns off and then few seconds after receiver turns on again. Have you found a solution for this?
Thanks for such a comprehensive video. Explained my age old question why my Samsung TV doesn't support DTS audio even though my soundbar supports the latest DTSx and Dolby Atomos technology. Felt like I was ripped off by Samsung from purchasing a 8000 dollar TV that doesn't support one of the most popular audio format😢.
QUESTION: I have the TX-NR5010 THX Ultra 2 Onkyo A/V Receiver. I remember buying it thinking, "Oh, it is 4K, so I should be futureproof forever." But I was wrong. Since I purchased that A/V Receiver, technologies such as HDR, Dolby Vision, and eARC became available. I will soon be getting the Hisense U8H that offers HDR technology and eARC. And I will soon be getting the Xbox Series X. My plan is to keep everything I currently have connected to my A/V Receiver. This includes my Xbox One, Comcast DVR, and Laptop. I plan to connect the Xbox Series X directly to the Hisense U8H in one of the inputs that allows 120hz at 4K Resolution. I would then connect the Hisense U8H eARC input to the ARC input of the Onkyo TX-NR5010 A/V Receiver. Do you believe this is a good plan that would allow the maximum features of the Xbox Series X be used for gaming and movies, while also sending the lossless audio signals to the A/V Receiver?
I don’t know your particular equipment, but your plan falls into this category of mine: it should work because the brochures say it will work; then if it doesn’t work each customer service rep will blame the other manufacturer; nonetheless if YOU spend a few hours playing with settings AND turning the various devices on in just the (inexplicably) correct order, it will work. Write this order down. A power outage will force you to recreate this mystical order. Good luck.
@@pdcragin33 My equipment centers around a THX Ultra 2 A/V Receiver that has HDMI 1.4 technology and an ARC cable, but not an HDMI 2.1 technology. Companies does even make THX Ultra 2 A/V Receivers anymore, so I definitely want to hang onto this A/V Receiver from Onkyo. But, the eArc for the purpose of audio wastes one of the two HDMI 2.1 inputs, except on a TLC TV - because TLC is the only company with enough brains to put the eArc input on a separate input.
Hey everyone! Hope this video was helpful! Remember, ARC and eARC are potentially helpful, but sometimes buggy, quirky in implementation. The key is to keep experimenting! Also, as another commenter pointed out, some TVs (like some Sony models) will get updates enabling eARC as an upgrade from ARC. The spec sheets online may or may not cover that. So check your TV’s audio menu for availability AFTER making sure you have the latest software and firmware updates!
I actually didn't think that the Samsung Q90R wasn't going to get an eARC update, but after following forums and anxiously awaiting, it finally happened.
one thing i am really wondering about as a gamer is input lag (not audio lag). Does hooking the console to the receiver (in my case a Vizio Atmos soundbar), then receiver to the TV,. introduce lag? Do you know anything about that? FWIW I can INSTANTLY tell when game mode isn't on my TV, so I am lag sensitive, and I didnt really notice any lag playing this way, but just want to be sure.
Anyways Finally got my setup working, it's a 2018 TCL 6 series (has regular arc, not earc) and a Series X and the Vizio Atmos bar. I had it wired as Xbox to TV, then TV Arc to soundbar. Wired this way, the Xbox doesn't even offer Atmos etc as options in it's audio output settings. Once I changed it to hooked the X to the soundbar, then the soundbar to the TV via arc, a whole bunch of audio settings on My Xbox including Atmos opened up, and trying with Halo Infinite seems to work great! Also, huge shoutout to MS, they have cool audio setup thing, that will individually fire each speaker in sequence along with a graphic where each speaker lights up as fired. Really cool to show noobs like me that it's working, and that all of my atmos speakers are firing! Fantastic little ease of use feature.
Kinda surprised Caleb that you didn't make any pithy comment about cables specifically marketed as ARC or eARC "certified".
@@burnsyd17 That’s a different video! You just have me a great idea, tho!
I still don’t understand why most tv’s, when supporting 4K120hz, have to include the ARC/eARC feature to one of those ports, such as the tcl 646. The only tv brand, that keeps it separate is the Vizio P series tv’s. I can only assume it’s a cost cutting measure since eARC is technically a 2.1 feature and they want to keep the price of the tv lower while still giving the option of having 4K120hz or eARC. Luckily, it appears the 2022 models are adding 2.1 to all available HDMI ports now, at least the higher end models. Hopefully, this is implemented more in upcoming tv’s.
This guy could easily give lectures in college. Thanks for clarity and level of information shared.
I believe the vast majority of the consumers DO NOT know about ARC and eARC. This is great information 👏
Thanks! I remember when we put out our first explainers on this tech, our headline was something like “the best feature you aren’t using.” I gather lots of folks still aren’t taking advantage.
@@Caleb_Denison they aren't using it because when people buy a TV they don't pay attention to the HDMI specs and only pay attention to size, and resolution. Everything else is an after thought. I don't know a single person in my family or friend group who knows what ARC or eARC is.
I'm mainly the tech heads like us that get into the weeds of specifications.
As other commenters have highlighted, this is an extremely informative and well presented piece. Well done, it helped me as just transitioning to ARC, and he did the best job of capturing subtle potential stumbling points; very succinct yet complete. Bravo.
You created this video 48 hours before I needed it..amazing!
Great video! Just to clarify for your viewers, “compressed” and “lossy” are not the same thing. Dolby and DTS formats are compressed - TrueHD and DTSHD-MA are lossless (but still compressed). The only uncompressed mainstream format is PCM and LPCM.
Thanks for the clarification. I didn't know there was a difference.
Correct
He’s also wrong about the lag and lip sync with eArc. He’s right in the sense that those are quote on quote “advertised” features of eArc, however since the inception on eArc, certain and TV’s and devices, such as the infamous Xbox consoles and LG OLED TV’s are known to have significant issues with Dolby Atmos and lag/lip sync issues when using that with eArc.
@@TheLazyGamers LG TVs have issues with everything. Whenever I have to set up a Sonos Amp, Arc Soundbar or Playbar on one, it's always been a total clusterfuck. Samsung or Sony, no problems ever.
@@andrewbobucky4612 every TV has its pros and cons. The LG’s are the best when it comes to gaming features and having a high end panel, which for me are the biggest concerns.
My LG G2 can do 48Gbps HDMI 2.1 for 12-bit @ 120hz, and supports all video modes for my series X console without issues. For example Sony TV’s can’t do Dolby Vision @ 120hz, and also has increased latency at Dolby Vision 60hz due to not supporting a DV game mode. Sony TV’s also do not support LFC with their VRR unlike LG and Samsung, and due to not supporting LFC also doesn’t have Gsync nor Freesync Premium/Pro support.
With the Samsung’s they don’t support DV whatsoever so that’s a no go for my series X.
The G2 is the only TV on the market that supports all the HDMI 2.1 features and new console features (48gbps, 4K @ 120hz, VRR (Forum, Freesync Premium/Pro, Gsync) HDR (HDR10, Dolby Vision), ALLM and can reach 1000 nits HDR), and that’s why I chose it.
LG’s biggest issue has always been audio. The audio on their OLED’s is subpar as it is, plus the infamous e-arc bugs that plague the LG sets especially with gaming consoles just makes e arc completely useless on LG TV’s.
While the G2 supports all the picture settings for my gaming PC and series X console, it doesn’t support all the audio modes due to the removal of DTS/X over e-arc. So now I have to plug it into a soundbar directly in order to get all the series X audio formats. Only problem is there isn’t a single soundbar on the market that can do full 48gbps uncompressed, as well as passthrough 4K @ 120hz with HDR (Dolby Vision and HDR10), VRR (Forum, Freesync Premium/Pro, Gsync) and ALLM. The closest we get is the Sony HT7000, but that is limited to 40Gbps not 48gbps, as well as can’t passthrough VRR & ALLM.
At the end of the day, I wish there was a be all end all tv that just supported everything no questions asked, but unfortunately that’s not the world we live in and we have to pick our poison with TV manufactures accordingly. Hell the fact that we don’t even have viable hdmi 2.1 soundbars yet means I’m just gonna have to play the waiting game for the manufactures to step up their game.
This is to be the best explanation on TH-cam in example format, for different situations, for arc and e arc… EVER!
I do appreciate your time. Thank you so much for posting.
This video finally answered all my questions on why my receiver without earc isn't working right so thank you. I've searched for a lot and this is the first video that made sense
Glad we could help!
So I need ARC to be a feature on my receiver as well?!?! Ughh I just got a brand new LG OLED with eARC, but I have a very old receiver that just has HDMI.. no ARC. Does that mean it won't work?
It should still work, but you’ll need to use Toslink to connect your receiver to the TV, cheers!
Bought a new tv that has it on the hmdi 4, so wanted to see what all the fuss was
This is by far the most simplified explanation on TH-cam. It gave me exactly what I needed to know. THANK YOU! +1 sub
I'm looking to buy a soundbar with only one Hdmi and I was worried I would not be able to use it with my Bluray player or PS5. This guy has saved my ignorant ass again. Thank you!
You missed an opportunity to show how to connect a sound bar, AppleTV and a gaming console together to a TV. Although you explained what ARC/eARC is, you only mentioned for a few seconds the connection chain to bring these devices together. How about a diagram, or if you have the components, show the optimal connection chain. That's the part I'm missing.
Great information, period. No one else has suggested that we confirm that the TV supports sending Dolby ATMOS or DTS X via the ARC or ARC e port. And if not, to connect all of the other HDMI cables directly to the AV receiver. Thank you!
Thank you very much for your explanation, I have never really thought about this before.
But it's quite relevant to me because I thought I would have to buy a new surround sound system when i upgrade my TV because my current Receiver does not have HDMI2.1. But thanks to ARC and your explanation I now know that I do not have to do that at all.
Earc is still really good compared to arc to remove lip sync issues, or audio delay if you play games
No streaming services offers lossless Atmos or DTS HD Master. For that u need a blue ray/player. Why should I connect my player first to my Tv? Everything goes through the AV-Reciver and the tv only needs/gets the video signal. eARC is not needed for that.
I've been using EARC from my Sony tv to my Marantz av receiver for over a year. For the most part it works really well. It so nice to not dealing with switching inputs.
My LG C7 TV received the full HDMI 2.0 from the PS5 and using ARC to get surround sounds from my aging 2013 sound system which has like HDMI 1.4.
So glad they came out with not dealing with switching inputs.
@@WheeledHamster are getting full DD+ or DTS from PS5? I an ARC 1.4 HDMI not taking the eARC DD+ DTS from the PS5
Got a new older 2023 TV with an ARC option. I am not going to use it but I needed to know what I was looking at. Thank you for making it clear and simple.
Just migrated from optical to arc after a recent tcl Roku tv update. Using a 10 year old Onkyo. Man, the step up from Dolby Digital to DD Plus was noticeable. I don't think my equipment supports earc, unfortunately. But man, I am glad to be done with that optical.
Saving the optical for emergencies like old consoles or whatever.
You know. In that drawer. You have one. With all the other things we KNOW we will need one day for no goddamn good reason but we know where we last had it! :)
That drawer with extra items. I have several. A multitude of cables including s-video. Also a stack of old equipment including a variety of switch boxes. Radio shack had optical switch boxes
I had multiple drawers like that over the years.
What button to push that is in front of my Onkyo to activate the ARC port ?
thank you very much after 1 year my tv is on my speakers your arc explanation was on point Thank You
I miss the analog days and the programmable Harmony Remote. It was just flawless with my TV and audio components.
Sofabaton are making better universal remotes every year. You should check them out 😉
Regards to your comment at 7:00 about tv turning the reciever off/on it is pin 13 on the hdmi cable, you can get an adapter/coupler with pin 13 removed to combat this problem, hope this helps
Your content is by far the most comprehensive, clear and easy to understand. Thanks for all of your hard work. I just bought the Sony A95k 65" and a Sonos arc sound system with a Gen3 Sub and 2 x one sl's for surrounds. I'm just wondering, do I need a special cable to carry the eARC signal from the TV to the ARC? or will any hdmi cable suffice? I'm about to get an installer to come wall mount it for me so I kind of need to get it right haha.
Great question, you need a "High speed HDMI Cable with Ethernet", but that's just about all cables made in the last 10 years, and it should say in printing along the cable that there's ethernet if the Cable has ethernet. HDMI 1.4 cables or better have the ethernet functionality but for future proofing if you don't already have a cable I would buy an HDMI 2.0 or 2.1 cable (with 2.1 being preferable) depending on how long the run is and what your budget is.
Thank you. My system is amazing now. ARC rocks!
OMG, I thought you only did TV reviews, and I began looking for other stuff and you popped up !?!? You're style, knowledge, advice makes you my top reviewer on TH-cam, hope you get that Million soon, keep up the good work :)
I just got a 5.1 soundbar system that supports eARC as does my recently purchased tv. It is my understanding that I need an HDMI cable that supports HDMI 2.1 in order to get the most benefit from these systems. I ordered one on Amazon today and am using the regular HDMI cable that I already had until the 2.1 cable comes in. Thanks for the video, it helped a lot!
You do not need an HDMI 2.1 Cable to use eARC (HDMI 1.4 or better is fine), but if you are passing video through your soundbar you want to use a cable good enough for the video source. (HDMI 1.4 for switch and PS4/Xbox One, HDMI 2.0 for Apple TV/PS4 Pro/Xbox One X/Fire Stick, HDMI 2.1 for PC and PS5/Xbox Series)
@@living757 how do I know which HDMI cable I have mine says 30 gauge high-speed HDMI cable with ethernet.
@@living757 I found this video because my Xbox one fell where I had it and pulled the HDMI cord out of the TV HDMI earc port and damaged the port. Also, is there a difference in picture from using this earc port and another HDMI port?
@twinturbobmw535xi7 high speed with Ethernet is what you need for ARC/eARC so you are good there! Video quality should also be the same for other ports with an Xbox One device. The new Xbox Series X supports HDMI 2.1 which is higher quality, and many TVs only have HDMI 2.1 on some ports (or no ports) and while it’ll work fine, you’ll miss out on that extra quality.
@@living757 understood , I have the Xbox one x , I was trying to buy the series x (the tower looking one) when it came out , but this was during the pandemic and after the looting in 2020 and no one had them. The ppl that did were price gouging selling them at a whopping $1000+ it was unbelievable. So I broke down and opted to just buy the one x. Visually Still looks great since I was used to the 360 lol. But def disappointed that I couldn’t get the series x. Also thanks for the info. I wanted to make sure that I wasn’t losing out on picture quality by being Forced to use the hdmi 2 port. Infirtur this is a brand new tv only about 2 months old. The hdmi cable yanked out one of the pins inside the port along with a small piece of plastic when the Xbox fell.
Thanks for helping me understand these things. I’m going to stick to having everything connected to my receiver though. I don’t wanna deal with a million cables going to my wall mount TV.
Great video but you do not mention anything about HDMI passthrough capabilities of the TV. Not all TVs can pass Dolby or DTS to HDMI arc from the rest of the HDMI inputs
Thanks for keeping the explanation simple and clear.
Hey Caleb. Your mentioning of CEC helped me resolve an issue that I was having. I have an LG OLED55C1 tv with a Shaw cable box, Apple TV 4k and an LG 4k HD Bluray player all connected to hdmi ports on the TV. I decided to get an LG eclair QP95 sound bar for better sound especially since it supports Dolby ATMOS. The tv and the sound bar both have eARC so I have term connected to each other through eARC. The only issue is that when I power up the shaw cable box is that I don’t get audio for about 45 seconds and while I am waiting for the audio the screen blanks out 3 times and after the 3rd time I see a message at the bottom of the screen that says LG ready and then I get audio. I think that the Tv must be enumerating all of the HDMI devices. So after trying about 20 different settings, cables,ports, etc I decided to look for CEC settings on all of my devices. So first I checked my shaw cable box and found that CEC was enabled so I disabled it and suddenly it went from about 45 seconds and the screen blanking out 3 times before I got audio to 18 seconds and no screen blanking out to get audio. 😅Thanks for the videos!!
I would always have preferred a HDMI Audio out as opposed to eArc. I wish TVs came with a HDMI Audio Out port. I know you save a cable but you run into all sorts of issues. Does the TV support DTS? Does it support Dolby? Does the Receiver support Arc? Does the receiver support eArc?
All these are automatically resolved with an Audio pass-through HDMI out port. Same with consoles - I would love for PS5 and XSX to have a HDMI out port. I'd pay the cost for it any day.
90% correct. Not all soundbars support DTS. My TCL soundbar (TS813/TS8132) has eARC but doesn't have a DTS decoder so it'll just use PCM 2.0, but it does fully support True-HD/DD+ + Atmos. While the TV is one part of the equation (My Sony X900E only has regular ARC so I only get DD+ and up to DTS 5.1), the soundbar/receiver is another part of the equation (in my case, eARC Dolby Atmos and no DTS). This means the most I get is DD+ lossy compressed Atmos (which is fine as that's what apps like Netflix, Hulu, etc. use). Due to my soundbar, I can't use DTS (which my TV can pass-through).
My soundbar does have an HDMI in, but again, no DTS decoder. I can do full Atmos but no form of DTS.
@@Teku175 Yes, it doesn't fix those issues. I'm actually a bit surprised that some equipment doesn't support DTS. It's a real shame cause DTS is the only reason we have good movie sound today.
The original DD was 448kbps while DTS was 1.5mbps. Massive difference. DD+ is the same as DTS. The big kahunas were DD TrueHD and DTS Master HD.
TVs can just get rid of the optical port which is now practically useless and replace it with Audio HDMI out.
They can keep eArc for the masochists who don't mind if the sound drops or something happens here and there.
Thank you thank you. Finally someone explained why my tv remote isn’t controlling my sound bar!
This was very helpful, thanks. Your videos are very insightful and I look forward to seeing all that you have to offer with your knowledge. This ARC/eARC video was actually a timely video because I have the Samsung Q90R 82"TV that I purchased 2 years ago and a remarkable think just happened: I just got firmware update that added eARC to my TV! As I'm sure you are aware, that this set didn't have eARC at the start, but now that limitation has been eliminated. I'm gonna go thru everything on my set to see how well it works but with your video, this will answer any questions I initially had about the differences. Thanks again!
Unfortunately arc earc stil don't work with my old Vizio Atmos 5.1.2 sound bar. Always have to unplug & replug HDMI cord after I turn the U7G on. Then mostly works all day. A few times the tv switches to tv speaker from arc/earc.
A benefit I found is it allowed me to keep my existing receiver when I got a new TV but still get the best possible audio and video the equipment supports with out having to upgrade my receiver. I can plug into the tv our use the built in apps and to get 4k hdr and the eARC will pass back the Dolby TrueHD or DTS-HD signal back to the receiver. Without eARC I would have to choose between lossless audio or HDR as my receiver does not support HDR and you can't pass the lossless audio formats over optical. I also have the annoying issue with my receiver sometimes turning off and back on and then finally off again a few minuets later when I turn off the tv. It would be nice if eARC would function without CEC.
The issue being that Older receivers are unlikely to support eARC
@@absolutium Yes but ARC has been around for a while. My receiver is 8 or 9 years old and it supports ARC.
I have a 2008 Panasonic tv and I was pleasantly surprised when I connected a Chromecast dongle and the TV remote simulated the Chromecast remote and allows me to navigate the Chromecast menus and control all apps like Netflix. It also controls my receiver and DVD player…. Very impressed with my 14 year old plasma TV tech!
Would you consider doing a video on how/why studios choose whether Dolby Atmos and/or DTS-X are chosen as default BD audio formats? I've always been a big fan of DTS audio and while I know they came late to the 'enhanced audio party', the omission of DTS-X on most recent BD's puzzles me - considering that when I do watch a BD with DTS-X to my ears it is noticeably better sounding. Great video as usual. Thank you.
I think it has got a little bit to do with marketing. Like Dolby pushes its product hard. It’s everywhere..in phones, earbuds, tablets..you name it. So what I think Dolby does is that it reaches out to these studios and creates some sort of exclusive deal for BluRays. Because most high budget films are almost always mixed in all the formats: Dolby Atmos, Dolby 5.1, SDDS, Auro 11.1, IMAX 6ch, Dts, dts-x..etc..and Our beloved DTS gets left out.
One more thing that could be is that DTS is simply more expensive to license than Atmos.
Back in the 35mm days of movies, all the surround formats were embedded on the film itself. At that point it was just a matter of which equipment was installed in the theatre. Dolby Digital was far more common as it appears it required the least amount of work and equipment.
Just got a soindbar finally for my TV and your viseos really helped especially with deciding wether to use hdmi or an optical cable for my setup
This is my first time visiting your channel and I am impressed. Great job breaking down the differences here. I have a much better understanding. I have the Sony HTS 200F sound bar because of the size and the space of my set up. I noticed when I use PCM, the audio level is much louder compared to choosing Digital audio out, "auto" and the output being DD+. Is there a reason for that and should I continue using the PCM setting for the louder sounding volume?
I don't know what your source material is, whether a console or the builtin apps of your TV, but when TVs are set to PCM, generally this means downmixing incoming HDMI content (consoles, players, etc) to stereo. With eARC, if you choose Pass Through for digital audio out, you can set your console/player to output Linear PCM 5.1/7.1, thanks to eARC the tv is able to pass that uncompressed surround signal to the audio device. For Blu-ray player app in these consoles it's better to set the internal setting to Bitstream, which will pass through audio, even Atmos, and let the receiver or sound bar decode it.
I never thought of connecting all the cables to the TV, I have always plugged all the HDMI cables to the amp. What you say about eArc makes sense and I will give it a try.
Insightful video with details that I wish were common knowledge years ago, as I jumped on the new format bandwagon too early. I have a Samsung Q9-fn TV and a Samsung HW-K950 Atmos soundbar, which were highly rated at the time, but the manuals had no mention of the lag and compression issues of using standard Arc. It makes for a hefty investment to upgrade both.
The best person there is to explain all this confusion. Ty so much!
that was a great video Caleb. you explained everything perfectly. very clear and concise 👍
Did you ever figure out how to keep your receiver from turning back on after turning off the tv? I have the same issue and it drives me crazy
Clear and informative as always.
I wish I saw your video a bit earlier, had to figure out how to enable eARC on my own 😅
Nice and clear video, I wish you talked a bit of what version of HDMI cables you need for arc and earc specifically.
Most Cables you can find will support ARC. But for eARC you need at least HDMI 2.1 rated Cables
@@tijesuniogunrombi9456 is mistaken, any HDMi cable made in the last 10 years will probably work with EARC (it requires HDMI 1.4 or better)
This is a great video. Will be receiving my first smart TV in a couple of days and wanted to learn how to connect so that I could use both soundbar and TV speaker audio. Thank you for posting!
I wish these TVs would offer an additional audio only out port on TVs, instead of being forced to waste a precious HDMI 2.1 port.
I just use the optical connection for audio, don’t know how good it is but sound great. Keep both 2.1 one for PS5 and Series X on my Sony.
Great video!
Could recommend the appropriate set up of cable connections for this case.
If I have a TV with regular HDMI ports and 1x eARC HDMI port + a sound bar with regular HDMI and 1x eARC HDMI port how should I connect to get the best audio and video?
Should it be:
- from Apple TV to eARC HDMI port on TV and from TV HDMI to Sound bar HDMI.
Or
- from Apple TV to eARC HDMI port on sound bar and from HDMI port on sound bar to HDMI port on the TV.
Pretty much I’m trying to figure out which device pair should use the eARC port.
Thanks!
Please let me know if you find out. I’m having the same issue. Apple TV will turn off receiver and speakers, but notLG TV.
Hi Caleb ! love your videos, they are educational and entertaining !
Many thanks for the info on ARC and eARC, we are just about to buy a new TV and Receiver as both are 20 years old. Are all HDMI cables the same as reading between the lines on here you have to be sure that each cable is compliant with the appropriate HDMI Version. Buying a cable used to be so much easier
This is good info I never knew about this very helpful
Thank you Sir!!! .. absolutely an outstanding technical video for not so technical people!!! .. 5 stars!!! .. now I know how to connect my PS5 to my new Samsung TV
Trying to get ARC working with my marantz receiver and Sony TV a few years ago, the response from both companies was basically that they have their own implementations that aren't guaranteed to work together. I ended up having to use an optical cable to get the audio to transfer reliably.
I hadn't heard about that, but I did run into problems with SONY receivers in general being very "piggish" in regard to how they handle ARC and CEC. Guess it's true of the displays too. Basically, I couldn't use ARC without CEC, but CEC isn't smart enough, so it was constantly turning on stuff but not off, and the receiver ended up on the wrong I/O. I finally gave up and swapped it for a comparable Denon. Was a shame b/c other than the ARC/CEC issue, the SONY receiver was better...especially handling video.
Unfortunately, optical cable is inferior to HDMI. I have a similar issue.
Helpful video. Only issue I’m having with my setup is with cec. It works for almost everything. But when I go to play a game or watch a movie, the menu for the Sony receiver will open. And no matter how many times I close it, it always re opens
Many thanks, Caleb. You're the best and always awesome! You made everything easy to understand the differences of these things.
Best way I like to describe it this:
In home cinema, with an AVR, you typically plug every devices you have in it. Then, only one cable comes out and goes up to the TV. That way, the video signal of what you are watching reaches the TV.
With ARC, it's the same idea but in reverse ! You plug everything in the TV and one cable containing the sound signal goes down to the amplifier or soundbar.
Why ARC was developed? Well, I think it's two things. 1. Mostly because people wanted to use small sound bars, instead of having a big AVR with big speakers. 2. People wanted to be able to control the soundbar volume with the TV remote (CEC). Using two remotes to watch TV was annoying.
Finally, eARC is just an enhancement to the original ARC technology. Better sound quality for surround sound and other small upgrades.
Voilà!
Very informative video but you have forgotten to mention that even though you have eARC on tv and home theater system it does not mean it will pass lossless audio from TV to sound system. None of the built in tv apps across all tv brands pass lossless audio. The only way to get lossless audio is to connect Nvidia shield pro to your home theater system and eARC to the tv for Dolby vision passthrough. There is huge difference in the sound quality between lossless audio and lossy audio when you have full home theater setup
@David Mander if you don't consume modern media then sure but if you stream your music, shows and movies on then get the Nvidia
@David Mander I did not mean u get lossless audio from streaming services.. I have a syncler plus membership along with real debrid subscription.. so I get original remux files and watch movies which are close to 100gb size.. you can truly stream lossless movies with this service provided you have atleast 200mb internet speed
And does the Apple TV 4K device work?
@@Avril.Lavigne for lossless audio? No.. nvidia shield pro is the only option for lossless audio
Thanks, this was extremely helpful in eliminating the lip-sync problem I was having with my Apple tvk and two home pod minis for better sound. Great.
Sorry to be a stickler... but you compared Dolby TrueHD to DTSX. Dolby TrueHD is comparable to DTSHD-MA (master audio). Dolby Atmos is comparable to DTSX. Dolby TrueHD & DTSHD-MA are compressed but lossless audio. Dolby Atmos & DTSX are lossless audio that also include discrete height channels. Similar to Dolby TrueHD & DTSHD-MA but with height channels.
Sir Your advice is priceless BUT Sir Your Beautiful voice is a very pleasant for my ears.
Man eARC would have been great back in the Guitar Hero/Rock Band days in terms of the drastically lowered delay.
No joke!!! 😂
Would u rather have your ps5 on earc or your Apple TV 4K? Idk which is better
Yeah … I have been using HDMI CEC and ARC for over a decade now
so I was mostly interested in what eARC adds to it
Btw
The problem with your AV system and HDMI CEC might be brand related since HDMI CEC is a standard but all brands use there own implementation of it and this sometimes can cause issues (like the AV turning of and back on again)
The best way is to have a TV and AV receiver of the same brand
This would provide the best experience
For other gear this might be a bit complicated but most will work fine
The only limitation might be the number of HDMI CEC devices connected as some TVs are limited to only a number of devices
I actually have 5 HDMI CEC devices (TV, AV Bluray system, PS3Slim, PS4Pro, Xbox Series X) And I cannot enable HDMI CEC on all these at the same time
@Dj Ravix Example if My tv has earc that supports Dolby atmos but my 5.1 channel sound bar only has hdmi out tv arc port. Will I get 5.1 channel sound on my sound bar which is connected to earc port on my tv?
@@deepinsight1175 this should work since eARC is backwards compatible with ARC
Be aware that your sound-bar will not output Dolby Atmos sound but will revert back to a Standart that is supported by the sound-bar
Also note that if both devices are from different brands there is a chance of running into compatibility issues since the HDMI CEC implementation one brand uses might not always work with the implementation of another brand
(It’s less of an issue nowadays but might be if one of the devices has one of the earlier implementations of HDMI CEC)
I have a Samsung 55 inch tv with eArc and a Samsung ms650 sound bar that comes with ARC only however i believe the sound bar works as a eArc after my latest update audio quality is so much better than ever. 700w subwoofer and rear speakers wake up more than ever. I listen to music on Tidal Master Audio and ill turn off MQA software encoding and let the soundbar decode everything. It truly sounds amazing! High Mids and lows are super responsive.
Remember to get less audio lag with lossless audio like Dolby Atmos or dtsx you need both the tv and soundbar/audio receiver to have eARC. otherwise you'll have audio delay on your soundbar/audio receiver with hi-res audio if your device only has the standard ARC and not eARC.
aye. it's very frustrating to have a beautiful system but the audio cannot keep up.
I don’t have any issues with my receiver on any of those formats through ARC
This ans my question..is earc really necessary to enjoy dtx from tv. Or arc shld be fine?
What kind of reciever that features Dolby Atmos or X doesn't have eARC? Is that really a thing?
@@jelly.1899doubt it.
Hi Caleb, That's a clearly described issue with HDMI in certain devices. Let me share my experience how i have connected My LG TV with Sony HTA9 and Apple TV. With eARC (HDMI2)enabled in the TV and Sony HTA9 initially. Once , they are in Sync, I have connected Apple TV to HTA9 . The LG TV has created a sub menu in the HDMI 2 tab with Sony HTA9 to play audio from TV and another tab to enable apple TV to play audio in HTA9.
Jesus Christ is Lord & He's coming soon ❤️🙏🏻👑
I've learned about eARC's downfall very early, and the easiest way I found to fix the issue when it stops working is to just unplug the HDMI cable from the television, and plug it right back in, and it'll be back to normal.
Just so I understand 100% in order to use arc or E arc you need to have a dedicated HDMI cable basically only for audio going from the TV to your receiver correct?
Thanks for the explanation. I guess I sort of knew why to use it but did not fully understand. I have the same problem with the amplifier turning back on sometimes, but I found that using one remote over another turns it off with no problem.
3:07 i had a TV with arc and used only one remote to turn my AVR+TV on using one remote, the tv broke and i now use the older tv which doesn't have CEC. I am sad
Hello from Canada. Thanks for posting the very informative video.
It is very important to find out if a tv has eARC. Almost every tv should have it now but it is a huge deal for watching 4K movies or playing games with Atmos or DTS:X. Thanks for the vid!!
It is not that important.. as hardly any content available with the Tv itself has Uncompressed Multichannel audio..if you play competitively you do it with PCM 2.0.. If you have a dedicated UHD player or Dedicated HighEnd Bluray which will play uncomppressed multichannel audio..
you are certainly plugging those devices directly to the Receiver in first place.
A very interesting explanation. I guess your viewers are not the typical tv watchers. Using the receiver or tv as the switching device has limits because there are not enough inputs so an hdmi switch is required. I still have s-video switch boxes that I use and DVD recorders do not have digital inputs. Normally when you turn off a receiver it stays off. I have a Panasonic CD changer that will turn on and start playing after a power failure. The solution has been to unplug it.
I have a Sony a80j and u showed me how to get atmos to my sound bar without using a separate device. I can now get dolby vision and atmos. Before I had to choose. Thanks again.
I'm struggling with this situation trying to connect my new c1 to my old pioneer av receiver... I can't get the audio from hbo max app running on the TV to play through the av receiver... I even bought an optical cable and can't get the sound, I'm about to give up and purchase a new av receiver or the new LG top of the line atmos soundbar with rear upfiring surround speakers, the problem is I have a very nice 5.1 harman kardon speaker setup...
I really don't know where to go and don't really want to spend the money since I already have a good system and although I would like to get dts x and atmos I like what I get on these 🤔
Update: returned the lg soundbar and decided to keep the harman kardons, lg sounded like trash cans compared to the Harman kardon... Ordered a new denon x1700h receiver and will go for the virtual height atmos and dts x, with its odyssey multi eq xt calibration, I'm pretty sure I would be more than pleased...
This is great I finally upgraded my projector to 4k. I was dreading spending another $900 just for more 4k inputs. I’ll try using ARC, 🤞🏻
Thanks for the info. I tried earc connected from my Sony A80j and was disappointed with the sound quality. I expected much better. I have it connected to an Onkyo RZ-50. When watching netflix, I compared the apps in my sony thru earc, and using Roku, and there was no contest. The apps sound thru the Roku won hands down.
I've got an LG CX oled and when connecting it to a Pioneer VSX-522-K it loops into sending the sound to the receiver, seconds later back out of the TV, and repeat till forever haha... There is a way to break the loop but, as explained in the video, this tech is still not solid. I use optical out but hate to use 2 remotes, though. This video is super well explained
Hi great video. One question do you lose audio from tv using the Arc or eArc cable to sound bar. Thanks to anyone who answered the question.
Very informative, helpful, in-depth review and All the Best Buy Associates should be Required to attend a training by Caleb Denison on the difference between the ARC and eARC…
Thanks for helping here...im new to this. So all I need is one cable from my home theater to my tv arc to make the thing work?
yes
Thanks for doing this. Glad to know I'm not alone on the imperfections.
Awsome video, thanks. Getting a Sound-System for my TV this-weekend. Now, I know what to look for!
Thanks for the video, just got my new LG 65'' Oled G2 with a 5.1.2 LG DS75QR system and I noticed it came with a regular high speed HDMI cable to use it with the ARC, but somehow i was not sure if it would be better to get an ultra high speed HDMI to use it with the eARC instead? Now all explained 👍
Thanks for the video. Do we have a specific cable for eARC/ARC? Like 4K at 60High speed or 4K at 120 Ultra high speed?
Any HDMI 1.4 or later cable (which is 99% of cables made in the last 10 years) should work fine with eARC.
Excellent explanation. You made it very easy to understand. Question...If ARC or eARC is used and the TV works as the hub, can I still plug other devices into my AVR slots and have the audio fed through it? My concern is that with so many devices that can be plugged in nowadays, there won;t be enough inputs on the TV. How would have some plugged in to TV and others into the AVR work?
I'm kinda in the same boat. I'd like to have the sound from the TV but at times I'd like it through my Denon amp.. eg. Have my blue ray and ps4 sometimes through the TV so as not to disturb the rest of the family at night...and at other times have the sound blasting through the Denon amp with all the wonders of surround sound. It's all a bit confusing 😊. But it's a good explanation of the tech in the video
Seems like it should be the other way around. Plug devices into the receiver then one cord going to the tv.
for gamers,ARC digital formats produce some delay in some systems!
better PCM or eARC
Q-symphony from Samsung only work best with eARC soundbar, if SB only supports ARC there will be some delay or stuck with PCM no delay but stereo
so better get eARC in the first place and enjoy surround without delay!
I hope there is like a ARC convertion to eARC either in a the form of firmware or a gadget to use. My TV is only ARC but my soundbar is eARC. So I can only get compressed Atmos instead of Dolby TruHD or uncompressed Atmos.
I bought the Samsung Q OLED S95B 4K Quantum Smart TV, a week and a half ago and now the Sennheiser Ambeo Soundbar Plus. Do you think I made a good combo? I just found your channel 3 days ago and was impressed with your reviews and technical advice and knowledge. I also subbed btw. Thank you for what you do and keep up the great work! 👍😎
You can hook up your devices to the amplifier and run ARC to the tv also
have you got any update on the HDMI CEC issues u talked about like auto wakeup of the sound system? i have a JBL Bar 9.1 connected to a Sony X9500G TV having the same issue. When i connect Sony Soundbar, i do not have this issue. After working with JBL for over 6 months and escalating to highest level, now they have a new firmware which seems to fix this issue. Thought Ill let you know
Hi, great video, again! ...and you have answered a problem for me ...I have a Yamaha 5 .1 amp, I use the TV (smart) remote to turn TV on, this turns on amp, then when I turn TV off, the amp goes off, but then comes back of for a short period! ...so it's not just mine that does that, any clues why 🤔🤔🤔 ...Regards Norm's
If you use EARC should you also remove the optical cable as well? The issue I am having with my surround sound now is when I listen to a movie on MAX like Dune or Mad Max I can’t hear anybody talking…but when the action begins it’s loud but when they go back to talking I can barely hear them talking..I have a 2 year old Denon receiver & 15 year old Energy speakers and sub woofer.
Great video and holy crap! My receiver does the same thing and it drives me crazy. If you ever figure out this issue please let us know what you did to resolve it thank you!
Still working on it!
I'm having the same problem with my Sony TV and Marantz receiver since switching from Optical to ARC for my TV audio. I've tried everything I can think of including turning all CEC options off and finally I just set a 1hr idle timer on the receiver for when it cuts on after bedtime. Someone in a forum somewhere said it had to do with the Sony TV systems waking to check for updates without turning on the screen, but I have no way to test this. Please let us know if you find a solution!
Great video, just replying in this thread to mention that I got the same issue and my tv is not a Sony, my set up is Samsung Q60+PioneerVSX-LX304 though this doesn’t happen every time, when I turned my tv off it turns off and then few seconds after receiver turns on again. Have you found a solution for this?
Thanks for such a comprehensive video. Explained my age old question why my Samsung TV doesn't support DTS audio even though my soundbar supports the latest DTSx and Dolby Atomos technology. Felt like I was ripped off by Samsung from purchasing a 8000 dollar TV that doesn't support one of the most popular audio format😢.
QUESTION: I have the TX-NR5010 THX Ultra 2 Onkyo A/V Receiver. I remember buying it thinking, "Oh, it is 4K, so I should be futureproof forever." But I was wrong. Since I purchased that A/V Receiver, technologies such as HDR, Dolby Vision, and eARC became available. I will soon be getting the Hisense U8H that offers HDR technology and eARC. And I will soon be getting the Xbox Series X. My plan is to keep everything I currently have connected to my A/V Receiver. This includes my Xbox One, Comcast DVR, and Laptop. I plan to connect the Xbox Series X directly to the Hisense U8H in one of the inputs that allows 120hz at 4K Resolution. I would then connect the Hisense U8H eARC input to the ARC input of the Onkyo TX-NR5010 A/V Receiver. Do you believe this is a good plan that would allow the maximum features of the Xbox Series X be used for gaming and movies, while also sending the lossless audio signals to the A/V Receiver?
I don’t know your particular equipment, but your plan falls into this category of mine: it should work because the brochures say it will work; then if it doesn’t work each customer service rep will blame the other manufacturer; nonetheless if YOU spend a few hours playing with settings AND turning the various devices on in just the (inexplicably) correct order, it will work. Write this order down. A power outage will force you to recreate this mystical order. Good luck.
@@pdcragin33 My equipment centers around a THX Ultra 2 A/V Receiver that has HDMI 1.4 technology and an ARC cable, but not an HDMI 2.1 technology. Companies does even make THX Ultra 2 A/V Receivers anymore, so I definitely want to hang onto this A/V Receiver from Onkyo. But, the eArc for the purpose of audio wastes one of the two HDMI 2.1 inputs, except on a TLC TV - because TLC is the only company with enough brains to put the eArc input on a separate input.
Thank you for a very comprehensive tutorial!!!