Help with Connecting my Soundbar to Devices

discombobulate

Ok so I bought the following soundbar here

I want to be able to connect it to my Sky box, PS4 and tv.

I've attached pics of my tv and the soundbar connections.

What would be my best option here before I go buy the wrong cables? It's a standard old Sky box with a scart connection to the tv.

Any help appreciated.

coylemj

If the Sky box is connected to the TV using SCART then you will need to buy an optical (TosLink) cable to connect the digital audio out (optical) port on the TV to the soundbar TV (OPT1) port. Use a standard HDMI cable to connect the PS4 to a spare HDMI port on the TV.

If/when you get a Sky HD box, you'll need to connect it to a spare HDMI port on the TV but as soon as you upgrade the TV to one that has a HDMI port (usually HDMI1) labelled 'ARC', you can connect the HDMI cable coming from the Sky HD box to the soundbar AUX1 (HDMI2) port and use another HDMI cable to connect the soundbar to a HDMI port (labelled ARC) on the TV using the AV OUT (TV ARC) port. You'll also be able to connect the PS4 to the BD/DVD port on the soundbar. At that stage you'll be able to disconnect the optical cable.

Bottom line is that when you get a TV that supports audio return channel (ARC) you will be able to use the soundbar as the hub and connect everything to it, until then everything has to be connected through the TV and you send the TV audio to the soundbar via an optical cable.

discombobulate

Thanks very much for the thorough answer. I've just ordered an optical cable. Only just bought the tv recently so disappointed it doesn't have the Arc output.

Is there a difference in sound also between an Arc setup and optical cable setup?

coylemj

discombobulate wrote: »

Is there a difference in sound also between an Arc setup and optical cable setup?

Shouldn't be any difference, they both involve digital audio. The ARC facility just makes for more convenience through simpler cabling.