Roku devices are solid streaming devices that deliver great experiences at competitive prices. The Roku TVs inherit all the perks of the Roku software like popular streaming services, voice assistants, etc. in a wide range of hardware.
But, what these streaming setups lack is a proper speaker system. That is when a soundbar kicks in. It allows users to get a greater audio experience with the Roku TVs. So how to connect the soundbar to Roku TV?
How to connect a soundbar to Roku TV?
The general method of connecting a soundbar to the Roku TV is to choose a connection that both the soundbar and the Roku TV support, then follow the easy steps below.
Choose the connection
Since the Roku TV doesn’t support Bluetooth, you can’t connect a soundbar wirelessly to your Roku TV. So wired connections are the way to go.
As mentioned, the connection you want to use should be comfortable to both the soundbar and the Roku TV. Then, head to your Roku TV, go to the input setting, and choose the connection. It could be HDMI ARC, RCA, digital optical, etc.
When using a wired connection, make sure the plug is inserted all the way through and secured in place. Otherwise, you may get one-sided audio, unsynchronized sound, or no sound.
Once you have secured your connection, you can play some sound on your Roku TV to test the sound.
The steps
Here are the general steps to connect a soundbar to a Roku TV, specifically TCL Roku TVs, but it should be similar to the Roku TVs from other hardware brands:
- Step 1: Connect the soundbar to your Roku TV with the appropriate wired connection
- Step 2: Turn on both the soundbar and the Roku TV
- Step 3: On your Roku TV, go to “Settings“, then choose “Control other devices” to enable the connection you choose.
- Step 4: On the main menu, open the system audio control, then choose and enable your connection
- Step 5: Go back to Home, the audio from the Roku TV should come out from the soundbar. Play some content with audio to test.
Connect the soundbar to your Roku TV and enable Dolby audio technology
If your soundbar supports Dolby audio technologies like Dolby Atmos, Dolby Digital, or Dolby digital plus for surround sound, you can set it to enable Dolby audio technologies and connect it to your Roku TV. When being so, your soundbar should be at D+ or DTS mode.
If you are uncertain whether your soundbar supports surround sound technologies like Dolby Digital, Dolby digital plus, or Dolby Atmos, you can look at the soundbar packaging or make a quick search online for the specifications.
Here are the steps if your soundbar supports the features to enable the capability. Note that your Roku TV must also support the same Dolby audio technologies:
- Step 1: On your Roku TV, go to “Settings”
- Step 2: Find and choose the “Audio” option
- Step 3: Set the HDMI or your chosen connection to the Dolby audio technology that the soundbar supports. Do the same for the audio mode.
- Step 4: Go back Home. The Dolby audio technologies should be enabled now.
You can further increase the audio quality of the soundbar by connecting it to a receiver, such as Yamaha or Denon brand to amplify the overall sound quality.
Some questions related to the soundbar connection to the Roku TV
What soundbars work with Roku TV?
Most soundbars available on the market will work with Roku TV since they only need common wired connections like HDMI to work with the TV.
Some of the soundbars that work with the Roku TV include the Polk soundbar, the Yamaha Yas-207, the Sonos Beam, the Bose soundbar, the TCL Alto, and more.
Do I need a Roku soundbar for the Roku TV?
You don’t need to get soundbars from Roku to use with the Roku TV. And the Roku soundbars will work with any TV. Roku Smart soundbar even has the Roku media player built-in, so you can enjoy your favorite streaming content with the audio quality of the soundbar hardware.
A soundbar with Roku TVHow to connect the soundbar to the Roku TV with an optical cable?
Use an optical cable and plug both of its ends to the corresponding ports on the soundbar and the Roku TV. The labels for the optical cable should be clearly visible at the back of the Roku TV and the soundbar.
Is it better to connect the soundbar to the Roku TV with HDMI or optical cable?
While HDMI and Optical connection can offer high-quality audio as a standalone speaker or 1 speaker in the home theater system, HDMI allows both audio and video input or output.
So if you are using the soundbar with the Roku TV but also using other devices like a Blu-ray player, a game console, or more, HDMI is the way to go.
Can the Roku TV be used with a Bluetooth soundbar?
You can’t connect a Bluetooth soundbar to a Roku TV since it doesn’t support Bluetooth. If you want to connect a soundbar to the Roku TV wirelessly, you will need the Roku TV wireless speaker or the Roku Smart soundbar.
Related: Does Roku TV have Bluetooth?
Final thoughts
With the service information, you should be able to find out how to connect the soundbar to Roku TV. The soundbar can only be connected to the Roku TV with a wired connection since the Roku TVs don’t support Bluetooth.
You will need to prepare the wire, then plug both ends into the soundbar and the Roku TV. Once connected, you just need to configure the connection ơn your TV and you are good to go.
You can connect the soundbar to the Roku TV using HDMI, optical cable, and more. But the HDMI offers more flexibility, so go for HDMI if you want to use more devices in your streaming setup.
