Vizio TV models come with high-performing built-in speakers. But you may need a better audio performance, such as deep bass and louder volume. Therefore, connecting a soundbar or external speaker is a great way to improve your home entertainment system.
But soundbars have grown in popularity because they are an all-in-one speaker system with either stereo or surround sound without taking up much space. There are four ways you can connect a soundbar to Vizio TVs: an HDMI cable, analog (RCA) cable, and optical(S/PDIF) cable, or connect it via Bluetooth.
Connecting a soundbar to your Vizio TV is easy, but both devices need compatible inputs. Our article covers detailed guides on effectively connecting your soundbar to your Vizio TV.
How to connect a new soundbar to my Vizio TV
Soundbars have different ways to connect to a Vizio TV, depending on brand and model. Most use wired connection, while others have built-in Bluetooth, which you can use. An analog/RCA cable is the most popular way to connect most soundbars to a Vizio TV.
Connecting via analog/RCA cable
Analog cables are color-coded composite AV cables that transmit analog audio signals from the TV to the soundbar. Although this method doesn’t produce the best sound quality, it is the most cost-effective and oldest option available because you will likely have them around in the house.
Here’s how to connect a soundbar to a Vizio Tv using an analog/ RCA cable:
- First, look for the correct RCA outputs on the back of the soundbar and TV. It will be labeled ‘Audio Out’ on the TV and ‘Audio In’ on the soundbar and is color-coded white(left) and red(right).
- Plug the analog cables into their corresponding output ports on the TV and repeat the same on the soundbar. On the soundbar, it will be labeled ‘Audio In’ or ‘Aux.’
- Turn on both the soundbar and Vizio TV.
- Using your Vizio TV remote, go to the audio menu and turn off the TV speakers.
- Then change the audio to ‘Analog’ and either ‘Fixed’ or ‘Variable.’ Variable will allow the TV to increase or reduce the volume based on the volume level of the TV settings. In contrast, the fixed setting uses the volume level on the soundbar settings.
Connecting via S/PDIF cable
Since analog cable is not the most advanced way to get your TV to play through your soundbar, you can connect a new soundbar to your Vizio TV using a S/PDIF(optical cable). An optical cable has two channels for transmitting digital audio. It transmits high-definition sound and mutes extra noises completely.
Follow the steps below to connect a new soundbar to your Vizio TV through a S/PDIF cable:
- Ensure both the TV and soundbar are off.
- Next, find the optical port on your Vizio Tv at the back.
- Plug one end of the S/PDIF cable into your Vizio TV’s optical port and the other into the ‘Optical In’ on your soundbar.
- Turn on your soundbar and Vizio TV.
- Set your soundbar input to ‘Optical’, ‘Toslink’ or ‘SPDIF’
- Turn off your Vizio TV internal speakers. Go to Menu > Audio > Speakers and select ‘Off’.
How to connect a Vizio TV to a soundbar with HDMI
If both your soundbar and Vizio TV have an HDMI ARC port, then you can use an HDMI(High Definition Multimedia Interface) cable that is ARC compatible to connect them. HDMI cables offer signal integrity and transmit high-definition content with no degradation in quality.
To connect using HDMI:
- Find the HDMI port on the soundbar and the HDMI 1 port on the Vizio TV.
- Plug one end of the HDMI cable into the HDMI ARC port at the back of your Vizio TV.
- Then connect the other end of the HDMI cable to the ‘HDMI Out’ port on your soundbar.
- Power on both the TV and soundbar.
- Press the Input button on the Vizio TV remote and select HDMI as the sound input.
- If your soundbar supports Dolby Atmos, set the TV digital audio out setting to Dolby or Bitstream for the most effective sound output.
Additionally, you can use the ARC port to control your soundbar using the Vizio TV remote.
If you want to control your soundbar using your TV remote, enable your TV’s CEC settings.
- Go to Menu > System > CEC . Enabled/On. So changing the volume on your Vizio TV will also adjust the volume on your soundbar.
How to connect my Bluetooth soundbar to my Vizio tv
Modern soundbars also allow you to connect to your TV wireless over Bluetooth. However, most Vizio TVs come with Bluetooth LE, a low-power Bluetooth that is not the same as regular Bluetooth. Vizio uses this Bluetooth LE technology to connect its SmartCast app, which acts as a remote control on your smart device but is not for audio streaming.
Fortunately, selected Vizio TVs do have inbuilt Bluetooth. But first, you must verify your Vizio TV is compatible with Bluetooth to pair it to your Bluetooth soundbar. You can also check your TV manual, which specifies the type of Bluetooth your Vizio TV supports.
If you don’t have your TV manual, press Menu > Settings > Product Support or System Settings > System Information to get the details.
If your Vizio TV model supports Bluetooth, follow the steps below to connect to Bluetooth soundbar to your Vizio TV:
- Then, press the Home button on your Vizio TV remote control.
- Go to Settings > Network & Accessories
- Find and select ‘Bluetooth Settings
- Select ‘On’ to enable Bluetooth.
- Power on your soundbar.
- Press and hold the Bluetooth button on your soundbar for five seconds to put it on pairing mode.
- The name of your soundbar should appear on a prompt on the TV.
- Select your soundbar to enable the connection.
Note that a Bluetooth signal has a range of up to 30 feet. So moving the soundbar too far from the TV will affect the audio quality compared to a wired connection. Also, if there is no sound and the Vizio soundbar input lights start flashing, there could be connection issues due to electrical or programming faults.
Conclusion
We hope this guide has helped you understand all the different methods you can use to connect a soundbar to your Vizio TV without any issues. You have several wired connection options, such as via HDMI, analog, and optical cables. You can also use Bluetooth if your Vizio TV allows it, but it is not as stable as the cable options.