How to use HDMI ARC on Samsung Smart TV

You will need to enable the HDMI-CEC protocols in the Settings Menu on your TV. Samsung TVs call the HDMI-CEC protocol Anynet+.

The menu path to turn on Anynet+ will be something like the following:

Step 1. Press the HOME button on your Samsung remote control and then select Settings.

Step 2. On the Settings screen, choose the General Menu and External Device Manager.

Step 3. Navigate Anynet+ (HDMI-CEC) in the External Device Manager menu and press enter on your remote to turn Anynet+ on.

If you are using a third-party soundbar or home theater system, please check whether the HDMI CEC or the ARC function is activated. Then switch the input source to HDMI ARC on your speaker.

Depending on the series, make the following settings on your Smart TV so that the sound is then reproduced by your speaker:

• Smart TV from 2017 (T / Q, R / Q, N / Q and M / Q series)
  

        Open Home> Settings> Sound> Sound Output. Select Receiver (HDMI) from the list.

• Smart TV from 2016 (K series)

        Open Home> Settings> Sound> Speaker Settings. Select Receiver (HDMI) from the list. 

• Smart TV from 2015 (J series)

        Open Menu> Sound> Speaker List. Select Receiver (HDMI) from the list.

• Smart TV from 2013 to 2014 (F / H series)

        Open Menu> Sound> Speaker Settings. Set the TV sound output to the receiver.

• Smart TV from 2011 to 2012 (D / E series)

        Open Menu> System> Anynet + (HDMI-CEC). Set the Receiver function to On. 

When your TV has no sound, or intermittent sound drop, and you are listening to something from a device connected with an HDMI cable, one of the simplest potential causes of the issue is that the cable is low quality. Since replacing the cable with a higher quality cable is not always easy or convenient, Samsung Smart TV models have a setting that can be used to adjust how the TV interprets the HDMI signal and improve compatibility with the cable.

Navigate to Menu > Support > Self Diagnosis > Signal Information > Signal History > HDMI Delay Level, and select from one of the options:

(From 2020 model: Menu > Support > Device Care > Self Diagnosis > Signal Information > Signal History > HDMI Delay Level)

• Basic: This is the default setting for normal operation.

• Slow 1: This adds a slight delay before determining that the HDMI cable is not sending a signal.

• Slow 2: This adds a significant delay.

Setting this option to Slow 1 or Slow 2 will improve the signal quality from a poor HDMI cable, but a side effect is that this delay will also occur when changing the source.

If you connect the HDMI ARC cable to the Soundbar and all of the settings are correct, but it does not work, you can also reset the Soundbar device by following the steps listed below.

Step 1. Power off the TV and Soundbar. (Standby mode)

Step 2. Press and hold both Volume Up (+) and Down (-) buttons on the remote for more than 5 seconds until it displays INIT.

Step 3. Power on the TV and Soundbar.

Step 4. Press the Home button on the TV remote. Select Settings and change the Sound Output to Soundbar.

Step 5. A notification TV ARC appears in the front display, and then TV sound is played.