Connect the soundbar's eARC/ARC output to the TV port explicitly labeled eARC/ARC, enable HDMI control and eARC on both devices where required, and test PCM first. A cable, port or format can fail independently. First, identify the labeled ARC/eARC ports and use a cable appropriate to the required HDMI feature set.
What this covers
- A television and soundbar that both document HDMI ARC or eARC
What it does not cover
Try in this order
0 of 6 completedEstablish the exact starting state
ReversibleIdentify the labeled ARC/eARC ports and use a cable appropriate to the required HDMI feature set.
Separate the fault or decision boundary
ReversibleTest TV speakers, then the soundbar with PCM, then advanced formats so format incompatibility is not confused with no connection.
Apply the narrowest correction
ReversibleEnable the manufacturers' HDMI-control names, choose external/receiver audio and enable eARC or passthrough only when supported end to end.
Turn on Anynet+ first
ReversibleSamsung lists Anynet+ (HDMI-CEC) under Settings, General, External Device Manager, and says eARC needs it to be switched on.
Enable HDMI e-ARC Mode and test the digital output format
ReversibleTurn on HDMI e-ARC Mode in Sound, Expert Settings. If there is no sound, cycle Digital Output Audio Format through PCM, Auto and Pass-Through.
Verify before escalating
ReversibleTest a TV app and one external HDMI source, then confirm volume control and power behavior.
Samsung
The Samsung eARC settings and the conditions they depend on
The cable, the port and two settings decide whether eARC works.
- What it does
- Samsung says eARC sends audio from cable, satellite, streaming or source devices connected to the TV on to an AV receiver or sound bar through a single HDMI cable.
- Settings path
- Press Home, open Sound, Expert Settings and enable HDMI e-ARC Mode.
- Conditions
- Use an eARC-supported HDMI cable, enable Anynet+ (HDMI-CEC) under Settings, General, External Device Manager, and confirm the TV supports eARC (Samsung names UHD TU7000 and above).
- No sound
- If eARC connects but there is no sound, test the Digital Output Audio Format on PCM, Auto and Pass-Through in turn to find the setting your soundbar accepts.
Stop boundary
When this stops being a self-service repair
- !If eARC repeatedly drops the sound, fall back to the plain ARC setting or a digital optical connection rather than replacing the soundbar.
Evidence ledger
Sources behind this answer
The spec body's eARC page: what the eARC port carries, what both ends must support, and the cable requirement.
Settings path; Anynet+; cable; digital output format.
Exact questions
Common questions about “Set up a TV and soundbar with HDMI eARC”
What if eARC connects but I hear nothing?+
Samsung says to test the Digital Output Audio Format on PCM, Auto and Pass-Through one at a time.
Is eARC available on every Samsung TV?+
No. Samsung's page states the TV must support it and names UHD TU7000 and above.
What settings do I need on a Samsung TV?+
Enable Anynet+ (HDMI-CEC) under General, External Device Manager, then turn on HDMI e-ARC Mode under Sound, Expert Settings.
Which cable do I use?+
Samsung says to use an eARC-supported HDMI cable,.
Which HDMI port do I use for eARC?+
Use the HDMI port on the TV labeled eARC or ARC, and connect it to the soundbar's HDMI output marked eARC or ARC. Plugging into a normal HDMI input on either device will not carry sound back from the TV.