VIZIO's CEC article opens with its soundbars: newer bars feature HDMI eARC and ARC, USB and Bluetooth, and CEC lets the TV remote control the bar. VIZIO and onn TVs come with CEC enabled. On other TVs, open Menu or Settings, find System Settings, External Devices or HDMI Settings, look for CEC under its brand name and switch it on; to test, change the soundbar volume or power with the TV remote.
The checks in more detail
The article lists the names: VIZIO CEC, AOC E-link, Insignia INlink, LG SimpLink, Panasonic HDAVI Control or VIERA Link, Philips EasyLink, Roku TV 1-Touch Play, Samsung Anynet+, Sharp Aquos Link, Sony Bravia Sync and Toshiba CE-Link or Regza Link, with menu paths for Samsung, Sony, LG, TCL and Hisense. VIZIO's soundbar connection article and its soundbar no-audio article cover the hookup: use the HDMI port marked ARC or eARC, and on VIZIO's 2024 bars, which end in -08,
that is the only digital connection since they lack optical; use CEC's Device Discovery to find the bar. If sound is missing, set the digital audio format to Dolby Digital or Bitstream in the TV's audio settings, and confirm CEC and ARC or eARC are on. A separate article covers Atmos soundbars. If the bar does not respond, power both off, unplug them, plug the bar in first and turn on the TV, and try another HDMI cable.
VIZIO's list of brand names for CEC is the fastest way to find the setting on a TV that is not a VIZIO, because most menus never say CEC. Keep the soundbar's firmware current, since handshake fixes often arrive in the bar's updates rather than the TV's. Check the soundbar's own display for its input name after changes, since a bar left on optical or Bluetooth will stay silent even when ARC is correct.
Differential
Likely causes of “VIZIO TV line ARC or eARC soundbar audio is not working”, and how to tell them apart
- 1
CEC off
What separates it There is no volume control because CEC is switched off
How to confirm Enable CEC in the settings, using the name that the TV brand gives it
- 2
The wrong HDMI port
What separates it There is no TV audio because the soundbar is on the wrong HDMI port
How to confirm Use the ARC or eARC port on the TV, for the soundbar
- 3
An audio format the bar cannot decode
What separates it Movies are silent because the soundbar cannot decode the audio format
How to confirm Set the format to Dolby Digital or Bitstream, and check the sound
- 4
No optical on a -08 bar
What separates it Only eARC works because a soundbar with a minus 08 name has no optical input
How to confirm Use the HDMI port, since a soundbar with a minus 08 name has no optical input
- 5
A stale link
What separates it The sound is silent after changes because the link has gone stale
How to confirm Power cycle both the TV and the soundbar, and then test again
Before you touch a setting
Record this first — changing settings destroys the evidence
- The TV brand and CEC name
- The HDMI port on the TV that the soundbar uses
- The audio format setting that is chosen on the TV
Try in this order
0 of 7 completedUse the ARC or eARC port
ReversibleUse the ARC or eARC port on the TV, and not another HDMI port, for the soundbar.
Turn CEC on
ReversibleTurn CEC on, under its brand name, in the settings of the TV and the soundbar.
Run Device Discovery
ReversibleRun Device Discovery on the TV, so that it finds the soundbar and links to it.
Set the audio format
ReversibleSet the audio format to Dolby Digital or Bitstream, and check the sound, and then test again to see whether it helped.
Try another cable
ReversibleTry another cable, choosing a High Speed cable that can carry the audio return signal.
Power cycle both
ReversiblePower cycle both devices, starting with the soundbar, and then the TV, and then test again to see whether it helped.
Update
ReversibleUpdate the TV and the soundbar, since new software fixes many ARC problems, and then test again to see whether it helped.
Model-specific
What is true of this model and not of its siblings
- 2024 soundbars
- Models ending in -08 have eARC and no optical.
- Atmos
- Atmos soundbars have their own troubleshooting article.
- Other models this page answers
- These steps also fit the Quantum 4K QLED TV, V-Series 4K TV, M-Series Quantum X TV, OLED H1 TV.
Stop boundary
When this stops being a self-service repair
- !If ARC fails on a good port and cable, contact VIZIO
- !If the bar is silent on every device, check it
- !If only some formats fail, set the audio format to Bitstream
Evidence ledger
Sources behind this answer
Enabling CEC and brand names.
HDMI ARC and optical connection.
Soundbar audio checks.
Speaker test and audio settings.
The company and its products.
Exact questions
Common questions
Is CEC on by default on a VIZIO?+
Yes, CEC is on by default on a VIZIO, so the soundbar should follow the TV.
What is CEC called on Samsung?+
CEC is called Anynet+ on a Samsung TV, which is worth knowing if you mix brands.
Do -08 soundbars have optical?+
No, VIZIO soundbars with a minus 08 name do not have an optical input.
What format should I set?+
Set Dolby Digital or Bitstream, so that the soundbar decodes the sound itself.
How do I test CEC?+
Change the volume with the TV remote.