HDMI connection for your TV: Best picture and sound transmission
Home cinema and gaming naturally need good sound in addition to the picture. An HDMI connection for the TV is the most convenient solution for this. However, how you connect TV set, sound system and game console depends on the configuration and version of your HDMI connection. We present different variants.
Connecting HDMI: A cable with many advantages
Via HDMI connection, picture and sound are transmitted simultaneously with just one cable. The high picture and audio quality of the HDMI standard is another advantage. HDMI also allows other features to be used.
For cineastes and gamers, it is recommended to use an ARC-capable HDMI cable. ARC stands for Audio Return Channel. Thanks to the feature, the cable transmits audio data in both directions, for example from the TV to the audio system and from the system to the TV.
You can therefore use an HDMI connection that supports ARC as both a signal input and a signal output. This saves an additional audio cable and has another advantage: the cable can also forward or loop through image data to additional devices such as a Blu-ray player, while at the same time passing the audio signals from the TV to the audio system.
When can I connect an HDMI ARC cable?
Here we explain how to connect all devices together and introduce different connection options. What works depends on your HDMI cable and how you can connect it.
First of all, check if your TV supports HDMI ARC. For example, you can connect your Samsung TV to your Teufel system. For this, please be sure to follow the operating instructions of your TV or playback device (e.g. game console). Small tip: More and more manufacturers are publishing technical data and operating instructions online. Also take a look at the HDMI input on your TV. Visually, normal and HDMI-ARC connections do not differ at first glance, but audio return channels are usually marked ARC and HDMI-ARC, respectively.
Regardless of whether there is an ARC-capable or a regular HDMI connection for the TV, the following is important: You can connect auxiliary devices such as Blu-ray players or game consoles via HDMI cable either directly to the TV or to the Teufel system. If you connect the additional devices to the audio system, the picture signal is looped through to the TV. The technical term for this process is pass-through.
Variant 1: Set up TV with HDMI ARC and pass-through connection
In this variant, the Teufel system (e.g. Teufel soundbar or an AV receiver) serves as the control center. You connect playback devices such as Blu-ray players or game consoles via HDMI cable. The sound system takes over the sound signal and loops the picture signal to the TV. The HDMI ARC cable conveniently transmits the TV sound back to the audio system. This saves another cable and means less effort.
Advantages:
- Only 1 HDMI cable between sound system and TV necessary.
- Cumbersome wiring of the TV is eliminated
- Sound system and TV switch off simultaneously
- Volume of the audio system can be adjusted via TV remote control
- Automatic source change when switching on the players
Variant 2: TV with HDMI ARC without pass-through
With this solution, you connect all playback devices to the TV via HDMI. In this case, the TV acts as the central interface. Thanks to the ARC connection, the TV forwards all sound signals to the audio system so that it can output the sound in high quality. You only make small concessions when connecting: It's a bit more cumbersome.
Pros:
- Only 1 HDMI cable needed between audio device and TV.
- Sound system turns on and off with TV
- Convenient volume control of the sound system via the TV remote control
- Automatic source change when turning on auxiliary players
Disadvantages:
- Connection to TV is somewhat more cumbersome than variant 1
Variant 3: TV without ARC connection and with pass-through
Your TV does not allow an audio return channel via ARC? Then this variant is the best solution. First, if you have a regular HDMI connection, check whether it is configured as input or output. You will also need an additional audio cable to connect the TV and the Teufel system. Since the TV sound is transmitted via the separate cable, the TV also acts as a feed player. Three types of cable can be used for the connection:
- RCA plugs, which transmit the analog signal electrically with the help of two connectors.
- Toslink cables, which transmit the sound optically as a light signal.
- Coax cables, which consist of separate inner and outer conductors.
Advantages:
- Sound system turns on and off with TV.
Disadvantages:
- Additional cable connection required
- Volume control of the audio system cannot be done via TV remote control
Variant 4: TV without ARC connection and without pass-through
If the HDMI connection to the TV can only be made without ARC, there is another option. This has many disadvantages, but should be presented here for the sake of completeness. In this case, all playback devices are connected directly to the TV using the regular HDMI cable. A pass-through is therefore not used. You also need a separate RCA, Toslink or coaxial cable for this variant. The audio cable forwards the TV sound to the sound system.
- Disadvantages
- Additional audio cable necessary
- Sound system and TV do not turn on and off at the same time
- Volume of the audio device can not be controlled by TV remote control