My father is convincing me that optical connection is currently being the best choice for the best 5.1 experience, however, I am browsing through some reddit threads and I mainly see people are recommending HDMI connection over Optical one. HDMI ARC is much better than optical because it has a much higher bandwidth thus being able to transfer higher-resolution video and audio. The basicsBoth HDMI and optical pass digital audio from one device to another. On the other hand, Optical cables are made of fibre optic strands. It implies that you need to use only one line for audio and video. Compared to the analogue, these are far better. They look similar and can work, but an analogue interconnect has different impe… HDMI cables are an all-in-one solution. For a decent audio result, an optical cable is a good option. Their latest versions of HDMI, 2.0 and up, can support audio bandwidth of up to 192 kHz and 32 channels. In practical terms, if you have a surround sound system, such as a 7.1 soundbar, the HDMI eARC will be your best choice. HDMI vs Optical Audio - Which One Is The BestHow would you know which cable to choose between HDMI or Optical for your audio enjoyment? Digital Optical cables, also referred to simply as Optical cables, only allow for audio signals to be relayed between your source device and the speaker. eARC has much higher bandwidth and it can support Dolby TrueHD audio. However...Depending on your gear, you might not have the option for HDMI. It has replaced all the other connectivity options, especially for the set boxes, Blu-ray players, and gaming consoles. Discussion threads can be closed at any time at our discretion. For the cables of high definition multimedia interference, copper is used. The simplest advice is to go with HDMI when you can. Yes. If you want to transmit top-quality audio between two devices, then picking optical cables will be a smart move. On the other hand Dolby Digital is surprisingly good, and unless you have decent gear, you probably won't hear much (if any) improvement with Dolby TrueHD and DTS HD MA. Using the enhanced audio return channel, you can send high-quality audio from the TV to a soundbar. Hence, you don’t need to use other remotes to control various devices. HDMI ARC adds control over the TV from downstream devices (power, volume, etc). If you’re still in the planning phase for your next home theater system, you might want to stick around. A High Definition multimedia interference 2.0 line is ideal for a 4K video. Still have a question? We can see the use of optical cable mostly for home entertainment systems. The audio is exactly the same whether the Beam is connected by HDMI ARC or Optical. High definition multimedia interference cables can’t support the 7.1-channel surround sound. The Case for HDMI ARC. I opted for the 650 for that 3.1 channel. Going to the Basics Both HDMI and optical cables pass the digital audio from one device to another. A photo tour of Hobbiton, featured in 'Lord of the Rings' and 'The Hobbit' trilogy. Optical cables do not have interference during transmission. The new updated version termed as HDMI eARC. HDMI ARC, transmit both audio and video signals , With Optical cable Video signals can not be send. Well, HDMI has always been the preferred option for most of us. Created by ProDigitalWeb. The biggest difference is that HDMI can pass higher-resolution audio, including the formats found on Blu-ray: Dolby TrueHD and DTS HD Master Audio. Dolby Digital Plus, TrueHD, Blue Ray and DTS HD. If you have a trio of 3.5mm cables bundled together, you can mimic 5.1 surround sound using something ca… In case you are willing to send audio files by using a single hdmi cable, then you can use this cable. And  they do not support Dolby Digital Plus, TrueHD, Blue Ray and DTS HD. For those who want to use only a single wire between two devices, then High Definition multimedia interference cable is the one that you should select. Be respectful, keep it civil and stay on topic. The manufacturing cost of this cable is more expensive compared to the previous one. Video source to HDMI inputs (TV will process video and send the audio to digital-out) The Beam comes with and HDMI cable and an Optical adapter. Because of the reason HDMI ARC cables are of Maximum 15 meters length and Optical Cables my be beyond that length ( 30 meters). This cable can support all kind of sound formats such as Dolby TrueHD and DTS HD Master Audio. It has an HDMI In and an HDMI Out (which is the ARC connection) But here's a note from the manual about DTS: "Dolby Digital and DTS are only available on either the Coaxial In or Digital Optical Audio In inputs. In the case of a 2.1 line, you can view 120 frames per second in 4K. The major difference is that HDMI cables can pass higher resolution audio which includes formats found on Blu-ray like Dolby TrueHD and DTS HD Master audio. The intended use of the optical port on the Sooundbox is to take an optical audio link from a smart television, so that on-TV apps can output to the Soundbox. We haven’t talked about this much. In case you are willing to send audio files by using a single hdmi cable, then you can use this cable. This cable can support all kind of sound formats such as Dolby TrueHD and DTS HD Master Audio. On the other hand, the optical cables are immune to interference and exact for very long runs. HDMI vs. DisplayPort vs. DVI vs. VGA: Which connection to choose? Maybe you have an older receiver. We delete comments that violate our policy, which we encourage you to read. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Nevertheless, there are only a few eARC supported devices on the market. Powered by WordPress. Is HDMI ARC better than optical?Mar 13, 2014Both HDMI and optical pass digital audio from one device to another. It is compatible with virtually any sound format. Then, the only options left to your are selection is HDMI Arc vs Optical digital audio. Keaton, Pattinson, Affleck to all play Batman in 2022. Probably the most common audio cable format used to this day, you’ll find analog cabling in everything from PC speakers connected via that lime green 3.5mm dongle to headphones plugged into smartphones.Audio signals in analog cables are transmitted via electricity and are limited to transmitting two-channel stereo sound. Attach the optical adapter to one end of the HDMI cable which would be inserted into the optical-out of the Digital to Optical converter box. And both of them used for different purposes. The app has a setting to "Auto Wake on Sound". For most setups, the sound will be just as good with optical as with HDMI. But still, it is not recommended by all the users. The enhanced audio return channel can easily support the 7.1-channel surround sound. However, we must go for convenience and HDMI is the one common solution for all the audio and video requisitions. More TVs have optical outputs, so it allows the TV to be "switch" between sources, and drive the single output. Which one is Better HDMI ARC or Optical? Yes! Having used the Soundbar 500 for a few months and having periodic outages with the HDMI ARC TV sound, I gave up and switched to Optical. We usually use the optical cable to send digital audio signals between two separate devices. HDMI-ARC is an Audio Return Channel. All about Technological Advancement of Yesteryear, Today, and Tomorrow. You can use the cord on uncompressed PCM stereo audio, and 5.1/7.1 Dolby Digital and DTS multi-channel audio. When comparing HDMI vs. optical audio cables for sound quality, HDMI is better than optical. Does Optical Cable make a difference? Besides it allows you to send it to the AV receiver. Want to connect your shiny new soundbar or AV receiver? HDMI vs Optical audio connection question. He also thinks you should check out his sci-fi novel and its sequel. Neither of those sound bars have HDMI inputs anyway, so the best way to connect them is directly from the source to the bar via optical, skipping the TV. Samsung First Look 2021 event teases new TVs in virtual showcase, Pink fridge? If your gear doesn't have HDMI, it can't take advantage of the high-resolution audio formats from Blu-ray anyway (unless you connect with analog, and decode from your Blu-ray player). Don't sweat not being able to connect with HDMI. Better, a little...Regardless of the gear you use, as mentioned there's also no way to get Dolby TrueHD or DTS HD Master Audio with an optical connection. These cables are compatible with all the latest audio formats. The latest HDMI standard, v1.4, adds another useful feature – ARC, or “Audio Return Channel”. One complication is if you have a sound bar, like the Sonos Playbar or Vizio S4251w-B4, that benefits from a surround sound signal and you connect it to one of the many TVs that can't pass such a signal via its optical outputs. Usually, these two can pass digital audio from one device to another. View Entire Discussion (6 Comments) Bottom LineUse HDMI when you can. It is always better for you to go with HDMI. If you plug a regular HDMI cable into the ARC port, it will act as a regular HDMI. Instead of using an electrical current, these cables transmit the signal through light. The main benefit of the HDMI-eARC is that it has got a massive improvement in bandwidth and speed. When it comes to the By sending audio both ways, ARC does away with the need for optical audio cables (also called S/PDIF), cutting down on pointless clutter that likely already causes you a headache at home. But if you can't it's not the end of the world. Moreover, it allows you to watch an 8K video at 60 frames per second. Attach the remaining end of the HDMI cable to the Beam. This alone makes HDMI ARC a clear favorite. The main job of the HDMI ARC cable is to transfer the audio signal from one line to the TV. By using it, you can connect the Blu-ray players, set-top box, different gaming consoles to the TV. Where as the HDMI ARC support all sound formats. HDMI ARC cables use very low voltage to transmit the audio signal. Hobbit holes, Bag End, The Green Dragon Inn, and more! As we mentioned, you’ll most likely find an optical port on anything that needs video and audio to co-exist, like a gaming console, DVD player, or soundbar. You need to update the Arc in this case. In addition, HDMI ARC support all audio formats and the Optical  Cable have some limitations, even though they can transfer audio signals without any loss. Its a bit of a pain needing both remotes, but far less than never knowing when a reset of the TV was needed. This basically means that the HDMI cable coming from your Home Theatre System can not only send the Audio and Video Signal to the TV, but it also sends the TV Audio back to the receiver across the same cable. Where as, Optical Cables sends audio signals in the form of light waves through the fiber optic cables, so the loss of signals is very limited. When it comes to video quality, the HDMI cable is the name that comes first in our mind. On lesser gear, it's a lot less likely you'll hear a difference. Although optical audio cables are immune to electrical noise, they are quite fragile compared to HDMI cables. But in that case, you can’t use 60 frames per second. Moreover, with optical cables, the usage is limited to speakers up to 5.1, while HDMI takes advantage of Dolby TrueHD and DTS HD Master Audio. Find out which one is better and why. These materials are not expensive. Most sound bars, for example, lack the fidelity to do anything with the additional resolution. Therefore, the HDMI ARC is better suits your audio appliances. And these have a limited capacity. Hence, “e” stands for “enhanced”. Simply put, you’ll get better quality audio than you would with an optical cable. Unlike many other similar devices, the Soundbox isn't equipped with HDMI-ARC, so audio can't travel back down the HDMI lead from the TV to the Soundbox and needs an alternate route. The Harmony does all that and more, so you would find no advantage to connecting your Beam by HDMI, you'd just be wasting an HDMI port. That, or get a new TV. Each of these can pass multi-channel audio such as Dolby Digital. It is a single cable that helps to transmit high definition video and audio. Learn how your comment data is processed. When hooking up an audio system or sound bar, you generally have to choose an HDMI or optical digital-audio connection. That’s why if you want to use the full stereo system correctly, you must need an HDMI ARC connection. There is no difference when it comes to passing multi-channel audio like Dolby digital. The best case for HDMI ARC cables is if you have an A/V controller or soundbar. For CES, Samsung says, 'Why not?'. However, HDMI ARC relays both audio and video signals through a single cable. In this article we discussed about HDMI arc vs Optical. HDMI is an abbreviated form of High Definition Multimedia Interface. Optical, on the other hand, is usually restricted to 96 kHz. Many don't accept those formats at all. These are vital for most VR systems. When it comes time to connect your shiny new sound bar or AV receiver, your two main choices are HDMI or optical digital audio. If you can't, optical is fine. Launched in 2002, the biggest benefit of HDMI is it’s a one-size-fits-all connection for video and audio. Hey guys, I just got myself Sony BDVE6100 5.1. But optical is unable to transmit such formats. WAV to MP3- How to Convert Your Audio Files, Jump Starter: Best Portable Jump Starters in 2021, Best Flashlights of 2020: A Complete Buying Guide. You can control the Arc by using a single remote only. Both cables can be had pretty cheap. It is because not all HDMI cables come with the same quality. The connector is a standard, circular RCA connector - the kind that’s found at either end of a pair of analogue interconnects.But don’t be tempted to try and use a standard RCA phono cable in place of a dedicated coaxial digital cable. These formats can't get transmitted across optical. In that case, optical is fine. By using these cables, you can get the ultimate benefits from Blu-Ray discs or a modern game console. Besides, material construction is one of the factors that also differentiate these two. Optical cables do not support 7.1 audio channels because they can’t … These don’t support TrueHD, DTS HD, or Dolby Digital Plus also. It is always better for you to go with HDMI. Quality Audio. Probably the least common connection when it comes to modern AV kit, coaxial digital uses electricity to transmit audio. Is HDMI ARC better than optical? I just got a new TV (OLED55B7P) that only has HDMI ARC and Optical audio out, but my speakers are RCA (stereo L / R). So if you want just a single cable between two devices, HDMI is your pick. After my older soundbar died out as I posted previously, I decided to look at the equivalents in 2020. While there is a difference between Dolby Digital and those high-res lossless formats, the difference isn't as pronounced as you might expect. Another great option is HDMI ARC. /r/HTIB. First, check out all the other articles he's written on topics such as why all HDMI cables are the same, LED LCD vs. OLED, why 4K TVs aren't worth it and more. It can support Dolby Atmos, Dolby Digital Plus, TrueHD, and DTS HD. The setup is in a small space and I like the size, looks and output of the analog speakers so I'd like to keep them. Discuss: HDMI vs. optical: Which digital-audio connection to use? Moreover, you will get a higher bandwidth with the help of this enhanced audio return channel. Moreover, HDMI ARC also enables CEC technology. But the factor that creates a difference between these two is the passing ability of higher-resolution audio. But the cost of that decision is reflected in the limited amount of codecs that can be carried on an optical connection. On the other hand, optical TOSLINK cables are less prone to such interferences, as they are non-metallic and use glass threads for signal transmission. In terms of simplicity, HDMI also passes video signals. The multiplexed digital audio signal generated by media boxes is essentially the same regardless of which connection method is used to pass it to a decoder/amplifier. These wires are compatible with the surround sound and can support up to 5.1 channels. Maybe you have everything connected to your TV, and you just want to get the audio out to a sound bar (and the only option is optical). What I read online from reviews is that Arc via HDMI is better than optical. If you want to get the best audio quality, then undoubtedly High Definition multimedia Interference Audio Return Channel is the best option. Therefore, if you  increase the cable length the signal quality will be poor due to the specific resistance of the copper wire used. If you were to drive off of HDMI, you'd need multiple inputs and a switching process to move between them. Both can pass multi-channel audio, like Dolby Digital. Both are better than analog (the red and white cables). Tweet at him@TechWriterGeoff then check out his travel photography on Instagram. Besides, the wires can assist you in discarding the tangled cables and clutter. HDMI can pass these types of audio including the formats that can be found on Blu-ray: Dolby TrueHD and DTS HD Master Audio. However, that's not a huge deal. It termed High Definition multimedia interference Enhanced Audio Return Channel. Copyright © 2020. one of the many TVs that can't pass such a signal via its optical outputs. The main job … Audio Return Channel, or ARC, uses a single HDMI connection to send audio from a TV to the soundbar or AV receiver. ARC, known as Audio Return Channel, takes the help of HDMI cable to transfer audio from a TV back to a receiver. The main issue is these cables are virtually immune to interference. While we’re on the topic of connections that transfer both audio and visuals, there’s one last one that we should cover and that’s HDMI ARC. © 2021 CNET, A RED VENTURES COMPANY. But the disadvantage is that this cable is susceptible to electromagnetic interference. Seems the HW-T series were just that. On a decent system, with decent speakers, you might notice that the high-res formats are a little more open, a little smoother sounding. Now, you will be able to enjoy the uncompressed audio without any jury-rigging or latency. And these strands are made of glass. Are you willing to use a 7.1-channel surround sound system? By using it, you can connect the Blu-ray players, set-top box, different gaming consoles to the TV. The cables are cheap, and having just one wire simplifies setup. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Got a question for Geoff? The best property of an optical cable is that they can even transmit sound very well when there is electromagnetic interference present and on the other hand you will face many issues with an HDMI ARC cable in case of electromagnetic interference, and therefore everyone should prefer optical cables when there they have to install a long cable all over their house, also an optical cable is better … On the left is a traditional non-ARC setup, requiring an HDMI cable from an Xbox to be connected to the audio system, another to send the video to the TV, and an optical … The biggest difference is that HDMI can pass higher-resolution audio, including the formats found on Blu-ray: Dolby TrueHD and DTS HD Master Audio. One of the benefits of HDMI ARC is quality audio, HDMI ARC produces quality sounds from any device, even old devices, especially when you make use of HDMI eARC, numerous home entertainment systems, optical cables support surround sound that’s up to 5.1 channels, which is also good for smart TV, game console and soundbar. In this case, the optical cables are not the perfect one for you. Digital Ruler and Ruler App- Measure Anything &... Cordless Screwdriver- Best Electric Power Screwdriver, Best Solar Path Lights- Latest Reviews & Guide, Digital Ruler and Ruler App- Measure Anything & Everything. HDMI ARC Cable HDMI-ARC is an Audio Return Channel. , there are only a few earc supported devices on the other hand, the ARC! Line is ideal for a 4K video are only a few earc supported on! Remote only connect the Blu-ray players, and gaming consoles to the for a 4K video out... These two says, 'Why not? ' for convenience and HDMI is which is better optical audio or hdmi arc! 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Cables is if you have an A/V controller or soundbar virtually immune to interference on uncompressed PCM audio... Him @ TechWriterGeoff then check out his sci-fi novel and its sequel and HDMI is abbreviated! Suits your audio which is better optical audio or hdmi arc, Blu-ray players, set-top box, different gaming to! Is your pick ( power, volume, etc ) vs. DVI vs. VGA Which. Blu-Ray discs or a modern game console the TV was needed just got myself BDVE6100! Optical digital-audio connection to send audio files by using a single HDMI cable into the ARC this... Fidelity to do anything with the which is better optical audio or hdmi arc whether the Beam is connected by HDMI ARC or optical HDMI 2.0.