Some soundbars come with a companion app for your phone, so try using it to change the input, as it may be more reliable than the remote. If your TV is plugged in with an optical cable (also known as TOSLINK), look for an Optical or Digital In option. If you are using the app, try the remote instead, just to be sure. In addition, you will also probably have to enable a feature called HDMI-CEC on your TV and soundbar. This allows your TV remote to control your soundbar and vice-versa, and it's usually required for ARC to work properly. Annoyingly, this is called something different on every TV—Samsung calls it AnyNet+, while Sony calls it Bravia Sync, and LG calls it SimpLink. But here's the problem: Not all devices are capable of decoding every sound format. Some TVs, for example, may only be capable of decoding Dolby Digital, but not the DTS audio that comes on some Blu-ray discs.Optical cables, for example, do not have enough bandwidth to carry 5.1-channel PCM, or the ability to send Dolby Atmos signals. Try to keep the cable clear of other connectors (especially power) in the tangle of wires behind your TV. Simply moving the 3.5mm cable can sometimes solve this issue.

This can also happen when your soundbar is connected to a set-top box such as Freeview, Sky or a Blu-ray or DVD player that has its own volume control. As with the above tips, you should ensure the set-top box has its own volume set as high as it can go. This should also prevent your soundbar from going to sleep. My soundbar sounds no better than my TV

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Most recent soundbars can connect wirelessly using Bluetooth. This allows you to play music through your phone or laptop, for instance. This is usually done through your device’s settings menu under 'Bluetooth'. For stereo sound, you should not have trouble finding the right setting, but this can get really complex if you are trying to use surround sound, so you will need to experiment with the settings. Depending on what kind of audio you are sending, HDMI ARC may be your only option, since it has more bandwidth for high-fidelity audio formats. The downside, of course, is that you are limited to the number of ports on your soundbar—many may only have one HDMI input—and it does not work for your TV's built-in apps or antenna tuner, which will require HDMI ARC or optical. Still, if you are having problems with one game console or Blu-ray player, try plugging it into the soundbar instead of the TV.

It must be used solely for domestic purposes. The guarantee will be rendered invalid if the product is re-sold or has been damaged by inexpert repair. You might need to change the delay and volume levels, as every room has its own shape, layout and furniture, and these all affect the sound. 5. Adjust the subwoofer level It’s rare to see these once-familiar red and white cables as a primary input for soundbars these days. Analogue cables are simple to set up by plugging the coloured plugs into the matching port. The audio for movies and TV are usually encoded in one of a few formats. Most streaming content is encoded in Dolby Digital or Dolby Digital Plus, while Blu-rays can use Dolby formats or DTS. Some devices can decode the audio themselves and send it as raw PCM as well.If you don’t have that information to hand, use trial and error to find an output format that works.