help with new soundbar (connect, HDTV, jack, channel)

[tailsock]

So I got a Vizio soundbar with wireless sub to have a little something in our living room but struggling with getting it setup. I've tried but can't find answers to my situation. First I'll list my components:

1.) Samsung HDTV
- 2 HDMI
- RCA

2.) Amazon Firestick
- HDMI

3.) Vizio Soundbar 38" 3.1
- HDMI
- HDMI ARC
- aux
- digital
- optical
- RCA

4.) Cable box
- HDMI
- optical
- RCA

My problem is that my TV only has 2 HDMI ports and one is being taken up by the firestick. I'm using the cable box's optical port to connect to the soundbar and that works fine but I can't get any audio for the firestick.

It appears that I'm forced to change the source on the soundbar when switching between firestick and cablebox or I'll continue to hear audio from the previous source. If I turn off the cablebox this is fixed but there's definitely something I'm missing here. Is there a situation/setup where the soundbar will simply act as my TV's speakers in any instance?

Thanks in advance

[Peregrine]

Why not RCA?

[tailsock]

I tried RCA and it's not working. No explanation why. It's also the least desirable connection according to the manual:
*good better best

[Peregrine]

It's your only choice outside of "buy a new TV". GOOD doesn't mean "it's going to sound like garbage". lol RCA still holds up.

[RayinAK]

Would a HDMI switch work for the OP?
https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_s...%3Ahdmi+switch

[fastninja500]

Peregrine is right: the RCA is the best solution. Just debug why it didn't work when plugged. Probably because he had the optical plugged in from the cable.

I looked at the Visio soundbar manual. The best setup is:
Firestick input to TV HDMI-1.
Cable input to TV HDM-2.
Then TV RCA output to Soundbar RCA.
Power up. Done.

Now if he has more than 2 HDMI sources (PS4/Xbox/BluRay player), then he would need that HDMI switch. I have a switch at home that is smart enough to know which input source is playing. Been working for years.

[bigbear99]

The only problems with RCA jacks are (1) they're analog so in theory could be noisier. I practice they rarely are. (2) they're single channel, so two jacks give you stereo. If you wanted 5.1, you'd need 6 jacks - 6 connections. To avoid this, other approaches were developed like optical. But if you can live on 2 channels, it'll be fine.

Your Roku problem was because the sound from Roku goes direct to the TV, not to the cable box. If you use TV output jacks, the sound will follow the source, cable box or roku.

Problem with the RCA jacks? Start with the manual - find it online. I've never seen it, but perhaps you need to turn them on. That may be because you'd shut off the internal speakers at the same time.

HDMI will be no help because you need an HDMI output from your TV. You don't have one. You might use a splitter on your Roku output like https://www.monoprice.com/product?p_id=10249 but then you'd need a switch to handle both sources. Gets messy fast, so better to fix the RCA.

[kevinm]

Originally Posted by fastninja500

Peregrine is right: the RCA is the best solution. Just debug why it didn't work when plugged. Probably because he had the optical plugged in from the cable.

I looked at the Visio soundbar manual. The best setup is:
Firestick input to TV HDMI-1.
Cable input to TV HDM-2.
Then TV RCA output to Soundbar RCA.
Power up. Done.

Now if he has more than 2 HDMI sources (PS4/Xbox/BluRay player), then he would need that HDMI switch. I have a switch at home that is smart enough to know which input source is playing. Been working for years.

The better solution is to purchase a AV receiver and run everything through it.

[fastninja500]

Originally Posted by kevinm

The better solution is to purchase a AV receiver and run everything through it.

For a Soundbar?

[Pruzhany]

People: Without having model numbers for both devices, your assuming the TV has a "Audio Out" port. Thus you don't have enough information without the manuals (OP states RCA, but doesn't state type of RCA) to answer the query.