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blackdawg47's avatar
blackdawg47
Reel Rookie
3 years ago

Reconnecting ROKU stick using HDMI splitter

Hello!  First time posting here...  I have a similar, if not the same, question as above and still not clear what I need to successfully make everything work... sorry!  I have an older Hitachi tv with one HDMI port that I have a Roku stick plugged into.  I still need to use the Roku stick but also trying to add soundbar to the setup.  I bought this splitter from Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Splitter-LinkS-Amplifier-Source-Displays/dp/B0732MD43P  Neighbor said it would do the job! BUT, after reading your post, I'm thinking a switch is what I need.

Current set-up not working:  Splitter is plugged directly into the single TV HDMI port with the other end plugged into the 2-port side of the splitter box alongside the soundbar HDMI plug.  Roku stick is plugged into the single port side of the splitter - that is the only way to get a picture working on the TV. Problem with this set-up is that there is no output sound from the soundbar.  What am I doing wrong??

If a switch is what I need, does that mean that I will not be able to watch the tv with Roku stick simultaneously with the sound bar because I'd need to switch to one output or the other?  If so, that defeats the purpose... or am I missing something?  I admit I'm not the brightest star in the sky with this type technology and apologize in advance for possible duplication of question.

Thank you for your help!

TV & Player Setup

9 Replies

  • RokuKarla's avatar
    RokuKarla
    Retired Moderator
    3 years ago

    Hello blackdawg47

    Thanks for reaching out here in the Community!

    The HDMI port of the TV is for input, so information to be displayed on the TV, not for output. The Roku device will need to be plugged directly into the HDMI input and the soundbar will need to be connected differently since it needs to take information from the TV, therefore it won't be using that input.

    Could you please verify if your TV has an optical cable output and if your soundbar has an optical input? If so, you can use an optical cable to get sound from your TV to your soundbar.


    Regards,
    Karla

    • blackdawg47's avatar
      blackdawg47
      Reel Rookie
      3 years ago

      Hi Karla,

      Thanks for your speedy reply!  No, my TV does not have the optical cable output.  My soundbar does and I have the cable but obviously can't use it.  Any other ideas?  Will the splitter I bought somehow work?

      Kind regards,

      Elizabeth

      • atc98092's avatar
        atc98092
        Community Streaming Expert
        3 years ago

        blackdawg47 the splitter you linked will connect one HDMI device to two separate monitors. It doesn't work in reverse, allowing two different devices (Roku and soundbar) to connect to a single display. 

        If your soundbar can only get it's audio from the HDMI cable from the TV, and there's only a single HDMI port on the TV, I'm afraid there's no way to get audio from the Roku to the soundbar easily. Since you mentioned the soundbar has an optical port, there's one possibility. First, make sure that optical port on the soundbar is an input, not an output. It won't work both ways. If it's an input, then you can use an HDMI audio extractor between the Roku and the TV, which can take the audio from the HDMI signal and send it to the soundbar via optical. However, as you also mentioned, you would also need an HDMI switch, so you can switch the single TV input between the Roku and the soundbar. 

        This is all a bit complicated, but a TV with a single HDMI port doesn't leave you any other choice, especially if the TV doesn't have an optical audio output. You might look the TV over more closely, because most TVs do have such a port. 

        Here's an example of an HDMI audio extractor. You might find it far simpler to replace your TV with one that has multiple HDMI ports. Since you mentioned the TV is older, you might find a new TV provides a better image and more options. 🙂