Discussions

[EdHanson]

My father is hard of hearing and his TV's speakers are rear-firing so he always has to increase the volume in order to hear anything. I want to get him a soundbar but his TV is so old that it doesn't have either ARC or S/PDIF, nor is it a smart TV. It does, however, have an orange RCA jack labeled "Digital Audio Out" (coaxial), along with traditional red and white. 

Will the streambar work with his TV, and if so, which type of cable and/or extra hardware would he need? 

[RokuDanny-R · Accepted solution]

@EdHanson 

Thanks for the inquiry.

No the Streambar will not work your TV. The Roku Streambar requires HDMI ARC or HDMI with an optical cable.

For more information about the Streambar connectivity, visit our Support page here: How do I set up my Roku® Streambar™?

Thanks,
Danny

[Detergent]

Be far it for me to argue with a Roku employee, but I have the Streambar connected to an old tv without arc or an optical output. If you set it up this way, only the Roku media will be playing through the Streambar. If you also have a cable tv box inputting to the tv, that media has no path to the stream bar and will not use the stream bar. 

I believe there are coaxial to optical converters but I have zero experience with those and cannot comment if that will work. 

[Stormtrooper53]

Thank you for this response. I was about to return the one I just bought but all I'm using this TV for is to watch Roku anyway. Roku, you need to specify this in your instructions. You also need to put somewhere on the box that this device may not work properly on TVs that are not equipped with HDMI-ARC or an optical cable.

[kirt]

How did you do this?

[lwatterworth]

When you're going through the setup sequence, it'll complain about no CEC and no HDMI-ARC.  Click the button that says your TV doesn't support ARC.  Then tell it you've connected the fibre cable, even though you haven't.

[SewingDebbie451]

i have a similar problem with a tv in my RV.  It does has a digital audio out Coaxial connection in the back . Can I use Amazon.com: Optical to Coaxial Converter, Coaxial to Optical Audio Adapter Toslink Digital Audio Bi-...   or similar converter ? thanks Debbie 

[Detergent]

It sounds like it would work with the converter. Although admittedly I haven’t used that.  Make sure to buy a coaxial cable for it. 

[Elizmcclure5]

Did your Amazon converter work?

[JohnnyHeck]

I have connected the Streambar to my 2008 LG through the HDMI #1 port which does not appear to have ARC enabling and with the optical  cable.

However, I cannot adjust the volume to the Streambar when watching Roku - other HDMI ports have volume control available from the TV remote.  However, on all ports the Streambar audio has an annoying latency sound delay.  If I disable the TV speakers, the only sound I have is from the Streambar but without any volume control whatsoever.