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anjwd's avatar
anjwd
Reel Rookie
3 years ago
Solved

Roku streaming stick setup with Samsung tv and soundbar using HDMI

I have two HDMI ports on my TV and my soundbar. How to I hook up the streaming stick and make the soundbar and streaming stick usable at the same time.

  • With that combination of TV and soundbar it looks like you have a couple of options.  You can connect the Stick to the HDMI input of the soundbar and then connect the HDMI output of the soundbar to one of the TV's HDMI inputs.  You'd then set the soundbar's input mode to HDMI when you want to use the Stick and the TV's source to HDMI 1 or 2 depending on which TV HDMI input you used for the soundbar.

    If it sounds complicated now, it gets more complicated.  The above would get you sound through the soundbar from the Stick, but not from another device connected to the TV or from antenna/cable channels.   For that you'd need another cable from the TV to the soundbar.  The TV has an optical output and the soundbar has an optical input.  That would be the best quality.  You'd then have to change the soundbar's input mode to "Optical Digital input" (D.IN) when you're not using the Stick.

    Perhaps a better way to connect things is to connect the optical cable from the TV to the soundbar and plug the Stick directly into the TV.  You'd then keep the soundbar's input mode set to D.IN and you'd get sound from the soundbar for anything connected to the TV.

    If it's not clear, post back with any questions.  Assuming you've been using the soundbar for a while with no issues, the easiest way to connect things is to just plug the Stick into the TV.

17 Replies

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  • renojim's avatar
    renojim
    Community Streaming Expert

    What's the model number of the TV?  If it's a recent model it may have an ARC (or eARC) label next to one of its HDMI inputs.  You'd connect the soundbar to that input and the stick to the other.

    • anjwd's avatar
      anjwd
      Reel Rookie

      No ARC or eARC TV model un40j6200af soundbar model number HW-E450

      • renojim's avatar
        renojim
        Community Streaming Expert

        With that combination of TV and soundbar it looks like you have a couple of options.  You can connect the Stick to the HDMI input of the soundbar and then connect the HDMI output of the soundbar to one of the TV's HDMI inputs.  You'd then set the soundbar's input mode to HDMI when you want to use the Stick and the TV's source to HDMI 1 or 2 depending on which TV HDMI input you used for the soundbar.

        If it sounds complicated now, it gets more complicated.  The above would get you sound through the soundbar from the Stick, but not from another device connected to the TV or from antenna/cable channels.   For that you'd need another cable from the TV to the soundbar.  The TV has an optical output and the soundbar has an optical input.  That would be the best quality.  You'd then have to change the soundbar's input mode to "Optical Digital input" (D.IN) when you're not using the Stick.

        Perhaps a better way to connect things is to connect the optical cable from the TV to the soundbar and plug the Stick directly into the TV.  You'd then keep the soundbar's input mode set to D.IN and you'd get sound from the soundbar for anything connected to the TV.

        If it's not clear, post back with any questions.  Assuming you've been using the soundbar for a while with no issues, the easiest way to connect things is to just plug the Stick into the TV.

    • Nikilet's avatar
      Nikilet
      Channel Surfer

      In addition to my cable TV connection, I have 3 other HDMI ports. One of them is marked eARC. I know the soundbar has to use that port, but right now I have my Roku plugged into that port and according to my husband when he removes it from there and tries to use the other two ports I get no Roku on my TV. 

      Can someone tell me what's going on? This doesn't seem right to me. My old TV didn't even have an eARC port and Roku worked with the HDMI ports there. 

      I know there has to be a fix for this but I don't know what it is.

      Thanks in advance if you can help me with this.

      • renojim's avatar
        renojim
        Community Streaming Expert

        Nikilet, I hate to ask a stupid question, but when he tries to use one of the other two ports is he changing the TV's input to the new HDMI input?  Maybe another dumb question, but since you added onto a thread that already implied a sound bar was involved, do you have a sound bar?

        Also, do you have a Samsung TV?  I hate mine - it seems to get confused about inputs all the time.  Smart my sweet patootie.  You might want to try unplugging the power from the TV for several seconds to reset it.

        If you swap the cable box and the Roku can you get a display from both?