How do I get audio from my TV to optical?

Most modern TVs have an optical audio output for this purpose. You connect the optical audio output on the rear of your TV to an optical input on your AV receiver or amplifier.

Do optical cables carry sound?

Audio Quality For most home entertainment systems, optical cables are going to get the job done. They support surround sound with up to 5.1 channels. Thats good enough for any soundbar. But what if youre an audio nut, and you use a 7.1-channel surround sound system?

How do I turn on the optical sound?

Once the optical cable is plugged in, click the speaker icon at the bottom-right corner of your Windows taskbar, then click the speaker name above the volume slider to see if an “Optical” or “Digital” sound output has shown up. If it has, just click to enable it.

How does an optical cable audio work?

A fiber optic cable is simply several small strands of polished plastic specifically designed to transfer light. The digital audio signals are transmitted through the cable as pulses of light. Theyre immune to electrical interference, and the signal holds up better over longer distances.

Is HDMI or optical cable better for sound?

In terms of audio quality – HDMI wins If youre looking for the best audio quality, HDMI is your choice. While an optical cable can still pass surround sound and super high-quality audio, thanks to the added bandwidth in the latest HDMI versions (2.0) youll be able to pass higher resolution and audio.

Why is my optical audio cable not working?

Make sure the home theater or stereo system is set to the appropriate input and mode for the optical connection. Make sure the optical cable is firmly connected to both the TV and the home theater or stereo system. Try changing the channel on the TV to another digital broadcast.

Is optical better than HDMI for sound?

The major difference is that HDMI cables can pass higher resolution audio which includes formats found on Blu-ray like Dolby TrueHD and DTS HD Master audio. Fiber optic cables wont be able to transmit these high-res sound formats. HDMI can also pass video signals.

Is USB audio better than optical?

Both will work fine, but optical has some major benefits over USB that just pushes it into first place. Not being affected by electrical and radio interference is a major advantage to me in the audio world. Personally I always use optical audio when possible.

Is optical cable best for audio?

Both HDMI and optical pass digital audio from one device to another. Both are better than analog (the red and white cables). The biggest difference is that HDMI can pass higher-resolution audio, including the formats found on Blu-ray: Dolby TrueHD and DTS HD Master Audio.

Are all audio optical cables the same?

All optical cables are the same. Dont pay a premium for any fancy glass cables. A cheap, but properly made plastic cable has better durability. Optical cables dont need to be shielded so dont buy into any claims about shielding.