How to Turn on Surround Sound on TV
Surround sound on your TV can enhance your viewing experience and make you feel like you’re part of the action.
However, it can be frustrating when you can’t figure out how to turn it on.
Luckily, it’s not as complicated as it may seem. Here in this guide, I will walk you through the steps to turn on surround sound on your TV.
Whether you have a soundbar or a home theater system, enabling surround sound on your TV is a straightforward process.
So if you’re looking for how to turn on surround sound on TV, here’s how to go about it.
How to Turn on Surround Sound on TV
Different modern TVs with surround sound features do have different interfaces.
Here are the steps to turn on surround sound on some popular TVs:
How to Turn On Surround Sound on Fire TV
If you have a Fire TV device and want to enjoy your favorite movies or TV shows with surround sound, you’re in luck.
With just a few simple steps, you can turn on surround sound on your Fire TV and enhance your viewing experience.
Here’s how:
- Go to the Fire TV home screen and select Settings from the menu.
- Scroll down and select Display & Sound.
- Under Audio, select Surround Sound.
- Here’s where you can choose from the available options.
- Depending on your soundbar or home theater system capability you can choose from
1. PCM: Stands for Pulse Code Modulation and represents uncompressed audio, providing clear and accurate sound on your TV.
2. Dolby Digital: A common audio format delivering surround sound for a cinematic experience, often used in movies and TV shows.
3. Dolby Digital Plus: An advanced version of Dolby Digital, offering higher audio quality and better efficiency for streaming and broadcasting.
Alternatively, if you’re unsure about what your audio device is capable of and want to enjoy the best possible audio experience, you can select the Best Available option.
This will pass through the best audio format based on the connected HDMI device and the content being played.
This particular option supports HDMI pass-through of Dolby Atmos, Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital Plus and PCM so there’s no need to worry about losing the audio quality for not choosing a specific format.
All you need to ensure is that your soundbar or home theater system is securely connected to your Fire TV using an HDMI cable or digital audio cable (optical).
For a proper connection, you can refer to this piece on how to connect a soundbar to Fire TV.
It’s important to note that not all movies or TV shows support surround sound, so make sure to check the content audio details before you start watching.
You can also use the Audio/Video Diagnostics feature on your Fire TV to see the supported audio formats and ensure that your equipment setup supports surround sound.
How to Turn On Surround Sound on Roku TV
If you have a Roku TV and want to enjoy a more immersive audio experience, turning on the surround sound is pretty much easy as well.
Here’s how to do it:
- Make sure your Roku TV is connected to a surround sound system. You can do this by connecting the TV to an AV receiver or soundbar with HDMI or optical cables.
- On your Roku TV remote, press the * button to open the Options menu.
- Navigate to the Audio settings and select Audio mode.
- From the Audio mode settings, you can choose from Stereo or Auto (Dolly D+) for audio playback.
If you’re using the HDMI ARC port on your Roku TV to connect the audio equipment, you can control the audio quality that your TV will send to a compatible connected audio system.
To use this feature, go back to the Roku audio settings, scroll down, and select HDMI.
From there, you can choose your preferred audio output option.
With surround sound enabled on your Roku TV, you can enjoy a more immersive audio experience when watching movies compared to the default audio values.
When you’re in the process of setting up a soundbar with your Roku TV, there are important aspects you should be aware of,
Including understanding the Roku audio settings specifically tailored for the soundbar.
How to Turn on Surround Sound on Samsung TV
Samsung TVs are renowned for their cutting-edge technology, stunning visuals, and advanced features that enhance the way we enjoy multimedia content.
If you own a modern Samsung TV, you can easily enhance your audio experience by enabling surround sound and improving the audio output quality of your device.
Here are the steps you can follow to do this:
- First, make sure that your Samsung TV is connected to a surround sound system.
- Utilize the available connection options: HDMI cable, optical cable, or coaxial cable.
- Once you have connected your TV to a surround sound system, turn on the TV and the surround sound system.
- Press the Home button on your Samsung TV remote to open the Home screen.
- Navigate to Settings and select Sound.
- Scroll to the last very option Expert Settings.
- Click on High Input Audio Format and select Bitstream.
- Go to the next option that reads, Digital Output Audio Format.
- Here, you can choose your preferred surround sound option based on your need and your audio system capability.
Once you have selected the surround sound system and the audio output format, you should be able to hear the surround sound from your audio equipment.
How to Turn on Surround Sound on Android TV
Android TV OS is used in many TVs and is famous for being easy to use.
It works well with apps and services, making it great for watching stuff and having fun.
Turning on surround sound on TVs that run Android OS is pretty easy as well.
- First, connect your TV with the soundbar using the appropriate method.
- From the home screen, navigate to the Settings menu by using your remote and pressing the gear icon.
- In the Settings menu, scroll down to the Device Preferences and select it.
- Next, scroll down to the Sound option and select.
- Under the Sound section, you will see an option for Digital Output. Select it.
- In this menu, you can choose between different surround sound modes on your TV, such as Auto, PCM, Dolby Digital, and DTS.
- Select the mode that matches your sound system’s capabilities.
Once you have selected the appropriate mode, exit the Settings menu, and start playing your favorite movie or TV show to enjoy the full surround sound experience.
Note that not all content supports surround sound, so make sure you are watching a movie or TV show that is encoded in surround sound format.
You can check the audio settings of the content by looking for the surround sound icon in the description or title.
In addition, some Android TV models may have different menus or options for turning on surround sound,
so refer to your TV’s user manual for specific instructions.
How to Turn on Surround Sound on Philips TV
If you happens to be using a Philips TV, here are the steps you need to follow:
- Connect your surround sound system and turn on your Philips TV.
- Press the Menu button on your TV remote control.
- Use the arrow buttons on your remote control to navigate to the Sound or Audio settings.
- Select Advanced from the list of options.
- Next, click on Digital Out Format.
- You’ll see the list of available surround sound options for your TV.
- Select the one that best suits your needs and exit through settings.
Optimizing Your Surround Sound Experience
Placement of Speakers
The placement of your speakers is crucial in getting the best surround sound experience.
Here are some general guidelines for speaker placement:
- The center speaker should be placed directly above or below the TV.
- The front left and right speakers should be placed at an equal distance from the center speaker and at a 22-30 degree angle from the center.
- The rear left and right speakers should be placed behind the listening area, at the same distance from the center speaker, and at a 90-110 degree angle from the center.
- The subwoofer can be placed anywhere in the room, but it is recommended to place it near a corner or against a wall to maximize bass response.
Room Acoustics
The acoustics of your room can affect the quality of your surround sound.
Here are some tips to optimize your room acoustics:
- Avoid hard surfaces that can reflect sound, such as bare walls and floors. Use soft furnishings like carpets and curtains to absorb sound.
- If possible, use acoustic panels to improve the acoustics of your room.
- Avoid placing your speakers in corners or against walls, as this can cause bass buildup and muddy the sound.
- Experiment with speaker placement to find the best sound for your room.
By optimizing the placement of your speakers and improving the acoustics of your room, you can get the best possible surround sound experience.
Troubleshooting Common Issues
If you’re having trouble getting your surround sound system to work properly, don’t worry.
Here are some common issues that you might encounter and how to fix them.
No Sound Output
If you’re not getting any sound output from your surround sound system, there are a few things you can try:
- Check your connections: Make sure that all of your cables are securely plugged in. If you’re using HDMI, try a different cable or port.
- Check your settings: Make sure that your TV and surround sound system are set up properly. Check the audio settings on your TV and make sure that it’s set to output audio to your surround sound system.
- Check your speakers: Make sure that your speakers are turned on and that the volume is turned up. If you’re still not getting any sound, try connecting a different device to your surround sound system to see if the problem is with your TV.
Poor Sound Quality
If you’re getting sound output, but it doesn’t sound quite right, there are a few things you can try:
- Inspect your settings: Make sure that your TV and surround sound system are set up properly. Check the audio settings on your TV and make sure it’s set to a compatible format that is supportable by your sound system.
- Check your cables: Make sure that your cables are high-quality and that they’re connected properly. If you’re using HDMI or optical, try a different cable to check if that resolves the issue.
- Check your speaker placement: Make sure that your speakers are placed correctly. If they’re too close together or too far apart, you might not get the best sound quality. Also, make sure that your speakers are pointed in the right direction.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you need speakers for surround sound?
Yes, you need speakers for surround sound. Surround sound is a multi-channel audio system, and it requires multiple speakers to create the immersive sound experience.
The number of speakers needed for surround sound varies depending on the specific system you have.
How do I know if my TV has surround sound?
Most modern TVs have built-in speakers that can produce stereo sound, but not all of them have surround sound capabilities.
To determine if your TV has surround sound, you can check the specifications in the user manual or on the manufacturer’s website.
You can also look for labels on the TV that indicate it has surround sound, such as “Dolby Digital” or “DTS.”
Do you need HDMI for surround sound?
No, you don’t need HDMI for surround sound.
While HDMI is a common way to transmit high-quality audio and video signals, there are other ways to get surround sound from your TV.
For example, you can use an optical audio cable or RCA cables to connect your TV to a surround sound system.
How do I get surround sound through HDMI?
To get surround sound through HDMI, you need to make sure that your TV and audio system support HDMI Audio Return Channel (ARC).
This allows the audio signal to be sent from the TV to the audio system through the HDMI cable.
What HDMI cable do I need for surround sound?
To get surround sound through HDMI, you’ll want to use an HDMI cable that supports the latest standards, like HDMI 2.1, for the best surround sound experience.
This will ensure high-quality audio transmission between your devices.
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