How to connect external speakers to vizio tv? If, while watching TV, you decided to raise sound quality or organize impressive surround sound it’s worth connecting external speakers to your Vizio TV.
Generally speaking, it is possible to connect external speakers, more exactly active speakers to Vizio TV, however, the easiness of the procedure very much depends on how long ago your gadgets were produced.
If they are quite modern there will be almost zero difficulties, but relatively old-fashioned devices can demand some additional equipment such as audio cable and adapter. To achieve our goal we will answer two of the most crucial questions: what audio device you should possess for connection and what audio output ports does your Vizio TV support?
Contents
Consider the 2 main questions
Let’s start out with revision. So, what do we have, and what we should have?
What audio device would be the most appropriate?
Let’s be fair, it’s impossible to connect traditional wired external speakers directly to a TV. Instead of them, you should find so-called active speakers, also well-known as self-powered speakers – they already have built-in amplifiers.
In other words, to connect speakers you need a sort of receiver – an external audio system or sound bar.
A surround sound setup could be preferable because using it, you can choose your front speakers, and put them wherever you want in your room. With a sound bar, your front speakers are integrated into the device itself, and you cannot move them anywhere.
On the other hand, you can buy a Vizio sound bar for your Vizio Smart TV, which can simplify the process of connection. And with this setup, you can apply the external speaker to provide perfect sound.
If your audio source is wireless it’s also possible to hook up it to Vizio TV, but let’s pinpoint all accessible options one by one late in this article.
Do Vizio TVs have audio out?
Of cause, any Vizio smart TV usually provides more than one tv’s audio output. Modern Vizio TV transmits audio through a digital HDMI ARC port and it also has Bluetooth options.
In old models during the connection process ourchoice should go to the optical audio output (digital) and without it – composite analog audio ports, for example, line-out RCAs, 3.5mm Aux out, or 3.5mm headphone out ports.
Digital connections allow you to get a cleaner signal transfer and your external sound setup can better handle audio processing so that methods are more efficient in comparison with analog paths.
Wired methods
To connect external speakers to Vizio TV by audio cables we can consider the ports:
- HDMI ARC;
- optical audio connection;
- RCAs;
- 3.5 mm headphone out port.
Applying HDMI ARC port
So you found out that your TV support HDMI ARC, if so, it will be the best choice.HDMI Audio Return Channel (ARC) is specifically designed to use the TV as the sound source.
A sound bar can perform as a sort of receiver where you can plug in external speakers or any other gadgets depending on your preferences.
For the joining process put one side of an HDMI cable into the HDMI ARC port on your TV. Due to the model of the TV, this port may be labeled as eARC orHDMI 1 (ARC).
On your sound bar look for HDMI (TV-ARC) port and plug the other side of an HDMI cableinto it. Some sources recommend to chose HDMI OUT (ARC). There can be more than one HDMI outlet on the sound bar, in this case just try different ones or have a look at the user manual.
In the next step, let’s change some settings. In the sound bar apply the sound source as D.in, D-In, or Digital In, which means digital input. ARC feature should be in the “on” or “auto” position and TV input should be active.
On your TV change the Audio Output settings, if necessary. Find an HDMI source there and activate it. We will explain how to do it in more detail at the end of the article.
Keep in mind, not all television can work properly with sound bars. It might be you need a different audio tool, another type of connection, or a slightly different setting adjustment. The variety of TV models is huge and there is no shame to consult with a user-manual, Vision website or ask some professionals for help.
Applying the TV’s Optical or SPDIF connector
First of all TV’s Optical and SPDIF connector is two different things.
SPDIF means Sony/Philips Digital Interconnect Format. It’s a digital audio connection introduced in the mid-1980s as an alternative to coaxial connections. Optical cable or Toslink came along later and is often used instead of SPDIF due to the greater bandwidth capabilities and better sound quality.
So, when should you use each type of cable? If your device has both SPDIF and optical connections, use an optical connection for better sound quality, reliability, and compatibility.
Optical audio connection port can also be labeled as TOSLINK, or “Digital Audio Out (Optical)”. If your TV maintains an optical output port, use this option to bond it with a receiver and from it to external speakers.
Applying line-out RCAs
If you are using an old-fashioned sound system, it can only have RCA input ports.Now look atthe rear of your TV, maybe you can find there the color-coded RCA audio output jacks and you also need RCA cables for connection.
Plug the red RCA audio cable into your TV’s red RCA audio jack and put the white RCA audio cable into your white RCA audio jack.
Switch on your TV and try to bond each speaker.
Unfortunately, RCA connection only provides stereo sound (left and right channels), not surround sound. If you’re using a basic set of stereo or 2.1 speakers, this is usable. If you’re using surround speakers, they’ll only play stereo sound.
Applying a 3.5mm headphone jack out
Let’s imagine, you found your audio device in a thrift shop and it has RCA input outlets, but you didn’t succeed to recognize the same thing on your TV set. In this case, look for a 3.5 mm audio output jack also known as anaux out, or a 3.5mm headphone output.
Now find (or buy) a special cable to make the bond between a 3.5mm audio jack on the TV end and an RCA audio input port on the external speaker end. Enjoy stereo sound (not surround sound), this connection only maintains analog audio.
Wireless connection method
Wireless audio systems are extremely common and convenient nowadays. Let’s pinpoint how to attach this apparatus to our TV set.
Using Bluetooth even if your TV doesn’t have it
Most of the latest Vizio smart TV models now include built-in Bluetooth connectivity. But, this is a relatively new feature for Vizio, so older models are quite unlikely to have built-in Bluetooth.
There is another possibility that your VizioTV can only support Bluetooth LE devices. It means Low-Energy Bluetooth, by which you can hook up only essential devices, such as iPad, tablets, and smartphones. Sound bar or other powerful sound system demands more energy and won’t work with Bluetooth LE.
Now, how to realize if a Vizio TV maintains Bluetooth or not? For this purpose have a look at the TV Settings. Go to them starting from the menu on the remote. When your TV maintains Bluetooth, you will recognize the “Bluetooth Headphones” line among other settings.
You can also check the manual or search on the Vizio website. For website research, you’ll need the model number of your TV. By the way, this is a great opportunity to confirm all the features of your TV even before you buy it.
How to act if your TV has preinstalled Bluetooth
Put your Bluetooth speaker into a pairing position. Next, open the TV’s settings and look for the Sound output. Recognize your Bluetooth item in all devices list and choose it for connection.
If it seems zero Bluetooth was found on your TV
This is not a tragedy, you just need to buy a Bluetooth transmitter. It is a special gadget that sticks into a Bluetooth-free device (in this case, your Vizio TV) and turns it into a device perfectly working with a Bluetooth speaker.
Before buying a Bluetooth transmitter consider what exact ports this item demands from Vizio TVs and confirm that your Vizio TV has them. SomeBluetooth transmitters require only a 3.5 mm audio output jack (AUX) others can be attachedbyoptical, RCA, and USB ports.
Adjust all settings
After the connection with any external sound sources, all changes in audio outputs will be active automatically, by default. You won’t need to do anything except turn the volume for the TV’s internal speakers down.
If you don’t decrease the TV speaker’s volume and sound pipes through the TV and external audio source simultaneously, you can run into some very weird audio effects.
But if after bonding an external audio system, your TV for some reason doesn’t provide an audio signal to your external device, you should set up a new sound source in TV settings.
For that purpose push the Menu on your remote. There chose the Sound options or Sound menu, and select an item called Sound Output or just Output. In the next step activate the tv audio output which you want to provide sound from the TV to the external audio set. By output here we mean the port where your speakers are attached.
For example, if you prefer to choose digital optical audio, in the TV’s output setting you should push the Digital optical option.
If you still can’t manage the connection between the TV and external speakers please read attentively TV’s user manual or call a professional technician.
Wrapping up
To apply external speakers or other audio devices to your precious Vizio TV you should consider precisely what type of Vizio TV you possess and which output audio ports it has. It’s worth having a look at the TV’s audio settings, there might be a possibility to make a Bluetooth joint.
In general, to improve Vizio TVs’ sound you can unite it with a more advanced sound setup using HDMI ARC withHDMI cable, optical audio, or RCA. In the last case scenario, a 3.5 mm audio output jack can help.
It’s also possible to bond the audio system without cables even if your Vizio TV doesn’t contain Bluetooth. Just buy a Bluetooth transmitter and enjoy the flawless sound from your wireless speakers.
FAQs
How to connect external speakers to Vizio TV?
The process is relatively simple. First of all, on your Vizio TV fill the audio output port with one side of the cable and put the other side into the audio input port on your external sound item.
We hope that the precise instructions in the article above will help you consider all details in the connection process, however, if you still are having difficulty, it’s better to consult your user’s manual or contact a professional technician for assistance.
How do I turn on external speakers on my Vizio TV?
To switch on your external speakers on your Vizio TV you should first bond that system to your TV and after that set it up in the tv’s audio output settings, more precisely in the Sound output menu option
