Vizio produce both TVs and Soundbars so that they can work together. However, sometimes you can still run into issues connecting the two devices or getting them to work properly. If this is the case for you, this article contains a number of things you can try to get your TV and Soundbar set up and working.
If your Vizio TV is not connecting to a soundbar, it’s likely because of a cable or connection issue. The top cause of this issue is a loose or damaged HDMI cable. To fix this, check the HDMI cable connections and ensure that they are tight and secure. You can also try using a different HDMI cable or port. If you’re using an optical cable, check the cable connections and ensure that they are clean and free of any debris. Additionally, check the soundbar’s input settings and ensure that the correct input is selected. If the issue persists, contact Vizio customer support for further assistance.
Another cause of Vizio TV not connecting to a soundbar could be due to a firmware issue or a compatibility problem. To fix this, try updating the firmware on both the TV and the soundbar to the latest version.
Additionally, check the compatibility between the TV and soundbar, ensuring they are compatible with each other. If the issue continues, try resetting both devices to their default settings or power cycling them by unplugging them from the power source for a few minutes. If the problem persists, contact Vizio customer support or the soundbar manufacturer for further assistance.
Vizio TV Not Working With Soundbar
Below are general troubleshooting tips for the Soundbar, including a hard reset, firmware update and factory reset. These will generally solve most issues. However, you can also find problem-specific solutions further down.
Hard Reset
If you’re unsure if the problem lies with the Vizio TV or with the Soundbar, you can try performing a hard reset on both. The process is the same for both the TV and Soundbar. This type of reset will clear the device of any recent errors that have occurred, but will not erase any of your settings.
Step 1: Turn off the TV or Soundbar.
Step 2: Unplug the TV or Soundbar from and other devices so that it is not connected to anything.
Step 3: Unplug the TV or Soundbar from the power source.
Step 4: Hold the power button on the TV or Soundbar for 30 seconds.
Step 5: Wait another 10 minutes before plugging the TV or Soundbar back into the power outlet.
Step 6: Reconnect the TV or Soundbar to other devices and turn it back on.
Updating the Soundbar
You should make sure both the Vizio TV and the Soundbar are running the latest firmware. You can update the Soundbar using the SmartCast app or manually with a computer.
Running the latest firmware will ensure you are downloading all available fixes for previous firmware bugs. The Soundbar will indicate which firmware version it is running when you hold the ‘Volume Up’ and ‘Volume Down’ buttons at the same time.
To update via the SmartCast app, follow the steps below.
Step 1: Open the Vizio SmartCast app on your mobile.
Step 2: Navigate to Settings > System > Check for Updates.
Step 3: Select ‘Yes’ to confirm any available updates.
Step 4: Wait for the Soundbar to turn off and reconnect to the SmartCast app.
To update the Soundbar via a computer, follow the steps below instead.
Step 1: Go to the Vizio Support website.
Step 2: Enter your Soundbar model number, for example ‘Vizio SB36512-F6’. Follow that string of text with ‘Firmware Update’
Step 3: Select the pertinent article with your model number and information about ‘Firmware Information’.
Step 4: Locate inside the article a link to download the latest firmware.
Step 5: Select ‘Instructions for Updating Using a Thumb Drive’.
Step 6: Select ‘Click Here To Download the Most Current Firmware Version’. Take note of where the .zip file saves on your computer.
Step 7: Extract the .zip file directly onto a USB. The USB should have at least 2GB in space and should not have any other files on it.
Step 8: Turn on your Soundbar and make sure it is set to an input that has no audio signal.
Step 9: Insert the USB into the back of the Soundbar and wait up to 15 minutes for the installation to complete.
Step 10: Wait for the lights to stop flashing and for the Soundbar to turn back on before you remove the USB.
Factory Reset
A factory reset will erase all your settings from the Soundbar, returning it to its original condition.
Step 1: Press and hold the ‘Input’ button and the ‘Bluetooth’ button.
Step 2: Continue holding these two buttons for six seconds or until the Soundbar restarts.
If the Soundbar has not restarted after 10 seconds, try holding the ‘Input’ button with either the ‘Volume Down’ or ‘Volume Up’ button instead. These variations will differ depending on your Soundbar model.
Vizio TV Not Recognizing/Connecting to Soundbar
If your Vizio TV is not recognizing or connecting to your Soundbar, it may be due to interference from other devices. Try unplugging all other devices from the TV. Other devices using CEC seem to cause the most trouble.
Once you have unplugged all devices, try the Soundbar again. If it is working, you can plug your devices back in one at a time to see which device is causing the issue.
If it is still not working, you should also check the cables. The HDMI cable needs to be plugged into the HDMI-ARC port in both the TV and Soundbar. These ports are labelled as such,
You should then check if the cable was loose or is faulty. You can test this by plugging the cable into a different device or plugging a new cable into the Soundbar.
Finally, if CEC is disabled, you may have difficulty working your Soundbar. You can find how to enable this feature below, under ‘How to Connect Vizio TV to Soundbar’. You can find other problems that prevent the Soundbar from working further down.
Another thing you can try is updating the firmware and performing a hard reset on both your TV and Soundbar. You might also need to reset the Soundbar to its factory settings. You can find how to do this at the beginning of this article.
How to Connect Vizio TV to Soundbar
The best way to connect your Vizio Soundbar to your Vizio TV is to use a HDMI cable. This process is detailed below.
Step 1: Ensure both the Soundbar and TV are off.
Step 2: Plug your HDMI cable into the TV’s ‘HDMI 1 (ARC)’ port.
Step 3: Plug the other end of the cable into the Soundbar’s ‘HDMI OUT (ARC)’ port.
Step 4: Turn the TV and Soundbar on. If your TV automatically discovers the Soundbar, you are finished. Otherwise, continue to the next step.
Copyright protected content owner: ReadyToDIY.com and was initially posted on June 2, 2021.
Step 5: Navigate to ‘Menu > Audio > Digital Audio Out’.
Step 6: Select ‘Dolby Digital’ or ‘Bitstream’.
Step 7: Navigate to ‘Menu > System
Step 8: Enable both ‘CEC’ and ‘ARC (SAC)’.
Step 9: Under ‘CEC’, select ‘Device Discovery’.
You can also connect the TV to the Soundbar via a composite, digital optical or digital coaxial cable. You do not need to enable the ‘CEC’ or ‘ARC’ features for these cables, and the TV will not need to ‘Discover’ the speaker. To cycle through these ports, you will need to press the ‘Input’ button on the Soundbar remote or on the Soundbar itself.
How to Connect Vizio TV to Soundbar Bluetooth
Vizio TVs have what is known as Bluetooth LE technology. This means that the Bluetooth connection is low energy and can only support connections between smaller devices such as a mobile phone.
They cannot connect wirelessly to a Bluetooth speaker. You can only connect other devices to the speaker, or connect the Soundbar to the TV via composite, optical, coaxial or HDMI cables.
Vizio TV Won’t Play through Soundbar
Before you try any other troubleshooting for the TV not playing through the Soundbar, you should check the following.
· The Soundbar is turned on and receiving power.
Copyright article owner is ReadyToDiy.com for this article. This post was first published on June 2, 2021.
· The volume is turned up on the Soundbar.
· The ‘Mute’ button is off on the TV, Soundbar and device.
· The ‘Input’ needs to be changed on the Soundbar.
If none of these simple solutions work, you can try changing your audio settings from one of the digital settings mentioned above (’Dolby Digital’ or ‘Bitstream’), to ‘PCM’. It may be that the TV is unable to pass through the digital signal.
You can also try changing the output setting in the audio menu from ‘Variable’ to ‘Fixed’ or ‘Standard’. This will prevent the remote control from changing the volume on the TV as well as the Soundbar.
If you are still not getting any audio from the TV, and you have set the Soundbar up correctly using the steps in this article, you may need to consider a hard reset, firmware update or factory reset.
Related Articles
Vizio TV Keeps Restarting During Setup
ReadyToDIY is the owner of this article. This post was published on June 2, 2021.