How to Connect a Vizio Soundbar to a Samsung TV

A man controlling his Vizio soundbar with a Samsung TV remote

So you’ve invested in a Vizio soundbar to elevate your at-home cinema experience on a Samsung TV, but you’re experiencing connection issues.

Luckily, modern soundbars offer different connectivity options, so even if one connection doesn’t work, you have a couple more ways to connect.

In this guide, I’ll provide you with step-by-step instructions for connecting a Vizio soundbar to a Samsung TV.

I’ll give you tips to consider with the initial setup and help you toubleshoot any issues to help you get up and running. 

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Will Your Vizio Soundbar Work with Samsung TVs?

Before buying any soundbar or TV, you should always check to make sure that they are compatible.

For example, you don’t want to buy a full surround sound system and not have an eARC cable connection on your TV. You’re throwing money away at that point.

Here’s a couple of ways that can help you determine compatibility:

Check Your Model Numbers

The first thing you should do is check the model numbers of both your Samsung TV and Vizio Soundbar.

Compatibility will depend on the model numbers you have, which you can typically find on the back of the devices or within their respective user manuals.

Certain features might be only available with newer models, so it’s good to have this information handy.

Check Compatibility

Both Samsung and Vizio use standardized connection ports like HDMI ARC, Optical Audio, and Bluetooth, among others.

Like many other modern TVs and soundbars, these standard connections are designed for interoperability.

However, if your Vizio soundbar supports advanced audio formats like Dolby Atmos or DTS:X, you’ll need to check if your TV supports HDMI eARC.

An HDMI eARC cable is the only cable that can transmit uncompressed audio from these high-definition sound formats.

How to Connect a Vizio Soundbar to a Samsung TV

The Connection Ports of a Vizio Soundbar

The connection ports of the Vizio M-Series All-in-One 2.1 Home Theater Sound Bar | M21d-H8

How to Connect to Samsung TV Using an HDMI ARC or eARC Connection

HDMI-ARC (Audio Return Channel) or eARC (Enhanced Audio Return Channel) is the best method for connecting modern home theater systems. Not only does it support high-quality audio, but it also allows for more straightforward control of your devices.

The HDMI-Arc Port on the back of a Vizio Soundbar
  1. Turn off your TV: Make sure your TV is off, and keep your Vizio soundbar unplugged for now.
  2. Locate HDMI ARC Port: Find the HDMI ARC port on your Samsung TV and Vizio soundbar. Usually, it’s labeled as “HDMI ARC” or just “ARC”.
  3. Connect the Cable: Insert the HDMI cable into the ARC ports on both devices. Make sure the cable is high-speed and compatible with ARC.
  4. Plug-in Your Vizio Soundbar: Once your HDMI-ARC cable is connected, you can plug in and turn your soundbar on. 
  5. Turn on your TV: Turn on your TV and wait. Your Vizio soundbar should automatically begin to look for an audio input and connect. If it doesn’t connect automatically, continue to the next steps.
  6. Configure TV Settings: Navigate to your Samsung TV sound settings and select “Sound Output”. From here, you can select HDMI or HDMI-ARC from the sound modes. 
  7. Enable ARC on your Soundbar: If your soundbar still isn’t connected, On your Vizio soundbar, go to the input menu and select HDMI-ARC. If your soundbar comes with a remote, you can press the input button on your remote until you see “HDMI-ARC”. Press OK on the remote, and you should be connected.

How to Hook Up a Vizio Soundbar to a Samsung TV Using an Optical Cable

The second best method is using an Optical cable. A fiber optic cable provides reliable sound quality, although it lacks some of the advanced features that HDMI-ARC offers.

The optical port on a Vizio Soundbar
  1. Turn off your TV: Make sure your TV is off, and keep your Vizio soundbar unplugged for now.
  2. Find Optical Ports: Locate the optical ports on both your Samsung TV and Vizio soundbar.
  3. Remove Plastic Covers: Most optical cables have plastic covers on the ends. Remove these before inserting them into your TV and soundbar.
  4. Connect the Cable: Insert the cable into the optical ports on both your TV and soundbar and make sure to push them in all the way. Once connected, turn the soundbar and TV on. 
  5. Select Optical on Soundbar: Press the input button on your soundbar and select the optical audio connection as the source. If your soundbar has a remote, press the input button until you see Optical.
  6. Configure TV Settings: Using your Samsung TV remote, go to your TV settings and select “Sound Output”. From there, you can toggle through the sound output modes and choose Optical. 

Choosing the right connection type for your soundbar isn’t just about plugging in a cable and seeing which one works; it’s about figuring out what your system needs and maximizing the audio quality of your home entertainment setup.

For instance, connecting a Vizio soundbar to a Samsung TV with an HDMI-ARC/eARC cable instead of an Optical cable gives you:

  • Access to newer audio formats.
  • A wider soundstage with support for soundbars that use more channels.
  • Control over your TV and soundbar with a single remote
  • Better audio/visual synchronization.

But what if your Vizio soundbar is older and doesn’t have an HDMI input? Or what if you need a really long cable?

In those cases, connecting with an Optical cable might be your best or only option.

To help you determine which connection to use for your soundbar, check out our comparison guide between Optical cables and HDMI ARC/eARC cables

How to Pair Your Vizio Soundbar to Samsung TV via Bluetooth

Bluetooth provides a convenient wireless option for connecting your devices.

  1. Put Your Soundbar in Pairing Mode: Hold the Bluetooth button on your Vizio soundbar until you see a flashing LED light. If you have a remote to control your soundbar, you can press and hold the Bluetooth button until it begins to flash or you hear the voice on your soundbar say “searching”.
  2. Pair the Devices: On your Samsung TV, go to your audio settings, select “Sound Output” and choose Bluetooth. From here, you can select your Vizio soundbar from the list of available Bluetooth devices. 

Connecting Through the AUX Port with RCA cables

As a last resort, you can connect your Vizio soundbar to your Samsung TV through the auxiliary port using a 3.5mm jack to RCA adapter audio cable

  1. Turn off your TV: Make sure your TV is off, and keep your Vizio soundbar unplugged for now.
  2. Identify RCA Ports: Locate the RCA connections on the back of your Samsung TV. These will be labeled as “audio out,” and you’ll see white and red ports. Match the colors of the RCA ends of your adapter cable to these ports — plug the white connector into the white port and the red connector into the red port. 
  3. Find AUX Port on Vizio Soundbar: On the back of your Vizio soundbar, locate the 3.5mm AUX port and plug the other end of your cable in.
  4. Adjust Sound Modes on Soundbar and TV: With both ends of your cable connected, you can now set your sound modes. For your TV, go to the sound output settings and select external speakers. You can also change the source through the input mode on your Vizio soundbar to AUX. 

Connecting your soundbar to your TV through the AUX port will impact the quality of audio your soundbar produces.

Using the RCA ports on your TV will only give you with a 2-channel stereo output. So if you bought a soundbar that’s supposed to give you a complete home theater experience with Dolby Atmos and height channels like the Vizio Elevate P-Series 5.1.4 soundbar, you’re not going to get the sound experience you paid for.

Troubleshooting Issues with Vizio Soundbar Not Working with Samsung TV

No Audio From Your Soundbar

If you don’t have any sound coming out at all, try the following:

  1. Check Connections: Make sure all cables are plugged in securely. Loose connections can be the culprit.
  2. Press the Mute Button: Try pressing the mute button on your remote to make sure it isn’t muted.
  3. Confirm Output Source on TV: Double-check the output settings on your TV to ensure that the audio signal is sent to the soundbar instead of the TV’s built-in speakers. To do this, navigate to the sound settings of your TV and select the sound output option you want to utilize. You could also try setting the TV output to PCM to see if that helps.
  4. Confirm Output Source on Soundbar: Press the input button on your remote or on the side of the soundbar to make sure it’s on the correct audio source.
  5. Check your TV’s Audio Output Settings: Make sure that your audio output is set to either FIXED or STANDARD and not VARIABLE. 
  6. Restart Both Devices: Sometimes, a simple reboot solves the issue. Turn off your Samsung TV and Vizio soundbar, wait a minute, and then turn them back on.

No Surround Sound

If your soundbar isn’t playing in surround sound, try these steps:

  1. Check Connections and Power: Make sure that your satellite speakers are connected, and your subwoofer is powered. You will see a light on the back of your subwoofer if it is powered on.
  2. Check the Audio Format: Make sure your Samsung TV sound settings are set to a surround sound-compatible audio format like Dolby Digital or Bitstream.
  3. Choose the Correct Vizio Sound Mode: Select the ‘Surround’ mode using your Vizio remote.
  4. Re-Pair External Speakers: If you’re still having trouble, try to re-pair your subwoofer and satellite speakers to the soundbar.

Experiencing an Audio Delay

Audio not syncing with your video can ruin the viewing experience. Here’s how to fix it:

  1. Audio Sync Feature: Samsung TVs and Vizio soundbars have an ‘Audio Sync’ or similar feature. Play around with this setting until the audio aligns with the video.
  2. Update FirmwareOutdated firmware can cause issues. Make sure there aren’t any updates required for your Samsung TV and Vizio soundbar.

Issues with Bluetooth Connection

If you’re having issues connecting to your soundbar through Bluetooth, follow these steps:

  1. Try Re-Pairing the Devices: Delete and re-pair your Samsung TV and Vizio soundbar. 
  2. Check for Interference: Other Bluetooth devices can cause interference. Make sure there are no other active Bluetooth devices in the area when pairing.
  3. Choose the Correct Source: On your Samsung TV, go to the settings, choose sound, and confirm the sound output is showing your Vizio soundbar.

How to Control Your Vizio Soundbar with a Samsung TV Remote

Most Samsung TV remotes are designed to control Vizio soundbars out of the box. If it doesn’t work immediately, try these steps:

  1. Navigate to Sound Settings: Pick up your Samsung TV remote and navigate to ‘Settings.’ From there, go to ‘Sound’ and then look for ‘Sound Output.’
  2. Choose Your Vizio Soundbar: In the ‘Sound Output’ menu, you will see a list of available devices. Select your Vizio soundbar from the list and hit ‘Close.’

An Alternate Method: Teach Your Vizio to Respond to the Samsung Remote

If the standard setup process doesn’t work, some Vizio soundbars allow you to ‘teach’ them to respond to your Samsung TV remote:

  1. Enter Learning Mode: Make sure you have your Samsung TV remote available and your Vizio remote. On your Vizio remote, press the menu button. Scroll up/down to find the option that says “Prg Remote”. From there, you can choose volume up, down, and mute. Select one and press the PLAY button on your Vizio remote to enter learning mode.
  2. Learn Volume Up/Down/Mute Functions: Once in learning mode, take your Samsung TV remote and press the button that correlates with the function you want to sync. For instance, if you entered the learning mode for the volume up function, you should press the volume up button on your Samsung TV remote. Once synced, the LED lights on the soundbar will blink twice, indicating that it’s ready and can now be used to control your soundbar volume on your Samsung remote. Do the same for the remaining two functions.

Note: Please be aware that not all Vizio soundbars support this learning feature, and TV menu options may be diferent based on the model of your Samsung TV. To find out if your soundbar has this capability, you can look in your user manual.

What to do if you still can’t control your Vizio soundbar with your Samsung TV remote

  1. Repeat Remote Setup: Sometimes the initial setup doesn’t take. Retry the steps to control your Vizio soundbar with a Samsung remote.
  2. Check IR Sensors: Ensure nothing is obstructing the infrared sensor on the soundbar.
  3. Reset your TV RemoteTry resetting your Samsung TV remote by pressing and holding the return and enter buttons until you see the red light at the top of the remote flash.
  4. Use a Universal Remote InsteadIf you’re desperate to only use one remote, try using a universal remote that works with Samsung TVs and Vizio soundbars.

Final Thoughts

Connecting your Vizio soundbar to a Samsung TV is easy when you follow the proper steps. Using an HDMI ARC connection is the best way to connect them since it provides the best audio quality and is simple.

Optical cables can also transmit great surround sound if HDMI ARC is unavailable. Both are great options and should be prioritized over Bluetooth or RCA connections. Just be sure to select the correct audio output format on the TV after setup.

If you followed the instructions for each connection option and your soundbar still doesn’t connect, it may be time for a new one. Pairing any soundbar with a Samsung TV will give you a much better audio performance compared to the built-in TV speakers.

Even budget-friendly options will provide you with an upgrade, which we highlight in our article on the best soundbars under $200

Other FAQs

1. What other soundbars are compatible with Samsung TVs?

Most modern soundbars are designed to be compatible with Samsung TVs, thanks to universal connectivity options like HDMI ARC/eARC, Optical Audio, and Bluetooth.

If you’re looking for an alternative to Vizio, brands like Bose, Sonos, LG, and Yamaha offer soundbars that work well with Samsung TVs. Just make sure to check the model numbers and compatibility features before making a purchase. 

2. Can I use a Samsung soundbar with a Vizio TV?

Yes, you can use a Samsung soundbar with a Vizio TV. Just like any other modern soundbar, Samsung soundbars typically come with most of your standard connectivity options, such as HDMI ARC, Optical Audio, and Bluetooth, which are also available on Vizio TVs.

Just make sure the soundbar and TV support the same audio formats and connection types for the best sound quality. You can refer to the manual of both devices to confirm before buying.

3. How do I get my Samsung TV to recognize my soundbar?

To get your Samsung TV to recognize your soundbar, first make sure both devices are powered off.

Next, connect them using your preferred connection (HDMI ARC, Optical Audio, or Bluetooth). Once connected, turn on your TV and soundbar and navigate to the ‘Sound Settings’ menu on your Samsung TV.

From there, select ‘Sound Output’ and choose the type of connection you’ve used (e.g., HDMI ARC, Optical, or Bluetooth). Your soundbar should now appear as an option; select it to complete the connection.

4. How do I connect my Vizio soundbar to my TV without HDMI ARC?

If your TV or soundbar lacks an HDMI ARC port, you can use the other connection ports. Most soundbars will have an Optical and AUX port—though for this, you’ll need an RCA to AUX adapter. 

Older soundbars might have RCA inputs you can use to connect directly to your TVs RCA ports but this has been phased out in a lot of the newer soundbars. You should also be able to connect to your TV through Bluetooth. 

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