How to Connect an Onn Soundbar to a TV With HDMI or Optical
Here’s how to connect an Onn soundbar to a TV: plug it into the TV’s HDMI ARC port if your bar has one, use optical if it doesn’t, and set the bar to that same input.
Skip that last step and you get a bar that lights up and stays silent while the TV speakers keep talking.
Get the port, the input and one TV setting right, and the bar takes over the TV’s sound, with the TV remote running its volume over ARC.
Start with your bar’s model number, because Onn’s manuals put ARC on the 36-inch and Atmos bars but give several 2.0 bars only optical and AUX.
The table below matches each model to its ports, cables and input light, and the sections after it cover ARC, optical, Bluetooth, Roku TVs and the no-sound checks.
How to Connect an Onn Soundbar to a TV: Which Port Does Your Model Have?
That model number decides the port. Use ARC on any bar that has it, which the 100027812 manual calls the best way to connect, and optical on the 2.0 bars, which the SB2028 guide calls the best audio experience.
| Onn model (number on the back) | Connections for the TV | Cables in the box | Input shows as |
|---|---|---|---|
| 36″ 5.1 with wireless subwoofer (100027812) | ARC, optical, AUX | HDMI, optical, AUX | HDMI ARC on the display |
| 36″ 5.1 (100008866, 100015717) | ARC, optical, AUX | Same three | White light for ARC |
| 36″ 2.1 with external subwoofer (100023515) | ARC, optical, AUX | Same three | HDMI ARC on the display |
| 36″ 2.1 (100024204, SB2135) | ARC, optical, AUX | Same three | Yellow light for ARC |
| 42″ 5.1.2 Atmos (100002634) | eARC, optical, AUX | Same three, plus LAN | Not described in the manual |
| Onn Roku Smart Soundbar (9100) | ARC, optical, USB | HDMI; optical shown as optional | Roku setup on the TV screen |
| 2.0 (100020788, SB2028) | Optical, AUX | Optical, 3.5 mm AUX | Green light for optical |
| 30″ 2.0 (100019624) | Optical, line in (RCA), AUX | Optical, line-in, 3.5 mm AUX | Red light for optical |
| 30″ 2.0 (ONA19SB003) | Optical, AUX | 3.5 mm AUX only | Green light for optical |
| 30″ 2.0 (100004120) | Optical, AUX | Optical, 3.5 mm AUX | Not listed in its guide |
This table covers Onn only, so if a Majority bar is going on a second TV, check which ports your Majority soundbar has before buying a cable.
How Do You Connect an Onn Soundbar With HDMI ARC?
Those ARC rows cover the 36-inch and Atmos bars, and the Roku-built bar gets its own steps below. Connect the TV’s port labeled ARC (or eARC) to the bar’s ARC port, then switch the bar to that input.
The label matters: Roku’s guide to soundbars on Roku TVs says only the ARC or eARC port lets bar and TV talk back and forth.
- Leave the bar unplugged, since Onn’s 36-inch 5.1 manuals say to connect every audio cable before the power cord.
- Run the HDMI cable from the TV’s ARC or eARC port to the bar’s ARC port (the eARC out port on the 5.1.2).
- Plug the bar in and pick the input with the remote’s HDMI ARC key (Source on the SB2135, HDMI on the 5.1.2) or the bar’s SOURCE button, until the display reads HDMI ARC or the light turns white (100008866) or yellow (SB2135).
- Turn on ARC and CEC on the TV, as the next section shows.
ItsManual’s copy of the 36-inch 5.1 manual for the 100027812 calls ARC the best way to connect, and its box holds a 6-foot cable. Its two satellites plug into the subwoofer with the included RCA cables, and the subwoofer links to the bar wirelessly by itself at power-on.
If that cable goes missing, the SB2135 guide says only HDMI 1.4-compatible cables carry ARC, so pick one made for it, such as Silkland’s 8K ARC/eARC cable.
Silkland’s 8K ARC/eARC cable
The 5.1.2’s manual drawing runs its included cable from the bar’s eARC port to the TV’s eARC port. Roku adds that eARC needs a High Speed HDMI cable with Ethernet support.
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That last step matters as much as the cable, because the TV decides where its sound goes. Turn on CEC and ARC in the TV’s menus, plus System Audio Control in the CEC menu if the TV remote should run the bar’s volume, as ManualShelf’s copy of the SB2135 guide puts it.
Each brand names these settings differently, and Roku’s guide to enabling CEC and ARC lists them, warning that menus vary by model and software version.
| TV | CEC name | Where Roku’s guide finds it | Sound to the bar |
|---|---|---|---|
| Roku TV, including Onn Roku TVs | CEC | Settings > System > Control other devices (CEC) | Check ARC (or eARC), System audio control and 1-touch play |
| Samsung | Anynet+ | Settings > System > Expert Settings, or General > External Device Manager | ARC turns on with Anynet+ |
| LG | SIMPLINK | All Settings > General | Sound > Sound Out > Audio Out (Optical/HDMI ARC) |
| Vizio | CEC | Menu > System > CEC | System Audio Control on, then Device Discovery |
| Sony | BRAVIA Sync | Settings > Watching TV > External inputs > BRAVIA Sync settings | Display & Sound > Audio output > eARC mode Auto |
Onn sells Roku TVs such as the 43-inch 100012584, and Roku’s Roku TV guide says CEC also shows the soundbar’s volume and mute status on screen there. The output format sits under Settings > System > Audio > S/PDIF and ARC, where Auto detect is the default.
A 2020 Onn TV such as the ONA50UB19E05 uses Menu > Sound > Digital Audio Output instead, according to Nakamichi’s setup guide. For more menu detail, this screen-by-screen guide goes from the port to the TV menu.
What If Your TV or Onn Soundbar Has No ARC Port?
Those menus only matter on the ARC link, and optical skips most of them. Connect the TV’s OPTICAL OUT port to the bar’s OPTICAL port, then press OPTICAL on the remote or SOURCE (Input on the 100019624) on the bar until the display reads OPTICAL or the light turns green (red on the 100019624).
That’s the main link on the 2.0 bars, and ManualShelf’s copy of the SB2028 guide calls it the best audio experience. If the bar stays silent, the guide’s fix is to set the TV’s output to PCM or connect the player straight to the bar, since some TVs don’t pass digital audio through.
Pull the plastic caps off both ends of a new optical cable first, because Roku warns that a capped plug can make a faulty connection or damage the cable or port.
The ONA19SB003’s box has no optical cable, and KabelDirekt’s 6-foot optical TOSLINK cable fills that gap.
KabelDirekt’s 6-foot optical TOSLINK cable
Without optical, the 30-inch 100019624 takes its included line-in cable from the TV’s red and white RCA jacks. The other bars with an AUX jack take the 3.5 mm cable from the box, which the 100027812, 100008866, 100023515 and ONA19SB003 manuals plug into the TV’s headphone jack.
A TV with only RCA outputs needs a 3.5 mm-to-RCA cable, which the 100008866, 100023515 and ONA19SB003 manuals list as not included. UGREEN’s 6.6-foot 3.5 mm-to-RCA cable is one that fits.
UGREEN’s 6.6-foot 3.5 mm-to-RCA cable
RCA-brand bars use that cable the other way round, from a TV’s headphone jack into their AUX IN, and a model-by-model table of RCA’s bars lists each one’s inputs.
Should You Use HDMI or Optical for an Onn Soundbar?
Both cables carry the TV’s sound, but only HDMI carries control. Use HDMI ARC whenever the bar and TV both have it, because with CEC on the TV remote runs the bar’s volume, while optical and AUX leave that to the Onn remote.
Formats split them too: Roku says optical stops at 2-channel PCM or compressed 5.1, while ARC adds Dolby Digital Plus and compressed Dolby Atmos, and eARC carries Atmos uncompressed. That puts the 5.1.2 Atmos bar on its eARC port, while a 2.0 bar gives up little on optical.
The comparison of HDMI vs optical for your soundbar covers when the difference is audible.
Can You Connect an Onn Soundbar to a TV With Bluetooth?
Bluetooth is the cable-free route, though Onn’s manuals describe pairing a phone, tablet or computer rather than a TV. A TV can pair too if it sends Bluetooth audio out: hold the remote’s Bluetooth key for 3 seconds, or SOURCE on the bar on most models, until the light flashes or the display reads PAIRING, then pick the bar’s name on the TV.
The names differ by model: onn. 36″ 5.1 Soundbar (100027812), Onn 36″ 5.1 Soundbar (100008866), onn. 36″ 2.1 Soundbar (100023515), onn. 36″ Soundbar (SB2135), onn. 32″ Soundbar (SB2028), onn. 30″ Soundbar (100019624), Onn 30″ Soundbar (ONA19SB003) and onn. 5.1.2 Soundbar.
Most of the manuals say to keep the device within about 3 feet (1 meter) while pairing. The SB2028, SB2135 and 100004120 manuals add that switching the bar to another input drops the Bluetooth link.
Not every TV does, so check whether your TV can send Bluetooth audio first. If it can’t, the cable from the box reaches the same bar.
The Onn Roku Smart Soundbar pairs from the Bluetooth channel tile on its home screen instead.
How Do You Connect an Onn Soundbar to a Roku TV?
Roku TVs, Onn’s included, need one extra check on top of those cables. Plug the bar into the Roku TV’s ARC or eARC port, then open Settings > System > Control other devices (CEC) and check ARC, System audio control and 1-touch play, the steps in Roku’s Roku TV guide.
Roku says every Roku TV model has an ARC connection and a digital audio output, so ARC bars and optical-only 2.0 bars both fit.
The Onn Roku Smart Soundbar (model 9100) is also a streaming player, so its setup runs on the TV screen. Roku’s quick start guide for the bar has you plug in power, connect the included cable to the TV’s ARC port, pick that input with the TV remote and follow the on-screen setup to link a Roku account.
Without ARC, the guide adds the optical cable alongside it. It also notes that Roku doesn’t charge for activation support, so treat a fee request as a scam.
On an activated Roku TV, Roku says the TV detects the bar, switches on CEC and ARC and copies the network and account settings once you select Begin setup. Some Roku TV models don’t support that automatic setup and need the regular on-screen steps instead.
After that, the Roku TV remote runs the volume, while the bar’s own simple remote must be aimed at its front, as our guide to controlling a soundbar with the Roku remote explains.
Still choosing a bar? Burton Acoustix’s soundbar picks for Roku TVs cover models that work with the Roku remote.
Can You Add a Streaming Stick or Game Console Too?
That ARC link also carries sound from everything plugged into the TV, which Roku describes as the TV’s tuner and connected devices. Hook up a streaming stick, console or cable box to a spare HDMI port on the TV, keep the bar on its ARC input, and the sound reaches the bar.
The 100027812 and 100023515 manuals add a second route: the player goes into the bar’s HDMI IN port, the bar keeps its ARC cable to the TV, and you switch the bar to that input. The 5.1.2 has three such inputs on its underside, and Burton Acoustix’s multi-device setup guide covers bigger setups.
Why Is There No Sound After You Connect the Onn Soundbar?
Even with every cable right, the bar can stay silent, so start with Onn’s troubleshooting tables. Check that the bar is on the input you wired, that it isn’t muted, and that the TV’s output is set to PCM if HDMI or optical gives nothing.
Then reseat the HDMI cable and check it for damage, the 100027812 manual’s two fixes when that link won’t complete. Confirm ARC is on too, since Roku says it can be off by default.
A bar that shuts itself off may be on its timer: the 100027812 drops to standby after 15 minutes without sound, and the SB2028 and SB2135 after 20 minutes, waking when a source plays.
For a bar that misbehaves, the SB2028 and SB2135 manuals say to unplug it, wait 30 seconds and plug it back in. These TV-side checks cover the TV’s half.
A silent subwoofer needs its power cord firmly in the outlet first, the 100027812 and 5.1.2 manuals’ fix. Its mute-hold re-pair steps sit with the steps to factory reset an Onn soundbar, the last resort for a bar stuck on bad settings.
Onn’s support line in those two manuals is 1-888-516-2630, from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Central time daily.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does an Onn soundbar work with any TV?
It works with any TV that has an output the bar can take: ARC for the 36-inch, Atmos and Roku-built bars, and optical or AUX for the rest. Roku says smart TVs made since 2009 typically have an ARC port, and the 30-inch 100019624 adds red and white line-in jacks for TVs without optical.
Why won’t my TV remote control the Onn soundbar’s volume?
The TV remote only reaches the bar over ARC with CEC on, and Onn’s SB2135 guide adds System Audio Control in the TV’s CEC menu. On a Roku TV, that’s the System audio control box under Control other devices (CEC), and on optical, AUX or Bluetooth the Onn remote keeps the volume.
How do I connect an Onn soundbar to a TV without the remote?
Use the SOURCE button on the bar (Input on the 30-inch 100019624), which steps through the inputs on every model in the table except the Roku-built bar. Watch the display or light until it shows your connection, and hold SOURCE for 3 seconds to start Bluetooth pairing on the 100008866, 100023515, SB2028 and ONA19SB003.
How do I put an Onn soundbar in pairing mode?
Hold the remote’s Bluetooth key for 3 seconds, or SOURCE on the bar on most models, until the light flashes blue or the display reads PAIRING. On the 100027812 that hold also clears old pairings, and the 5.1.2 shows BT READY, then PAIRING after a long press.
Do I need to buy a cable for an Onn soundbar?
Usually not, since most Onn boxes include optical and 3.5 mm AUX cables, plus an HDMI cable on bars with ARC. The exceptions are the ONA19SB003, which has no optical cable, and TVs with only RCA outputs, because several manuals list the 3.5 mm-to-RCA cable as not included.
