How to Connect a Soundbar to a Hisense TV with an Optical Cable

Struggling to hear crisp, clear audio from your Hisense TV?

Connecting a soundbar via optical cable can significantly boost sound performance for all your entertainment.

Let’s examine how to seamlessly link these devices to unlock this audio capability enhancement.

How to Connect Soundbar to Hisense TV via Optical Cable

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You can connect a soundbar to a Hisense TV using an optical or TOSLink cable connected between the TV’s optical digital audio output and the soundbar’s optical digital input.

This creates a pathway for audio data transmission from the TV to the external soundbar for amplified, multi-channel sound playback through the soundbar speakers rather than the native TV speakers.

We’ll explore the step-by-step process in detail below.

Gather the Necessary Equipment

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You will need to have your Hisense TV, a soundbar with an optical audio input, and an optical or TOSLink audio cable to connect the devices.

Having all of the correct equipment before beginning will make the process much simpler.

First, make sure that your Hisense TV has an optical digital audio output port, usually labeled SPDIF or OPTICAL.  

This port will allow your TV to send out digital audio signals to external audio devices.

Second, your soundbar system must have a corresponding optical digital audio input port in order to receive these signals from the TV.

Finally, you need to have an optical cable, also sometimes called a TOSLink cable.  

This is a specialized digital audio cable that has fiber optic connectors on each end, allowing it to transmit multi-channel digital sound between components.

The connectors are normally orange in color.

Having the proper optical cable to connect between the optical outputs of your TV and the optical input of your soundbar is imperative for establishing the vital digital audio link between the devices.

Locate the Optical Ports on the TV and Soundbar

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Once you have gathered the Hisense TV, soundbar system, and optical digital audio cable that you will be using, the next step is locating the correct ports to connect the cable to on each device.

Find Optical Output Port on Hisense TV

You first need to find the optical digital audio out port on your Hisense TV.

This will typically be located on the back of the TV, possibly on a special panel dedicated to audio/video inputs and outputs.  

The optical output is usually marked as “OPTICAL” or “SPDIF”. It will normally have an orange colored fiber optic connector housed in a plastic surround.

This port needs to be connected to your soundbar system via the optical cable, so take note of where it is located on your TV.   

If you cannot locate the port on the rear of the television, it is also possible it is positioned on one of the sides or possibly under the stand.

Refer to your specific Hisense television’s manual to find out where this vital optical output is situated if you are having trouble finding it by eye.  

Once located, have the optical connector on one end of your TOSlink cable ready to insert into the TV’s optical out port.

Find Optical Input Port on Soundbar

Similarly, you need to find the optical digital audio in port on the soundbar that will receive the signals from the Hisense TV.

This is also usually labelled as either “OPTICAL IN” or “SPDIF IN”. It will be the matching orange colored fiber optic input connector.   

This can be located either on the rear or side of the soundbar.

Consult your soundbar manual for the exact location of this optical input port if not immediately visible.   

Have the optical connector from the other end of the digital audio cable ready to insert into the soundbar’s optical input port after connecting to the output port on the Hisense television.

Connect the Optical Cable  

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Once you have located the optical digital audio output port on your Hisense TV and the optical digital audio input port on your soundbar system, you are ready to connect them with your TOSLink optical cable.

This requires securely inserting the connectors at each end of the cables into the appropriate ports on each device.

Insert Cable into TV Optical Output

Start by taking the connector on one end of the optical cable and lining it up correctly facing the optical output port on your Hisense TV.  

These connectors and ports typically only fit one way.

Slowly and gently insert the optical connector into the optical out port on the TV. Push firmly but carefully until it clicks into place securely.   

Ensure the optical cable is firmly seated into the output port before attempting to route the cable.   

Connect Other End to Soundbar Optical Input 

With the optical cable now firmly connected to the optical output of your Hisense television, you can now attach the connector at the other end of the cable to the optical input port on your soundbar system.

Face this second connector to the optical input port on your soundbar.  

Similarly to the TV end, gently insert the cable’s fiber optic connector until it fully clicks into place in the port.

Position the cable so there is no tight pulling on either of the connections.  

You now have a digital audio link between TV and soundbar.   

Change the TV Audio Settings

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Before audio can travel from your Hisense TV to the connected soundbar system through the optical cable, you need to change some audio settings on the television telling it to transmit sound externally rather than through its own built-in speakers.

This routing of audio signal needs to be done through the TV settings menu.   

Navigate to Audio Output Settings

Use your Hisense TV remote to access the main settings menu.

Within this, locate the section related specifically to audio or sound settings.   

Depending on model, look for options like “Speakers”, “Audio Out”, “Sound Control” or similar labels.

The aim is to find where audio output routing is handled in the system settings.   

This is generally within the TV system sound settings, but menu layout and terminology differs across Hisense TVs.

Once within the correct sound setting sub-menus, you can navigate to the specific settings that determine if TV audio is routed through the internal TV speakers or external audio devices, in this case via the optical output to your soundbar.

Set Audio Output to External Optical

Within these audio settings, change the TV speaker/audio out settings from the default TV speakers to external speakers or audio device speakers.   

The setting you are looking to enable will likely be labelled “Optical”, “SPDIF”, “Audio Out”, “Digital Audio Output”, or similar indicating the port you have your optical cable now connected into.   

Select and confirm this option within the TV settings menu to switch audio routing from the internal TV speakers over to optical digital audio output that leads to your connected soundbar system.

Some Hisense models may require you to specifically change the “Digital Audio Format” option to PCM in order for the optical output to correctly pass through multi-channel digital sound.   

Configure the Soundbar

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With your soundbar now connected to your Hisense TV via optical cable and the TV audio output settings changed to use the optical port output, the final major step is some basic initial configuration within your soundbar system.

The key settings needed depend specifically on your soundbar model and manufacturer.   

Set Soundbar to Optical Input Mode  

Most soundbars have a way of setting the active audio input mode that needs to match the physical input you have connected, in this case the optical digital audio cable.

Using either buttons directly on the soundbar or its remote control, find the Input Select options.   

Here you will need to switch the soundbar over to “OPTICAL IN” mode to activate the optical input and associated audio processing.   

Ensure Correct Audio Format Decoding

Depending on model, higher-end soundbars will also offer options for digital audio decoding formats.  

Dolby Digital and DTS formats must match up between source and receiver devices.

For the optical output from a Hisense TV to a soundbar, you most likely will need to confirm the soundbar is set to decode incoming 2-channel PCM signals. 

Consult manuals for either device if the optical audio pathway does not seem to work correctly after input mode selection.   

Adjust Soundbar Volume and Settings  

Once the optical input mode is active and you have confirmed that the soundbar is at least receiving and playing audio from the now externally connected Hisense TV, you can tweak settings like overall system volume, individual channel volumes, equalizer presets, virtual surround modes and more to achieve your desired audio experience.

Most soundbar remote controls make changing primary settings like volume convenient.  

Now with the equipment connected and configured, optical audio from the TV can play as intended through your external soundbar over this new connectivity pathway.   

Enjoy Your Enhanced TV Audio

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With all physical connections between Hisense television optical audio output and soundbar optical input made securely, the correct cabling connectivity pathway now established between devices, TV audio settings directing signal out through optical digital audio out port.

The soundbar input and format set to properly receive this incoming optical signal – you now have a fully realized external audio system receiving audio from the connected TV!   

Any content or media playing on the Hisense television that normally relies on the internal TV speakers for sound playback will now instead route that audio data through the optical output, over your optical cabling to the soundbar now serving as your primary playback speakers for the TV.

Depending on specific models and configurations, you may enjoy multi-channel surround decoding, wider frequency response, dialogue-enhancing features, enhanced volume and bass capabilities, and a generally improved audio experience from media through the soundbar versus strictly TV speakers alone.   

If for any reason the audio pathway is not working correctly after completing the above steps, revisit the optical connections to ensure firm fitment into their respective ports and also double check TV audio output settings match to optical out rather than TV speakers.

Consult TV, soundbar or optical cable manuals for troubleshooting help if issues persist.  

When properly connected and configured however, your optical cable linked soundbar will thrive as the newfound external audio system for your Hisense smart television!

Conclusion

Connecting a soundbar to your Hisense TV via an optical cable can greatly improve your audio experience, with clearer sound, better bass, and expanded connectivity options.

With the proper cables and ports now linked between devices, audio optimized on both ends, and physical connections secured, you can enjoy a simple yet profound audio upgrade. If issues arise, double check settings and connections.

Otherwise, relish the enhanced immersive sound as your media plays seamlessly through the new soundbar speakers.