Having a home theater is an exciting prospect; you’ll instantly become the envy of the neighborhood with the right TV and audio setup. Hopefully you won’t mind hosting the annual Super Bowl party, because people will think of your living room as the place to watch live sports.

But you can’t have a truly epic home theater without a quality sound system, and you need to know the ins and outs of modern audio accessories to build such a system. That’s where The Streamable can help; we want to make complex topics simple to access, including what you need to know about HDMI ARC to build a pro sound system.

Check out our beginner’s guide to HDMI ARC below! We’ll fill you in on what it is, how it helps you build a high-quality home theater, and even how to find HDMI ARC-equipped devices to use in setting things up.

A beginner’s guide to HDMI ARC

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What is HDMI ARC

If you missed our beginner's guide to HDMI, that’s a good place to dive in to learn the basics about High-Definition Media Interface cables. Put simply, HDMI supports the transfer of high-quality video and audio signals between devices.

The ARC in HDMI ARC stands for “Audio Return Channel.” It’s a feature that lets your TV transmit high-definition audio to and from a soundbar or AV receiver using an HDMI cable, instead of requiring a separate optical or analog audio cord to transmit signals. Standard ARC supports a wide range of premium audio formats.

If you plan to use your TV speakers to listen while watching, HDMI ARC is not necessary. But if you plan to use an external speaker such as a soundbar connected to your TV, HDMI ARC allows you to do so with just one HDMI cable, eliminating the need for extra cords and improving the quality of sound by allowing the HDMI connection to carry audio back from the TV to the soundbar using one cable.

What is HDMI eARC?

HDMI eARC stands for “HDMI Enhanced Audio Return Channel.” First launched with HDMI version 2.1, it has the same basic function as HDMI ARC, only with even more audio bandwidth. This allows eARC to support premium audio formats; most HDMI ARC devices support Dolby Atmos, for example, but with eARC, listeners can upgrade to lossless audio using the Dolby TrueHD codec.

Best of all, there’s usually no difference in the way a user sets up HDMI eARC devices — just plug the HDMI cable into the appropriate ports as you normally would. To see if the device you want to connect supports HDMI eARC, check its packaging or included user guide.

What does HDMI ARC replace?

HDMI ARC replaces connectors like optical digital cables, analog audio cables, and other types of cords that were once required to connect a TV to a sound system. Older connection types had much more limited bandwidth compared to HDMI ARC, supporting fewer audio formats, especially premium ones.

Do most HDMI cables have HDMI ARC?

Yes, almost all modern HDMI cables support HDMI ARC. That makes it easier for customers when shopping, as there’s no special need to keep an eye out for HDMI cables specifically labeled as supporting HDMI ARC. However, to get an HDMI cable that supports HDMI eARC, make sure you’re purchasing an HDMI 2.1 cord, and your device’s HDMI ports support an HDMI 2.1 connection.

Why HDMI ARC is a good thing

HDMI ARC is an incredibly valuable feature to look for when seeking out a new TV or soundbar. It often reduces the TV-to-soundbar connection to just one HDMI cable, and HDMI eARC supports the best available sound formats, including Dolby Atmos carried in lossless format and DTS:X.

Reducing the need for additional cables isn’t the only way HDMI ARC simplifies your home theater setup. HDMI cables also frequently allow owners to control multiple devices with a single remote — including TVs, soundbars, and speakers — through HDMI-CEC.

So, if you want a home theater with a streamlined, intuitive feel that allows you to listen to high-quality audio, HDMI ARC is crucial to making it happen. If you want to unlock the highest audio quality supported by your TV and by your video and audio streaming apps, HDMI eARC is the top consumer technology on the market for doing so.

How to know if your devices support HDMI ARC

Basic modern high-speed HDMI cables, such as this one, have HDMI ARC support built in almost universally. If you want to confirm that the cable supports ARC, make sure you look for the acronym or for Audio Return Channel in the product specifications as you shop for HDMI cables, or soundbars and speakers to ensure they offer HDMI ARC connectivity.

Most high-speed HDMI cables with Ethernet support eARC, though many manufacturers recommend that you upgrade to an Ultra High Speed HDMI 2.1 cable. For newer systems and maximum compatibility, most modern soundbars and external TV speakers support HDMI eARC connections, but you’ll want to be sure to check for such support as you shop.