Google TV · Display & Sound

Route audio correctly through ARC, eARC, or optical output

Google TV can output audio directly through the TV speakers, a soundbar or AVR connected via ARC/eARC, or in some setups via HDMI passthrough for surround formats like Dolby Digital or DTS.

What you should know

  • Go to Settings → Display & Sound → Audio (or Sound) to choose the output device and format.
  • Under "Surround sound," select "Auto" to let the device negotiate the best format the connected receiver or soundbar supports, or manually enable a specific format like Dolby Digital+ if auto-detection guesses wrong.
  • If using ARC or eARC, confirm the setting is enabled both on the TV's HDMI port used for the soundbar and in the TV's own audio output menu — Google TV audio, when built into the TV, routes through the TV's ARC settings rather than its own.

Why it matters

Audio dropouts, no sound, or a soundbar showing "no signal" are almost always a format or handshake issue between the Google TV device, the TV's HDMI-ARC port, and the receiver rather than a hardware fault, and are fixable from these menus in a couple of minutes.

Best practices

  • Use eARC over standard ARC when both your TV and soundbar support it — eARC carries uncompressed Dolby Atmos and DTS:X, while ARC often forces lossy compression.
  • Set surround sound to Auto unless you have a specific reason to force a format — manual settings are a common source of no-audio issues after a firmware update changes handshake behavior.
  • Keep the soundbar or AVR powered on and connected before restarting the Google TV device so the handshake completes correctly.

Common problems and fixes

No sound through soundbar after connecting via ARC
Confirm the TV's HDMI-ARC/eARC port setting is enabled in the TV's own menu (not just Google TV), and that the soundbar is set to the correct ARC/TV input.
Audio cuts out briefly during Dolby Atmos content
Try switching Surround sound from a manually forced format to "Auto" — this lets the device renegotiate with the receiver instead of forcing a format the HDMI chain drops intermittently.

Tips and tricks

  • If dialogue sounds too quiet relative to effects, check for a separate "Dialogue boost" or clear-voice setting on the app or soundbar rather than the Google TV audio menu, which doesn't include one.

Frequently asked questions

What's the difference between ARC and eARC for Google TV audio?

eARC supports much higher bandwidth, enabling uncompressed Dolby Atmos and DTS:X, while standard ARC is limited to compressed surround formats — use eARC whenever both TV and soundbar support it.