Vizio makes soundbars that can produce high-quality sound on up to five channels. A 5.1 channel soundbar means there are two speakers on each side and one in the middle, with a subwoofer. This is ideal for watching movies or playing games in which immersive sound is desired.
If you have a Vizio soundbar, it should be compatible with most TVs, including all models of Insignia TVs. There are different ways of connecting the soundbar to the TV, but all of them should utilize the full effect of the bar.
While you can use multichannel RCA cables, an HDMI ARC, optical, or coaxial cables to connect your soundbar to the TV, there is most certainly one option that is by far the superior option to utilize when connecting. Read on to find out how to connect the soundbar to your TV so you can use it to its fullest extent.
The First Step is Connecting Your TV
Before anything else, the Insignia TV has to be connected the correct way to the Vizio soundbar. At first, connect the TV to power, and the video cables connect to the input device. Preferably your output device supports HDMI 2.1 or other HDMI formats. This will enable your TV to process and utilize the sound in its rare format.
If the connection is anything lower grade than HDMI 2.1, the HDMI ARC will not be able to utilize the full effects of Dolby TrueHD, Atmos 3D, and DTS Master formats. These formats are specifically formatted by the sound producers of the game or video to produce theater-quality sound and effects.
Directly connecting the soundbar to an input device such as a gaming system will work and allow the utilization of HDMI 2.1. However, if the TV has HDMI 2.1 enabled, it is preferred to connect to the TV directly and then utilize the HDMI out port to connect to the soundbar.
Unfortunately, no Insignia TVs have HDMI 2.1, so you’ll have to work around it.
Connecting directly to the soundbar from the TV will enable the TV to control which device is outputting the sound. The only device that will be outputting sound is the one that is currently displaying on the TV. Otherwise, you will have to switch the input to the soundbar from different devices as the device being utilized is switched.
Connect the HDMI ARC port marked “ARC” on the back of the soundbar to the HDMI ARC output port on your VISIO TV to get the highest quality sound. Utilize a cable that is compatible with HDMI 2.1 as well. Typically the soundbar will come shipped with a cable that is HDMI 2.1 compatible. There is no difference between “input” and “output,” as HDMI 2.1 utilizes two-way communication.
The soundbar does utilize other connections beyond HDMI as well. Conceptually there could be multiple devices connected to the soundbar, and the bar will then choose which device will output based on the input selected. Again, this is not the ideal setup, but the optical and RCA ports can be utilized.
Sound Settings
Once the soundbar is completely connected to the television, the television must know how to output the sound that is being produced by what is displayed. The default for Insignia is through the TV’s speakers. These speakers are good-quality speakers, but a soundbar will typically give much better quality sound depending on the model.
If you have read this far, the likelihood is that you have a soundbar and want to output all of the sound output by the program or game displayed through it. You have to ensure the TV knows this by setting the sound settings as “output.”
Before you can do that, though, you have to let the soundbar know that you are utilizing HDMI ARC. Your Visio soundbar, if it came from the manufacturer, came with a remote that has HDMI ARC included on it.
Turn on your TV and select the settings menu. Select the “Audio” settings. There should be an option listed labeled either “Digital” or “Bitstream.” Either of these is the option you should choose to output to the soundbar.
Return to the Main Menu on the TV and select “System.” There should be an option that allows for device discovery. Sometimes, you have to make an intermediate selection, such as “CEC,” before the “device discovery” option is available.
Assuming the soundbar is turned on and connected correctly, the Insignia TV should automatically detect the soundbar and communicate the settings to it. You should be ready to use it immediately.
Anytime the soundbar does not appear to be working correctly, first check the settings. Almost always, that is where the true problem exists. If not, check the connections and that a compatible cable is utilized.
Conclusion
The Vizio soundbar is one of the best soundbars on the market and should provide years of entertainment once it is connected and set up properly. Enjoy your theater-quality sound with the great image quality your Insignia TV provides!
