This topic

Best way to Connect BT TV Pro box - Sound bar & TV

Pete_Carr — Wed, 15 Nov 2023 17:43:06 GMT

I am soon to be getting a BT TV pro box, I am looking for the best way to connect to my TV and Sound Bar, and ideally control everything from the BT remote. I am wondering if that is possible, or whether I will still need to juggle several remote controls?

Sound bar and TV are HDMI ARC enabled.

Many Thanks

Pete.

Re: Best way to Connect BT TV Pro box - Sound bar & TV

Steven3 — Wed, 15 Nov 2023 19:40:17 GMT

@Pete_Carr I have a hdmi cable from my BT TV pro box to my soundbar hdmi port then another hdmi cable from a different port on the soundbar to the HDMI ARC port on my TV. Can control my soundbar volume, TV and BT Box using the BT remote. Make sure you turn on Surround in the sound settings on your BT TV Pro box for your soundbar to work properly. Hope this helps.

Re: Best way to Connect BT TV Pro box - Sound bar & TV

Pete_Carr — Wed, 15 Nov 2023 20:10:47 GMT

Many Thanks @Steven3 fingers crossed that all works for me too?

Re: Best way to Connect BT TV Pro box - Sound bar & TV

Steven3 — Wed, 15 Nov 2023 20:34:15 GMT

@Pete_CarrIt should work fine for you too hopefully

Re: Best way to Connect BT TV Pro box - Sound bar & TV

DavidM — Wed, 15 Nov 2023 20:37:40 GMT

Hi @Pete_Carr and thanks for posting.

I'd be interested to know if @Steven3 advice works for you (no reason it shouldn't) as I have a similar set up.

Cheers

David

Re: Best way to Connect BT TV Pro box - Sound bar & TV

Pete_Carr — Thu, 16 Nov 2023 09:15:33 GMT

@Steven3
My concern after reading the user guide, was where it says
"The remote control will automatically pair with the TV Box and programme itself to control your TV as well."
I am assuming yours sorted everything out itself?
Do you need to press different source buttons to control individual devices,? I am really not sure how all this HDMI ARC wizardry all works?
Many thanks again for your comment?

Pete

Re: Best way to Connect BT TV Pro box - Sound bar & TV

Pete_Carr — Thu, 16 Nov 2023 11:19:05 GMT

Just spoke to Richer Sounds where the TV and Sound Bar are from, they suggest, plugging the BT box directly into the TV and just using the HDMI ARC for the Sound Bar.
Anyone have any thoughts on whether that would be a better or worse solution?

Pete

Re: Best way to Connect BT TV Pro box - Sound bar & TV

Steven3 — Thu, 16 Nov 2023 12:06:18 GMT

@Pete_Carr Yes my remote sorted itself out I have everything linked together when I turn off the box, the tv and the soundbar turn off too. The remote only controls the basics volume up/down, change channel etc if you want to change settings etc you would probably need to use the individual remotes. I would try connecting it up and see what you prefer you can always plug the cables in differently if you don't like it

Re: Best way to Connect BT TV Pro box - Sound bar & TV

Midnight_Voice — Thu, 16 Nov 2023 22:38:05 GMT

@Pete_Carr

Are you using the TV and soundbar now? Do you need, or use, the soundbar remote very much, if at all?

My soundbar switches on and off with the TV, goes to the ARC input automatically*, and the TV volume control controls the volume on the soundbar, so I rarely need the soundbar remote.

Is the ARC between your TV and soundbar just plain ARC, or is it actually eARC, (which it will be only if both devices support eARC)? If it’s plain ARC, then it can’t pass rich audio formats like true Dolby Atmos, so anyone with a BluRay player, say, would have to connect up in @Steven3 mode to get uncompromised audio.

Can the Pro box put out true Dolby Atmos or DTS:X? If it can, and you aren’t running eARC, then it’s better plugged into the soundbar. But with eARC, the sound is just as good with it plugged into either TV or soundbar**.

@Steven3, do you have to switch anything when going from the input with the Pro box on, to ARC from the TV? If so, this would be a consideration when connecting like this in an eARC setup.

And just to prove that nothing is ever simple, and there are all sorts of exceptions to these general rules:-

* If I turn my YouView DTR-T4000 box on when the TV is in standby, it turns the TV on just fine, but the soundbar, which also turns on at the same time, goes to its HDMI input, not to eARC. So I get no audio, until I reach for the soundbar remote and switch to eARC again. I have no idea why the switch to HDMI occurs, but I blame the TV, though perhaps I should blame the YouView box.

The workaround is always to turn the TV on first, which turns the soundbar on in eARC mode, and only then turn on the YouView box.

** My TV doesn’t do DTS in any flavour, though the soundbar does. So the BluRay player has to connected directly to the soundbar. Ho hum….

Re: Best way to Connect BT TV Pro box - Sound bar & TV

Steven3 — Thu, 16 Nov 2023 22:51:18 GMT

@Midnight_Voice My tv and soundbar both support EARC so I don't have to change anything I get Dolby Atmos through the BT TV Pro Box and the Soundbar

Re: Best way to Connect BT TV Pro box - Sound bar & TV

Midnight_Voice — Fri, 17 Nov 2023 09:35:30 GMT

@Steven3

Cheers for that.

As you confirm that the Pro box can deliver Dolby Atmos, anybody who only has ARC, but has a soundbar with an HDMI input, should definitely connect things your way, and not as Richer Sounds describe.

I think that with eARC, it doesn’t matter if you connect the Pro box to the TV or to the soundbar HDMI, as far as audio goes, so that comes down to whichever arrangement is most convenient as regards switching inputs and the number of remotes required.

Some soundbars don’t have an HDMI input though (I’m looking at your premium £900 model, Bose), so that option isn’t available to those who own such a soundbar.

I suppose it would be helpful if we all said what we were using; mine’s an LG GX TV with the GX soundbar, both eARC, one HDMI input on that, with the audio from a Panasonic UHD player fed to it: no Pro box, but a T4000 plugged into the TV, a Roku Express 4K, and the UHD video.

Re: Best way to Connect BT TV Pro box - Sound bar & TV

Pete_Carr — Fri, 17 Nov 2023 12:30:13 GMT

Many thanks everyone.

Just for clarity, my equipment will comprise of

Samsung QE55S90C TV & Samsung HW-Q600C Soundbar, which are both eARC compliant, and actually merge speakers of both soundbar and TV to create what they call Symphony sound, and only use one remote. The soundbar does have a single HDMI input as well.

Plus the new BT TV Pro box when it arrives

I also have a Sony DVD/Blu ray player, that I rarely use but will also be connected.

Re: Best way to Connect BT TV Pro box - Sound bar & TV

Steven3 — Fri, 17 Nov 2023 17:19:28 GMT

I have a Sony XD93 TV with a Sony HT-XF9000 soundbar and Subwoofer with one hdmi port connected to the tv and the other connected to the BT TV Box Pro, also have a Firestick 4k Max, a Sony DVD player which isn't often used and a XBox One.

Re: Best way to Connect BT TV Pro box - Sound bar & TV

Pete_Carr — Mon, 20 Nov 2023 09:09:05 GMT

Quick update, everything connected as @Steven3 suggested, and all working well from the BT remote.
Its just a shame BT don't include Spotify and Youtube, which is the only time I need to use a different remote.
Many thanks

Pete

Re: Best way to Connect BT TV Pro box - Sound bar & TV

Richchad — Mon, 13 Apr 2026 11:34:43 GMT

I realise this is an old discussion but I have a similar question.

I am trying to get my EE TV Box Pro to turn on/off TV & Soundbar.

It all turns on okay but turning off the TV doesn't or restarts.

I have the following equipment..

EE TV Box Pro with just one HDMI port

Samsung TV QE65QN95A with 4 HDMI ports, one being eARC

Samsung Soundbar HW-Q930C with 2 HDMI ports, one being eARC connected to TV eARC

Will the use of an HDMI splitter help in any way?

Re: Best way to Connect BT TV Pro box - Sound bar & TV

DarrenDev — Mon, 13 Apr 2026 11:39:32 GMT

Connect the EE TV Box to the TV directly with HDMI.

Connect soundbar to TV using eARC (as you have already).

Hold the power button on the EE TV remote for a couple of seconds, and it'll turn off the TV. The TV will then turn off the soundbar for you.

Re: Best way to Connect BT TV Pro box - Sound bar & TV

Richchad — Mon, 13 Apr 2026 12:36:54 GMT

@DarrenDev Thanks for the quick reply, I have just tried it and yes it seems to work.

I didn't think of holding the button a little longer.

Thanks for your help.