Are you having trouble getting HDMI ARC to work on your TCL TV? Sound Isn’t coming out, can’t control the volume or the TV doesn’t detect the ARC?
HDMI ARC (Audio Return Channel), a feature that lets users connect compatible devices, such as receivers and soundbars, to their TVs, is one of many smarter features that TV users are loving.
It is particularly useful for those who want to enjoy better sound quality from their TVs by connecting Soundbar, Audio Reciever, etc with the TV. However, many users have reported issues with HDMI ARC on their TCL TVs.
If you are also struggling to get the HDMI ARC to work on your TCL TV, I’ll walk you through HDMI ARC basics and troubleshoot any issues you might have with it.
In addition, many TCL users reported they were able to get HDMI-ARC working but could not control the receiver via the TV’s remote through CEC functionality, don’t worry I have covered that as well.
What is HDMI ARC and How Does it Work?
HDMI ARC (Audio Return Channel) is a feature that allows high-quality audio to be sent between your TV and other devices, such as receivers and soundbars.
In order to use HDMI ARC on a TCL TV, you must first make sure that both your TV and connected devices (Audio receivers, Soundbars, Home Theater, etc) support the feature.
Now coming to the CEC feature, which means controlling the receiver (Audio System, Soundbar, etc) with your TV remote, let’s know a bit about it.
What is CEC/ARC Function and How Does it Work?
Basically, CEC (Consumer Electronics Control) is an HDMI standard for two-way communication between connected devices. It lets you control compatible devices like receivers and soundbars all from one remote.
When HDMI CEC is enabled on a TCL TV, it can be used in conjunction with the HDMI ARC function to control compatible devices over an HDMI connection.
Note: If you struggle to find the CEC on your TCL TV, it is known as T-Link on all TCL TVs.
How to Use HDMI ARC on a TCL TV?
To use HDMI ARC on a TCL TV, you must first make sure that both your TV and connected device support the feature.
Once you have confirmed that both your TV and connected device support the feature, you must then connect them using a high-speed compatible HDMI cable.
Quick Tip: Make sure you connect the HDMI cable to the TV’s HDMI-ARC port only.
After connecting the devices, you can then enable the CEC/ARC function on your TCL TV and the receiver to control compatible devices over an HDMI connection.
How To Enable HDMI ARC on TCL TV:
All TCL TVs come with HDMI ARC disabled by default. To enable HDMI ARC, follow these steps:
- Open the “main screen” by pressing “Home” on your remote > Scroll up or down and select “Settings”.
- After that, scroll down and select “System” > Scroll down and select “Control other devices (CEC)”.
- Select “HDMI ARC” by pressing the right arrow button and scrolling down.
- Finally, press the “OK” button to enable “HDMI ARC”.
Note: Once HDMI ARC is enabled, System audio control will also be enabled. After enabling HDMI ARC, uncheck the box for System audio so that the audio only pass through the receiver.
Now, let’s see how to enable HDMI CEC on your TCL TV:
How To Enable HDMI CEC On TCL TV:
You should make sure that the TV is powered on after properly connecting your CEC-compatible devices to it and follow the steps below to confirm that the device is recognized by your TV after it is properly connected to it:
- From the “home screen” navigate to “Settings”.
- After that navigate to System > Control other devices (CEC) > Search for CEC devices
- That’s all, once you press OK, your TV will start searching for CEC devices.
After we’ve set up HDMI CEC and HDMI ARC, and connected all devices, let’s troubleshoot any issues you might encounter.
See Also: What To Do When HDMI eARC Doesn’t On LG TV?
Troubleshooting HDMI ARC Issues On TCL TV
If you are having issues like CEC/ARC functions start breaking, like getting no sound, not turning on/off devices, no volume control, etc. with your HDMI ARC connections on a TCL TV, there are a few steps you can take in order to get this sorted.
Note: Normally all receivers like audio systems and soundbars do have their HDMI CEC disabled, make sure you have turned them on before attempting further troubleshooting.
Ensure the Correct HDMI ARC Port is being used
The receiver or audio system must be connected to the correct HDMI ARC port on the TV. Not all HDMI ports are ARC-compliant, so you must use the HDMI-ARC ports.
Due to the fact that ARC is not a source of the video, you won’t get any sound on your TV if you connect an audio device via HDMI to the incorrect HDMI port of the TV.
Reset Connection
Alright, assuming that HDMI-CEC and HDMI-ARC are enabled, the correct ports are being used, but even with these settings, your TCL TV is not detecting ARC and you are unable to control the receiver with your remote or pass sound to the receiver.
In that case, the connection needs to be reset completely and re-established.
Here’s what you need to do, and make sure you are doing it exactly as mentioned:
- Disconnect all TV inputs
- Remove all inputs from the home screen
- Disconnect the soundbar and TV from the power for 1 minute
- Ensure HDMI is connected, then turn on the power
- Allow the soundbar to fully boot
- That’s all, You should hear the sound coming through the arc device (Receiver).
This will reset the connection between your devices and will help resolve any minor issues you’re having with your connections.
Note: HDMI ARC works smoothly only on high-quality high-speed HDMI cables, so make sure that in order to use all functions for ARC as well as CEC you have connected your TV and Receiver with a high-speed cable.
Factory Reset
Ultimately, if all other methods have not worked and you still cannot get your TCL TV HDMI Arc to work, you will need to factory reset the TV.
By doing this, you can restore all settings to the original factory defaults and fix any problems caused by misconfiguration.
This is how you can restore TCL to factory settings:
- Press the Settings button on the TCL Android TV remote control.
- After that, Scroll to More Settings > Device Preference > Reset.
- Select Factory data Reset > Erase Everything.
- Confirm the prompt and wait until the reset completes.
Once completed, plug everything back in correctly and test if HDMI ARC is now functioning properly, and if you are able to control the receiver with the remote as well.
Temporary Fix: If you go to the audio settings and turn the TV speakers back on and then off again sound will start coming from the receiver.
See Also: TCL TV Audio Out Of Sync Issue Fixed Easily!
Conclusion
Undoubtedly, HDMI ARC along with HDMI CEC is an incredibly useful feature for all of us who want to enjoy better sound quality from our TVs.
With it, we can connect compatible devices like audio receivers and soundbars to TV via HDMI so that we can get the audio from them as well as control them from our TV remote.
But, Many users have reported issues with HDMI ARC connections on TCL TVs, including no sound, no receiver control, and no volume control.
It is my hope that this guide will be helpful to all of you having trouble with the HDMI ARC connections on your TCL TVs!