One of the easiest ways you can connect your TV to a soundbar or receiver is by using a specialized HDMI port called Audio Return Channel. The ARC connection lets you listen to your TV audio without having to use an extra cable, such as optical . ARC is most important if you plan on using the apps on your TV, such as the Netflix app , or if you don't have spare inputs on your sound system. Instead, you simply plug everything into your TV and use its remote to switch sources .

Meanwhile, the eARC standard, which is a part of HDMI 2.1 , improves on the original in a few key ways including supporting Dolby Atmos . In terms of setup, it's basically the same as regular ARC. We'll discuss the benefits of eARC further down, but first: the basics.

Do you need ARC?

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