The five settings, in order
The magic is called HDMI-CEC — but Samsung calls it Anynet+, LG calls it SimpLink, and Sony calls it Bravia Sync. Same feature, three disguises. It rides the HDMI cable between the soundbar and one specific port on the TV.
Use the ARC port — not just any HDMI
Look at the TV’s HDMI ports: exactly one says ARC or eARC next to it. The soundbar’s HDMI cable must be in that port, and in the soundbar’s HDMI OUT (TV-ARC) jack — not its input. Wrong port is the number-one cause of “my remote does nothing.”
Turn CEC on at the TV
Samsung: Settings → General (or Connection) → External Device Manager → Anynet+ (HDMI-CEC) → On. LG: Settings → General → Devices → HDMI Settings → SimpLink → On. Sony: Settings → Channels & Inputs → External Inputs → Bravia Sync → On. Many TVs ship with it off.
Point the TV’s sound at the soundbar
In the TV’s sound menu, set Sound Output to “Receiver (HDMI)” / “HDMI ARC” / the soundbar’s name — not “TV speakers.” On the soundbar, select its D.IN / HDMI ARC / TV input. Both ends have to agree.
Force a fresh handshake
After changing any of the above: unplug the TV and the soundbar from power, disconnect the HDMI between them, wait 60 seconds, reconnect the cable, power the soundbar first, then the TV. CEC pairings cement themselves on this clean boot.
Suspect the cable last — but do suspect it
ARC needs a proper high-speed HDMI cable, and eARC (for lossless Atmos) wants an Ultra High Speed certified one. A cable that came free with a cable box a decade ago can carry picture fine and still drop the control channel. Swapping it is a $10 test.
Volume bar moves on screen, sound doesn’t change
That means the TV thinks it is still playing through its own speakers while your ears are listening to the soundbar on a different connection (usually optical, from a previous setup). Two sound paths are alive at once. Pick one: either go all-in on ARC (unplug the optical cable entirely) or all-in on optical (and accept the soundbar’s own remote for volume, or teach the soundbar your TV remote’s IR codes — most Samsung and Vizio bars can learn them).
Also check the soundbar’s own CEC toggle — yes, it has one too, usually buried in a settings app or a button combo listed in the manual. Both the TV and the soundbar must have CEC on for power and volume to ride the cable.
When we wire a soundbar, this is set up before we leave
Every soundbar we mount leaves the house with one-remote control working: right port, CEC on at both ends, sound output set, lip-sync checked. If your setup fights you even after this guide — some TV-and-bar pairings are just cranky across brands — the phone call is free, and the fix is usually five minutes of menu work we can talk you through.
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More guides: Soundbar not playing TV audio · HDMI cable guide · Universal remotes
Quick answers
Volume works but the soundbar won't power on/off with the TV.
Volume travels over ARC; power on/off is a CEC command. Check the CEC toggle is on at BOTH ends — the TV and the soundbar each have one — and look for a separate "auto power" or "power sync" setting on the soundbar.
The sound is out of sync with people's mouths.
Lip-sync delay is a settings fix: look for "AV Sync," "Audio Delay" or "Lip Sync" in the soundbar or TV sound menu and adjust while watching a newscast. If it drifts only on one app, restart that app first.
Is optical just as good as ARC?
Optical carries good audio but no control — the TV remote cannot ride it, and it cannot carry the lossless formats eARC can. Use optical as the fallback when a TV or soundbar is too old for reliable CEC, and let the soundbar's own remote or IR-learning handle volume.
The soundbar turns itself on at night, or switches inputs by itself.
That is CEC working too well: another device on the HDMI chain (a console updating itself, a streaming box waking) is broadcasting power-on. Turn off "device auto power" style settings on the suspect device, not on the soundbar.
My Roku/Fire TV remote controls the TV but not the soundbar volume.
Set the streaming remote to control the TV, and let the TV pass volume to the soundbar over ARC/CEC. In the Roku or Fire TV remote setup, choose your TV brand, then make sure the TV's sound output is set to the ARC device. The chain is remote → TV → soundbar.