Here we will discuss each possible feature and compare both of the cables in that light only. Besides, the wires can assist you in discarding the tangled cables and clutter. They are quite cost-effective and moreover simplified as well. It can support Dolby Atmos, Dolby Digital Plus, TrueHD, and DTS HD. ARC and optical do not send 5.1 to the sound bar for devices connected to the TV. For HDMI, there is no such recommendation but for the best sound quality keep it not more than 5 meters. For the cables of high definition multimedia interference, copper is used. Although consistent and high quality, it … And for that reason, for watching any video from a Blu-ray device, you should select the HDMI Cable. HDMI vs. óptico: ¿cuál es la mejor conexión de audio? If you want to get the best audio quality, then undoubtedly High Definition multimedia Interference Audio Return Channel is the best option. In addition, HDMI ARC support all audio formats and the Optical  Cable have some limitations, even though they can transfer audio signals without any loss. Instead of using an electrical current, these cables transmit the signal through light. Want to connect your shiny new soundbar or AV receiver? This is why optical cables offer superior sound quality and HDMI offers superior video and sound quality to RCA. What is the Difference Between 2.0 and 2.1 HDMI Cables? In that situation, the best practice is to connect the source to the bar through the optical cable but you need to skip the TV though. While checking at the market or the online shops; you can see the options of HDMI and Optical cables for digital audio support. Audio . There is another important decision of selecting the cable is still pending. WAV to MP3- How to Convert Your Audio Files, Jump Starter: Best Portable Jump Starters in 2021, Best Flashlights of 2020: A Complete Buying Guide. For the best experience on our site, be sure to turn on Javascript in your browser. The main issue is these cables are virtually immune to interference. Now, you will be able to enjoy the uncompressed audio without any jury-rigging or latency. If you consider the functionality, then we can say that both the HDMI and optical cable have the serve same purpose which is transforming the audio file from one device to another. Digital Ruler and Ruler App- Measure Anything &... Cordless Screwdriver- Best Electric Power Screwdriver, Best Solar Path Lights- Latest Reviews & Guide, Digital Ruler and Ruler App- Measure Anything & Everything. However, if you have an optical cable only, then you need to support another cable to transmit the video signal. Then, the only options left to your are selection is HDMI Arc vs Optical digital audio. Your TV should send 5.1 to ARC and optical if using its apps and antenna tuner. The device may have an old receiver or don’t have the option of HDMI at all. On the other hand, Optical cables are made of fibre optic strands. For HDMI, there are no such recommendations. If you have purchased the latest version of the soundbar or AV receiver; then you must know it is how tricky to select the right brand and the model as well. Their latest versions of HDMI, 2.0 and up, can support audio bandwidth of up to 192 kHz and 32 channels. But the disadvantage is that this cable is susceptible to electromagnetic interference. How to Choose the Right TV Wall Mount Bracket. This is why between HDMI and optical, the simplest advice is to go HDMI as much as possible. Now we will come to the comparison of the HDMI and Optical cable. In case, you have one of such TVs that are not able to pass the surround sound signal through the optical outputs. As we mentioned, you’ll most likely find an optical port on anything that needs video and audio to co-exist, like a gaming console, DVD player, or soundbar. With time, the wiring technology has taken a leap and now there are so many high-end systems associated with a sound like Blu-ray player, gaming console, or home theatre system. Although optical thru the TV will still give a higher noise floor, HDMI is worse with buzzing noise. In that case, optical is fine. Some HDMI audio extractor converter integrates HDMI ARC function, the reason is that we may need to use external devices such as PS 4, Xbox Apple TV, etc and want to extract audio to the soundbar, amplifier for better performance. (UDL 6900). Each of these can pass multi-channel audio such as Dolby Digital. If you don't listen to your material at or near 0db or use external amps then it's not an issue for you. In the case of a 2.1 line, you can view 120 frames per second in 4K. You need to update the Arc in this case. You may find that almost all the TV channels are broadcast in surround sound only. However, the struggle does not end here. Besides it allows you to send it to the AV receiver. It is advisable to make the final purchase decision only after thorough research only. Powered by WordPress. Moreover, you will get a higher bandwidth with the help of this enhanced audio return channel. You don’t need to use two separate cables for audio and video while you are using the HDMI one. JavaScript seems to be disabled in your browser. While we’re on the topic of connections that transfer both audio and visuals, there’s one last one that we should cover and that’s HDMI ARC. HDMI Cable 1.5M - 4K UHD HDMI 2.0(4K@60Hz) Ready -18Gbps-28AWG Braided Cord -Gold Plated Connectors -Ethernet,Audio Return -Video 4K 2160p,HD 1080p,3D -Xbox PlayStation PS3 PS4 PC Apple TV - IBRA RED, High Speed HDMI Cable v2.0/1.4a 18Gbps 3D TV 2160p PS4 SKY HD 4K@60Hz Ultra HD Ethernet Audio Return Virgin BT Gold Connectors Nylon Braided - 2M - IBRA PLATINUM, IBRA Orange HDMI Cable 1M - UHD HDMI 2.0 (4K@60Hz) Ready -18Gbps-28AWG Braided Cord -Gold Plated Connectors -Ethernet,Audio Return-Video 4K 2160p,HD 1080p,3D -Xbox PlayStation PS3 PS4 PC Apple TV, Optical Toslink Digital Audio Cable - Suitable for PS3,Sky,Sky HD,LCD,LED,Plasma, Blu Ray to Connect with Home Cinema Systems,AV Amps - 3M - IBRA PREMIUM BLACK, IBRA Muzil Gold 1.5M - Digital Optical Cable | Toslink / Audio Cable | Fibre Optic Cable | Suitable for PS3, Sky, Sky HD, LCD, LED, Plasma, Blu-ray, AV Amps. The quality & format you actually get depends on the TV and what is it is receiving. I have connected the HDMI and the optical to the sound bar. Probably the most common audio cable format used to this day, you’ll find analog cabling in everything from PC speakers connected via that lime green 3.5mm dongle to headphones plugged into smartphones.Audio signals in analog cables are transmitted via electricity and are limited to transmitting two-channel stereo sound. In the end, the individual requirement will also play a huge role. Since you will probably put the soundbar or the home theatre hub below your TV, you can avoid quality loss over HDMI by using a shorter cable. It's likely PCM stereo which isn't bad but nothing special to want to use HDMI. ARC and optical output the same thing, so it doesn't matter which you connect. HDMI is equivalent to Digital Coax, to optical. The reason is that the standard HDMI is not compatible with the two-way audio transmission. Check out our how to buy a sound bar guide and sound bar vs. speakers for more. So, if you want to cover a longer distance, you must go for the optical choice. In practical terms, if you have a surround sound system, such as a 7.1 soundbar, the HDMI eARC will be your best choice. For those who want to use only a single wire between two devices, then High Definition multimedia interference cable is the one that you should select. For instance if your laptop is connected to the TV you will not get 5.1 material via ARC or optical. The cable serves up high-quality sound when used with Blu-ray and master audio. When comparing HDMI vs. optical audio cables for sound quality, HDMI is better than optical. YAS-207: Optical vs HDMI ARC Looking at purchasing Yamaha's YAS-207, but my TV doesn't have HDMI ARC, and I know it will offer superior sound quality over the digital optical input. Where as the HDMI ARC support all sound formats. If you want to check the differences, then the major one is the resolution of the audio file as the HDMI is able to pass higher resolution audio formats like Dolby TrueHD and DTS HD Master audio that you generally find in the Blu-ray device. The Basics of HDMI vs. Optical. To get rid of the problem you need HDMI ARC (Audio Return Channel) cable. I prefer optical because it doesn't carry the buzzy noise like HDMI. Compared to the analogue, these are far better. Nevertheless, there are only a few eARC supported devices on the market. Optical s/pdif can support up to 5.1, non "HD" audio; the standard AC3/Dolby Digital or DTS formats are the limit. For example, in case the signal from the receiver delivers to your television, it cannot run back again. Now it comes to the device with which you want to connect. And both of them used for different purposes. HDMI ARC cables use very low voltage to transmit the audio signal. What Is the Difference Between a Connector, Jack, Plug and Port? ARC, known as Audio Return Channel, takes the help of HDMI cable to transfer audio from a TV back to a receiver. In this article we discussed about HDMI arc vs Optical. You will receive quality sound just like the way you get by HDMI cable. The attached device has to be ARC compatible, otherwise, it won’t work. These wires are compatible with the surround sound and can support up to 5.1 channels. On the other hand, the optical cables are immune to interference and exact for very long runs. These don’t support TrueHD, DTS HD, or Dolby Digital Plus also. If you have a sound bar or receiver of fairly recent vintage that has HDMI, it probably has ARC… Meanwhile, RCA cables are associated with analog signals. Quality Audio. But still, it is not recommended by all the users. On the other way, you can also use the fiber optic cable or popularly known as optical cable. A High Definition multimedia interference 2.0 line is ideal for a 4K video. One of the benefits of HDMI ARC is quality audio, HDMI ARC produces quality sounds from any device, even old devices, especially when you make use of HDMI eARC, numerous home entertainment systems, optical cables support surround sound that’s up to 5.1 channels, which is also good for smart TV, game console and soundbar. Al conectar un sistema de sonido generalmente tienes que elegir entre HDMI o conexión de audio digital óptica. Moreover, with optical cables, the usage is limited to speakers up to 5.1, while HDMI takes advantage of Dolby TrueHD and DTS HD Master Audio. But in that case, you can’t use 60 frames per second. Where as, Optical Cables sends audio signals in the form of light waves through the fiber optic cables, so the loss of signals is very limited. In addition, HDMI ARC support all audio formats and the Optical Cable have some limitations, even though they can transfer audio signals without any loss. Copyright © 2020. Fiber optical cables support surround sound with up to 5.1 channels. These are vital for most VR systems. Optical cables do not have interference during transmission. While selecting the cable among HDMI and Optical; chose that which is shorter than the other. It implies that you need to use only one line for audio and video. The main benefit of the HDMI-eARC is that it has got a massive improvement in bandwidth and speed. In case, the gadget you are using does not have the HDMI option, then maybe you will not able to get the benefits of the high-end video resolution of Blu-ray devices. But optical is unable to transmit such formats. If you don’t have any decent gear, then Dolby Digital is quite good but it will not deliver the quality sound for the formats like Dolby TrueHD and DTS HD MA. In case you are willing to send audio files by using a single hdmi cable, then you can use this cable. Because of the reason HDMI ARC cables are of Maximum 15 meters length and Optical Cables my be beyond that length ( 30 meters). HDMI ARC, transmit both audio and video signals , With Optical cable Video signals can not be send. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Moreover, the HDMI can pass through the video signals as well. Still, confused? This cable can support all kind of sound formats such as Dolby TrueHD and DTS HD Master Audio. As you can see from the chart above, HDMI is the best type of audio cable format available compared to optical, digital coaxial, and RCA cables. And these have a limited capacity. These materials are not expensive. If you have a sound bar that can do fancy bits (surround , DTS etc) , you may get better sound by connecting to the soundbar first, but as most soundbars are only stereo it doesn't really matter. Both the cables have come far from the analog cables (the basic red and white cable). In this case, the optical cables are not the perfect one for you. The digital optical audio cable is one-dimensional and only puts out the sound. However, I can still control the volume using the sound bar remote. Therefore, if you  increase the cable length the signal quality will be poor due to the specific resistance of the copper wire used. Therefore, the HDMI ARC is better suits your audio appliances. Moreover, the cable is wrapped up in a dark sheath to prevent other light sources to enter. The connector is a standard, circular RCA connector - the kind that’s found at either end of a pair of analogue interconnects.But don’t be tempted to try and use a standard RCA phono cable in place of a dedicated coaxial digital cable. ARC will always suck as long as it is with HDMI control. Dolby Digital Plus, TrueHD, Blue Ray and DTS HD. Usually, these two can pass digital audio from one device to another. Most soundbars have a port labelled HDMI ARC, similar to the one on your TV. HDMI or Optical Which is Better for Sound Quality? By using these cables, you can get the ultimate benefits from Blu-Ray discs or a modern game console. Check Out The Difference between cat7 and cat8 Ethernet cable That Internet Will Not Tell You, Address: 67 Seymour Gardens Ilford, Essex - IG1 3LL. Optical cables do not support 7.1 audio channels because they can’t transfer th… Make sure to check the labels on both your TV and your audio device. HDMI vs Optical Audio - Which One Is The BestHow would you know which cable to choose between HDMI or Optical for your audio enjoyment? There are some special categories of users who want custom-design media rooms for which they need an extensive length of cable. This material is quite expensive and it does not transmit electricity but light signal. That’s why if you want to use the full stereo system correctly, you must need an HDMI ARC connection. HDMI ARC vs Optical Sound quality Since both these cables can transfer multichannel audio, they both offer good sound quality, an optical cable works well with almost all home entertainment devices but they only support sound up to 5.1 channels, but sometimes you want a cable that supports sound up to 7.1 channels which even an HDMI AVC can not support, but another variation of HDMI naming HDMI … Another great option is HDMI ARC. When it comes to the If you have a trio of 3.5mm cables bundled together, you can mimic 5.1 surround sound using something ca… While HDMI supports Dolby Digital Plus, TrueHD formats, and DTS HD. eARC has much higher bandwidth and it can support Dolby TrueHD audio. HDMI ARC, transmit both audio and video signals , With Optical cable Video signals can not be send. The manufacturing cost of this cable is more expensive compared to the previous one. And if you are still thinking that it is like the good simple old days of coaxial cables that used to get the audio and video signals to your Television set. It is recommended that the optical cable must be around 10 meters for the best sound effect though many people use it for 30 meters as well. Hence, you don’t need to use other remotes to control various devices. But the factor that creates a difference between these two is the passing ability of higher-resolution audio. Most of the time, those soundbars don’t come with HDMI input as well. While selecting the sound cable, you can find that most people recommend the HDMI cable that has replaced the coax cables. Where as the HDMI ARC support all sound formats. For a decent audio result, an optical cable is a good option. Sony TV's will often pass 5.1 sound through, to both the optial and HDMI ARC. It is always better for you to go with HDMI. For most setups, the sound will be just as good with optical as with HDMI. For longer distances, the optical cables are a good choice. And no Bluetooth. Although optical audio cables are immune to electrical noise, they are quite fragile compared to HDMI cables. On the other hand, for the optical fiber, the main component is fiber optics which is a bundle of thin and tiny glass strands. It's literally between the DAC's of the sound card vs your Sound bars DACs. However, we must go for convenience and HDMI is the one common solution for all the audio and video requisitions. You can use the cord on uncompressed PCM stereo audio, and 5.1/7.1 Dolby Digital and DTS multi-channel audio. Don't sweat not being able to connect with HDMI. Using the enhanced audio return channel, you can send high-quality audio from the TV to a soundbar. Which is better optical audio or hdmi arc? HDMI arc vs Optical sound quality: HDMI cables can pass higher resolution audio as a comparison to Optical, which includes formats like Dolby TrueHD & DTS HD Master audio. No matter which cable you choose, the signal quality will hamper when the data travels for a longer length. My question is … Are you willing to use a 7.1-channel surround sound system? Moreover, it allows you to watch an 8K video at 60 frames per second. It is compatible with virtually any sound format. Therefore, the HDMI ARC is better suits your audio appliances. The HDMI cable is compatible with Dolby Digital Plus, TrueHD format, and DTS HD, whereas, the optical fiber can support surround sound of up to 5.1 channels. But we would recommend HDMI for covering 5 meters or less for best quality sound. Construction: For the HDMI cable, copper is the main component. If you want to transmit top-quality audio between two devices, then picking optical cables will be a smart move. High definition multimedia interference cables can’t support the 7.1-channel surround sound. Well, HDMI has always been the preferred option for most of us. You can control the Arc by using a single remote only. On the other hand, the fiber optics cable is not capable of delivers these higher sound formats. When it comes to video quality, the HDMI cable is the name that comes first in our mind. HDMI ARC Vs eARC: what is the new ... ARC does away with the need for optical audio cables ... That means the surround sound we listen to is being substantially upgraded. In some other cases, you have already in the place that is connected to the TV and you want only the audio from the soundbar, then the optical cable is the perfect choice for the situation. The enhanced audio return channel can easily support the 7.1-channel surround sound. It essentially delivers a higher quality with video and sound together. Hence, “e” stands for “enhanced”. This is all subject to change at the whim of HDMI Gods. If you have a quality sound card like an Asus Xonar or Creative Sound Blaster, the 3.5" jack would likely produce better quality sound. They look similar and can work, but an analogue interconnect has different imped… We can see the use of optical cable mostly for home entertainment systems. These cables are compatible with all the latest audio formats. The scope of interference is also quite low here. Optical, on the other hand, is usually restricted to 96 kHz. Coaxial cables are just like optical cables, except the latter transmits digital multi-channel audio as pulses of light versus the former, which delivers an audio signal instead. If you can’t, optical is decent enough for your audio or sound needs. Probably the least common connection when it comes to modern AV kit, coaxial digital uses electricity to transmit audio. It has replaced all the other connectivity options, especially for the set boxes, Blu-ray players, and gaming consoles. HDMI and HDMI ARC are, for the most part, the same. It termed High Definition multimedia interference Enhanced Audio Return Channel. The main job of the HDMI ARC cable is to transfer the audio signal from one line to the TV. For the best experience on our site, be sure to turn on Javascript in your browser. For example, you have bought a soundbar that supports surround sound signals. So, when you select the HDMI cables; you won’t have the hassle to manage multiple cables like earlier times. So, spending on two separate cables will be a costly affair than buying only one HDMI cable. HDMI can pass these types of audio including the formats that can be found on Blu-ray: Dolby TrueHD and DTS HD Master Audio. This story, "Blu-ray Audio Quality: HDMI vs. Optical" was originally published by PCWorld Note: When you purchase something after clicking links … Another important similarity is that both cables are pretty affordable as well. It is because not all HDMI cables come with the same quality. HDMI-ARC is an Audio Return Channel. This material is quite cheap and the scope of interference is quite high with it. However, for soundbars or A/V receiver; you may face some issues. And these strands are made of glass. So, selecting the right cable is an important decision to take. The difference occurs on the receiver side. The new updated version termed as HDMI eARC. Besides, material construction is one of the factors that also differentiate these two. If you have the requirement for both the audio and video, then it is advisable to go with an HDMI cable. And  they do not support Dolby Digital Plus, TrueHD, Blue Ray and DTS HD. Created by ProDigitalWeb. We usually use the optical cable to send digital audio signals between two separate devices. Learn how your comment data is processed. I know this is wrong because when I’ve tried to disconnect the HDMI and just use optical, i lose volume control from the TV remote. The new 75” Samsung only came with 2 HDMI. 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