Connecting Sony Home Theater to Xiaomi TV: All the Ways and Settings

Modern Xiaomi TVs (series Mi) TV, Redmi Smart TV, Xiaomi TV A and others) are equipped with powerful speakers, but for real movie-philes their capabilities are often not enough.Sony's home theater (models) HT-G700, HT-S40R, BDV-E4100 and analogues) is able to transform the sound, adding surround sound, bass and support for Dolby Atmos formats or DTS:X. However, connecting two devices from different brands sometimes raises questions — especially when it comes to synchronizing sound, choosing the right cables, or adjusting latency.

In this article, we will analyze all possible ways of connecting - from the classical to the traditional. HDMI ARC We will also discuss how to avoid typical problems such as lack of sound, unsynchronization or format errors. TV (versions 9-12 and Google TV, If you've just purchased a Sony theater or are planning to upgrade, this guide will save you time and nerves.

1.Preparation: What will be needed to connect

Before you start connecting devices, check for all the necessary components, which depends on the way you can use the connection.

• 🔌 Cables: HDMI 2.0/2.1 (recommended ARC/eARC) Optical cable (TOSLINK) for digital audio audio audio cable 3.5 mm (AUX) for analogue Coaxial connection RCA (It is rarely used in older models)
• 📱 Remote: from Xiaomi TV and Sony cinema (may need synchronization).
• 🔋 Power supply: Make sure both devices are connected to the network and on.
• 📄 Documentation: Instructions for the cinema model (subscribes supported sound formats).

If you use a wireless connection (Bluetooth or Wi-Fi), no additional cables are needed, but check if your Sony theater supports these technologies. HT-Z9F or HT-A5000 Bluetooth is available, and budget options are HT-S350 may require an adapter.

⚠️ Note: If your Xiaomi TV is older than 2019 (e.g. Mi) TV 4A or Mi TV 4S), It may not have a port. HDMI ARC. The best solution is an optical cable or AUX.

2. Connection through HDMI ARC/eARC: Best Option for High Quality Sound

Technology HDMI ARC (Audio Return Channel, which allows you to transmit sound from TV to cinema via the same cable used to transmit video, is the most reliable and modern way, supported by most models of Sony and Xiaomi (starting with Mi Mi). TV 4 Pro 2020).

Step-by-step:

1. Find the port. HDMI ARC on the back of a Xiaomi TV (usually signed or highlighted in a different color).
2. Connect one end of the cable. HDMI port ARC on the TV, the other to the port HDMI OUT (ARC) Sony Theatre.
3. Turn on both devices and go to Settings on Xiaomi remote → Sound. → Exit HDMI.
4. Select a mode. ARC eARC (if supported).
5. At the Sony cinema, activate the mode HDMI Control (in the Settings menu) → HDMI).

Once connected, the TV must automatically identify the cinema as an audio device.

• 🔄 Reboot both devices.
• 🔊 Check that the source is selected in the Xiaomi sound settings HDMI ARC.
• 📋 Update the TV firmware (relevant for Android models) TV 9 and below).

Port port HDMI ARC found on TV|Cable connected to ARC-port|In the settings of TV selected output HDMI ARC|The theater's on. HDMI Control|The sound is tested from different sources (Netflix, YouTube)-->

If your Sony cinema supports eARC (like 2021 and newer models) and your Xiaomi TV only ARC, Dolby Atmos can be compressed to a full-fledged eARC, and you'll need a port TV. HDMI 2.1 (e.g. Xiaomi) TV Q2 or Mi TV 6).

Optical connection (TOSLINK): alternative

If your Xiaomi TV doesn’t support you HDMI ARC (Like Mi. TV 3 or Mi TV 4A), Optical cable is the best solution for lossless multichannel audio, but there are limitations:

• ❌ Does not support Dolby Atmos formats or DTS:X (Dolby Digital or Dolby Digital or PCM).
• ❌ No feedback (cannot control the cinema from the TV remote).
• ✅ It provides a stable signal without delay.

How to connect:

1. Connect the Optical Out port on your TV with Optical In at the Sony Theater.
2. On the Xiaomi remote go to Settings → Sound. → Digital exit (SPDIF).
3. Choose the format PCM (for stereo sound) or Dolby Digital (for 5.1).
4. At Sony cinema, in the Audio Settings menu, set the Optical entrance.

If there is no sound:

• 🔍 Check if the optical port is contaminated (dust or scratches may block the signal).
• 🔄 Try another cable (cheap optical cables sometimes break on the curves).
• 📵 Make sure that the TV is not activated internal speakers.

⚠️ Note: Some Xiaomi TVs (e.g. Redmi Smart) TV X does not transmit audio through optics when viewing streaming services (Netflix, Disney)+) because DRM-In this case, the sound will only go through the internal speakers.

4. Wireless connectivity: Bluetooth and Wi-Fi

If you don't like the wires, you can connect a Sony cinema to a Xiaomi TV via Bluetooth or Wi-Fi (if supported), which is convenient for temporary use, but has disadvantages: possible lip sync and lower quality compared to wired methods.

Bluetooth connection:

1. Activate Bluetooth on Sony Theater (on the Settings menu) → Bluetooth).
2. On Xiaomi TV, go to Settings → Connection devices → Bluetooth.
3. Select your cinema from the list of available devices.
4. In the TV sound settings (Settings) → Sound. → Exit) select Bluetooth audio.

For Wi-Fi connectivity (e.g., Google Cast or Sony Music Center):

• 📱 Install the Sony Music Center app on your Xiaomi TV (available on Google Play).
• 🔗 Connect both devices to the same Wi-Fi network.
• 🎵 In the app, select the cinema as a sound output device.

Advantages of wireless connection:

• ✅ No wires.
• ✅ Quick setup.

Disadvantages:

• ❌ Sound delay (especially noticeable in films with fast dialogue).
• ❌ Low quality in compression (e.g, AAC Dolby Digital instead of Dolby Digital).
• ❌ Possible interference from other devices on the network.

💡

If the sound via Bluetooth lags behind the video, in the settings of the Sony cinema, turn on the mode "AV Sync (usually on the Sound Settings menu) This compensates for a 50-200ms delay.

5. Analog connection (AUX 3.5 mm): simple but outdated method

If your Sony Theater and Xiaomi TV don’t support digital interfaces, you’ll still have 3.5mm analog output (AUX). This method is suitable for budget models (e.g. Sony). HT-S350 Xiaomi Mi. TV 4A), but with significant limitations:

• 🔊 Only stereo sound (2.0) is transmitted, without a volumetric effect.
• 📉 Sound quality is lower due to analog signal.
• 🔌 An adapter is required if the cinema does not have a 3.5 mm entrance (for example, only a window). RCA).

How to connect:

1. Connect the 3.5mm output on the TV to the entrance AUX IN At the cinema (use a jack-jack cable or jack-RCA adapter).
2. On the Xiaomi remote, select the sound source: Settings → Sound. → Exit → Analog (3.5 mm).
3. At the Sony cinema, activate the mode AUX (usually with an Input button on the remote).

If the sound is too quiet or disturbed:

• 🔊 Check the volume level on both devices (sometimes the TV restricts the output signal).
• 🔄 Try another cable (cheap) AUX-cables can make noise).
• 📵 Disable other devices connected to AUX-TV-set.

6.Tune the sound after connection

Even after successful device connectivity, sound may not sound as expected, and let's look at the key settings that will help optimize the sound.

On Xiaomi TV:

• 🔊 Settings → Sound. → Sound Mode: Select Movie, Music or Game depending on the content.
• 🎛️ Settings → Sound. → Equalizer: adjust bass and high frequencies (helpful if Sony cinema sounds too deaf").
• 🔄 Settings → Sound. → Lip/sound sync: If the sound is behind or ahead of the video, adjust the latency (range is usually -200 to -200) +200 ms).

At the Sony Theatre:

• 🎵 Sound Mode: Choose Cinema, Music or Night (the latter lowers the volume of basses for late viewing).
• 🔊 Volume Leveling: Turn on to avoid sharp volume spikes (e.g. in ads).
• 🔋 Auto Power Off: Turn off if the cinema shuts down after 15 to 30 minutes of inactivity.

If the sound is interrupted or distorted:

• 🔄 Switch the sound format on the TV from Auto to PCM (Xiaomi sometimes misidentifies supported formats).
• 📵 Check if the Wi-Fi network is overloaded (relevant for wireless connection).
• 🔌 Try another one. HDMI-cable (cheap cables may not support high bitrates).

💡

For better movie sound, turn on the Sony cinema mode "Cinema" and turn off all post-processing audio on the Xiaomi TV (for example, "Dolby Volume" or "Dolby Volume" or "Dolby Volume "AI Sound. This will reduce distortions.

7. Troubleshooting: What to do if there is no sound

If no sound appears after the connection, follow this algorithm:

1. Check physical connections: Make sure the cables are tightly inserted into the ports. Try another cable or port (e.g., a different one, HDMI 2 instead HDMI ARC).
2. Set up the sound source on the TV: Go to Settings → Sound. → Getting out and choosing the right source (HDMI ARC, Optical or Bluetooth. Turn off internal speakers (Settings) → Sound. → Tv speakers → Off.).
3. Update the firmware: On the Xiaomi TV: Settings → On TV. → System Update at Sony: Settings Theater → System Update.

Reset the sound settings:

• On Xiaomi: Settings → Sound. → Resetting the sound settings.
• On Sony: Settings → Audio → Reset.

Typical errors and decisions:

⚠️ Note: If your Xiaomi TV has stopped transmitting sound through the update HDMI ARC, Try rolling back the firmware or resetting to the factory settings. This is a problem that Mi users have encountered. TV Q1 after upgrading to Android TV 11.

8 Additional features: control from one remote and voice assistants

To make it easier to use the system, you can configure Sony cinema control from the remote of the Xiaomi TV or through voice assistants (Google Assistant, Alicia).

Synchronization of remotes (HDMI CEC):

• 🔄 Turn it on. HDMI Control at the Sony Theatre (Settings) → HDMI → HDMI Control → On).
• 📺 On the Xiaomi TV, activate it. CEC (Settings → Connection devices → HDMI CEC → On.).
• 🎛️ Now the volume and on/off buttons on the Xiaomi remote will control the cinema.

Voice control:

• 🎤 If your Xiaomi TV supports Google Assistant (models with microphone or connected Xiaomi) AI Speaker, you can say, OK Google, turn the theater on at full volume (by pre-linking the devices in Google Home).
• 🤖 Alicia (Xiaomi’s built-in assistant) will require you to add a cinema as a device in the Mi Home app (if supported).

Limitations:

• ❌ Not all Sony models support all of them. HDMI CEC (check in the instructions).
• ❌ Voice commands only work with new Xiaomi TVs on Google TV (for example, Xiaomi TV Q2 or Mi TV 6).

💡

If the Xiaomi remote buttons don't control the volume of a Sony theater, try reprogramming the remote" + "OK" For 5 seconds, then follow the instructions on the screen.

FAQ: Frequent questions