Buying a modern TV is often a pleasant disappointment: the picture is striking in detail and colors, and the sound remains flat and quiet. Built-in speakers of most budget and mid-range models Xiaomi Mi TV or Redmi Smart TV physically unable to convey the volume and depth of audio tracks of modern films.
Connecting a soundbar from Xiaomi or Redmi is not just a wire connection, it's an upgrade to a home multimedia system. The right setup will allow you to hear the whispers of actors and the roar of motors that used to get lost in noise. The process of integrating a device into your system is simple, but requires attention to the details of the choice of interface.
In this guide, we’ll take a look at all the available ways to connect, from wired to wireless, and pay special attention to the intricacies of setting up an HDMI ARC. You’ll learn how to get your TV remote to control the soundbar volume, and break down the typical mistakes users encounter when they first start up.
Choosing the optimal connection interface
Before you start physical manipulations, you should inspect the back and side panels of your TV and soundbar.Redmi range TV Soundbar and similar devices from the Mijia ecosystem typically offer a wide range of ports, but not all of them are equally useful for your particular TV. HDMI ARC on your TV.
If your TV is no more than 7-8 years old, the chances of having an HDMI port with Audio Return Channel support are very high, this is the preferred method, as it allows you to transmit high quality sound and control volume from a single remote, otherwise you will have to look for alternative paths, such as optical output or Bluetooth connection.
It is also worth considering that using an analog cable 3.5 mm AUX is the least desirable option. Although it provides basic audio transmission, the quality of the audio stream will be limited by the capabilities of the digital-to-analog converter of the TV, and automatically turning on the soundbar with the TV often does not work.
⚠️ Note: Don't confuse the port HDMI, marked ARC, It's a video input, if you plug the cable into the port. HDMI 1 or 2 without marking or marking ARC, Sound transfer to soundbar will not happen.
For older TVs without digital outputs, analogue is the only option, but in the context of Xiaomi’s modern Smart TVs, we will focus on digital methods of data transmission that provide the best quality.
Connecting via HDMI ARC: The main method
The HDMI ARC (Audio Return Channel) interface is the gold standard for home acoustics connectivity, allowing high-resolution multichannel audio and, most importantly, activating the CEC protocol. With the CEC, the remote control of the TV takes over the soundbar volume, and when the TV is turned on, the acoustics are activated automatically.
To implement this scenario, you will need a quality HDMI cable.You don't need to buy an expensive premium certified cable, but it must support a standard of at least HDMI 1.4. Cheap cables may not have the necessary contacts to transmit back audio, which will lead to no sound.
☑️ Checking connection readiness HDMI ARC
The process of physical connection is as follows: one end of the cable is inserted into the HDMI port (ARC) on the TV, and the other into the HDMI OUT port (ARC) on the soundbar. Once power is turned on, the system must automatically identify the new device. If this does not happen, you will need to manually adjust the menu.
It is important to note that Xiaomi soundbars often require selecting the correct login mode.Make sure that the HDMI signal source is selected on the device body or via the Mi Home app.Sometimes the system does not switch automatically if the previous session was completed via Bluetooth or Optical.
Optical output setting (Optical/S/PDIF)
Optical cable (TOSLINK) is a reliable alternative to HDMI, which transmits digital audio without loss, but does not support volume control from the remote TV (CEC) and compressed multichannel formats such as Dolby TrueHD. However, for most streaming services and TV quality S/PDIF is quite enough.
This method requires removing protective plugs from the ends of the optical cable before connecting, and light passing through the fiber signals the integrity of the connection, and if the red light indicator does not light up in the port, the cable may be damaged or not fully inserted.
In the settings of the Xiaomi Mi TV, you have to force the audio output to change. The system often tries to send the signal to the built-in speakers by default, ignoring the external output. You need to find the "Digital output" item and choose the PCM or Auto format to ensure compatibility.
| Parameter | HDMI ARC | Optical (S/PDIF) | Bluetooth |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sound quality | Maximum (Lossless) | High (Compressed) | Medium (Strong compression) |
| Control from the remote | Yes (via CEC) | No (repeat IR) | Partially (depending on model) |
| Auto-inclusion | Yes. | Often not. | No. |
| Support for Dolby Atmos | Yes (via eARC/ARC) | No (Dolby Digital only) | No. |
Using an optical cable is ideal for situations where all HDMI ports on the TV are occupied by consoles and game consoles, which allows you to free up video inputs for sources with high bitrate, leaving the sound on a separate channel.
Why is there no 5.1 sound through the optics?
Wireless connection via Bluetooth
The easiest, but technically compromised way is through Bluetooth, which eliminates the need to hide the wires, but it does introduce latency, which can be noticeable when watching a video if the soundbar is not able to compensate for the out-of-synchronization, and the transmission codec usually compresses the sound, cutting high frequencies.
To pair, put Redmi TV Soundbar on Pairing. Usually, you press and hold the Bluetooth button on the case or remote until a flashing indicator appears. On the TV, go to Settings → Devices and Connections → Bluetooth and start a search.
The list of available devices should show the name of your acoustics. Once paired successfully, the TV may suggest that you designate the device as "Main Audio Output." Accept this action. Remember that when connected via Bluetooth, the soundbar control functionality is often limited to volume control.
⚠️ Attention: When using Bluetooth connectivity, sound quality can vary depending on distance and interference from Wi-Fi routers. For critical scenes in movies, it is better to use a wired connection.
If you notice lip and voice desynchronization (voice effect), try to find the Audio Delay setting in your soundbar or TV settings and adjust it. However, not all Xiaomi TV models have this feature in standard firmware.
Adjusting the sound in the TV interface
After physical connection, the software configuration phase begins. The Android TV or PatchWall interface on Xiaomi TVs requires you to set your priorities correctly. Go to Settings → Sound → Audio Drive and select the connected device (HDMI, Optical or Bluetooth).
Pay special attention to digital format settings. If you're using HDMI ARC, try switching from PCM to Auto Pass-through, which will allow the soundbar to decode formats like Dolby Digital or DTS, which will greatly improve the volume of sound in theatrical tracks.
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If the soundbar is still quiet after you connect, check the Auto Volume settings, which often make the sound dynamics more natural and loud.
Some firmware versions have a bug where the TV “forgets” the external speaker after turning off, in which case it helps to reset the sound settings to factory or update the system through the Settings menu → About TV → System Update. Regular updates often contain patches to improve compatibility with the periphery.
Remember that Xiaomi soundbars often have their own equalizers. News or Standard mode, which emphasizes the average frequencies of human speech, is better for watching news. For movies and music, switch to Movie or Music modes to activate the subwoofer and expand the stereobase.
Control via remote and Mi Home app
One of the highlights of Xiaomi's ecosystem is that you can control your smartphone, and by installing the Mi Home app and adding a soundbar, you can access advanced settings that you can't access through your remote control, and you can update your acoustics firmware, which often solves compatibility issues.
The remote control function (via HDMI CEC) does not always work consistently on all TV models. If the volume buttons do not respond, try to find the CEC section in the TV settings (can be called differently, for example, Anynet+ or SimpLink) and switch its state: turn off and turn on again.
You can also use the app to customize smart home scenarios, such as creating automation: "When playback starts on Xiaomi TV, turn on the soundbar and set Movie," which adds usability and creates the effect of a real smart home.
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The stable operation of the TV + Soundbar bundle depends not only on the cable, but also on the firmware version of both devices.
Problem Solving and Lack of Sound
If you don't have sound after all the manipulations, first check if the soundbar is in "Mute" mode (no sound). The indicator on the body may burn, but the sound is off. Also make sure that the HDMI cable is inserted before the click and has no visible damage.
A common problem is that the sampling frequency mismatch: If the TV sends a signal of 192 kHz and the soundbar only supports up to 48 kHz, there will be no sound. In the TV settings, you need to manually reduce the output quality to 16 bits / 48 kHz or Stereo PCM.
⚠️ Note: When using adapters (e.g, HDMI Optical: The sound may not work due to lack of protocol support HDCP. Try to use a direct connection with identical ports.
As a last resort, perform a full reset of the soundbar to the factory settings. This is usually done by a combination of buttons on the body (for example, "Source" + "Volume Down" for 10 seconds). After reset, the connection procedure will have to be reset, but this often eliminates software glitches.