HDMI ARC

Explanation

HDMI ARC (Audio Return Channel) is a feature of HDMI 1.4 and later specifications that allows a single HDMI cable to carry audio in both directions — video from a source device to the TV, and audio from the TV back to a soundbar or AV receiver. Before ARC, connecting a soundbar to a TV required a separate optical (TOSLINK) or analog audio cable in addition to HDMI for video. HDMI ARC simplifies home theater setups: the TV's built-in streaming apps (Netflix, Disney+) send their audio through the ARC connection to the soundbar automatically. HDMI eARC (Enhanced Audio Return Channel), introduced with HDMI 2.1, supports uncompressed audio formats (Dolby TrueHD, DTS-HD Master Audio, Dolby Atmos object audio) that standard ARC cannot carry. For streaming in Dolby Atmos from apps like Netflix or Disney+, HDMI eARC is required to pass the full Atmos signal to a compatible soundbar or AV receiver.