Can I connect a soundbar to my projector? Yes, you can connect the soundbar and the projector together. And the best way will be to connect the projector and soundbar with the HDMI cable. If your projector has an HDMI eARC/ARC port. For the best audio output.

If you do not have an HDMI eARC/ARC port available in the projector. Then you do not need to worry. Still, you will be able to connect the soundbar to the projector. Wired and Wireless ways are available.

But the audio output quality through the soundbar will not be that good. Like the HDMI.

How to connect your soundbar to the projector?

So here we are at the main part of the article. Where I will tell you how you can connect your soundbar with the projector. With different wired and wireless ways.

It will be a step-by-step tutorial. So you don’t need to worry. There will be a complete connection between both devices. So let’s start.

HDMI/HDMI ARC 

HDMI ARC (Audio Return Channel) is the best way to connect your both devices. Because it gives you a richer sound quality than any other cable connection. So if you have the option available to connect with the HDMI ARC. 

I will suggest you go with the HDMI ARC. And yes. When you connect with the HDMI ARC. Make sure you are using the HIGH-speed HDMI cable (Amazon Link) so you can get most of the best things from the HDMI ARC.

So how you will connect the projector with the soundbar? With the HELP of an HDMI ARC port.

1. Off your both devices.
2. Take the HDMI cable.
3. And find the specific HDMI port. Where HDMI eARC/ARC will be printed near the HDMI port. Find this type of port in your both soundbar and projector.
4. When you find them, connect one end of the HDMI cable with the HDMI ARC port of the projector.
5. And the last end of the HDMI cable goes into the HDMI ARC port of the soundbar.
6. And turn on both of your devices. Make the configuration of audio output and input. On both devices. If needed. 

Before you start to connect, listen to this last thing. If your soundbar is 7.1 channel. The HDMI ARC will downgrade it to 5.1. 

If your soundbar is already 5.1, then ok. No need to worry about the downgrading of the sound.

What if my projector doesn’t have an HDMI ARC port?

If you have already the projector. Then you can buy the HDMI adapter. Which has an HDMI arc audio output port available.

Basically, what do you have to do?

Connect your video or audio source with the HDMI Adapter. Then there will be two output HDMI output normal and HDMI arc.

Now normal HDMI output port will connect with the projector. An HDMI arc port will connect with the soundbar.

There are many adapters available in the market for this. I will suggest you buy 4K Arcana 18GBPS. Which gives you the best audio quality like Dolby atmos.

Or you can buy another low-end HDMI adapter 4K HDMI Matrix Switch 4 X 2.

If you are going to buy the new projector. I will suggest you buy the following projector with an HDMI arc output port.

• LG HU810PW
• LG HU85LA
• SAMSUNG 120” The Premiere 4K Smart Laser Projector
• Optoma CinemaX P2

Optical Cable or SPDIF Or Toslink 

Another second option is to get a richer sound on your soundbar. So let’s see how you can connect your projector and soundbar step by step. With the Toslink cable.

1. Turn off both devices.
2. Take the Optical or SPDIF or Toslink cable.
3. And head towards and find the Toslink/SPDIF port in your projector as well as in the soundbar. When you find the Toslink/SPDIF port. Move to the next step.
4. Plug your SPDIF cable with both devices. One end of the SPDIF/Toslink cable will go into the SPDIF port of the projector. And the other will go into the SPDIF port of the soundbar. 
5. Now it’s time to turn on both of your devices. And make output and input audio configurations. If needed.

So that’s how you will connect the audio with the projector. By using the Optical Cable or SPDIF Or Toslink. But here some people have a dilemma. Related to the no of cable. 

When they connect the projector and soundbar with a different cable. Example: one optical cable and another HDMI cable (Soundbar>Optical Cable>Receiver>HDMI>Projector). By using the av receiver.

Do you need a different cable while connecting the soundbar, receiver, and projector?

Here the answer will be you will need only an Optical cable Or HDMI cable. To connect both audio and video devices.

Some people have this kind of question in their minds. When they connect the soundbar, projector, and av receiver together. I hope they got their answer.

Auxiliary/3.5mm

This is the most common cable we are going to use. When you are connecting the soundbar and projector. Because most of you guys are aware of headphones and earphones. Once used to connect with their smartphones. 

You will not get good sound quality with this cable. Like optical and HDMI ARC cables.

So let’s see how you can connect with this cable.

1. Turn off your both devices.
2. And find the aux port in your both devices. And I know it will not be a tough job to find the aux port in both devices. Because we all are familiar with this port.
3. And when you get the aux port. Take the aux cable and connect one end of the aux cable to the projector. 
4. The last end of the aux cable will be connected with the aux port of the soundbar.
5. Now turn on both of your devices. And make the configuration of audio input and output. If it’s applicable.

And there you have source device audio on the soundbar.

Bluetooth Or Wi-fi

These are the only wireless options available. We are going to connect the soundbar and projector. Bluetooth or Wifi depends upon your projector type. Which type of projector are you using? So let’s see how to connect:-

1. First, turn on your projector. If it’s not.
2. And make your soundbar in the pairing mode. 
3. Now in your projector. Go to your projector Bluetooth or wifi settings. And on your Bluetooth or wifi setting. Find your soundbar for the wireless connection. 
4. When you get your soundbar. Click on that option.

And here you have connected your projector wirelessly with the soundbar. In a few simple steps.

But there are some cons of the wireless connection with the soundbar. When you connect your projector with the soundbar. You may get the sync issue.

In your audio and video. This is the most common issue. When you are playing the games. It will not affect those people that much. Those are watching movies and listening to music? 

But you won’t get rich audio. HDMI ARC and Optical cable. I hope you got an answer to How do I connect my Bluetooth soundbar to my projector?

Aux to RCA

Ok, this is the last option available. If you don’t have other options available or you don’t like others. For this, you will need the RCA cable. 

Which one end is AUX and the other is RCA. It will be the analog audio connection. The connection process will be like this.

1. Turn off your both devices.
2. At the soundbar, you have to find the aux cable port. While in the projector you have to find the RCA port. Which will be in white and red color.
3. When you get both ports. On your projector and soundbar. You have to take your aux to RCA cable. 
4. And connect the aux cable in the soundbar. And the RCA side of the cable will go into the projector.

This will be perfect for the 2.1-channel soundbar. And also if your soundbar is a 3.1 channel. It will degrade your 3.1 to 2.1 channel. 

So it will be better if you use the low-end soundbar (2.1 channel) with the aux to RCA connection. If you need more specialized instruction. Then you can check out these videos.

Should you try to connect your projector with a soundbar?

A projector’s inbuilt speakers are not that good. And the soundbar is pretty handy. But soundbars are not to be built for the projector.

That’s why you may have some issues. To get the best sound output from the soundbar. But don’t worry about that.

Because in this article. I have talked about every possible way. To connect your soundbar and projector.

Things you should know.

An important setting you have to do. You have to choose the audio output settings on the projector (If the audio source is a projector).

And audio input settings on the soundbar. And decide the cable through audio is coming to HDMI, AUX, and SPDIF.

You have to do this process with your all cable connection. To hear sound from the soundbar.

There is a special instruction for the HDMI ARC. If you are going to use the HDMI ARC you have to enable the CEC on your projector. And CEC stands for Consumer Electronics Control.

If you want to learn more about the standard soundbar troubleshooting. Then follow this New York Times article.

What is the best soundbar for the projector?

After knowing how to connect. Some of you people might be wondering. Which are the best soundbars for the projector indoor and outdoor? So here you have a lot of options to choose from.

1. Sonos Arc (Deep/Extra Bass)
2. Samsung HW-N850 (Slap bass & Outdoor)
3. Bose Smart Soundbar 900 (Glossy finish)
4. Nakamichi Shockwafe Pro 7.1.4 (Game, Music, and Movie)
5. SAMSUNG 3.1.2ch Q700A (Dolby Atmos and DTS X)
6. Klipsch Cinema 600 (Under 600$)
7. Bose Smart Soundbar 300 (Voice assistant)
8. JBL Bar 2.1 – Channel Soundbar (Heavy bass)
9. VIZIO Sound Bar – SB2920-C6 (Under 400$)
10. SAMSUNG 5.0ch S60A (Dolby and DTS)
11. Sony HT-S350 Soundbar (Deep punchy bass)
12. LG SL5Y 2.1 Soundbar (Small media room)
13. Polk Audio Signa S2 (Under 200$)
14. PHEANOO – Soundbar – D2 (Budget)

Read the Full Review of these soundbars here soundbar for a projector.

Conclusion.

Ideally, people don’t prefer to use the soundbar with the projector. Because there is a lot of hassle to connect the soundbar with the projector.

And still, there is no surety to getting the richer sound from the soundbar. So if you are reading this article. You may have the soundbar. Or you are going to buy the soundbar.

I will suggest you go with the speakers. If you haven’t bought the soundbar.

If you have already bought the soundbar or you have already the soundbar. Then you can use those five methods to connect the projector and soundbar. Which I mention in this article.

See you next time…