You’ve got your Sony TV, a shiny soundbar or receiver, and everything’s connected properly. But here’s the frustrating part: eARC just won’t cooperate. No sound, weird audio dropouts, or maybe your devices aren’t even recognizing each other.
This happens more often than you’d think, and the good news is that most eARC problems have straightforward solutions you can try at home. Let me walk you through what’s going wrong and how to get your audio working the way it should.
What’s Really Happening With Your eARC Connection
eARC stands for enhanced Audio Return Channel, and it’s basically a two-way street for high-quality audio between your TV and sound system. Your TV sends audio signals through the HDMI cable to your soundbar or receiver, allowing you to enjoy premium sound formats like Dolby Atmos without extra cables cluttering your setup.
But here’s where things get tricky. eARC is pickier than regular ARC. It needs specific HDMI cables, proper settings on both devices, and sometimes even firmware that’s up to date. When any piece of this puzzle doesn’t fit right, you’ll notice problems immediately.
You might hear crackling sounds, experience delays between video and audio, or get no sound at all. Sometimes your TV will show that eARC is connected, but your soundbar stays silent. Other times, everything works fine for a while, then suddenly stops during a movie or game.
The worst part? These issues can pop up even after everything was working perfectly yesterday. A software update, a power surge, or even unplugging something temporarily can throw the whole system off balance.
Sony TV eARC Not Working: Common Causes
Several factors can interfere with your eARC connection, and identifying the right culprit makes fixing it much easier. Let me break down what usually goes wrong and why.
1. Wrong HDMI Port or Cable Issues
Your Sony TV has multiple HDMI ports, but only one supports eARC. On most Sony models, this is HDMI port 3 or 4, clearly labeled on the back of your TV. If you’ve plugged your soundbar into the wrong port, eARC simply won’t activate no matter what you do.
Cable quality matters too. Regular HDMI cables might handle basic ARC, but eARC demands high-speed HDMI cables with Ethernet support. Older cables from five or six years ago probably won’t cut it. Even some newer cheap cables fail to meet the specifications eARC requires.
A damaged cable creates intermittent problems that drive you crazy. The connection might work sometimes, fail other times, and you’ll spend hours wondering what changed. Check your cable for visible damage, bent pins, or loose connections at either end.
2. Disabled eARC Settings on Your Devices
Sony TVs don’t always enable eARC automatically. You need to turn it on manually in your TV’s settings menu. Until you flip that switch, your TV stays in regular ARC mode or doesn’t use the audio return channel at all.
Your soundbar or receiver needs proper settings too. Some devices default to regular ARC mode, others require you to select eARC specifically. If both devices aren’t set to eARC mode, they can’t establish the enhanced connection.
3. HDMI-CEC Control Problems
eARC relies on HDMI-CEC technology, which Sony calls Bravia Sync. This feature lets your devices communicate and control each other through the HDMI cable. Without it working properly, eARC struggles to function or fails completely.
Sometimes CEC gets confused when multiple devices are connected. Your TV might be trying to send audio to the wrong device, or conflicting commands from different gadgets create a communication breakdown. Power cycling usually resets these confused connections.
CEC issues also show up as one-way problems. Your TV might send audio to your soundbar fine, but your soundbar’s remote won’t control TV volume. Or everything works except when you switch inputs. These inconsistencies point directly to CEC troubles.
4. Outdated Firmware on TV or Audio Device
Manufacturers constantly release firmware updates that fix eARC bugs and improve compatibility. Your Sony TV might have shipped with early software that didn’t handle eARC well. Same goes for your soundbar or receiver.
Missing these updates means you’re running outdated code that might not recognize newer audio formats or handle handshake protocols correctly. The devices try to connect but speak slightly different versions of the eARC language, leading to failures.
5. Handshake Failures Between Devices
eARC connections require both devices to complete a digital handshake, confirming they both support the feature and agreeing on audio format. This handshake happens every time you power on your devices or switch inputs.
Sometimes this handshake gets stuck or fails midway. Your TV sends a signal, your soundbar responds, but something in the communication chain breaks down. The devices keep trying to connect but never quite succeed, leaving you with silence or error messages.
Sony TV eARC Not Working: DIY Fixes
Getting your eARC working again usually involves simple troubleshooting steps you can handle yourself. Let me show you the most effective solutions that fix the majority of these problems.
1. Verify Your HDMI Cable and Port
Start by confirming you’re using the correct HDMI port on your Sony TV. Look for the port labeled eARC or ARC, typically HDMI 3 or 4. Unplug your current cable and firmly reconnect it to this specific port.
Inspect your HDMI cable closely. You need a high-speed HDMI cable, preferably one certified for HDMI 2.1. Check the cable’s packaging or markings. If you’re unsure about your cable’s capabilities, try a different one. I’ve seen countless eARC problems vanish after swapping to a proper high-speed cable.
Your soundbar or receiver also has specific HDMI ports for eARC. Check your device’s manual to identify the correct one. Usually it’s labeled eARC or TV ARC. Make sure both ends of your cable connect to the right ports on both devices.
2. Enable eARC in Your Sony TV Settings
Press the Home button on your Sony TV remote and head into Settings. Find the Display & Sound menu, then look for Audio Output. You’ll see options for eARC mode here.
Select eARC mode and make sure it’s set to Auto or On. While you’re in this menu, verify that your audio output is set to Audio System rather than TV Speakers. Save your changes and back out of the settings menu.
Some Sony models hide this setting under External Inputs or HDMI Settings instead. If you can’t find it under Audio Output, check those menus. The exact location varies depending on your TV model and Android TV version.
3. Turn On Bravia Sync and CEC Features
Go back to your TV’s Settings menu and find External Inputs. Look for Bravia Sync Settings or HDMI-CEC Control. Enable this feature if it’s turned off.
Once enabled, your TV will detect connected CEC devices. You should see your soundbar or receiver appear in the device list. If it doesn’t show up, unplug the HDMI cable, wait 30 seconds, then reconnect it while the TV is on.
Check your soundbar’s settings too. Most audio devices have their own CEC option, sometimes called HDMI Control or ARC Control. Turn this on to allow two-way communication between your devices.
4. Power Cycle Everything Completely
This simple step fixes more eARC issues than you’d believe. Turn off your TV and soundbar using their power buttons, not just the remote. Unplug both devices from the wall outlet.
Wait a full two minutes. This gives the devices time to fully discharge and reset their internal connections. While waiting, press and hold the power button on each device for 10 seconds to drain any remaining charge.
Plug your soundbar back in first and turn it on. Wait until it’s fully booted and ready. Then plug in your TV and power it on. This sequence helps the devices recognize each other properly during the eARC handshake. Sometimes the order matters more than you’d think.
5. Update Firmware on Both Devices
Check your Sony TV for software updates. Press Home, go to Help or System Settings, and select System Software Update. If an update is available, install it. Keep your TV plugged in during the entire update process.
Your soundbar or receiver needs updates too. Most manufacturers offer updates through their mobile apps or USB drives. Visit the manufacturer’s website, find your model number, and download the latest firmware. Follow their specific instructions for installation.
After updating both devices, restart them completely. The new firmware often includes eARC improvements that resolve compatibility issues or audio format problems that older software couldn’t handle.
6. Reset HDMI Settings to Factory Defaults
Sometimes your TV’s HDMI settings get corrupted or confused. Head into Settings, find External Inputs, and look for an option to reset HDMI settings. This won’t erase your TV’s other settings, just the HDMI-related ones.
After resetting, your TV will treat all HDMI connections as fresh and redetect everything. Turn off your soundbar, then turn it back on to trigger a new handshake with the TV. This forces both devices to renegotiate their eARC connection from scratch.
If problems persist after trying everything here, you might be dealing with a hardware fault in your TV’s HDMI board or your soundbar’s processing chip. Contact Sony support or a qualified technician who can run deeper diagnostics and determine if component replacement is necessary.
Wrapping Up
eARC problems on your Sony TV usually boil down to simple connection issues, setting mismatches, or outdated software rather than serious hardware failures. Most of the time, checking your cables, enabling the right settings, and updating your firmware gets everything working smoothly again.
Take your time working through these fixes methodically. Start with the easiest solutions first, and don’t skip the full power cycle. That two-minute wait feels long, but it genuinely resets the communication between your devices better than anything else