Projectors are a nifty piece of equipment to have around the home.
Whether you want to make your living room feel like a cinema or deliver a presentation in the office, they come with lots of neat features that provide us with endless possibilities.
Projectors can also be connected to a variety of other electrical appliances such as an iPad, smartphone, and laptop, but did you know that you can also connect your soundbar to your projector.
Connecting your soundbar to a projector enhances the sound of whatever it is you’re watching, so it only makes sense to do it.
There are many different ways you can connect a soundbar to a projector and we want to show you the best.
In this post, you’ll find everything you need to know when it comes to connecting the two devices quickly.
Let’s jump straight in!
Contents
The Options We Have Available
Soundbars and projectors come with a wide range of different connectivity options.
Each projector will come with a number of audio and video inputs and outputs that allow you to connect devices.
Your soundbar will also have a variety of ports that allow you to connect the device to other devices.
Thanks to these connectivity options, we have an array of options to choose from when it comes to connecting both devices.
However, you will want to find the best one that suits your needs and requirements best.
To do this, you need to understand the different types of connections we can use. By understanding this, you can choose the option that gives you the best results.
Below, you’ll find the different connectivity options we can choose from.
HDMI
HDMI cables are incredibly versatile, allowing us to connect most devices together in a matter of seconds.
Most commonly used to connect a games console to a TV, the HDMI cable can also be used to connect your soundbar to a projector.
You can expect high levels of audio quality when using this cable.
SPDIF
A SPDIF cable is a type of digital audio cable that utilizes a TOSLINK or RCA connection.
The audio quality from this type of cable is also very good. This option is usually the top pick when a soundbar doesn’t have an HDMI port.
Bluetooth
Bluetooth doesn’t require any cabling or wires to connect your soundbar to a projector.
Instead, it uses a wireless connection to connect the two devices. This can come in handy when you don’t have the necessary cables at hand.
For this option to work, your projector and soundbar will need Bluetooth capabilities.
Connecting Your Soundbar And Projector Using An HDMI
Using an HDMI to connect your soundbar to your projector is by far your best option.
Offering the best sound quality across two different audio channels, the method used to connect the two devices with this cable is also incredibly easy.
It is worth noting, that for the HDMI cable method to work, your projector will need an HDMI port (output) and your soundbar will need an HDMI input port.
Follow the steps below to connect the two devices:
- Make sure your projector and soundbar are both turned off.
- Insert one end of the HDMI cable into the output port on your projector.
- Take the other end of the HDMI cable and insert it into the input port on the soundbar.
- When that has been done, you can connect your media device. This could be a laptop, phone, iPad, or Blu-ray player.
- Turn all of the devices on.
- The two devices should now be connected. All you might need to do now is set the projector’s audio settings to HDMI (output) and the soundbars audio setting to HDMI (input).
Connecting Your Soundbar And Projector Using A SPDIF
Next, we have the SPDIF method. SPDIF is a type of digital connection, needing TOSLINK or RCA connections to work.
This method is the one most people turn to if they realize their projector or soundbar doesn’t have an HDMI port.
Before you use this method to connect your two devices, it is important to check the input and output of your soundbar and projector.
Doing so will confirm whether or not the two devices are compatible.
It is good to know that SPDIF is capable of using round RCA connectors and square TOSLINK connectors.
Follow the steps below to connect the two devices:
- Ensure both devices are turned off.
- Insert the end of the TOSLINK or RCA connector into the output port on your projector.
- Insert the other end into the input port on the soundbar.
- You can now connect your media device or devices to the projector.
- Turn on your devices.
- If required, change the audio output on your projector to optical, SPDIF, or digital output and put the soundbars input into the necessary input port.
Connecting Your Soundbar And Projector Using Bluetooth
If the soundbar and projector both offer Bluetooth capabilities, you could quite easily connect the two without any cables at all.
Cables can be quite restrictive, so removing them completely makes life a lot easier, especially if you’re presenting at work.
The sound quality isn’t always as good with this method, but if you need a quick fix it can be ideal. Just be prepared to experience some inconsistency.
Follow the steps below to connect the two devices:
- Start by turning your soundbar on and enabling the pairing mode.
- Head to the settings on your projector, enable the Bluetooth function, and search for your soundbar.
- On your soundbar, accept the request to connect the two devices.
- If required, enter the pairing code.
- The two devices should now be connected. In the future, they should automatically connect when Bluetooth is enabled.
Final Thoughts
There you go, three quick and easy ways to connect your soundbar to a projector.
Hopefully, now you’ve made your way through the three methods we have discussed, you should know exactly how to connect your two devices.
Using an HDMI cable is arguably the best way to connect the two devices, but if you don’t have one in the house, the two other methods are perfect.
Now all that’s left to do is dig out your cables or enable Bluetooth and get your soundbar and projector connected.
Following our methods precisely will have you all set up with high-quality audio in no time.