HDMI vs TOSLINK

[bwexler]

When connecting a sound bar to the H3, which will provide better audio, HDMI or TOSLINK?

I know this could be posted in other forums here, but people actually read and respond to questions here. And most of the responders actually seem to know what they are talking about.

Other forums seem to get quarterly or semiannual activity.

 

[Foxbat]

HDMI passes more information via CEC for things like lip-sync. As long as your sound bar has enough HDMI inputs, that's the way I'd go.

 

[Claude Greiner]

Either one shouldn’t make a difference.

Hdmi is probably cleaner if your sound bar passes through to the tv

 

[Cheddar_Head]

HDMI--Depending on your TV HDMI supports more protocols than Toslink, specifically DD+ which can transport compressed ATMOS. Supports CEC which if working properly allows your TV to send control information to the soundbar (power, volume control, configuration) Consumer Electronics Control - Wikipedia

TOSLink--very reliable (don't have to deal the the various flavors of CEC), thinner cable, many soundbars/systems do not support HDMI/CEC connections

If HDMI is an option I would recommend using it.

 

[bwexler]

Thanks for the responses.
My Changhong TV does not have a compatible pass through to the Samsung 3.1 sound bar.
So I have a 1 to 4 HDMI splitter from my H3 to both the TV and the sound bar. That seems to work fine. I didn't have time to connect the Toslink cable until Monday.

It seems I always have trouble plugging in a Toslink cable. I know they are keyed to only go in one way, but they never seem to want to go all the way to the latch position. Is there a secret I don't know.

 

[Tony S]

It seems I always have trouble plugging in a Toslink cable. I know they are keyed to only go in one way, but they never seem to want to go all the way to the latch position. Is there a secret I don't know.

This is probably not your problem, but this is what happened to me:

I remember many years ago when I tried to plug in my first optical cable I couldn't get the cable to stay in. I kept pushing and pushing and I could not get the cable to seat. Finally, I realized that the cable had a small plastic shield over the tip of the optical cable. It was so small that it was hard to see.Once I removed the protective cap, the cable went all the way in and seated properly;

 

[eddie willers]

This is probably not your problem, but this is what happened to me:

I remember many years ago when I tried to plug in my first optical cable I couldn't get the cable to stay in. I kept pushing and pushing and I could not get the cable to seat. Finally, I realized that the cable had a small plastic shield over the tip of the optical cable. It was so small that it was hard to see.Once I removed the protective cap, the cable went all the way in and seated properly;

We called them mouse condoms.

 

[bwexler]

The mouse condoms looks like exactly the problem I am having.
Last time around I must have been to shy to ask or had no idea who to ask.
As I continue to discover, it is what you learn after you know it all that really counts.

 

[eddie willers]

Last time around I must have been to shy to ask...

The pharmacist behind the counter is very discreet.