How to Connect an HDMI Cable

Plug the HDMI port into the entire device. HDMI offers the best picture and sound quality compared to other connections. This is also the simplest way to connect devices, you just plug the cable into each device. If the receiving device has enough HDMI input ports, and the TV has at least one HDMI port, you can connect the entire device to get the best quality for home theater.

• Most new receivers have multiple HDMI input ports, allowing connection to all devices with an HDMI cable, as well as an output port for connecting to a TV.

Check the HDMI version that the TV supports. Check that your TV supports HDMI 1.4 ARC (Audio Return Channel). This allows the TV to send an audio signal to a receiving device that transmits the sound through the home theater’s speakers. Most TVs manufactured after 2009 support HDMI 1.4 and later.

• If your TV does not support HDMI 1.4, you need to use a separate audio cable to connect the TV and the receiving device. The type of cable for the best sound quality is optical audio cable. Connect an audio optical cable from the output port of the TV to the input port of the receiving device.
• If you watch TV through the cable box, and the box is connected to the receiving device, then you don’t need to worry about ARC because the sound is transmitted from the cable box to the receiving device. ARC is only needed when watching TV online on a TV or wanting to play it on a home audio system. ^[2]

Connect the device to the input of the receiving device via HDMI. This includes DVD/Blu-ray players, game consoles, etc. If the number of HDMI input ports is limited, use HDMI cables for newer devices first as they are more beneficial.

• For example, if the receiver only has two input ports and you have a Roku, PlayStation 4, and DVD player, connect the Roku and PS4 using HDMI and then use the mixed connection for the DVD player. Roku and PS4 will benefit more when connecting HDMI.
• The HDMI connector is only plugged in one way, so don’t try to push the connector.

Connect the HDMI output on the receiving device to the input on the TV. This allows the picture on all devices connected to the receiving device to appear on the TV. With HDMI 1.4 or later, the audio signal from the TV is transmitted back to the receiving device, allowing the TV’s sound to be played on the home theater sound system.

Use the receiver to switch between input ports. All devices are directed to the receiving device. This means that the TV can be set up to the HDMI input plugged into the receiving device, and you can completely switch between the ports via the device control. .

• Since everything is connected via HDMI, sound from other devices will be output from the speakers of the receiving device.
• Most devices should be auto-configured when an HDMI connection is detected, although you’ll need to tweak it a bit to fit a particular device.

Connect the device directly to the TV. If you’re not setting up a home theater system, you can still plug an HDMI device directly into the TV and then control the input port with the TV remote. All modern TVs have at least two HDMI input ports.

• If the number of devices is more than the number of input ports on the TV, you need to buy an HDMI adapter to increase the number of HDMI ports.

Enable HDMI-CEC. This is a protocol that allows control of an HDMI connected device via HDMI control. Normally, you would use the TV remote to control the device. HDMI-CEC needs to be enabled in each device’s settings menu if you want to control them.

• HDMI-CEC has different names depending on the manufacturer, for example Anynet+ (Samsung), Aquo Link (Sharp), Regza Link (Toshiba), SimpLink (LG), etc. Read the user manual for more information.

Locate the HDMI port. Not all computers have an HDMI port, but newer models often support this type of port. If your desktop doesn’t have an HDMI port, you need to install a new video card. The HDMI port is usually located on the back of the device or on the side of the device.

• If your computer doesn’t have an HDMI port but supports a DVI or DisplayPort port, you can purchase an adapter that allows an HDMI cable to be connected. If converting from DVI to HDMI, you need to use a separate audio cable because DVI does not support audio signal transmission.
• You can buy a USB to HDMI adapter for computers that don’t have an HDMI port.

Connect the computer to the HDMI input port on the TV. Run the cable between the two devices. The computer can automatically detect the TV if it is turned on.

Switch the input using the TV remote. The TV needs to be set to the HDMI input connected to the computer. Use the “Input” function on the TV remote to find the correct port. If you’re not sure which port to choose, review the ports on your TV as they are often numbered or named.

Select the image display method. There are several options for displaying the picture on the TV. Select the best mode on the Display menu on your computer. To access this menu on Windows, right-click on the desktop and select Screen Respution . On OS X, choose the Apple menu, choose System Preferences , and then choose Displays .

• You can set the TV as the primary display device, the computer screen will turn off and the picture will be displayed only on the TV.
• You can mirror the display so that the two screens play the same content.
• You can extend your desktop by projecting content onto a large TV screen. This will give you more space when working with multiple windows and documents.
• See the instructions for how to configure two computer monitors.

Plug the player into the HDMI input port on the TV. Not all game consoles have an HDMI port, but newer models often do. Most Xbox 360s, all PS3s, PS4s, Wii Us and Xbox Ones support HDMI. The original Wii and Xbox do not support HDMI.

Switch the HDMI input port with the TV remote. You need to select the input port connected to the game console. You should stretch the input port on the TV to make it easier to remember the connection.