How to Connect Soundbar to Sky Q Box (Simple Answer!)

Most ideal entertainment nowadays is home-bound and indoors, so having a Sky Q Box is the next best thing you’ll have to enjoy at the cinema. But how do you get good audio with this particular device?

Sadly, while a Sky Q Box has many perks and features – good audio is not one of them. You might even hear garbles, low sounds, and a shattered bass if you use the Sky Q Box alone. Fortunately – there’s a way out of this. You can get all the perks of the box with all the beauty of a clear sound system.

Let’s Look at the Sky Q Box First

The Sky Q box is just a setup with an attached satellite dish on the roof of your house. Instead of using a cable to get many TV channels on your screen without the monthly cost of cable. Depending on your location, you can enjoy 4K Ultra HD, Sky Sports, Sky Cinema, and even HDR shows, provided it’s compatible with your television. It’s good that most televisions today are made with at least HDR capability, so this shouldn’t be a problem for you.

The upside of Sky Q Box is that you can connect it to your WiFi or your LAN if you have a wired connection. This lets you watch shows online, including Netflix access. No need to worry about watching through your phone screen as this box offers top-quality streaming at a speed your internet will allow. For families with kids, the device also comes with a Kid Safe mode, which makes it possible for you to limit viewing to shows that are OK for young ones.

Connecting the Soundbar to your Sky Q Box

There are several methods to get this done. Your choice depends on the connectivity options of your Soundbar.

Connecting via HDMI Arc to the TV

Since the audio comes from the television, you can connect the Soundbar to the TV itself. Here’s how:

1. Connect the TV with the Sky Q Box via the HDMI cable. The cable itself is included in the package of the Sky Q Box.
2. Next step, look around the back of the TV or the side. Most flat-screen televisions today have one or two HDMI inputs, so this should not be a problem. If you’re unsure about what you’re looking for, think of a USB port but slightly different. The HDMI Arc should slide in easily in your television slot. Remember, you’re supposed to connect the Soundbar to the television.
3. The cable itself should be provided in the Soundbar package. If not, you can easily purchase it from a seller of electronics. If you are unsure about what to buy, take a picture of the back of your Soundbar and television, and the staff will be able to help you find the best cable.

Once you’ve made the connection, open up the different units and experiment with the sounds.

Connecting via Optical Cable

Not all televisions come with an HDMI Arc, especially for older models, so you’d want to try the second option using optical cables. However, optical cables are connected from the Sky Q Box to the Soundbar. Hence, you’d be skipping the television entirely – there will be NO connections to the TV from the Soundbar.

1. Once you’ve connected the Sky Q Box to the television, check the box for other cables. You should find an optical out port, a circular cable with a protruding metal in the center.
2. Connect your Sky Q Box and the Soundbar using this optical cable. You should be able to find a slot there that fits perfectly with cable output.
3. Make sure it fits tightly. Remember – if you have to force the cable in place, there’s a good chance you’re using the wrong one. Once done, turn on your units and check to see if it’s working. 

Connecting via Bluetooth

Yes, you can use Bluetooth to connect the Soundbar to the Sky Q Box or the television, depending on your preferences. By extension, a Soundbar with Bluetooth can also be connected via your phone. Note, though, that this can lead to choppy sounds as Bluetooth can be pretty unreliable for the consistent long-term data stream.

Questions on Volume

Since the audio now comes from the Soundbar, how can you control it? Understand that the Soundbar itself doesn’t have a remote. However, you can adjust the volume depending on your connection. If the Soundbar is connected to the television, the TV remote will help adjust the volume. If it’s connected to the Sky Q Box, however, then the remote for the Sky Q Box will be the one you use for volume. It’s that simple!

Choosing a Soundbar for your Sky Q Box

Since the Sky Q Box offers several connectivity options, you shouldn’t have difficulty finding the perfect cable fit. The actual wild card here would be the Soundbar itself. Hence, if you’re still thinking about buying one, the first thing to look at would be the connectivity options.

Does it have an optical port, or does it come with an HDMI Arc? Check your TV as well since most people prefer a TV connection because of the ease of remote use. Once you’ve determined the connectivity options available, all the other features are up to your preferences.

So Which Connectivity is Better?

Regarding audio clarity, it’s a fight between the HDMI Arc and the Optical Cable. Of the two, the HDMI Arc will give you a broader coverage for these different audio types. An HDMI Arc will also let you enjoy surround sound with the right connections. However, if you’re not very particular about sound and want clarity in your shows, then there’s not much difference between the two. Use the connection that best works for you and will not compel you to buy additional cables to get the job done.

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