Dig deeper into the box and you'll find
the optical audio cable, microUSB cable, quick start guide, and warranty information.
In this case, you would need to run a digital
optical audio cable down to the soundbar from the subwoofer to get audio from any streaming apps you use through the TV.
The HW - K950 doesn't come with a digital
optical audio cable — if that's your preferred setup method — and it also doesn't come with stands for the satellite speakers, which you may need depending on your surround sound speaker placement plans.
Other accessories in the box included an owner's manual,
an optical audio cable, a stereo RCA cable, two DC power cables, and a tiny remote control.
Even more impressive is that it stays in sync with zero latency as far as I could tell, and that's over AirPlay, not
an optical audio cable like Sonos.
Like the F550, no HDMI cable or digital
optical audio cable were included.
Aside from the usual RCA - RCA and RCA - 3.5 mm cables, we also get a TOSLINK
optical audio cable.
Instead, you'll have to connect digital audio sources (most likely your television if you don't want to have to keep swapping cables around) via
optical audio cable.
There's little to do to physically connect the Playbase to your TV: plug the speaker into the wall and connect the digital
optical audio cable to your display.
This new, music - dedicated device connects to a speaker or home audio system via a cable, and then you can Cast music from streaming music apps directly to that speaker — essentially transforming any speaker with a 3.5 mm audio, RCA, or
optical audio cable port into an Internet - capable device, in much the same way that the original Chromecast adds smarts to dumb TVs.
Hearing music, sound effects and voice work pumped in through
the optical audio cable (even though it requires a tedious setup) had a noticeable effect on just how good everything sounded.
First off, while you'll connect the transmitter to PC via USB and to PS4 via
optical audio cable, the sound quality is the same either way.
The Sonos Playbar is connected to your TV via
the optical audio cable and therefore any sound that is played through the TV is automatically sent to the Playbar.
The one standout in home audio / video market is
the optical audio cable.
First off, while you'll connect the transmitter to PC via USB and to PS4 via
optical audio cable, the sound quality is the same either way.
Not exact matches
On top of those, they've each got two USB 3 ports, IR outputs,
optical audio out, Ethernet ports and, of course, the power
cable — which is compatible with both versions of the Xbox.
Game
audio available in stereo headsets by connecting directly to Xbox One via
optical cable or TV via RCA
cables (
cables not included).
All models of the new PS3 super-slim are kitted out with all the same ports as the Slim - two USB ports at the front, HDMI and component video interfaces,
optical (SPDIF)
audio and Ethernet, although frustratingly there's still no HDMI
cable included in the box.
Those who do wish to employ some sort of outboard
audio system can use an
optical cable, or the ARC - enabled HDMI 2 port.
Unlike other
cabling standards, the
optical audio system uses fiber optic
cables and laser light to transmit digital
audio signals between devices.
You can pipe the HDMI video from the source (say your
cable box) into your TV, then turn right back around and pipe the
optical audio out to your receiver and speaker system.
For the new, slimmer PS4 ™ without the
Optical Out
audio jack, if your TV permits, we recommend you connect the
Optical cable from the Elite Pro T.A.C. to the
Optical Out on the back of your TV to enjoy all the features of the mixamp.
There's no analog video or
optical digital
audio output, no option to connect an Ethernet
cable if you want (the Nexus Player is strictly Wi - Fi) and no SD (micro or otherwise).
You need a
cable from the headset into the T.A.C., an
optical cable into your Xbox for sound, a USB
cable for power, and an additional 3.5 mm
cable into your Xbox controller, despite
audio feeding directly into the headset via
optical out.
On top of those, they've each got two USB 3 ports, IR outputs,
optical audio out, Ethernet ports and, of course, the power
cable — which is compatible with both versions of the Xbox.
To work around this, users will either have to purchase a special dongle that provides analog and digital
optical output alongside the HDMI output or use a set of provided RCA piggyback
cables to tap the analog
audio output from a TV (which can stand to considerably degrade the sound quality in many cases).
Additionally, the Chromecast
Audio supports 3.5 mm to RCA (the red / white stereo jacks common one everything from speakers to TV sets), and 3.5 mm to TOSLINK
optical cable for digital
audio.
This new model can be hooked up to the PS4 and the Xbox One using an
optical cable, which allows for a more controlled and a slightly more detailed sound than the USB, for high - res
audio without the need for the DTS boost.
You simply have to plug the included wireless receiver into your console's USB port, and connect the receiver to your console's
optical audio jack via a short
cable.
The unit includes one HDMI output and three HDMI inputs, all easy to access, as well as an
optical digital
audio cable if you prefer the video connections to go through the TV directly.
On the back panel, however, you will find a fourth HDMI port, two additional USB 3.0 ports, an RF connector for antenna and
cable connections, one composite video jack and an
optical digital
audio output for older surround - sound systems.
To get the Playbase ready for action, simply plug it into a wall outlet and connect a provided
optical digital
audio cable to either your TV's
optical audio port, or to that of an external device like a Roku or Apple TV,
cable / satellite box, or Blu - ray player.
Setup is pretty simple, just plug the base into a power source and then use a 3.5 mm or
optical cable to connect it to anything with an
audio output — most likely your home theather setup as that sort of use is what these headphones are designed for — and
audio will be transmitted interference - free to the headphones up to a 30m (100 - foot) range using a proprietary 2.4 GHz wireless link.
While the Signa S1 comes with a super-thin four foot Toslink
Optical cable, I used my six foot Audioquest optical cable instead, because the included cable was one foot too short to reach to my audio equipmen
Optical cable, I used my six foot Audioquest
optical cable instead, because the included cable was one foot too short to reach to my audio equipmen
optical cable instead, because the included
cable was one foot too short to reach to my
audio equipment rack.
We connected it via the provided digital
optical cable directly to a PlayStation 3 and, later, an Xbox 360, since our two Sharp LC - 42SB45U TVs require a sort of break - out
cable for coaxial digital
audio output.
However, unlike many ARC configurations, you'll have to connect a separate
Optical cable for TV
audio.
Traditional
cable - based connectivity includes inputs for Ethernet, digital
optical audio, mini-jack
audio and a front - mounted USB for playing media files.
Inside the box we found the sound base, a power supply, power
cable, remote control,
optical digital
audio cable, gold - plated RCA interconnect
cables and a gold - plated 3.5 mm to RCA adapter
cable.
The
optical audio connections are some of the biggest upgrades over the PLYR 2, since they allow a much higher fidelity
audio connection to your computer or game system through one
cable, can pass the
audio through to your speakers so you don't have to juggle
audio connections, and lets the receiver decode Dolby Digital 7.1 - channel surround sound.
Some soundbars rely on
optical cables, which work fine, but HDMI is preferable: The HDMI interface supports more
audio formats than does
optical, which effectively means you'll get higher quality sound that's more immersive with HDMI.
Around the back of the TV you'll find 3 HDMI inputs — all of which are HDMI 2.0 and HDCP 2.2 compliant — a LAN port,
optical digital
audio output, a coaxial
cable / TV input, and three USB inputs.
If you were to connect the
optical cable to the receiver and utilized the sound coming from that (such as the Realtek High Definition
audio for PC), the bass is noticeably lowered and sounds become noticeably more neutral... or bland I would say.
However, if you want to soup up the sound for everything you watch, you can simply connect everything to your TV, and run a single digital
audio cable (probably
optical) to your sound bar.
It comes with an
optical audio (Toslink)
cable and Ethernet
cable.
All models of the new PS3 super-slim are kitted out with all the same ports as the Slim - two USB ports at the front, HDMI and component video interfaces,
optical (SPDIF)
audio and Ethernet, although frustratingly there's still no HDMI
cable included in the box.
Also packed into the master speaker are all the inputs you're likely to need, including a digital
optical port for your TV or CD player sound, analog RCA inputs, a USB
audio input, and a proprietary
cable that connects the right - side master to its slave on the left in stereo.
Connecting a Playbar to your HDTV involves a single
optical digital
audio cable (if your TV doesn't have
optical audio output, look elsewhere).