ARC and eARC both send your TV’s sound back to your receiver over the HDMI cable that already carries the picture to the TV. The difference is capacity: ARC is limited to compressed formats such as Dolby Digital (and Dolby Digital Plus on most recent TVs), while eARC can also carry lossless and uncompressed formats like Dolby TrueHD, DTS-HD Master Audio, DTS:X and multichannel PCM.
You only need eARC if the audio starts at the TV, from the TV’s own apps or from a device plugged into the TV, and you want those lossless formats. Anything you plug straight into the receiver’s HDMI inputs never travels over ARC or eARC, so it gets the full-quality soundtrack either way. And eARC only works when both the TV and the receiver support it. If either one only has ARC, the connection falls back to ARC.
ARC vs. eARC at a glance
| ARC | eARC | |
|---|---|---|
| What it does | Sends TV audio back to the receiver over the HDMI cable | Same job, with much more bandwidth |
| Dolby Digital | Yes | Yes |
| Dolby Digital Plus (including Dolby Atmos carried in it) | On most recent TVs | Yes |
| Dolby TrueHD / Dolby Atmos in TrueHD | No | Yes |
| DTS-HD Master Audio / DTS:X | No | Yes |
| Multichannel uncompressed PCM (5.1, 7.1) | No | Yes, up to 192 kHz / 24-bit |
| Depends on HDMI control (CEC) | Usually yes | Not on some receivers (see below) |
| Needs | ARC on the TV and the receiver | eARC on the TV and the receiver |
HDMI Licensing, the group behind the HDMI standard, lists eARC as supporting audio up to 192 kHz and 24-bit, uncompressed 5.1 and 7.1, and 32-channel uncompressed audio, with a maximum audio bandwidth of 37 Mbit/s. Denon’s and Sony’s manuals describe the same thing from the receiver side. eARC carries everything ARC does, plus multichannel linear PCM, Dolby TrueHD, Dolby Atmos, DTS-HD Master Audio and DTS:X, which “a conventional ARC function cannot transmit.”
Where ARC and eARC actually matter
This is the part most people miss. ARC and eARC only carry sound that starts at the TV. Picture a typical setup:
- Devices plugged into the receiver (Blu-ray player, game console, streaming stick, cable box) send audio straight into the receiver’s HDMI input. The receiver decodes it and passes the video on to the TV. ARC and eARC aren’t involved, so a receiver with plain ARC still gets Dolby TrueHD or DTS:X from a disc player connected this way, as long as the receiver itself can decode that format.
- The TV’s built-in apps and devices plugged into the TV have to send their audio back down the cable to the receiver. That return trip is what ARC or eARC handles, and it’s where the format limits apply.
So before you shop for new gear, look at where your sources are plugged in. If everything goes into the receiver, ARC is usually all you need for TV channels and the occasional TV app.
Can ARC carry Dolby Atmos?
Sometimes. Dolby Atmos comes in more than one wrapper, and ARC can handle only one of them.
- Dolby Atmos in Dolby Digital Plus. Dolby encodes this version at about 384 to 768 kbps, well within ARC’s reach. Dolby says most recent TVs support Dolby Digital Plus over ARC, so a TV that passes it through can send this kind of Atmos to an Atmos receiver over plain ARC.
- Dolby Atmos in Dolby TrueHD. This is the lossless version used on Blu-ray discs. Dolby states that HDMI ARC “does not have enough data capacity” for it. To get this version back from the TV, you need eARC on both ends. Or connect the disc player to the receiver instead.
Whether your TV passes Dolby Digital Plus through, or converts it to plain Dolby Digital, depends on the TV. Check its audio output settings and manual.
Which of these receivers have ARC or eARC?
Here’s how six popular receivers handle it, taken from each manufacturer’s manual. Note the setting you need to turn on, because that’s the step people most often skip.
| Receiver | Return channel | Jack | What to turn on |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sony STR-DH590 | ARC | HDMI TV OUT | AMP MENU: “<HDMI>” – “CTRL.HDMI” – “CTRL ON” |
| Sony STR-DH790 | eARC (see note) | HDMI TV OUT | AMP MENU: “<HDMI>” – “EARC” – “ON” |
| Yamaha RX-V685 | ARC | HDMI OUT 1 | “HDMI Control” On, then “ARC” On (Video/HDMI > HDMI Control) |
| Denon AVR-S570BT | eARC | HDMI OUT MONITOR | Nothing for an eARC TV. For an ARC-only TV, set “ARC” to On |
| Onkyo TX-NR6100 | eARC | HDMI OUT MAIN | “5.Hardware” – “HDMI” – “Audio Return Channel (eARC supported)” |
| Denon AVR-S960H | eARC | HDMI MONITOR 1 | Nothing for an eARC TV. For an ARC-only TV, turn on “HDMI Control” or “ARC” |
STR-DH790 note: Sony’s Help Guide says to check the label on the HDMI TV OUT jack. If it reads “eARC/ARC,” you’re set. If it only says “ARC,” update the receiver’s software before the eARC setting will do anything.
The two Denon receivers show a real difference between the standards. Denon’s manual explains that ARC works through the HDMI control function, while eARC uses its own control and plays TV audio “regardless of ‘HDMI Control’ and ‘ARC’ settings.” On receivers where ARC depends on HDMI control (CEC), turning that setting off also kills ARC. Sony and Yamaha both require HDMI control to be on for ARC.
What you need for eARC to work
- eARC on both devices. The TV and the receiver both have to support it. If you pair an eARC TV with an ARC-only receiver (or the reverse), you still get sound, but only at ARC’s level.
- The right HDMI port on the TV. Plug the cable into the TV input labeled eARC (often “eARC/ARC”). As Yamaha’s manual points out, not every HDMI port on a TV supports audio return, so the label matters.
- eARC turned on in the TV. Some TVs ship with eARC off or tucked into an advanced audio menu. HDMI Licensing and Denon both say you may have to enable it in the TV’s settings.
- A suitable cable. Sony and Denon say a High Speed HDMI Cable with Ethernet is enough for eARC. If you also want 8K or the other HDMI 2.1 video features through the receiver, use an Ultra High Speed HDMI Cable.
- The TV’s audio output set to the receiver. In the TV’s sound settings, choose the external audio system or receiver instead of the TV speakers. If the TV also has a digital audio format setting, check its manual for the option that passes surround formats through instead of converting everything to stereo PCM.
Do you need eARC? A quick way to decide
- You mostly watch discs, consoles and streaming boxes plugged into the receiver: ARC is fine. The best audio doesn’t pass through ARC in this setup.
- You use the TV’s built-in apps and your TV passes Dolby Digital Plus: ARC can still deliver 5.1 and Dolby Atmos in Dolby Digital Plus.
- You plug devices into the TV and want lossless Dolby TrueHD, DTS-HD Master Audio, DTS:X or multichannel PCM from them: you need eARC on both the TV and the receiver.
- Your TV has no ARC at all: connect its optical digital output to the receiver as well. Denon’s and Yamaha’s manuals both describe this setup.
If ARC or eARC gives you no sound
- Check that the cable is in the TV port marked ARC or eARC, and in the receiver’s monitor/TV output (not an HDMI input).
- Check the receiver setting from the table above. On Sony and Yamaha receivers, ARC also needs HDMI control turned on.
- Turn on HDMI control (CEC) in the TV as well. TV brands give it their own names. If ARC still won’t connect, check the TV’s manual for what it’s called.
- Set the TV’s audio output to the external system or receiver.
- After changing cables or settings, turn both devices off and back on. Denon’s troubleshooting section recommends this after connection changes.
- If the sound drops out on ARC, Yamaha suggests turning ARC off and using an optical cable instead.
For step-by-step setup on specific models, see our guides to connecting the Denon AVR-S570BT to a TV with eARC and getting TV sound through the Sony STR-DH590 with HDMI ARC. If you’re setting up height speakers, our STR-DH790 Dolby Atmos setup guide covers the speaker side.
Quick answers
Is eARC the same as HDMI 2.1?
eARC is part of the HDMI 2.1 specification, and Sony’s Help Guide describes it that way. It isn’t a separate kind of port, though. What matters is whether the TV’s HDMI input is labeled eARC, so check the label rather than the version number.
Do I need a special eARC cable?
No. There’s no separate eARC cable. Sony and Denon say a High Speed HDMI Cable with Ethernet works. An Ultra High Speed HDMI Cable also works and is needed for 8K and other high-bandwidth video.
Will an eARC TV work with an ARC receiver?
Yes. eARC is backward compatible. The pair uses ARC, so you get ARC’s format limits.
Does eARC improve picture quality?
No. ARC and eARC only affect the audio coming back from the TV. Video capability depends on the HDMI inputs and outputs themselves.
For the official descriptions, see HDMI Licensing’s eARC overview and Dolby’s explanation of Dolby audio over HDMI ARC.