Summary
I’ve been a Roku devotee for about as long as streaming devices and smart TVs have been around. Over the last several years, Roku OS has expanded yet again, giving users access to additional apps, features, and settings. It pays to learn about some of these optimizations, especially if you have a soundbar and Roku device connected to the same TV (or if you own a Roku-branded TV). Roku OS leans on the idea of plug-and-play audio; just hook up the soundbar or external speakers, and the TV takes care of all the processing. It’s foolproof on paper, and most of the time in execution. But depending on the connection you use (e.g., HDMI, digital optical, Bluetooth) to pair your external audio with your TV, Roku OS could prevent your gear from reaching its full potential. I found that out recently, and now I can help you avoid lackluster sound. Digital output format Potential surround sound roadblocks HDMI and digital optical are two of the most common soundbar connections, but a Roku OS setting could be preventing your sound system from reaching peak performance. I think it’s worth getting into the nitty-gritty of what it takes to ensure your entire AV setup outputs as much audio information as possible through your soundbar or external speakers. Our first stop: Roku OS. Look for a menu item called Digital output format, found under Settings > Audio. By default, this is probably set to Auto, which should be perfectly fine if you’re connected via HDMI ARC. But if you’re using a digital optical cable and notice that a surround sound-encoded movie doesn’t sound very immersive, Roku OS may be having a tough time selecting the highest-quality audio track. Fortunately, you can manually override this: Just select Custom, then select Dolby > Dolby Digital. That’s the signal path I’d use for digital optical; it supports up to 5.1 surround sound and defaults to stereo playback when surround isn’t available. Digital optical is perfectly sufficient for Dolby Digital, but if you own a Dolby Atmos soundbar, HDMI ARC is the stronger choice; I’d also set your Roku to Dolby Digital Plus. Dolby Digital and DTS settings You’ll need HDMI for Dolby Digital Plus After adjusting those audio settings in Roku OS, put your modifications to the test: Open Netflix or another paid streaming service, and search for a Dolby Digital 5.1 movie. Sit in a central position and hit play. Ideally, your soundbar should be projecting audio in a way that virtualizes dedicated speakers. Dialogue and main effects should be focused toward the front of the room, while ambient effects should extend beyond the width of your soundbar. When you were adjusting audio settings in Roku OS, you may have also seen an option for DTS. If you know for a fact that your TV passes DTS audio, there’s no harm in enabling both Dolby Digital and DTS. Samsung and LG TVs haven’t supported DTS for a while, though; worst-case scenario, your TV downmixes the audio to stereo before it ever hits your soundbar. If you’re using a Roku streaming device, remember that any settings changes you make only affect the device, not the HDMI input of your TV it’s plugged into. If you’re using a Roku TV, or a smart TV with Roku OS built-in, you should be able to apply settings changes to the current input or all inputs. Content is king Look for “5.1” or “surround sound” Even if your soundbar’s audio signal path is fully optimized for surround sound, you still need movies, TV shows, video games, and music to be encoded for multichannel playback to hear surround sound. Fortunately, many streaming services offer robust libraries of 5.1 surround sound media; some platforms even offer movies and shows encoded for Dolby Atmos and DTS:X. Unfortunately, features like surround sound and 4K HDR can be locked behind loftier paywalls. Of course, you can always move beyond Roku OS and other smart TV hardware by way of physical media. An old collection of DVDs and Blu-rays is bound to contain at least one or two movies encoded for Dolby Digital or DTS playback. But now you’re introducing another AV component to the chain, which means you’ll want to confirm all the player’s audio settings are optimized for your soundbar. Honestly, this is just a good habit to get into anyway. Roku OS is a great introduction, too, because the software makes it easy to access and adjust sound options; other user interfaces aren’t as intuitive. Just because the soundbar costs thousands doesn’t mean it’ll sound amazing I hate to say it, but there’s always the chance that a soundbar claiming to decode 5.1 audio or greater just doesn’t sound good. Even if every setting is perfectly fine-tuned, and you used the soundbar’s app to try every audio preset, not all multichannel soundbars are created equal. A dud is a dud, and no amount of tinkering in Roku OS will improve half-hearted audio engineering.