RM Series Replacement Remote Control for Polaroid TB301

Product Information

The bar is small but perfectly formed and a big step up from your TV’s audio output when it comes to detail, mid-range positivity and crisp articulation of higher frequencies. The accompanying subwoofer, which can be positioned vertically or horizontally, delivers a hearty low-end punch while remaining controlled and rhythmically astute. Dialogue is particularly well-handled, with voices proving characterful and nuanced even during the most hectic on-screen action. Connectivity is decent too, with Bluetooth support in addition to a pleasing number of physical options, including HDMI (ARC). Think about what size soundbar suits your television setup best. You’ll want to make sure it fits in your AV cabinet and slots neatly in front of or under your TV without obstructing your view or getting in the way of any infrared sensor your telly may have. Sony TVs can be connected to a soundbar through the HDMI ARC connection, an optical digital audio cable only, or with both an HDMI and optical digital audio cable. All of the setups are the same as the instructions listed above. When switching the audio output setting, you’ll select ‘Audio System’ for all setups. The other two sound modes are less impressive, but useful nonetheless. The processing-free Pure setting delivers audio as intended by its creator, while Night mode decreases the dynamic range to improve low-volume listening. There are also three dialogue enhancement options available, all of which successfully accentuate speech.

While the instructions above are a general way to go about connecting and controlling your soundbar with your TV, many TV manufacturers (and computer makers – our guide) have slightly different ways of going about it. Based on your TV manufacturer, find your listed brand and follow the instructions below. Samsung Sonos is one of the leading manufacturers of soundbars and the Ray is its most affordable option yet. It’s also the smallest, weighing under 2kg and measuring just 60cm across. That diminutive stature means the Ray can be incorporated into just about any TV setup, and the sound it delivers is guaranteed to be a marked step up from your telly’s in-built audio. Now, using your soundbar’s remote (or on the soundbar itself), find the ‘Source’ or ‘Input’ button. Look at the display on your soundbar to adjust the input to ‘OPTICAL’ or an abbreviated version – i.e. ‘OPT’. Adjust and Optimize Your Sound It’s got a maximum power output of 75W which is more than loud enough to fill reasonably sized rooms and offers three EQ modes: Music, Movie and Voice. Movie is the best balanced for most content, but if you don’t find it to your taste, you can boost bass and treble as you see fit using the included remote.

When it comes to LG TVs, there are a few different ways of connecting to soundbars, and LG TVs come with the LG Magic Remote. You can connect your soundbar to your LG TV through Sound Sync via Bluetooth, a digital optical connection, or an HDMI ARC connection. The Denon DHT-S216’s big selling point is its incorporation of DTS Virtual:X, an audio format that creates a sonic experience resembling surround sound without the need for additional speakers. It’s available while using two of the soundbar’s four sound modes – Movies and Music – and works extremely well, adding height and scale to audio to increase your immersion in the onscreen action. If your TV and soundbar have both options, you may be wondering which one you should be using. If so, there’s some more discussion about that in another one of our articles. Once you’ve decided which on to use, keep working through the directions below.

It may seem like a rather niche product, but for those who don’t already own a soundbar or media streamer, the Roku Streambar comes with a glowing recommendation. The digital optical and HDMI ARC connections are made just like the instructions above. You’ll use the Sound > Sound Out area to change the output to HDMI or optical. If this doesn’t solve the problem, make sure your TV volume is turned all the way up so you can adjust the soundbar’s volume directly. This might help since interference is introduced when the source (TV) volume is low and the output (soundbar) volume is high.Start by turning the volume of the soundbar all the way down, using your soundbar remote. Then play around with the volume settings to find the optimal volumes on each device to produce the best sound for your system. The Sharp HT-SBW460 is one of a limited number of budget soundbars to support Dolby’s surround-sound technology, Atmos, and it delivers surprisingly effective virtual height effects given its price. The bar uses four front-firing drivers to successfully convince your brain that certain sounds are coming from above you, and also does a great job of positioning effects to the left and right of the soundstage.

The Creative Stage V2 delivers everything you could want from a budget soundbar. The bar is sleek and compact, making it a great fit for most medium-sized TVs, while the discrete subwoofer adds welcome weight and richness to bass reproduction. This can also happen when your soundbar is connected to a set-top box such as Freeview, Sky or a Blu-ray or DVD player that has its own volume control. As with the above tips, you should ensure the set-top box has its own volume set as high as it can go. This should also prevent your soundbar from going to sleep. My soundbar sounds no better than my TV Subwoofers are sometimes built into soundbars, but many come as separate units included in the price. Both types have advantages: soundbars with built-in subwoofers are more space-efficient, while standalone subs generally deliver fuller, more impactful bass. While we weren’t blown away by the HTB490’s overall sonic performance, its wireless subwoofer delivers the best bass response of any cheap soundbar we’ve tested. Low-end frequencies are handled with precision and there’s plenty of power too, with the sub putting out 160W in addition to the 80W amplification for each of the soundbar’s full-range drivers. Cinematic action sequences benefit tremendously from the subwoofer’s impressive impact and this is particularly evident at higher volumes, at which the HTB490 is very capable of filling a medium-sized room.Hisense TVs can also control your soundbar through the HDMI ARC connection. After connecting the two with an HDMI-certified High-Speed 2.0 cable go to your TV Settings > Sound > Speakers > ARC. This turns off your TV speaker and enables HDMI ARC. EQ options and different audio modes are also worth keeping an eye out for. A lot of soundbars will let you tweak the bass and treble, while others offer audio presets tuned for watching specific types of content such as music, films or sports. If you watch a lot of TV in the evening and don’t want to disturb the neighbours, a Night mode designed for low-volume viewing is particularly handy. If you don’t have that information to hand, use trial and error to find an output format that works. Try to keep the cable clear of other connectors (especially power) in the tangle of wires behind your TV. Simply moving the 3.5mm cable can sometimes solve this issue. More advanced soundbars offer support for surround-sound audio formats such as Dolby Atmos or DTS:X. These multidimensional, object-based codecs are capable of adding height effects to a soundbar’s soundstage for a more immersive audio experience, but you’ll typically require additional speakers to make full use of them.

Look for a setting called ‘Audio Delay’ or similar on the box that’s causing the problem, and adjust it notch by notch until you’re happy that your audio and video are perfectly in-sync again. My soundbar's remote control isn't working properly

If you need help setting up your soundbar to work properly with your TV, read our guide on how to set up a soundbar with your TV My soundbar or subwoofer is quiet or sounds unnatural When using an optical connection, the setup is the same as the instructions above. After your optical cable is connected to both your soundbar and TV, you will go to the TV settings, turn off the TV speaker, and change the source to ‘Optical’. While each TV brand’s method of connecting to and controlling your soundbar is slightly different, it’s fairly straightforward to connect the two. Here’s a breakdown of what you need to do to control a soundbar with your TV remote. Find the Optical or HDMI ARC Connection on both the Soundbar and TV Whether you are using an optical or HDMI ARC connection, you should have been provided the correct cable with your soundbar from the soundbar manufacturer. Plug in the cable to your soundbar and your TV.