3 Easy Ways to Connect Sonos to TV Wirelessly
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Sonos is dramatically changing the game of home audio streaming through its innovative use by connecting surround sound speaker systems via Wi-Fi and the main controller. You might be curious how to connect Sonos wirelessly to TV.
There are three ways to connect Sonos to TV wirelessly – via Bluetooth, by using the Sonos app, or by purchasing an APTX BT transmitter and using this as an audio receiver. The choice of method would depend on the setup and the wireless capabilities of the TV and audio devices.
Also read: 4 Best Ways to Hide Soundbar Wires
Gone are the days of having to maneuver your speakers between the perfect outlet and the perfect placement for sound quality.
Now, your emphasis can return to the main reason you bought the speakers in the first place- to enhance the sound quality of music and movies streamed throughout your home. Continue reading to learn more about connecting your Sonis to your TV.
How Do Sonos Speakers Work?
Sonos speakers are the latest in modern technology. They improve the sound quality throughout your home and are able to do so with a sound connection to your home’s Wi-Fi.
Instead of having to plug each speaker into the next one and running multiple cables throughout your audio streaming area, you can simply connect them over Wi-Fi and omit the jumble of cords.
Sonos speakers connect to the main base (your controller) and are managed through the Sonos App (unless paired directly and controlled through another streaming device).
Multiple Sonos speakers are connected to one another via Wi-Fi, so they do not require a cabled connection between the speaker system.
This is incredibly helpful when arranging the best audio output for your home. Anyone who has ever attempted to create their own home theater knows what it is like to have to arrange speakers.
It is imperative to place the speakers just right to incorporate the natural acoustics of your living space with the power and pitch of the audio streaming from the speakers.
Sonos speakers permit you to use the Sonos App on your Wi-Fi enabled phone or computer to manage them. Each Sonos speaker will need to be connected to the Wi-Fi system within your home, but you can manage this through the Sonos App. Then, you will have full control to be able to stream the audio of your dreams.
Now, when you invite your friends over for a thrilling movie night, you can know confidently that you are in for an audio thrill ride as your speakers will work their magic.
Instead of having to repeat the line given by your favorite actor, you can trust that you will be able to hear it, as well as the high and low frequencies in your favorite movie’s soundtrack, loud and clear.
Also read: Can You Connect Wireless Speakers to a Soundbar?
How to Connect Sonos to TV Wirelessly
One of the major benefits of the Sonos surround sound speaker system is that they are used wirelessly.
You will no longer have to connect each speaker to the next and facilitate a technological masterpiece within your home’s media room. Instead, you can connect the speakers to one another via Wi-Fi and manage them on your Sonos App.
However, connecting the main Sonos speaker is often done with a wired setup. But, do not be dismayed. You can still connect your Sonos to your TV wirelessly so that there are truly no tangled, jumbled wires casting dismay on your home theater’s beautiful aesthetic that you have worked so hard to achieve.
To connect your Sonos to your TV wirelessly, you have a few options. You can connect the speaker to the TV via Bluetooth (on Bluetooth-enabled speakers and TVs), use the Sonos App to connect the system but plug in the main soundbar, or use an APTX BT transmitter as an audio receiver that plugs into the TV without needing a wired connection to your speakers.
Let’s take a closer look at each of these options to connect Sonos to TV wirelessly:
1. Connect the Sonos Speaker to the TV via Bluetooth
If you are going to connect your Sonos speaker to your TV via Bluetooth, then you will need to make sure that both the speaker and the TV are Bluetooth-enabled. While this might seem obvious to some, it can be a complete oversight to even the most experienced audio enthusiast.
You might be planning on pairing the two devices in this way, but if you have overlooked the fact that one of these two components is not Bluetooth-enabled, then you might be thoroughly disappointed when you find out that you have to seek out another solution.
To connect the Sonos speaker to the TV via Bluetooth, you will need to use your TV’s streaming service and connect to the Sonos speaker as a Bluetooth device. For example, if you use Hulu, you can go to the Settings section and, while the Sonos Bluetooth-enabled speakers are turned on and ready to connect, you will select this speaker.
Then, the TV and the Sonos speakers will pair wirelessly through the connection of Bluetooth offered through the streaming service and the speaker.
Be mindful, though, that not all speakers are Bluetooth compatible as the Sonos speaker system was meant to provide a Wi-Fi enabled method of connecting your home’s surround sound speaker system.
However, if you purchase the Sonos Bluetooth-enabled speaker, then this option is really quite simple. You will easily be able to turn on the Bluetooth with the touch of a button on your speakers, and then you can pair the device with your TV.
Keep in mind that the speakers need to be high-quality if you are planning to stream any movies or TV shows on your TV.
Some speakers, including some Sonos models, work best with TV music streaming but are not intended for movie watching considering the Wi-Fi connection that they rely on. So, pay close attention to reviews of various speakers to know which ones are meant for movies and which ones would work better with music.
2. Use the Sonos App
One of the most beautiful parts of the Sonos surround sound speaker system is that it comes with an App and can be remotely controlled from your Wi-Fi enabled phone or computer.
This is especially handy because you can manage each speaker from the comfort of your sofa cushion. Instead of having to manually adjust your speakers, you can tune them from your phone.
This works as you pair each Sonos speaker in your surround sound system to the same Wi-Fi network as your phone or computer (whichever you plan to use as the controller). Then, using the Sonos App on the controller, you can manipulate the sound for the audio experience of your dreams.
To do this, though you will likely still have to connect at least one of the speakers via a wired connection to your TV. This option is still promising for many people, though, because it requires that there only be one cable to connect the entire system of speakers rather than having to connect multiple speakers in a jumble of cords.
Using the Sonos App, connect each of your Sonos speakers to the Wi-Fi system that is paired with your Wi-Fi enabled phone or computer. Then, once you have established a connection with each of these speakers in the system, you will connect them to the centralized soundbar.
The soundbar is likely to be connected to the TV with an audio input/output cable option depending on the model that you choose to use.
Again, here you will be using a wired connection for your main speaker, but the rest of the Sonos speakers in your system will be connected in an App, so you will still maintain a relatively wireless connection. Depending on the soundbar that you choose to use, you might be able to connect that to your TV wirelessly as well.
3. Connect an APTX BT Transmitter as an Audio Receiver
Another option for connecting your Sonos speakers to your TV wirelessly is to use a connecting device that will permit your speakers to work with your TV via Bluetooth. Again, this goes back to assuming that your Sonos speaker is Bluetooth-enabled, so it is important to check to be sure that it is before you plan on using this option.
If you are not using a TV streaming service (like the Hulu example given above), then you might need an APTX BT transmitter (see it on Amazon) to act as the Bluetooth audio receiver that can connect to the audio input/output receivers on your TV.
In essence, this attachment acts as a tool that turns your TV into a Bluetooth-enabled device whether or not your streaming service generally permits this.
APTX BT transmitters are fortunately not that expensive, and they are relatively simple to use.
APTX BT transmitter as an audio receiver that plugs into the TV without needing a wired connection to your speakers. Instead of having to plug your speakers in, you will connect them via Bluetooth to this transmitter.
To do this, you will enable the Bluetooth capabilities on both the Sonos speaker and the APTX BT transmitter. Then, you will plug the transmitter into the audio input/output jacks as appropriate.
The input/output receivers might be different on your transmitter, but they should be pretty clear. If your TV does not have a port labeled for audio output, then you can use the headphone jack as this will provide the same intention.
Now that your transmitter is plugged into your TV and your Sonos speakers are enabled via Wi-Fi, you will simply wait until the two devices (the transmitter and the speakers) are paired with one another.
Now, when you no longer plan to use the speakers in conjunction with your TV, then you can simply unplug the transmitter and the two devices will no longer be paired.
This might seem like a roundabout way to connect your speakers, but it really is pretty simple once you have both the transmitter and your speakers enabled.
Plus, since you can connect the majority of your speakers in your surround sound speaker system to the main speaker via Wi-Fi and then just connect that one to the transmitter, you will not need to go through too many hoops.
And, the ones that you do will certainly prove to be worth it with the high-quality audio streaming that is provided by the Sonos surround sound speaker system.
Which Sonos Devices Can I Connect to My TV?
Since there are so many different Sonos devices out there, you might be wondering which of them you can connect to your TV in the first place. This is obviously important if you plan to use these incredible wireless speakers to heighten your audio streaming capabilities in your media room.
But, not all Sonos speakers were designed for the same purpose. While this might seem frustrating for someone who is new to the audio streaming world, this is the beauty that comes with the complexity of sound.
The various speakers are designed for streaming various frequencies more functionally. Thus, their shape, appearance, and functionality all differ. This means that not all Sonos devices can (or should) connect to your TV.
In general, it is a good rule of thumb to check whether your Sonos speaker is meant to stream audio in the form of music or if it is capable of achieving appropriate connections for movies and other media.
Plus, keep in mind that most Sonos devices that are meant for your TV will require some kind of cable for their wired connection.
This is generally to avoid the mishaps that can come when multiple devices are functioning on the same Wi-Fi network.
So, to prevent you from hearing the punch line of a joke 20 seconds after it has been delivered on-screen, the cabled connection ensures that the audio is streamed on time.
With that in mind, there are a few Sonos devices that are meant to connect to a TV. The Sonos Beam and Sonos Arc are perfect for your TV streaming- whether it is for music or movies.
Each of these has its advantages and disadvantages, so you will want to review which one will work best with your larger or smaller space. Either way, using a Sonos soundbar for your TV will greatly enhance the quality of sound.
Next, you can use the Sonos One, Sonos SL, or Sonos Move paired directly with your soundbar (though indirectly with your TV). These will enhance the audio quality in your surround sound speaker system as you connect them all through the Sonos App.
If you have a TV that has an output connection (that will appear as a headphone port), then you can connect the Sonos Play:5 to this and use it to stream your TV audio. Just be sure that this connection is available on your TV because it is probably the only way to make this work.
Finally, if you just plan to use the speakers to enhance the holiday tunes that you plan to blast throughout your home- perhaps creating a festive spirit at your next social gathering- you can use the Sonos Connect or Connect:Amp.
These will really only work for streaming music, so it is best to choose another option when using the Sonos surround sound speaker system for your in-home movie viewing needs.
How to Set Up Your Sonos Surround Sound Speaker System?
If you are just getting started with setting up your Sonos surround sound speaker system, do not fret. This system was made to be user-friendly for those of us who are not as technologically savvy as others might be.
To set up your Sonos surround sound speaker system, you must first download the Sonos App. Then, you will pair the individual Sonos speaker through this App by following the step-by-step directions that appear in the App. Begin by pairing one speaker and then move onto each speaker in your system.
Truly, the Sonos App and connecting this system is going to feel like a dream come true. Especially if you have ever had to set up an entire home theater surround sound system before Wi-Fi enabled speakers came about, then this will feel like magic.
But, rest assured, that even if this does not come naturally to you, you can always look up the steps for your specific speaker online or in your user manual. Then, it is off to stream the audio of a lifetime.
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