RM Series Replacement Remote Control for Polaroid TB301

Product Information

Although it’s a 2.0 bar, Roku says it performs like one with a central channel thanks to “multi-channel decoding capabilities”. We were certainly impressed by how it sounds. For its size, the Streambar gets very loud and is able to deliver a wide soundstage that’s full-bodied and rich in detail. And if the default sound profile isn’t to your liking, the Roku OS offers a few different presets to play around with.

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 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. When utilizing HDMI ARC to connect to your Hitachi Roku TV remote, you’ll want to head to TV settings > Audio > Audio Preferences. Then, set the ‘Audio Mode’ to ‘Auto (DTS)’ to connect to your soundbar automatically. Also, select ‘Auto-detect’ in the S/PDIF and ARC settings.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’.

The number of channels present in a soundbar is represented by two digits separated by a full stop. The first digit reflects the number of primary channels, while the second indicates the presence of a subwoofer to handle low-end frequencies. So, a 2.0 soundbar possesses two audio channels – left and right – while 2.1 bars add a third via a subwoofer.An HDMI ARC connection makes controlling your soundbar from your TV remote simple, and after your connection is made through the cable, you should immediately be able to hear your TV’s sound coming through your soundbar. 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. There are a number of things to consider when shopping around for the best budget soundbar. Top of your priority list should be sound quality. If a soundbar doesn’t significantly improve your TV’s audio, there’s no point in spending your hard-earned cash on it. Sound quality is impressive too, with virtual surround sound reasonably effective given the limitations of a 2.0-channel setup and plenty of ways to customise your audio experience. That customisation extends to the Katana SE’s LED lighting too, which won’t be everyone’s cup of tea but is an essential inclusion for some gamers.

Of the three EQ modes, Movie mode proved our go-to for pretty much everything as it delivered the best-balanced audio and widest soundstage and articulated mid-range frequencies most cleanly. By contrast, the News mode sounded overly congested and did little to enhance dialogue, while the bass reproduction of the Music mode was a little woolly. If you don’t immediately hear the TV’s sound, then you need to go to your TV’s sound or audio settings and turn off your TV speaker. It should be under ‘TV speaker’, ‘speaker list’, or something similar. On this same list, you should see an option for “HDMI Arc” or something similar. Select this option to tell your TV to route the audio channel through the soundbar. When Using Optical: 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. Now that you’ve made the connection from your soundbar to your TV via an HDMI ARC or optical connection, make sure that both of your devices are turned on. You can do this by their separate remotes or on using the buttons on the devices themselves. Test and Troubleshoot Any Connection Issues When Using HDMI ARC: 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.So, if you don’t mind a bit of audio DIY, the Sharp HT-SBW460 is an attractive choice, but if you’d rather not tinker, you’re better off losing the extra audio channel and buying the Creative Stage 360 instead. 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). Even budget soundbars offer a range of connectivity options and, generally speaking, the more ports present, the better.

When using an optical cable, there’s a small chance that the Television will know to use the soundbar automatically, but it’s more likely that you’ll have to go find the Televisions speaker selection menu and change it as described above. If your soundbar has an accompanying app for your smartphone or tablet, you could use this as an alternative to the remote, at least on a temporary basis. Some brands also let you buy replacement remotes separately, which is worth trying if you suspect your remote control is faulty (for example, if it stopped working after you dropped it). My soundbar or subwoofer isn’t working at all

One complaint you might see frequently, even on top-end soundbars, is that they don’t sound any better than the TV they’re supposed to be connected to. As you can see, controlling your soundbar with your TV remote is a fairly straightforward process. You only need to make the connection to your TV and adjust your settings and sound as necessary. Unlike most of the options on this list, the Groov-e Soundbar 75 doesn’t have an HDMI port, so you’ll be hooking it up to your TV using the optical cable that comes in the box. Bluetooth is supported too, allowing you to stream audio to the bar from your phone, while RCA, USB-A, and 3.5mm ports provide further connectivity options. 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 VIZIO TVs are connected to soundbars in the same way as the instructions above, through an optical or HDMI connection. For an optical connection on the VIZIO TV, the port may be called ‘S/PDIF’, and for an HDMI ARC connection, use ‘HDMI 1’, which is the ARC port.