How do you hook up a surround sound system to a TV?
Matthew Barrera
Published Apr 27, 2026
How do you hook up a surround sound system to a TV?
Connecting the Speakers Place your receiver near your TV. The receiver must be close enough to both the TV and a power source that you can adequately plug it into both. Examine how your speakers connect. Most surround sound systems have ports for each speaker that you simply plug the appropriate connector into.
What kind of cable do I need to hook up my TV to my Receiver?
Connect the receiver to the TV. For best results, use an HDMI connection to connect the TV to the HDMI Out port on the receiver. You can use older connectors (e.g., AV cables), but they will result in much lower quality. Most modern TVs support HDMI.
Do you need HDMI cable for surround sound?
According to this article on It Still Works, you will require two HDMI cables instead of one because you need to connect the cable TV, the receiver for surround sound, and the HDTV. Now, what are the steps to establish a reliable connection?
How do you hook up a subwoofer to a receiver?
Connect the subwoofer. Most subwoofers connect to the receiver via a standard set of AV cables. The subwoofer port on the receiver is typically labeled “sub out” or “sub pre-out”. If your subwoofer has multiple inputs, connect to the one labeled “LFE in” or the far left input if there is no label.
How can I hook up surround sound to my TV?
You can hook up surround sound to your TV via HDMI – which is by far the preferred way, but you can also do it without HDMI – a simple alternative for those with older sets that do not have HDMI plugs. The HDMI connection supports both audio and video, hence its popularity.
Where do you go to hook up a cable box to a TV?
Turn everything off. Component video cables must go into the cable box – the video output. The other end must go into the video input on the TV. RCA cables should go into the cable box – look for the audio output ports. As for the other end, do the same for the stereo – auxiliary inputs.
How do I hear TV sound through the a / V receiver?
The two most common connections used to hear TV sound from the A/V receiver or home theater system speakers are: Which option you use will depend on the connection ports on your products. If your TV and audio system both support the ARC feature, we recommend using Option 1 to connect your products, otherwise use Option 2.
According to this article on It Still Works, you will require two HDMI cables instead of one because you need to connect the cable TV, the receiver for surround sound, and the HDTV. Now, what are the steps to establish a reliable connection?