Is the soundbar not working with Netflix? The answer to this problem seems relatively simple, but you might want to proceed with caution before attempting it. Below, we have stated a simple solution for you.
Soundbar Not Working With Netflix? (Causes And Solutions)
Check for any loose connections or poor wiring if you’re having trouble with your Netflix on the home theater soundbar. You may also check the audio settings and switch to a compatible choice if the soundbar works with other applications. Check your TV’s settings as well, as some don’t have audio outputs set up.
While it is undoubtedly the best way to watch films and TV series, streaming services such as Netflix can require a lot of computing power. If your computer or laptop takes too long to load the content you want to see, there’s always another solution: using a soundbar instead.
Netflix and Soundbar Connectivity (an Overview)?
Netflix is a popular movie and TV show streaming app that gives subscribers access to watch over 100,000 movies and TV episodes. Since 2009 Netflix has been supported by many devices such as computers, Roku, Xbox One, PS4 and home theaters.
These media players allow users to connect to their preferred device and only require the user to log in with their own paying subscription at netflix.com or www.netflix.com before they can start viewing their favorite shows and movies online via the internet connection provided for them.
When it comes to home theater sound bars however, if you need more than just audio from your speakers you would probably want it paired with a video player such as a blu-ray or DVD player or even one of those streaming media players like Roku or Amazon Fire TV.
You may even want to use your Xbox or PS4 as a video player for your soundbar if you have one.
If that is the case then you should also know that if your soundbar doesn’t support HDR10 then it won’t support Netflix HDR which means it would still be limited to 1080p even though the TV has 4K capability for streaming.
All HDR video will scale down to SDR (Standard Dynamic Range) first before being streamed over internet protocol networks to your preferred device or media player.
If you have a Samsung KS8000 55-Inch 4K Ultra HD Smart LED TV (2016 Model) with a HDMI port version 1.4 and below, you can use a converter in order to connect your Soundbar (KS8500, HW-K850 included) to KS8000 TV.
If your soundbar already has a HDMI 2.0a version and above but still Netflix is not working with it, this may be due to the fact that you might need reasons why Samsung UN55KS8000 55-Inch 4K Ultra HD Smart LED TV (2016 Model) doesn’t support ARC for audio return channel explanation or there may be something wrong with your settings of your TV and/or Soundbar.
However, if this device also seems to have stopped working correctly on your PC, here are some tips on how you might fix it.
Netflix not working with the soundbar?
The problem may be with Windows 10. If you’ve already tried all the solutions proposed by Netflix support over the phone or email but nothing worked, there’s another possibility that should be checked before anything else – your operating system version.
As of May 2018, only Microsoft Edge still had an issue with Netflix playback via soundbar under Windows 10. Although it has been resolved in the preview version of Windows 10 upgrade, it could still be a good idea to use either Firefox or Chrome instead for now if you encounter this problem.
Netflix problems playing through soundbars? Here are some solutions
If that’s not the case, there are sure to be other issues behind this behavior. To make things easier for you, here are some tips on how to fix them:
1). Use an HDMI connection – If your PC doesn’t have an HDMI output port but your TV does, you can check if all is well by simply connecting the two devices using the appropriate cable.
Even though most soundbars nowadays come with Bluetooth connectivity and audio input jack options, HDMI remains the simplest and quickest way to go for most devices.
2). Make sure your soundbar is enabled – If you want to use the soundbar with Windows 10, make sure that it has been configured as an audio playback device in the operating system’s configuration panel. To do this, follow these steps:
Go to Start Menu > Settings > System > Sound . Here, under Related settings , click on ‘ Playback ‘. Now look at the bottom of the window for your connected soundbar – if it doesn’t appear below the Default device or No Default Device, click on ‘ Show Disabled Devices ‘, then right-click on your preferred playback device to enable it.
By default, Windows uses Microsoft audio drivers for most soundbars. However, it’s also possible for manufacturers to develop their own ones, especially if the soundbar is not yet available on the market at the time of Windows installation.
Watch this video:
What are the best soundbars to use with Netflix?
For now, it would be best to stick with Microsoft drivers , as they are compatible with all video streaming services – including Netflix! If you’re still using an old version of Windows 10 (before April 2018), you may want to download and install this update before trying anything else.
Now go back to your PC > Start Menu > Settings > System > Apps & features. Find Apps/Programs & Features in the left column , then click on Advanced options next. After that simply select Netflix from the list and click on “Advanced options”. Click on the button that reads: “Change” and then choose either Windows Media Player or Windows Defender.
Note that this is not school-approved; you can try one of these solutions if you don’t have access to a Netflix-approved computer, but we will not be held responsible for outcomes resulting from using unapproved software .
3). Make sure it’s not your graphics card causing problems – If your PC has an Nvidia or AMD graphics card installed, make sure that any streaming service (such as Netflix) is compatible with them by checking Nvidia or AMD’s website.
If those tips didn’t help fix the problem, make sure your soundbar and TV are connected to the same network. After that, simply visit Netflix in your web browser and follow the instructions.
However, you should know that even if all of this doesn’t work for you , there are always different ways to fix any issues that might show up when using your soundbar with Netflix .
4). Restart everything If your TV or soundbar is connected via HDMI – Make sure both devices are turned off before restarting them. Then turn on the TV first, followed by the soundbar. Wait until both have booted completely before turning them on again. Now try playing a video on Netflix once more.
If none of these tips helped resolve the problem, try resetting your router. You may also need to call Netflix or Google (if you’re using Chromecast) to have a technician walk you through the troubleshooting steps.
5). Unplug everything and try this trick – It might sound a bit too easy, but it does work sometimes. Simply turn off your TV, then disconnect it from both the power outlet and from the soundbar.
After that, unplug your router or modem for about 20 seconds before turning them on again. Lastly, connect only your TV to the power outlet and see if that makes any difference.
If it did, make sure to update all of your connected devices with the most recent updates available; if not, move on to more difficult solutions found below.
6). Reset Windows 10 – If Netflix doesn’t load in Microsoft Edge browser, reset your browser to factory settings. After doing so, make sure Microsoft Edge is set as the default web browser .
7). Reset the graphic driver – Windows 10 uses both integrated and discrete graphics cards while running.
If you have an Nvidia or AMD card installed in your PC , look for the drivers on their website and download/install them. If that didn’t work , go back to Apps & features > Advanced options > Netflix, then click “Reset” under Advanced Options. Then check Playback after restarting your PC.
8). Troubleshoot other streaming services – Make sure Chrome is up-to-date : open Google Chrome, find Menu > Help > About Google Chrome ; if there are updates available, make sure to install them. Also make sure Netflix is up-to-date, simply visit their website and click the “Update” button.
9). Delete app data – Finally, if none of these tips helped, you can try deleting your data in Windows 10. First open Microsoft Edge browser, click on the three dots next to the address bar, select Settings > Advanced settings > View advanced settings.
You’ll find a section named “Autofill settings,” then press Clear all at the bottom. Next, follow these steps: Firstly, open Apps & features. Scroll down and find either Netflix or Edge from All apps; right-click it and choose Delete from the menu that pops up. If prompted for permission, simply hit Yes . Next , open Microsoft Windows Search.
Find the Apps & features shortcut and delete it. Lastly, but more importantly, open your web browser ( Google Chrome , for example) and find either of these shortcuts: Netflix or Edge; right-click them one by one and select “Open file location.” Delete both of them from this folder.
As you can see, there are a number of things that could be causing any connection problems between your soundbar and Netflix. That being said, even though every single solution worked for someone else doesn’t mean they’ll work for you too. You should try all these steps regardless to see if any of them help fix the problem .
Well you’ve basically found the problem; your Samsung soundbar is much more complicated than your Sony one in both design and function. As such, Netflix cannot recognize it well enough through an optical input especially if they’re experiencing problems with streaming media over HDMI CEC which your television supports.
If you’re looking for Netflix audio through your soundbar, you’d be better off using another connection like HDMI ARC (if supported) or optical if it’s the only available input on the sound bar itself or just buy something new that is more compatible with connected devices.
Conclusion
Hopefully, should you continue to experience problems with connecting your television and sound bar together via optical cable; please feel free to leave us a response below and we will try our best to help out.
