eARC vs. ARC: Do You Need a New Cable?
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Visualizing: eARC vs. ARC: Do You Need a New Cable?
ARC allowed your TV to send audio back to your soundbar. eARC (Enhanced ARC) takes it further.
The Bandwidth Jump
- ARC: Capped at ~1Mbps. Supports compressed 5.1.
- eARC: Up to 37Mbps. Supports uncompressed Dolby Atmos and DTS:X.
Cable Requirements
You need an Ultra High Speed (HDMI 2.1) cable to ensure enough bandwidth for the data-heavy audio streams of eARC.
Technical References
- HDMI Forum: HDMI 2.1 Specification.
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