The only exception to this is HDMI Consumer Electronics Control (CEC) - a very low-bandwidth set of commands that could be sent in both directions along an HDMI cable, so that a TV’s remote could control an A/V receiver’s volume, or the power button on an A/V receiver’s remote could turn off a TV.
FUTURE NEVER END AUDIO TV
Audio and video traveled from a source device to a TV (or projector) and never the other way around. When it was introduced, that digital superhighway was limited to a single direction of flow. Everything you need to know about HDMI 2.1īefore we get into HDMI ARC/eARC, let’s quickly recap what an HDMI connection does: It can send digital video and audio from one device to another using a single cable.And since the technology is incredibly useful and has the potential to significantly simplify your entertainment system in a myriad of ways, we’re going to explain it all, including its most recent evolution, known as “eARC”: Enhanced audio return channel.
Rather, ARC stands for “audio return channel,” a protocol that started showing up on HDMI-equipped devices in 2009 and is now a ubiquitous standard.īut despite its nearly universal implementation, not everyone knows what ARC is or what it does.
If you’re unboxing a brand new 4K TV, A/V receiver, or soundbar, you’ve likely noticed a little symbol on at least one of the HDMI inputs that says “ARC,” “HDMI ARC,” or “ARC/eARC.” But what do these symbols mean? Hint: It has nothing to do with the reactor that fueled Iron Man’s suits.