How do I connect my Android box to my surround sound?

Connecting an Android box to a surround sound system can provide an immersive home theater experience. With the right equipment and setup, you can enjoy your movies, TV shows, and games with high-quality multi-channel audio.

To connect an Android box to surround sound, you will need the Android streaming device, an AV receiver or amplifier, speaker wires, and a 5.1 or 7.1 surround speaker system. The Android box connects directly to the TV via HDMI. The receiver then connects to both the TV and the Android box to transmit audio to the various speakers.

This guide will walk through the step-by-step process of connecting an Android box to a surround sound system. We’ll cover how to connect the equipment, configure the correct audio settings, calibrate the speaker levels, and troubleshoot any issues.

Equipment Needed

To connect an Android box to a surround sound system, you will need the following equipment:

Android box – This is the media streamer you want to connect.
TV with HDMI input – The Android box will connect directly to the TV via HDMI.

Surround sound receiver with HDMI and optical inputs – The receiver processes the audio and outputs it to your speakers. You need inputs to connect the Android box and TV.
Speakers – These connect to the receiver to produce the surround sound.
HDMI cable – Used to connect the Android box to the TV.

Optical/Toslink cable – Used as an alternate to HDMI for connecting the TV audio to the receiver.

With these basic equipment components, you can set up a complete surround sound system for your Android TV box media streaming.

Connect the Android Box to the TV

The first step is to connect the Android box to the TV using an HDMI cable. Locate an open HDMI input on the back or side of your TV. Modern TVs usually have between 2-4 HDMI ports. If none are available, you may need to disconnect another device currently using one.

Plug one end of a high-speed HDMI cable into the HDMI output port on the Android box. Then connect the other end of the cable into any open HDMI input on the TV. Make sure both connections are snug and secure.

Power on the TV and switch it to the correct HDMI input that you plugged the Android box into. You should see the Android box interface appear on the TV screen once connected properly via HDMI. If not, double check that the cable is securely fastened and that you’ve selected the correct TV input.

Connect the Receiver

To connect your receiver to your TV, you will need to use HDMI cables. Connect an HDMI cable from your receiver’s HDMI output to an HDMI input on your TV. This will allow video and audio from your receiver to be displayed on your TV.

You should also connect an HDMI cable from your TV’s HDMI ARC (Audio Return Channel) output to an HDMI input on your receiver. The ARC connection allows audio from your TV’s built-in streaming apps to be sent back to your receiver. This avoids having to also run an optical audio cable from your TV to receiver.

According to this guide, using HDMI connections between your receiver and TV is the easiest way to set up your home theater audio.

Connect Speakers to Receiver

Connecting speakers to a surround sound receiver must be done properly to ensure the system works correctly. Follow the receiver’s manual for diagrams showing where each speaker cable should be connected.

Typically, the connections on the back of the receiver are labeled to correspond with each speaker location (front left, front right, center, surround left, surround right, etc.). The positive and negative terminals on the speakers and receiver should be matched up.

Use high-quality speaker wire to connect each individual speaker to the correct terminal on the receiver. Make sure the polarity is observed by connecting the red/positive wire to the red/positive terminal and the black/negative wire to the black/negative terminal.

Consult your receiver’s manual if you are unsure of the proper speaker connections. Properly connecting the speakers according to the manual is crucial for surround sound to be configured correctly.

Enable HDMI-CEC

In order for the Android box to properly control your receiver and surround sound system, you need to enable HDMI-CEC (Consumer Electronics Control) on your TV settings. HDMI-CEC allows connected devices to communicate and share functionalities over HDMI cable. Here’s how to enable it on various TV brands according to their instructions:

On LG TVs, go to Settings > All Settings > General > HDMI ULTRA HD Deep Color > turn on for all ports connected. Then, go to General > SIMPLINK (HDMI-CEC) and set to On.

For Samsung TVs, navigate to Settings > General > External Device Manager > Anynet+ (HDMI-CEC) and enable it. You may need to enable on each specific HDMI port as well.

On Sony TVs, go to Settings > Channel & Inputs > External inputs > HDMI signal format > set to Enhanced format. Then go to Settings > Device Preferences > HDMI CEC > enable CEC.

For instructions on enabling HDMI-CEC on other brands, refer to this guide.

Once enabled, devices connected via HDMI will be able to communicate together for seamless control and unified menu navigation.

Set Audio Output

In order for your Android box to send surround sound audio to your receiver, you need to configure the audio output settings. The default setting is usually the TV speakers.

In the Android box settings, go to the Sound section. Look for an option like “Audio Output” or “HDMI/Optical Audio.” Select the output you have your receiver connected to, either HDMI ARC or Optical/SPDIF. This will route all system audio to your receiver rather than the TV speakers.

According to a Reddit user, the Mi Box specifically has RCA audio outputs that can be used as an alternative to HDMI for connecting to a receiver. Just make sure to select the RCA output in audio settings if using this method.

Once you have the audio output set correctly, audio played on your Android box should now be heard through your surround sound speakers.

Configure Receiver

After connecting all of the speakers and cables, you need to configure the receiver to output surround sound properly. Most receivers will have a setup wizard or guided process to help configure surround sound, but here are the key steps:

First, select the appropriate input on the receiver that the Android TV box is connected to. Typically, this will be an HDMI input. You want to make sure you have the correct input selected so the receiver knows where to get the incoming audio signal.

Next, enable the surround sound decoding mode on the receiver, often labeled something like “Dolby Digital” or “DTS”. This instructs the receiver to take the incoming surround sound signal and distribute it properly to each speaker channel. Without surround sound mode enabled, the receiver may only output stereo sound.

Consult your receiver’s instruction manual to find the surround sound options and how to select the correct input. With those two settings configured, your Android TV audio should now play in full surround on your home theater system.

Calibrate Speaker Levels

Once all the speakers are connected and audio output is configured, it’s time to calibrate and balance the speaker levels. This ensures each speaker is outputting audio at the proper volume relative to the other speakers in your surround sound setup.

To calibrate the levels, you’ll need to use the receiver’s built-in test tones. On most receivers, there is an option in the settings called “Test Tone” or similar. When enabled, the receiver will play a test tone sequentially through each speaker.

While the test tone plays through each speaker, adjust the individual channel volume so the tone sounds equally loud through all speakers. You can use an SPL meter placed at the central listening position to measure and match the exact loudness if desired, but matching by ear is often sufficient (cite: https://www.theaterseatstore.com/blog/home-theater-speaker-sound-calibration-guide). The key is to listen for balance and make adjustments until no speaker seems too quiet or too loud relative to the others.

Take your time and don’t rush through this step, as proper speaker level calibration is crucial for an optimal surround sound experience. Once set, enjoy your perfectly balanced home theater audio!

Troubleshooting

If you encounter no audio or audio sync issues when connecting your Android box to surround sound, there are some troubleshooting steps you can try:

To fix no audio problems:

Check that all cables are securely connected between the Android box, TV, receiver, and speakers. Loose connections can cause no audio.

Toggle different audio outputs on the Android box to see if audio plays through a different output. Try both HDMI and optical outputs if available.
Adjust audio settings on the Android box to ensure surround sound output is enabled. You may need to change from stereo to surround in the audio settings.
Reset the receiver and TV to factory default settings in case incorrect audio settings are configured.

Update firmware on the Android box, TV, and receiver in case the issue is a bug fixed in newer firmware.

To resolve audio sync problems where video and audio are out of sync:

Enable HDMI-CEC on connected devices so they can synchronize properly.

Adjust audio delay (lip sync) settings on the TV, receiver, or Android box to align audio and video timing.
Try connecting the Android box directly to the TV via HDMI instead of passing through a receiver to eliminate a potential source of delay.
Some Android boxes have AV sync settings to adjust audio delay and align it with video. Check the Android box settings.

For persistent issues, consult the manufacturer troubleshooting guidance. Outdated or incompatible HDMI cables can also cause problems between components. Substituting cables may help in some cases.