Which HDMI Port Is eARC on LG C9, CX? & How to Activate It?

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Discovering the right HDMI port for enhanced audio return channel (eARC) on your LG TV doesn’t have to be a puzzle.

This article will explain, in simple terms, how to find and activate the eARC feature on your LG C9 and CX models, ensuring you can enjoy the full audio experience your TV has to offer.

How Many HDMI eARC Ports Are on LG TVs?

The LG C9 has four HDMI 2.1 ports. This means it supports 4k at 120Hz and eARC.

Even though the LG C9 has four HDMI 2.1 ports, only one port is eARC enabled.

The confusion with LG TVs lies within their labeling. LG TVs do not say eARC underneath any HDMI port. Instead, it simply says “ARC.”

Nevertheless, let’s go in-depth about why this is in the following sections.

Which HDMI Port is eARC on LG TVs?

eARC is important if you’re trying to connect your soundbar to your LG TV. It allows you to send uncompressed sound signals for better sound immersion. 

It gives you more bandwidth to work with and allows the use of Dolby Atmos. But to do this, you must first locate the proper HDMI port on your TV.

LG C9

So, you’ve looked behind your TV, and now you’re confused. You do not see eARC anywhere, only an ARC HDMI port.

LG has not mislabeled its ports. The proper eARC port is labeled as ARC instead of eARC. On the C9, this is HDMI Port number 2.

LG has decided to make eARC selectable. Therefore, you’ll have to turn on eARC within the settings to use it

We understand this is confusing. Below we’ll show you how to enable eARC on your LG C9 Series.

To do this, head to:

• Settings
• Then click on All Settings
• Now click on Sound

Within the Sound menu

• Turn on Dolby Atmos
• Set AI to off
• Now turn Sound Mode to Standard

Once inside Sound Out Settings:

• Click on HDMI ARC
• Set Digital Sound Out to Auto or Passthrough
• Turn on eARC

If you want to watch a video explaining these settings, this one explains the process well.

LG CX

Similar to the C9 series, the CX series also has four HDMI 2.1 ports. In theory, this means all four ports should support eARC. However, that’s not the case. 

On the LG CX, eARC is HDMI port number two. But always consult the user manual in case LG ever decides to change things up.

Like the C9, we have to enable the eARC as well. However, the CX’s settings are more complex. Therefore we’re going to walk you through it.

First, you’ll have to turn on SIMPLINK. 

You can do this by:

• Enabling it during your initial LG CX setup process.

During the initial setup process, you have the option to skip this step. Therefore, if you decided to skip this initially, you can always follow these steps:

• Navigate to your TVs All Settings
• Then go to Connection
• Find Device Connection Settings

From here, change your Sound Out to HDMI ARC

• Next, go to All Settings
• Then select Sound
• Navigate to Additional Settings and enable eARC

There’s one more step we need to do before completing this process

• Let’s go back to All Settings
• Next, go to Sound
• Additional Settings
• Go to Digital Sound Out and select “Pass Through.”

Now you’ve enabled your HDMI eARC on your LG CX.

As a side note, if you’re not getting the pristine sound you hoped for, you might have missed something in the steps above. If that’s the case, feel free to go through them again.

Other LG TVs

Not every LG TV has eARC located within HDMI port number two. Here is a list of LG TVs with eARC located within port number three.

• LG NanoCell 91 Series 2020 86 inch Class 4K Smart UHD NanoCell TV w/ AI ThinQ
• LG 77 Inch Class B2 PUA series OLED 4K UHD Smart webOS 22 w/ ThinQ AI TV
• LG NanoCell 85 Series 2020 65 inch Class 4K Smart UHD NanoCell TV w/ AI ThinQ
• LG B1 65 inch Class 4K Smart OLED TV w/AI ThinQ
• LG A1 55 inch Class 4K Smart OLED TV w/ThinQ AI 
• LG NanoCell 90 Series 2020 86 inch Class 4K Smart UHD NanoCell TV w/ AI ThinQ
• LG NanoCell 90 Series 2021 55 inch 4K Smart UHD TV w/ AI ThinQ
• LG BX 65 inch Class 4K Smart OLED TV w/AI ThinQ  
• LG 55 Inch Class A2 PUA series OLED 4K UHD Smart webOS 22 w/ ThinQ AI TV

Conclusion

As you can see, the LG C9 and CX use HDMI port number two for their eARC. 

However, you must enable it to use this function. But not every LG TV uses port two for this feature, many use port number three.

Nevertheless, we hope our list helped you find eARC on the LG C9 and CX as well as other LG TVs.

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James Quintanilla( Technical Writer )

James Quintanilla is a technical copywriter. Although his experience allows him to write on many topics, he loves to focus on tech and travel. As a freelancer, James has worked on projects with Pointer Clicker, Lonely Planet, and the Travel Channel. When he’s not writing or planning his next adventure, he’s watching a scary movie.

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