Does Fire TV Cube Have Optical Out?

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If you bought the first and second generation (2016 & 2017) Fire TV stick as well as the Basic Edition, you will realize that these devices only supported HDTV output, and not AV Receivers, or optical output. As the newer generation of fire TV devices was created, customers were keen to know the possibility of having an optical output which led to the question, “does Fire TV Cube support optical output?”

Just as the previous 1st and 2nd generations of Fire TV stick, the Fire TV Cube does not have a direct optical output port that can be connected to your sound system. To use Optical output, you need to connect the TV to which your Fire TV Cube is connected to the soundbar using a TopLink Optic cable.

This means that the TV you connect your device to should have an audio connection using a fiber optic audio out. Of course, there are other ways in which you can connect the audio of your Fire TV Cube to your sound system, but if you want to know more about optical output, you should keep reading. 

Does Amazon Fire TV Have Optical Out?

Although it has been discontinued in production, the earliest type of Amazon Fire TV BOX (first and second generation) came with five ports, and amongst this, is the Optical audio port. So an Amazon Fire TV box can be connected directly to your sound system using an optic cable.

Fire TV CUBE on the other hand supports only Audio/Visual Receivers (AVR) but it does not offer a direct optical out, so if your television doesn’t support optical output, you can connect your Cube to the AVR which then is connected to the sound system using an optical cable.

Newer generations of Amazon Fire TV STICK (Third gen & 4K) also support AVRs but do not have a direct port for optical out. Similar steps were taken just like the Fire TV Cube when setting up optical out. These steps don’t usually take time, and they can be done right away. Let’s look into how we can connect our Fire TV cube to our soundbar.

Can I Connect Fire TV Cube to Soundbar?

To enjoy the best experience Amazon TV has to offer, you may need to connect all three devices at once (Fire TV Cube, television, and soundbar). Just as we discussed above, there are multiple ways you can connect your TV cube to your sound system, and one of them even involves making use of an Audio/Visual Receiver. 

These ways include: 

  • Fire TV Cube > TV > Soundbar 
  • Fire TV Cube >  Soundbar > TV
  • Fire TV Cube > AVR > TV & Soundbar

These three variations are guaranteed to give you high-quality audio from your soundbars which would sync with the high-quality image displayed on your TV. So, what are the steps we need to take to get these connections?

How Do You Connect a Soundbar To a Fire Cube?

Before you start any step, ensure that you have two high-speed HDMI cables capable of 4K video streaming, and Dolby Atmos audio streaming. Also, ensure your TV supports up to 4k. Now let look at the first method.

Fire TV Cube to TV to Soundbar

Here’s how to connect the Fire TV Cube to the TV and then the soundbar:

  • Start by connecting your Fire TV Cube to a power source.
  • Connect your device directly to the Television HDMI port.
  • If you are making use of optical output, use a standard cable, and plug it on the TV port that says “audio out”. Then connect the other end to your soundbar.
  • If you want to go for the HDMI option instead of optic output, connect the soundbar to your TV using HDMI as well. 

Now, let’s look at the next method.

Fire TV Cube to the Soundbar to TV

Here’s how to connect the Fire TV Cube to the soundbar and then the TV:

  • Start by connecting your Fire TV Cube to a power source.
  • Connect your Fire TV Cube directly to your soundbar.
  • Select the right source on your soundbar by going to “settings”, and select “source” on the remote.
  • If that is done, use a high-speed HDMI cable, and connect your soundbar to your TV.

If you would like to learn more about the Fire TV Cube, check out this article. Now, let’s look at the next method.

Fire TV Cube to AVR to TV and Soundbar

Here’s how to connect the Fire TV Cube to the AVR, then to the TV, and then the soundbar:

  • Before you take any step, ensure that your AVR has been connected to your TV using an HDMI output which is ARC enabled on the AVR, and an HDMI input which is ARC enabled on your TV.
  • When that is done, connect your Fire Cube TV to a power source.
  • Plug your Fire Cube device on the 4k HDMI port at the back of the AVR tagged HDCP 2.2.
  • Finally, connect the soundbar from the AVR using either an optic out, or a high-speed HDMI cable, and you’re good to go.

Note: If you need better audio quality, consider using HDMI cables other than optic output cables. HDMI gives a higher quality of audio than the latter. 

Conclusion

Amazon Fire TV Cube is created to offer users high-quality content, and that includes audio too. If you were wondering whether the device supports optic out, you might have realized that it doesn’t, but there are ways you can get it to. 

Although experts suggest going with HDMI because it supports the highest quality of audio your device can give you. Besides, it is also one of the easiest ways to connect your sound system.

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