yes, you have to connect the xbox to soundbar via hdmi
Hello all. Hope this is the right board. I've seen this question asked online before but honestly literally every answer differs based on individual setup and preference. I've recently purchased a M51AX-J6 VIZIO 5.1 soundbar and have it connected to an older TV (Sony XBR-55X810C) via HDMI ARC (I think? The HDMI cable that came with the soundbar is connected to its eARC port and also to the Arc port on the TV, so I assume it's just a standard ARC connection since the TV probably doesn't support eARC).
Meanwhile, I have an Xbox Series X connected to the same TV via HDMI. I have some questions about the audio settings on said Xbox:
Speaker settings: The Xbox is offering me a choice between 5.1 Uncompressed, Dolby Digital, and DTS Digital Surround. I'm not worried about enabling Atmos or DTS:X features at the moment and I presume I'd have to direct connect the Xbox to the soundbar for that. However, which of the choices listed above should I choose? Some seem to say Uncompressed, but others say that I'm better off choosing one of the digital formats because uncompressed 5.1 can't output through ARC.
Secondly, Passthrough. Should I have this enabled? Will this enable my Soundbar to automatically process app and media audio in it's optimal format rather than possibly having to change audio settings in the Xbox based on the content?
Finally, are there any TV settings I need to make sure are enabled/disabled?
I probably have more questions because figuring out audio stuff as a layman is like navigating a labyrinth, but for now I hope this suffices. Sorry for the novel, any response would be much appreciated.