ARC Help Needed- SBEV40-Slim Soundbar & Sharp LC60LE847U (1 Viewer)

[SportsME23]

Hi I have a sharp LC60LE847U LED TV. I wanted a soundbar with inputs and purchased CNET's top recommendation, the Haier SBEV40-Slim soundbar.
Anyway I need the optical audio input on the soundbar for Apple TV, so I need to connect the TV audio to the soundbar using the HDMI input w/ Audio Return Channel (ARC). My other devices are hooked up through the tv.
I'm not getting any sound through the soundbar, which is hooked up to HDMI 1 w/ ARC label. The cable box for example is hooked up on HDMI 3. So while on HDMI input 3, how can I get sound through the soundbar??? Any ideas?
The easy solution is to hook up optical audio, but I need the Apple TV to go directly to the soundbars only input for that, so I can listen to music with a game on or while playing Xbox.
Truly appreciate your help, thank you!!!

 

[Jason Charlton]

In order for ARC to work, both the TV and the sound bar need to support ARC. A quick scan through the manual for the soundbar makes no mention of it supporting ARC.

 

[schan1269]

You could always buy one of these...
http://www.amazon.com/Monoprice-Switcher-Toslink-Digital-Coaxial/dp/B003L14WB8/ref=sr_1_2?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1344526902&sr=1-2&keywords=hdmi+switch+optical
I don't know if that one spits out 5.1 via the optical and digital coax. But when you research these...you will find that out.

 

[schan1269]

Haier TV and window AC aren't bad(actually the wAC are quite good)...
The rest of their stuff...meh...
And a CNet review???
Ever since they fired a reviewer for giving a "sight sponsor" a bad review...