Solved! Can't connect hdmi sound bar to get sound through sound bar

[rainbird150]

I have a Samsung LCD TV, model KE40C580 TV. My son gave me a sound bar for Christmas, Panasonic SC HTB208. To get the best clearest sound (I am a little deaf and have to wear hearing aids) Panasonic advise to connect via hdmi cable only. I have tried this but cannot get any sound through the hdmi. But if I connect the Optical cable I can get sound but it's not as good or clear as it should be. Can anyone suggest what I am doing wrong in as much as I cannot connect through the hdmi cable to get the best sound through my sound bar. Thank you so much. Julie

 

[americanaudiophile]

There is no difference in sound quality between using HDMI and optical when connecting a soundbar to a TV.
Most soundbars are designed to duplicate the sound of a low quality home theater system. This means loud explosions and boomy bass. You need a soundbar that has low level clarity and detail so you can understand dialogue.
Another option would be to attach a bluetooth transmitter to the TV. That can pair with headphones or with some hearing aids.