Model guide · Soundbar
TCL S45H
Connect TCL S45H to the TV or check sound from your usual source. To prepare for a reset, follow this step. Check the model name and locate Power, Volume − and Volume + on the soundbar itself. Compare the controls with the linked manufacturer instructions.
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https://fixmytvsound.com/en/guides/tcl-s45h/YOUR MODEL · SOCKETS AND CONTROL FROM TCL’S MANUAL
Connect TCL S45H and test the TV sound
These instructions use TCL’s US manual for S45H. Match the full model code and socket labels to your soundbar. Follow your own TV’s manual for its sockets and menus.
HDMI ARC / eARC
TV audio return to HDMI (eARC)
See the controls in the manufacturer instructions ↗
- On the TV, find the HDMI socket marked ARC or eARC. The TV must support one of these functions. Follow the label and number in your exact TV manual; HDMI numbers vary between models.
- Connect the HDMI cable between that TV socket and HDMI (eARC) on the soundbar.
- Enable HDMI-CEC in the TV settings using the TV manual. Select the output for the HDMI-connected sound system if the TV asks you to choose.
- Select HDMI eARC with the soundbar’s Source. LED: magenta. Then try the same programme from your TV or TV box.
This model has one HDMI port, labelled HDMI (eARC).
Optical cable
OPTICAL OUT → OPTICAL
See the controls in the manufacturer instructions ↗
- Remove any protective caps from the cable ends. Avoid sharp bends or kinks.
- Connect the TV’s optical audio output, often labelled OPTICAL OUT or DIGITAL AUDIO OUT (OPTICAL), to OPTICAL on the soundbar.
- Select Optical with the soundbar’s Source. LED: yellow.
- Select the TV’s optical output for the connected sound system if needed. Use the TV’s own manual for the menu path. Play the same programme and listen to the soundbar.
Briefly press Source to select the input
Switch on the soundbar. On top, find the arrow entering a rectangle. Briefly press Source one step at a time until the required input is selected. Use short presses for input selection.
See the controls in the manufacturer instructions ↗
| Your cable | Select input | Look for |
|---|---|---|
| HDMI ARC / eARC | HDMI eARC | LED: magenta |
| Optical | Optical | LED: yellow |
The indication identifies the selected input. Check the sound by listening to the soundbar while your programme is playing.
The indicators can turn off after 10 seconds without an operation. A dark indicator alone does not establish missing power or sound. Watch for the correct colour while selecting the input and judge the result by listening. Indicator behaviour in the manual ↗
Test the programme that was silent
Use the same app or TV box as before. Play a passage with speech and listen for sound from the soundbar itself. Can you hear the speech now? Retest the original programme after each change.
If the soundbar is still silent
- Check that the soundbar is switched on. Turn off mute and increase the soundbar volume a little.
- Check that the audio cable is connected to the correct socket at both ends and that the selected input matches the cable. Use the sockets shown above.
- Check the selected TV audio output using its manual. For HDMI, CEC should be enabled. Try the same programme again.
Only if optical audio is still silent: Note the TV or source device’s current digital audio format and try PCM using that device’s manual. Listen to the same programme again and restore the previous setting if it does not help. TCL’s optical-audio instructions ↗
Source market: United States. Links open the manual’s PDF pages. Follow-up checks written by Fix My TV Sound. Check audio formats and TV passthrough separately for your combination of devices.
YOUR MODEL · INDEPENDENT STEP GUIDE
Factory reset TCL S45H
Checked against TCL’s US manual S45H-US_UM_V2.1_20251230. Compare the full model code and controls with your soundbar.
Choose this when you intend to perform a factory reset. Note any personal sound settings you want to restore afterwards. A normal restart keeps your settings.
Try a normal restart first
If the soundbar is on, hold only Power to switch it off. Then briefly press Power to turn it on again. Select your usual audio source and try the same programme. Let any software update finish before restarting.
Power-button functions in TCL’s manual ↗Power · volume − · volume + together on the soundbar10 seconds
See the controls in the manufacturer instructions ↗
STEP 1 / 3Locate the controls on your model
Check the model name and locate Power, Volume − and Volume + on the soundbar itself. Compare the controls with the linked manufacturer instructions.
See the controls in the manufacturer instructions ↗
STEP 2 / 3Hold all three together
Hold Power, Volume − and Volume + together on the soundbar for 10 seconds.
See the controls in the manufacturer instructions ↗
STEP 3 / 3Confirm the reset
Check that the LED flashes white and then goes off. Confirm only if you saw both stages; a light that was already off is not enough.
White LED flash → LED offConfirm that the LED first flashed white and then turned off. A dark LED alone does not confirm a reset.
If the expected message or light sequence does not appear, the reset is not confirmed. Compare the model code and the three controls with the manual before trying again.
Select the source and test the sound again
If the soundbar is off after the reset, briefly press Power to turn it on. Select the input for your usual audio source. Play the same programme again and listen for sound.
Select the input using TCL’s manual ↗
Reset and US sources checked 2026-11-05. Guide written by Fix My TV Sound.
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