You bought a new smart TV: here’s what to actually plug in

Streaming sticks, soundbars, game consoles, and the one cable that quietly ruins picture quality. A calm walkthrough.

A new TV can come with a confusing pile of cables and apps. The good news: you only need to get a few things right for a great picture and simple day-to-day use.

Use a good HDMI cable into the right port

Look for the HDMI port labeled “eARC” for a soundbar, and use a high-speed HDMI cable for any 4K device. The cheapest old cable in the drawer is often the reason a picture looks worse than it should.

Keep the remotes to a minimum

Most modern TVs can control the volume and power of a connected soundbar, so you can put the extra remotes away. We are happy to set this up and label everything clearly when we visit.