PCM Audio on Sony TV: Configure the Output

Setting a Sony TV to PCM: the short answer

To get PCM audio from a Sony TV, open the TV's sound or audio output settings and find the digital audio output option. On many Sony models it offers a choice between an automatic mode and PCM. Selecting PCM makes the TV decode the audio itself and send uncompressed audio to the connected soundbar, receiver or headphones amplifier instead of passing through a compressed surround format. Exact menu names and locations differ between model years and operating systems, so check the help guide for your specific model if the labels do not match.

• Connect the audio device through optical or HDMI ARC/eARC and confirm the TV is using it as the sound output device.
• Open the TV's sound settings and locate the digital audio output setting.
• Change it from the automatic option to PCM.
• Play content from the TV's own apps or tuner and confirm the external device reports a PCM or stereo signal.
• If audio arrives through another HDMI input device, such as a set-top box or console, check that device's own audio output setting as well.

What PCM means and how the TV handles it

PCM, or pulse-code modulation, is uncompressed digital audio. Streaming apps, broadcasts and discs often carry sound in compressed formats such as Dolby Digital. In automatic mode, a Sony TV typically forwards that compressed stream (a bitstream) to the external device, which must decode it. In PCM mode, the TV decodes the stream first and sends plain PCM, so the receiving output device only needs to accept PCM.

The connection type limits what PCM can carry. An optical (S/PDIF) link carries two-channel PCM; multichannel sound over optical is only possible as a compressed bitstream. Standard HDMI ARC is also generally limited to stereo PCM in practice. eARC has enough bandwidth for multichannel PCM, but whether your TV sends it depends on the model, firmware and the eARC device. Treat format support as something to verify in your TV's and audio device's specifications rather than assume.

When to choose PCM and when to leave it on Auto

PCM is the practical choice when the external device cannot decode the format the TV is sending. Typical signs are silence on some apps but not others, crackling, dropouts, or a soundbar that shows an unsupported-format message. Older soundbars, basic stereo amplifiers, some DACs and optical headphone transmitters often accept only PCM, so forcing PCM can restore sound immediately.

Leave the setting on Auto when you use a surround receiver or soundbar that decodes Dolby formats and you connect over optical or ARC. In that setup, switching to PCM usually reduces the signal to stereo and you lose discrete surround channels. With eARC and a device that accepts multichannel PCM, PCM may not cost you channels, but object-based formats such as Dolby Atmos generally need bitstream passthrough.

• Stereo-only speakers or amplifier: PCM is usually the simplest and most compatible option.
• Surround system over optical or ARC: Auto keeps compressed surround; PCM gives stereo.
• Intermittent sound or lip-sync problems after a format change: try PCM to see whether the decoding step on the external device is the cause.
• Game console or streaming box on an HDMI input: the TV can only output what that source sends, so set the source device consistently.

Limits and related questions

PCM output does not improve audio beyond what the source contains; it only changes where decoding happens. The sample rate the TV outputs, often 48 kHz for TV and streaming content, is normally fixed by the TV and is not always adjustable. Some Sony models also hide or grey out the digital output setting while the TV speakers are selected, or when an HDMI control feature is managing the sound system, so switch the output to the external device first.

If sound is still missing after selecting PCM, check cable seating, the ARC or eARC labelled HDMI port, and whether HDMI device control is enabled on both ends. If the volume is too low or uneven, look for a digital output level or volume setting on the TV and the input level on the external device; these are separate from the PCM choice. Background noise or hiss usually comes from the analog stage of the speakers or amplifier rather than from the PCM setting itself.

Settings names, available options and supported formats change between Sony model lines and software updates. When in doubt, compare your model's help guide with the audio device's list of supported input formats before deciding between PCM and automatic output.