How to Set Up a Richsound Research TB355 Soundbar

Authored by: Support.com Tech Pro Team

1. Introduction

This guide will walk you through the basic setup of your Richsound Research TB355 soundbar.

Richard Research TB355

2. Initial Setup

Placement and Power

  1. Place your soundbar centered under your television.
Diagram of soundbar placed under television
  1. Connect the power cable to your soundbar.
Diagram of connecting power cable to soundbar
  1. Remove the protective tab from the remote for the battery.
Diagram indicating removing the plastic tab from battery on remote

Audio

Your soundbar can make a connection to your television in 4 different ways.

  • Optical connection
  • Optical works for most televisions and is the most common, and best supported way to make the connection to your soundbar.
  • HDMI ARC (Audio Return Channel)
  • HDMI ARC is not used frequently, but allows you to pass audio over an HDMI cable to your soundbar.
  • Coax
  • Some televisions have a coax out, but it is not very common.
  • Aux
  • Again, this is not a common output, but some televisions can use either an RCA to minijack, or a minijack to minijack connection.

3. Optical Connection

OpticalOptical allows you to use a simple, single-wire connection from your television to your sound bar to enjoy all your media with your new soundbar automatically.

  1. Connect one end of the optical audio cable to the back of your television, and the other end to the back of your soundbar.
Diagram of connecting optical cable to television and soundbar


  1. Set your television to use the Optical Out for sound. Consult your television's manual for help locating this setting.
  2. Push the Power button on the remote.
Diagram of remote with power button highlighted


  1. Push the Optical key on the remote, the OPT/COA light will turn on on the Control Panel.
Diagram of soundbar lights with Optical highlighted

4. Using the Remote

Remote Control Overview

Remote Control
Power

PowerTurns your soundbar on and off.Your soundbar will automatically turn on when you are using it, and turn off when you are done using it.MUTEMutes the sound, push again to turn sound back on.VOL+Volume UpIncreases the Volume.❚◄◄Skip BackSkips backward in your music playlist when using a Bluetooth device.►❚❚/PairPlay / PausePlays or pauses when controlling Bluetooth devices. Also allows you to pair new Bluetooth devices.►►❚Skip ForwardSkips forward in your music playlist when using a Bluetooth device.VOL-Volume DownDecreases the volume.TOSwitches to the auxiliary, or mini-jack connection.BTSwitches to Bluetooth connection.OPTICALSwitches to the optical connection.COAXIALSwitches to the coaxial connection.HDMIARCSwitches to the HDMI ARC connection.EQAllows you to toggle between the news, movies, and music preset audio equalizer profiles.Control Panel Overview

Control panel diagram.

AUX LightLets you know the auxiliary device is selected to hear sounds from.BT LightLets you know the Bluetooth device is selected to hear sounds from.OPT/COA LightLets you know the optical or coax device is selected to hear sounds from.HDMI ARC LightLets you know the HDMI ARC device is selected to hear sounds from.

Power

PowerTurns your soundbar on and off.Your soundbar will automatically turn on when you are using it, and turn off when you are done using it.

Source

Switch between input sources.EQAllows you to toggle between the news, movies, and music preset audio equalizer profiles.-Volume DownDecreases the volume.+Volume UpIncreases the Volume.

5. Pair Bluetooth

  1. Press the BT button on your remote.
Remote with bluetooth button highlighted
  1. The BT light on the soundbar will flash slowly.
Control panel with BT light highlighted
  1. If the light does not flash, push and hold the Play/Pause (Pair) button on the remote, until it does.

6. Pair Bluetooth Devices

Some Bluetooth accessories are configured with a PIN or a passkey that is often listed in its manual. Check your Bluetooth accessory manual for the correct PIN or passkey.

Depending on what device (Smartphone or Tablet) and which generation you have, the menu theme and options might look slightly different on your screen. However, the steps should be similar to all Android devices and generations.

Use one of the following connection methods:

  • Method 1 - The Drop Down Menu
  • Method 2 - Settings

Drop down menu

  1. Swipe down from the top of the device screen if it's a phone or up from the bottom of the device screen if it's a tablet to access the menu.
  2. Locate the Bluetooth icon.
Bluetooth icon.
  1. Press and hold the Bluetooth icon.
  2. Swipe the switch to your right to set the Bluetooth accessory in pairing/discovery mode.
  3. A list of nearby devices and previously paired devices will be shown.
  4. In the list of Available Devices, choose the Bluetooth accessory you wish to pair with.
Android bluetooth menu showing the bluetooth switch in the on position and a list of bluetooth devices currently in range.


  1. If you are prompted for a passkey, put it in. If there is no passkey, then your Bluetooth accessory should be paired now.

Android menu settings

  1. Locate and tap the Apps Menu.
Android apps icon.
  1. Locate and tap the Settings icon.
Android Settings icon.
  1. Select the Bluetooth. You may need to select Connections first.
  2. Swipe the switch to your right to set the Bluetooth accessory in pairing/discovery mode.
  3. A list of nearby devices and previously paired devices will be shown.
  4. In the list of Available Devices, choose the Bluetooth accessory you wish to pair with.
Android bluetooth menu showing the bluetooth switch in the on position and a list of bluetooth devices currently in range.
  1. If you are prompted for a passkey, put it in. If there is no passkey, then your Bluetooth accessory should be paired now.

7. Connect Bluetooth

Some Bluetooth accessories are configured with a PIN or a passkey that is often listed in its information manual. Check your Bluetooth accessory documentation for the correct PIN or passkey.

From Any iOS Device (iPod, iPad, iPhone)

  1. Open Settings
iOS Settings.
  1. Then Bluetooth.
Settings menu with Bluetooth highlighted.
  1. Set the Bluetooth accessory in pairing/discovery mode.
  2. Wait for your iOS device to display the detected Bluetooth accessory.
Bluetooth settings page.
  1. Select the Bluetooth accessory to pair it with the iOS device.
  2. If a PIN or passkey is required, you will be prompted to enter it.
  3. If there is no passkey, your Bluetooth accessory should connect without issue.

8. HDMI ARC Connection

HDMI ARCHDMI ARC allows you to use a single HDMI cable from your television to your soundbar. It tends not to be widely available, but is simple provided your television supports it.

  1. Using a High-Speed HDMI with Ethernet cable, connect the cable to the back of your television in the HDMI ARC port, and the HDMI Out (TV ARC) port on your soundbar.
Diagram of connecting HDMI cable to television and soundbar
  1. Set your television to use HDMI ARC or SIMPLINK for sound. Consult your television's manual for help locating this setting.
  2. Push the Power button on the remote.
Remote with power button highlighted
  1. Push the HDMI ARC key on the remote, the HDMI ARC light will turn on on the Control Panel.
soundbar lights with HDMI ARC highlighted

9. Coax Connection

Coax ConnectionCoax allows you to use a simple, single wire connection from your television to your sound bar to enjoy all your media with your new soundbar automatically.

  1. Connect one end of the coax audio cable to the back of your television, and the other end to the back of your soundbar.
Connecting coax cable from television to soundbar
  1. Set your television to use the Coax Out for sound. Consult your television's manual for help locating this setting.
  2. Push the Power button on the remote.
Remote with power button highlighted
  1. Push the Coaxial key on the remote, the OPT/COA light will turn on on the Control Panel.
Soundbar lights with Coax highlighted

10. Aux Connection

Aux ConnectionAux allows you to connect using RCA or mini-jack outputs from your television.

  1. Using RCA or minijack, depending on what your television has, connect one end of the audio cable to the back of your television, and the other end to the back of your soundbar.
Connecting minijack or RCA cables to television and soundbar
  1. Set your television to use the RCA or Headphones Out for sound. Consult your television's manual for help locating this setting.
  2. Push the Power button on the remote.
Remote with power button highlighted
  1. Push the Aux key on the remote, the Aux light will turn on on the Control Panel.
Soundbar lights with Aux highlighted