D In on Samsung Sound Bar — Explained In Detail (2023)

With all the hype about RCAs, and the king of all connections, the HDMI, a lot of people seem to gloss over the D.in input found on the back of soundbars. Our experts are here to explain what the D.in in a Samsung soundbar means so you don’t hook up your device incorrectly and damage your system. 

D In Samsung Sound Bar

What Does It Stand For?

What does the D.in stand for on the back of a Samsung soundbar? You may see it on other devices as the D-in or Digital In All. Whatever title it has, it means the same thing. This input on the back of a soundbar is for an all-digital setup. In other words, it is where your digital optical cable goes.

The D.in input requires a fiber optic cable as the digital optical cable for the best signal relays. Although it is digital, it still differs from HDMI as it only sends audio signals. 

Uses of the Soundbar Digital Input

So, what is a digital input used for? For example, a D.in Samsung soundbar means it can transfer digital audio signals from your source to the soundbar.

samsung soundbar

Digital audio signals are what we see in our movie content today, and are of much higher quality than their analog counterparts.

Samsung Soundbar Switches and Connection to D In

A Samsung soundbar will have a variety of connection options, one of which is the D.in. To connect it via this input, you need to locate the digital out on your TV and the digital audio input on the soundbar, which is the D.in port. Plug in the corresponding ends into each port and you’re good to go.

You then need to locate the “source” button on the remote, and go into the settings to select the D.in Samsung soundbar setting. 

Samsung Soundbar D. In No Sound Issue

If you are experiencing no sound from the D.in port, then there are a couple of things you can do to figure out why. First, start by jimmying the ends of your optical cable gently. Sometimes the ends aren’t inserted correctly and will result in the lack of audio.

home soundbar with Samsung logo

In certain soundbars, after hooking it up, you will need to go into the menu and change the soundbar settings to D.In. You can do this by locating the “source” button on the remote.

Availability on Other Devices

The D.in port isn’t only found on soundbars. You can also find them in a host of other devices including TVs, game consoles, receivers, DVD players, DVRs and more. The only difference is they could be labeled differently, but they all process digital audio signals.

Digital Input Compared to HDMI and Other Connections

How does the digital input stand up to other connections such as the HDMI? HDMI and coaxial can both process audio and digital signals, making them a one-cable hookup for your home theater sound system. A digital input is only for audio. However, if audio is all you need, then our experts say the D.in cables are excellent. 

The difference between HDMI audio and digital input audio is the quality. Since quality is what we look for in viewing and listening experiences, it can make all the difference when choosing which cable is better to use.  

ports of Samsung HW-MM55C

HDMI cables can process very high-resolution quality audio including Dolby [1] and DTS technologies, while digital may only support 5.0 channels at most. So if most of the  content you enjoy is of higher quality than that, you may have to choose the HDMI cable.

Your choice at the end of the day could also impact the cost. Since you only need one HDMI cable for both audio and visual signals, it may be more affordable to go with HDMI than two digital cables. 

(Want an enjoyable golfing experience? Here are the top-quality golf cart soundbars you can use during games) 

FAQ

What does D in mean on Samsung sound bar? 

The D.in on a Samsung sound bar stands for digital optical input. It is on the back of most soundbars but it can sometimes be labeled as D-in or Digital In All, or simply just Digital. It requires a fiber optic cable to relay audio signals from one device to another. 

Conclusion

The D.in in a Samsung soundbar is recommended by our team if HDMI isn’t available on your device. They can still process digital signals, though not as high quality as the HDMI, and are the second-best choice. Just be careful when plugging in the cable as fiber optic is fragile. 

For a seamless remote-soundbar setup, you can check this page about how to program universal remote codes for Insignia soundbar. Read next! 

Writer

Picture of Willie Greer
Willie Greer
Willie Greer is the founder of The Product Analyst. A cinephile, he has made it a personal quest to achieve the awesomest home theater possible. He now shares what he has learned through the years on the site, and has enlisted the help of tech-savvy colleagues in providing more insight about today’s most sought-after gadgets.