We bought a 65-inch TCL TV 65Q7C and a TCL Soundbar Q85H Pro because we expected a same-brand ecosystem to work properly. Both were purchased from Amazon.es, and we assumed TCL would ensure basic compatibility between its own TV and soundbar.
Unfortunately, the eARC handshake does not work reliably, passthrough is unstable, and the setup remains stuck in PCM or produces distorted, wobbly sound when passthrough is attempted. We have already tried the standard fixes, so this is not a user error or a simple configuration mistake.
What is frustrating is that this appears to be a known issue affecting many users, yet TCL seems to deflect responsibility rather than clearly acknowledge software or compatibility failures in its own products. That kind of response damages trust and sends customers away from a brand that should be competing on reliability, not excuses.
TCL should be addressing these recurring compatibility problems internally and providing a genuine solution for home users facing eARC handshake failures. Doing so would help protect the brand’s reputation in Europe, which is being weakened by unresolved product interoperability issues.