DA25 Overview and Use Cases – OREI

What Is the DA25?

The OREI DA25 is an ARC to analog audio converter designed to extract audio from a TV’s ARC or eARC HDMI port and convert it into 2-channel analog stereo audio through RCA or 3.5mm output.

The DA25 is commonly used to connect a modern TV to older audio equipment that only has analog audio inputs. It allows audio from a TV’s ARC or eARC port to be sent to powered speakers, headphones, amplifiers, receivers, or stereo systems using RCA or 3.5mm audio connections.

The DA25 is a simple PCM-based ARC audio converter. It supports PCM 2.0 audio and outputs analog stereo audio only.

IMPORTANT — DA25 Only Supports PCM / Stereo Audio

The OREI DA25 does not support Dolby Digital or DTS decoding or downmixing.

This means it cannot convert Dolby Digital, DTS, Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby Atmos, or any surround sound format into analog stereo audio.

To get audio from the RCA or 3.5mm output ports, your TV’s audio output format must be set to PCM, or Stereo from the TV audio settings menu.

If your TV is set to Dolby Digital, DTS, Bitstream, Auto, Pass-Through, or Surround Sound, the DA25 will not output audio because it cannot decode or downmix those audio formats.

IMPORTANT — DA25 Converts ARC TV Audio to Analog Audio

The DA25 is designed to take audio from a TV’s ARC or eARC HDMI port and convert it to analog stereo audio.

This is useful when your TV has an HDMI ARC or eARC output, but your audio system only has RCA or 3.5mm analog input.

For example, the DA25 can be used to connect:

ARC TV to RCA amplifier
ARC TV to powered speakers
ARC TV to older stereo receiver
ARC TV to 3.5mm headphones or speakers

The DA25 is not a standard HDMI audio extractor for direct HDMI source devices. It is designed to receive audio from the TV’s ARC or eARC HDMI port only.

Ports and Panel Layout

Port / LED	Location	Function
Power LED	Left panel	Red LED turns on when the device is powered
DC 5V	Left panel	Connect the included USB power cable using a USB power adapter
Reserved LED	Left panel	Reserved LED for service team use
ARC LED	Left panel	Turns on when the ARC IN port is receiving an active ARC signal
ARC IN	Left panel	Connects to the TV’s ARC/eARC HDMI port
3.5mm Stereo AUDIO OUT	Right panel	Connects to headphones, powered speakers, amplifiers, or other 3.5mm audio devices
RCA AUDIO OUT	Right panel	Connects to an amplifier, receiver, powered speakers, or stereo audio system

Step-by-Step Setup

Connect an HDMI cable from your TV’s ARC or eARC HDMI port to the ARC IN port on the DA25.
Connect the DA25 to your audio device:
- Use RCA L/R output for an amplifier, receiver, powered speakers, or stereo system.
- Use the 3.5mm output for headphones, powered speakers, or a 3.5mm audio input.
Connect the included USB power cable to the DA25 and plug it into a USB power adapter or USB power source.
Turn on the TV and the connected audio device.
Go into your TV’s audio settings and enable ARC.
Set the TV audio output to HDMI ARC, “external speaker”, receiver, or audio system, depending on your TV’s menu.
Set the TV audio format to PCM, or Stereo.
Check the LEDs on the DA25:
- Power LED should be on.
- ARC LED should be on when the TV is sending an active ARC signal.
Adjust volume from the connected amplifier, powered speakers, headphones, or audio device if needed.

Audio Format Requirement — Critical

The DA25 requires the TV audio output format to be set to PCM 2.0 or Stereo.

This is the most important setup requirement.

If there is no sound from the RCA or 3.5mm outputs, check the TV’s audio settings and make sure the digital audio format is not set to Dolby Digital, DTS, Bitstream, Auto, or Pass-Through.

Use PCM, Stereo or 2CH.

Do not use Dolby Digital, DTS, Bitstream, Auto, Pass-Through, Surround Sound

IMPORTANT — DA25 Does NOT Support CEC Volume Control

The DA25 does not support CEC volume control.

This means your TV remote will not control the volume of the audio device connected to the RCA or 3.5mm output ports.

If you connect speakers, headphones, an amplifier, or a stereo receiver to the DA25, volume must be controlled from the connected audio device itself, not from the TV remote.

For example:

If you connect powered speakers, use the speaker volume control.
If you connect an amplifier, use the amplifier volume control.
If you connect headphones, use a headphone amp or volume control if available.

The TV remote may still control the TV interface, but it will not adjust the analog output volume from the DA25 through CEC. This is because CEC is an HDMI-only feature and does not work over other ports such as Optical, RCA or 3.5mm.

What Audio Devices Is the DA25 Compatible With?

The OREI DA25 is compatible with audio devices that accept analog RCA or 3.5mm stereo input.

It can be used with:

Powered speakers
Stereo amplifiers
Older AV receivers
Headphones
3.5mm speaker systems
RCA stereo systems
Audio receivers without HDMI ARC

The connected audio device must accept 2-channel analog stereo audio.

What TVs Is the DA25 Compatible With?

The OREI DA25 is compatible with TVs that support HDMI ARC or eARC audio output.

It can work with audio from:

Smart TV apps like Netflix, YouTube, Disney+, Prime Video, Hulu, etc.
Cable box or other streaming devices like Fire TV Stick connect to one of the other inputs on the TV

For best results, ARC must be enabled in the TV settings, and the HDMI cable must be connected to the TV’s ARC or eARC HDMI port.

If your TV has eARC, the DA25 can still work because ARC/eARC is generally backward compatible. However, the TV audio format must still be set to PCM or Stereo and eARC should be disabled in the settings while “Audio Return Channel” stays active.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What is the OREI DA25 used for?
A: The DA25 is used to convert audio from a TV’s ARC or eARC HDMI port into analog stereo audio through RCA or 3.5mm output.

Q: Can the DA25 get audio from TV apps like Netflix, YouTube, or Disney+?
A: Yes. As long as your TV has an ARC/eARC HDMI port, the DA25 can convert that audio to RCA or 3.5mm analog stereo output.

Q: Does the DA25 support Dolby Digital or DTS?
A: No. The DA25 does not support Dolby Digital or DTS decoding or downmixing. The TV audio output must be set to PCM, or Stereo.

Q: My TV is eARC. Will the DA25 work?
A: Yes, ARC/eARC is generally backward compatible. However, the DA25 only supports PCM 2.0 / Stereo audio, so the TV audio format must still be set to PCM or Stereo. Most eARC TVs will have a setting to turn off eARC and only pass through standard ARC, it is recommended to keep it that way.

Q: Can the DA25 downmix or convert Dolby Digital or DTS 5.1 to stereo?
A: No. The DA25 cannot downmix Dolby Digital or DTS 5.1 to stereo. If you need Dolby Digital or DTS downmixing, use a model such as the DA26 instead.

Q: Does the DA25 output surround sound?
A: No. The DA25 outputs 2-channel analog stereo audio only through RCA and 3.5mm.

Q: Can I connect the DA25 directly to a Blu-ray player, Roku, Apple TV, or game console?
A: No. The DA25 is designed to receive audio from a TV’s ARC HDMI port. It is not a standard HDMI audio extractor for direct HDMI source devices. It does not work with ARC/eARC soundbars either.

Q: What should I do if audio still plays from the TV speakers?
A: Go into your TV’s audio settings and enable ARC. Then set the TV speaker output to HDMI ARC, external speaker, receiver, or audio system, depending on your TV menu.

Q: Will my TV remote control the volume of speakers connected to the DA25?
A: No. The DA25 does not support CEC volume control. The TV remote will not control the volume of the audio device connected to the RCA or 3.5mm ports. Volume must be controlled from the connected speakers, amplifier, receiver, or headphones separately.