Headphones for watching television

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[XAP]Bob
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Re: Headphones for watching television

Post by [XAP]Bob »

As someone who has done this for hearing aids...

Beware, some digital outputs will be copy protected - so they won't necessarily actually give you decent audio (or indeed any) unless plugged into something with copy protection as well....

The major disadvantage of headphones is that they tend to mute the rest of the TV. One thing that might be worth considering is a soundbar of some sort - to give a clearer sound, and potentially a second output which could be fed to headphones of some sort. Of course clearer room sound is never the same as headphones will give :(

Do you (or does she):
- Frequently move away from watching (to get cup of tea, go to the loo etc)
If so then wireless is probably well worth considering, but low latency is absolutely key. Interestingly you might want to be able to dial *in* some latency. One issue I have found a few times is that T-Loops are often configured to be faster than the speed of sound in air, so what I do hear through the mics in my hearing aids is "behind".
(Last time I went to my previous church I had to go over to the audio desk, apologise to the operator - who knew that I had set the desk up originally - and dial in some delay to the loop to compensate for the speed of sound in the air).

- Do you strongly object to batteries (either for environmental or practical reasons)
If so then an extension cable can be discretely routed around the room to provide a socket next to "her spot". After a recent fixed install I now use hot glue to attach cables to the top of skirting etc.
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thirdcrank
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Re: Headphones for watching television

Post by thirdcrank »

I've unsuccessfully tried a sound bar.

"Latency" in this context is over my head so I've no idea how to dial some in.
Jdsk
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Re: Headphones for watching television

Post by Jdsk »

With solutions that convert the signal to digital eg Bluetooth there can be a problem with latency. The time taken to process the signal creates a lag between the unaffected video and the affected audio. Humans are very sensitive to this lag.

Some cheap Bluetooth transmitters are described as "low latency" but I don't know a reliable way of being sure that there won't be a problem.

Jonathan
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horizon
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Re: Headphones for watching television

Post by horizon »

horizon wrote: 13 May 2021, 8:51pm So simple in fact that there is probably something I have missed.
I don't think the trailing wire (long lead) is an issue and the quality of sound is excellent (improved in fact). What I missed is that you still wanted to hear the TV, which I most certainly didn't. :lol:

Two TVs?
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rjb
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Re: Headphones for watching television

Post by rjb »

If you have a hi fi system going spare, even a small all in one mini system with an aux input, you could use headphones for Mrs TC plugged in to the TV and use the TV output from the scart socket to plug into the aux socket on your hi fi to give you the sound on its speakers. :wink:
What was the problem with the sound bar?
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thirdcrank
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Re: Headphones for watching television

Post by thirdcrank »

Daft as it may seem, the biggest issue with a long-wire set up would be the fact of the socket being behind the telly ie extra faffing if it had to be moved. Also daft as it may seem, I'm not a telly enthusiast so I'm a passive viewer (as in passive smoker) so it might not be a hardship not to be able to hear the box.
======================

Apart from all our tellies (mainly inherited and not junked) I don't think we have anything with a scart socket.
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RickH
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Re: Headphones for watching television

Post by RickH »

Another thought.

If you don't mind both using headphones, you could use a headphone amplifier such as this one from Studiospares for £20. (IMHO Studiospares are a reliable firm & their own brand stuff is usually well made & good value. I've no connections with them apart from a happy customer. Other suppliers of similar kit are available)
Image
You can independently control the volume of up to 4 outputs & could be combined with wireless links on the input or output sides (or both).
Former member of the Cult of the Polystyrene Head Carbuncle.
thirdcrank
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Re: Headphones for watching television

Post by thirdcrank »

That looks very interesting.

It also reminds me that we used to have a Maplins just down the road and I'd have gone there if I needed to explore anything like this - and probably come out with something else like a radio-controlled toy helicopter.
merseymouth
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Re: Headphones for watching television

Post by merseymouth »

Morning, This has long been an issue for me, so have been wearing "Cans" for years.
Sennheisers work for me, but so do others.
But the real problem comes with getting the right TV, as many insist on muting the normal sound out-put!
Even brands which have been useable can turn out models which don't offer the essential facility. Panasonic and Sony both create such issues!
Just about a year ago I found that I was unhappy with the on-screen text such as used with the football results etc, they appear to have been changed for the benefit of mega screen boxes, so our 29" model didn't offer clarity. So we had to up-size.
Immediately chose a Panasonic model, but sadly I didn't grill the sales staff so found that I had got a bum one!
Well, there is a chap in John Lewis who I chat to, so I approached him. Job sorted, he took back the Panasonic, then replaced it with a Sony model that gave us what we need. But even then it helps to have an I.T. Degree to set the electronic goldfish bowl up?
So buying on-line is a risk, prepare to actually pay for service. 8) MM
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Mick F
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Re: Headphones for watching television

Post by Mick F »

Mrs Mick F has two pairs of headphones. Both Sony. One wired and the other bluetooth.

We have a smart TV ........... I've still not watched anything iPlayer or live telly on it, but that's another subject! :lol:

She can connect up via bluetooth and the main volume can be turned off, so I don't have to hear it. I go to bed early, so she watches telly after I'm in bed, and undisturbed by the telly noise.

It's possible to have two bluetooth devices connected, so we could both wear headphones I suppose, or she on headphones and me with the speaker.
Mick F. Cornwall
thirdcrank
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Re: Headphones for watching television

Post by thirdcrank »

I have a couple of numpty questions.

As I've been looking at different possibilities, I've found a Sennheiser set up on Amazon which comes with a suggestion for a connector to the audio sockets on the telly.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Sennheiser-RS- ... JQG0HZYFDW

I take it that that's a way of using the headphone plug without switching off the sound. NQ 1 Am I right?

When I look at the manual for the telly, the connection diagram for the audio sockets only shows an input from an external device. NQ 2 Will these sockets inevitably be in/out? I don't want to depend on trial and error.

http://tv.manualsonline.com/manuals/mfg ... s510b.html
Jdsk
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Re: Headphones for watching television

Post by Jdsk »

thirdcrank wrote: 15 May 2021, 8:03amAs I've been looking at different possibilities, I've found a Sennheiser set up on Amazon which comes with a suggestion for a connector to the audio sockets on the telly.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Sennheiser-RS- ... JQG0HZYFDW

I take it that that's a way of using the headphone plug without switching off the sound. NQ 1 Am I right?

That has two inputs:

Digital input: optical
Analog input: 3.5 mm jack socket


Whether connecting it mutes the TV sound or not depends on the TV.

Typically:

Analogue jack connections DO mute the sound from the TV's internal speakers.
Digital audio outputs (and analogue RCA connections, and analogue SCART connections) DON'T mute the sound from the TV's internal speakers.

But there may be exceptions, and in some TVs it's controllable.

Jonathan
Last edited by Jdsk on 15 May 2021, 8:44am, edited 1 time in total.
Jdsk
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Re: Headphones for watching television

Post by Jdsk »

thirdcrank wrote: 15 May 2021, 8:03amWhen I look at the manual for the telly, the connection diagram for the audio sockets only shows an input from an external device. NQ 2 Will these sockets inevitably be in/out? I don't want to depend on trial and error.

http://tv.manualsonline.com/manuals/mfg ... s510b.html
The TX-32CS510B has digital audio out. "One, rear."

https://www.panasonic.com/uk/support/di ... specs.html

Jonathan
Jdsk
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Re: Headphones for watching television

Post by Jdsk »

There's a current discussion of this on Digital Spy:
https://forums.digitalspy.com/discussio ... headphones

Jonathan
thirdcrank
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Re: Headphones for watching television

Post by thirdcrank »

Thanks.

That seems to confirm my suspicions. I've now remembered that another forum member helpfully explained how to to a screenshot and here's one of the diagram I referred to above.
Screenshot (15).png
Re: the possibility of setting the telly so that the earphone socket does not mute the speakers, I have checked both by reading the manual and exploring the on-screen menus and this is not possible on this model.

AIUI, the digital output is Dolby and I don't think the Sennheiser system works with that, although I only checked on another model of their kit.
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