topic TV, Headphones, USB (?) question in Electronics

TV, Headphones, USB (?) question

Moonchilde — Fri, 28 Jul 2017 16:44:22 GMT

I had hoped to buy a TV that included Bluetooth, but in the end I didn't as it was about $150 more. It is wifi/smart though.

If I buy the old-fashioned RF headphones to use, I have read that every time I want to use the headphones I'll need to be plugging and unplugging the headphones, because while they're plugged in no sound will come out of the TV speakers. Not a fan of that scenario.

I have also read (this was a CNET article I think) that you can buy a BT transmitter and plug it into a USB port on the TV and then use a BT headset - and again undo it when not being used - I think (that's unclear to me). I've read where you need to use the 3.5 audio jacks for the transmitter and I've read you can use a USB port. Does anyone have any knowledge of or experience with this? TV will be on the wall, so not wanting to mess with it a lot if possible.

I was planning to ask at Radio Shack but ALL of ours are gone. I will ask at Best Buy, but it's a kwap shoot whether I'll find someone there who actually knows.

One last question/thought - if I have headphones that are wi-fi enabled and the TV has wifi, is that enough in itself? Will they connect with each other via the house wi-fi? Yes, I know, that may be a very dumb question, but I've never dealt with trying to use headphones for TV before.

Sharper Image has a device that lets you put a movable rechargeable speaker right next to you, but AFAIC it's a ridiculous price, so..I don't think so. And it might have the same plugging/unplugging issue.

Thanks for any info.

Re: TV, Headphones, USB (?) question

Lilysmom — Fri, 28 Jul 2017 16:57:26 GMT

@Moonchilde, I don't have an answer for you but @hckynutjohn @hckynut might be able to help. I will be interested to hear the reply as well. Good luck! LM

Re: TV, Headphones, USB (?) question

Moonchilde — Fri, 28 Jul 2017 17:03:29 GMT

@Lilysmom wrote:
@Moonchilde, I don't have an answer for you but @hckynutjohn @hckynut might be able to help. I will be interested to hear the reply as well. Good luck! LM

@Lilysmom, I think @gardenman has weighed in on electronics too, but I might be wrong about that.

Re: TV, Headphones, USB (?) question

Lilysmom — Fri, 28 Jul 2017 17:13:43 GMT

@Moonchilde, yes I think you are right. Both of them are quite knowledgeable I think. LM

Re: TV, Headphones, USB (?) question

glb613 — Fri, 28 Jul 2017 20:51:50 GMT

If you do a Google search for wireless headphones for TV, you'll find several sites. I'd post the link but I think that's a no no and the post would be deleted.

Re: TV, Headphones, USB (?) question

phoenixbrd — Fri, 28 Jul 2017 21:30:18 GMT

@Moonchilde I'm using the new Apple air pods and love them. They are so light and unobtrusive, the sound is great, and it doesn't disturb anyone if I watch tv, listen to the computer, or meetings on the IPhone. I also have Bose 35s wireless headphones, the noise cancelling is the best I have ever used and are really great on long flights as well as bluetooth capability at home.

Re: TV, Headphones, USB (?) question

Moonchilde — Fri, 28 Jul 2017 21:51:45 GMT

Thank you, @phoenixbrd and @glb613. I know where and what my choices of buying are, both BT and wireless, and I actually have BT headphones I could use.

My question is more about the specifics of the way they need to connect to the TV, since the TV does not have BT and I'd have to get a transmitter if I went that route.

Specifically, my question is would I have to be constantly switching out the 3.5 cables back and forth between DirecTV and the headset connection or BT transmitter - is there any way around that. That's what I actually need to know. Because, if that's true no matter what headphones I use, I'd probably just give up the idea. I don't want to have to be switching connectors back and forth every night between TV sound and headphones sound.

Re: TV, Headphones, USB (?) question

Lilysmom — Fri, 28 Jul 2017 22:13:16 GMT

@phoenixbrd wrote:
@Moonchilde I'm using the new Apple air pods and love them. They are so light and unobtrusive, the sound is great, and it doesn't disturb anyone if I watch tv, listen to the computer, or meetings on the IPhone. I also have Bose 35s wireless headphones, the noise cancelling is the best I have ever used and are really great on long flights as well as bluetooth capability at home.

@phoenixbrd, I almost bought the air pods but was afraid I would lose one as I use them outside walking. White EarPods in the snow...yikes! I caved and bought BeatsX BT Not overly impressed with those. I also bought Sony BT which has a lovely sound. I didn't realize I could use them to watch tv. Following this with interest! LM

Re: TV, Headphones, USB (?) question

pachutabelle — Fri, 28 Jul 2017 22:52:10 GMT

@Moonchilde, I may not be answering the specific question you asked but Hubby uses a set of Sony wireless headphones that we purchased from Amazon a few years ago. They were not expensive. The transmitter plugs into the audio jack in back of the tv and the headphones sit on it and charge when not in use. The unit sits next to the tv on my mantel. There is no unplugging and plugging and the room sound from the tv is not muted at all.

I hope I helped some.

Forgot to say no wifi involved with these.

Re: TV, Headphones, USB (?) question

Moonchilde — Fri, 28 Jul 2017 23:30:43 GMT

@pachutabelle wrote:
@Moonchilde, I may not be answering the specific question you asked but Hubby uses a set of Sony wireless headphones that we purchased from Amazon a few years ago. They were not expensive. The transmitter plugs into the audio jack in back of the tv and the headphones sit on it and charge when not in use. The unit sits next to the tv on my mantel. There is no unplugging and plugging and the room sound from the tv is not muted at all.

I hope I helped some.

Forgot to say no wifi involved with these.

Thanks, @pachutabelle

You are, actually, contributing to what I need - thanks :-)

I was surprised that the CNET article I read said that unless you have an outside source like a sound bar, you have to keep switching the audio jacks back and forth between your cable/dish connection and the headphone receiver's connection. There is a several year old TV in our house in another room, and they don't have to do any switching when they use the RFID (non-wireless) headphones. So that didn't make sense to me that CNET would be wrong, but I know that's not the case with our other TV, so I've been just puzzled & confused about that. If there is no issue, I'll be good to go. I'll just have to find out - hopefully I can get a definitive answer before I go ahead and buy some 😜

Re: TV, Headphones, USB (?) question

glb613 — Sat, 29 Jul 2017 10:39:31 GMT

@Moonchilde wrote:
@pachutabelle wrote:
@Moonchilde, I may not be answering the specific question you asked but Hubby uses a set of Sony wireless headphones that we purchased from Amazon a few years ago. They were not expensive. The transmitter plugs into the audio jack in back of the tv and the headphones sit on it and charge when not in use. The unit sits next to the tv on my mantel. There is no unplugging and plugging and the room sound from the tv is not muted at all.

I hope I helped some.

Forgot to say no wifi involved with these.

Thanks, @pachutabelle

You are, actually, contributing to what I need - thanks :-)

I was surprised that the CNET article I read said that unless you have an outside source like a sound bar, you have to keep switching the audio jacks back and forth between your cable/dish connection and the headphone receiver's connection. There is a several year old TV in our house in another room, and they don't have to do any switching when they use the RFID (non-wireless) headphones. So that didn't make sense to me that CNET would be wrong, but I know that's not the case with our other TV, so I've been just puzzled & confused about that. If there is no issue, I'll be good to go. I'll just have to find out - hopefully I can get a definitive answer before I go ahead and buy some 😜

I can see a conflict if the transmitter plugs into the heardphone jack. With some devices, plugging in headphones will mute the internal speakers. Others watching TV wouldn't be able to hear enything if that is the case. If the transmitter plugs into the audio out of your TV, you should be able to still hear the internal speakers but not any external setup like a sound bar.

Re: TV, Headphones, USB (?) question

gardenman — Sat, 29 Jul 2017 12:38:28 GMT

@glb613 wrote:
@Moonchilde wrote:
@pachutabelle wrote:
@Moonchilde, I may not be answering the specific question you asked but Hubby uses a set of Sony wireless headphones that we purchased from Amazon a few years ago. They were not expensive. The transmitter plugs into the audio jack in back of the tv and the headphones sit on it and charge when not in use. The unit sits next to the tv on my mantel. There is no unplugging and plugging and the room sound from the tv is not muted at all.

I hope I helped some.

Forgot to say no wifi involved with these.

Thanks, @pachutabelle

You are, actually, contributing to what I need - thanks :-)

I was surprised that the CNET article I read said that unless you have an outside source like a sound bar, you have to keep switching the audio jacks back and forth between your cable/dish connection and the headphone receiver's connection. There is a several year old TV in our house in another room, and they don't have to do any switching when they use the RFID (non-wireless) headphones. So that didn't make sense to me that CNET would be wrong, but I know that's not the case with our other TV, so I've been just puzzled & confused about that. If there is no issue, I'll be good to go. I'll just have to find out - hopefully I can get a definitive answer before I go ahead and buy some 😜
I can see a conflict if the transmitter plugs into the heardphone jack. With some devices, plugging in headphones will mute the internal speakers. Others watching TV wouldn't be able to hear enything if that is the case. If the transmitter plugs into the audio out of your TV, you should be able to still hear the internal speakers but not any external setup like a sound bar.

I would agree with that also. In most cases the headphone jacks interrupt the audio feed to the internal speakers. If you plug something into the headphone jack, the speakers stop working. It's typically an either/or situation.

Modern TV's are almost more computer than TV these days and the audio menu on many sets gives you all kinds of options on which output to use. Audio out jacks typically don't cut off the speakers unless you shut off the internal speakers using the audio menu. If your TV has the right audio output jacks (some are optical, some are digital coaxial, and some are plain old analog RCA jacks) and that output matches the input on the headphone transmitter, you should be good to go.

Re: TV, Headphones, USB (?) question

Moonchilde — Sat, 29 Jul 2017 16:03:19 GMT

Thank you, @gardenman and @glb613

It seems I would have been fine if I'd never read the CNET article, lol.

Re: TV, Headphones, USB (?) question

glb613 — Sat, 29 Jul 2017 23:12:51 GMT

@Moonchilde wrote:
Thank you, @gardenman and @glb613

It seems I would have been fine if I'd never read the CNET article, lol.

I think you're right. Another option is a wireless speaker you set next to you while watching TV. That would be my choice. I don't like headphones or earbuds.

Re: TV, Headphones, USB (?) question

Moonchilde — Sun, 30 Jul 2017 06:34:41 GMT

@glb613 wrote:
@Moonchilde wrote:
Thank you, @gardenman and @glb613

It seems I would have been fine if I'd never read the CNET article, lol.

I think you're right. Another option is a wireless speaker you set next to you while watching TV. That would be my choice. I don't like headphones or earbuds.

I'd like that too, @glb613, but the one I saw on the Sharper Image site was $150!

A family friend came over tonight and set up my cable connections and Blu-Ray player. I might not strictly need something, but at some point I will still probably buy something (a BT dongle?) inexpensive, for the few times I'd feel better using it. I just don't like the idea that I might be keeping someone awake at 12:30 am ;-(

It's so lovely to have a 1080p TV with HDMI again - haven't had a nice TV for a year and a half. And I hope to make use of some of the smart features. Very happy camper now.

Re: TV, Headphones, USB (?) question

glb613 — Sun, 30 Jul 2017 09:54:32 GMT

@Moonchilde wrote:
@glb613 wrote:
@Moonchilde wrote:
Thank you, @gardenman and @glb613

It seems I would have been fine if I'd never read the CNET article, lol.

I think you're right. Another option is a wireless speaker you set next to you while watching TV. That would be my choice. I don't like headphones or earbuds.

I'd like that too, @glb613, but the one I saw on the Sharper Image site was $150!

A family friend came over tonight and set up my cable connections and Blu-Ray player. I might not strictly need something, but at some point I will still probably buy something (a BT dongle?) inexpensive, for the few times I'd feel better using it. I just don't like the idea that I might be keeping someone awake at 12:30 am ;-(

It's so lovely to have a 1080p TV with HDMI again - haven't had a nice TV for a year and a half. And I hope to make use of some of the smart features. Very happy camper now.

Good. I find myself streaming more and more. If I didn't like sports, I'd drop cable TV all together. But I do watch some sports and wouldn't want to not have the option. If you have Amazon Prime, you get some streaming content free. Along with Prime I have Netflix, Acorn TV and I'm a PBS Passport member. There isn't enough hours in a day to do everything.

Re: TV, Headphones, USB (?) question

Moonchilde — Sun, 30 Jul 2017 16:54:22 GMT

@glb613, I could easily stream videos from Amazon, PBS, Acorn, BritBox and there is a science & documentary site too as far as desire. Unfortunately, I live in the sticks and on top of that the house has no line of sight to anything - towers or satellites or cable - and in addition there's no unlimited service here, it's all capped. So, I could never watch all I wanted to, I'd have to ration myself :-(

I will be doing some for sure, but buffering is usually involved 😫

Re: TV, Headphones, USB (?) question

Lilysmom — Sun, 30 Jul 2017 19:35:55 GMT

@glb613 @Moonchilde, a few months ago I got rid of the home phone and cable. Before I did that, I tried an android streaming box for a month. I had an antenna put in that gives me three local stations and I stream the rest. I am a happy camper. LM