Hooking up headphones to my smart TV

[DaveC426913]

I have an LG TV that I would like to hook up to two sets of headphones.
(Our house has thin walls, and we like our violent shows.)

The TV does not have Bluetooth, and we no longer have a component stereo - just the TV soundbar. Pretty sure my TV has audio out plugs on the back (and other stuff like HDMI, etc.).

I assume there is some sort of box that plugs into the back of the TV that will broadcast to a pair of wireless headsets.

Advice?

I know there are "shrinkwapped" products designed specifically for this, but my first instinct is to buy the pieces separately so I have some control over it. Eg: I don't trust the quality of the headsets that might come with such a product.

 

[jedishrfu]

I assume you want wireless because for wired you might be able to use a Y adapter in the audio out jack to split the output signal for each pair of headphones.

Alternatively and your wife could sit close together and share one pair of headphones you listen to one headphone while she uses the other. :-)

 

[Vanadium 50]

Alternatively and your wife could sit close together

Horriblile dictu!

If one mixes and matches products how do they pair?

 

[DaveC426913]

If one mixes and matches products how do they pair?

Are .. are we still talking about me and my wife?

 

[Tom.G]

The wife and I have been using Sennheiser model TR130 for a few decades. They are 3-channel devices so you can have 3 base stations connected to different sources even in the same room, and no interference.

Cheers,
Tom

 

[DaveC426913]

A trip to my local Best Buy, to speak to a couple of guys who actually seemed to know what they were talking about - suggests that this is not common technology. They could not help me find a solution.

The trick is to get - not one but two - (wireless) headsets working simultaneously.

I now feel a little better-armed to research online all-in-one-box purchases that purport to do this.

 

[DaveC426913]

The wife and I have been using Sennheiser model TR130 for a few decades. They are 3-channel devices so you can have 3 base stations connected to different sources even in the same room, and no interference.

Cheers,
Tom

My perfunctory check did not turn up the TR-130 model. Is it still in production?

Is the cost for a single headset solution? Does the cost double for a second headset, or is it an incremental cost increase? The blurb is a little murky on that.

IOW, what can I expect my total outlay to be for a two headset setup? Assuming I can find that model for sale.

[EDIT]
Oh Here's one with 4 headsets. $250.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09BHQDHFS/?tag=pfamazon01-20

 

[FactChecker]

I used a Sennheiser system like this for years with a single headset. The headphones were good quality. You can get a second headset (optional)

 

[FactChecker]

Apparently, bluetooth 5.0 allows sending to more than one headset which have A2DP capability. This tells how to set it up on a PC. I have no experience with it and it looks complicated.

 

[DaveC426913]

I used a Sennheiser system like this for years with a single headset. The headphones were good quality. You can get a second headset (optional)

Except, as far as I can tell, most systems do not seem to support a second set, and I haven't found a Sennheiser product that does.

 

[DaveC426913]

Apparently, bluetooth 5.0 allows sending to more than one headset which have A2DP capability. This tells how to set it up on a PC. I have no experience with it and it looks complicated.

Yes. As I mentioned in the OP, my TV does not support Bluetooth at all, let alone 5.0.

 

[FactChecker]

Except, as far as I can tell, most systems do not seem to support a second set, and I haven't found a Sennheiser product that does.

The amazon page in the link I posted says it does:
"An optional second set of headphones (Sennheiser HDR 175) can be added to the RS 175 system. This allows two people to listen wirelessly to the same program at the same time."

It's not cheep. It looks like the second headphone set costs as much as the original single-headphone system ($175).

 

[FactChecker]

Yes. As I mentioned in the OP, my TV does not support Bluetooth at all, let alone 5.0.

Yes. You would need to find a bluetooth transmitter with that capability that you can connect.
Like this

 

[DaveC426913]

Yes. You would need to find a bluetooth transmitter with that capability that you can connect.
Like this

Sunuvagun. That's what I was intuiting ought to exist, and they insisted no because of "the limitations of the TV tech".

A single out from the TV, which then splits to two transmitters.

Oh yeah. Don't think my TV has a 3.5mm jack. It's got red/white RCA. But I guess I can get a converter.

 

[Tom.G]

My perfunctory check did not turn up the TR-130 model. Is it still in production?

Is the cost for a single headset solution? Does the cost double for a second headset, or is it an incremental cost increase? The blurb is a little murky on that.

IOW, what can I expect my total outlay to be for a two headset setup? Assuming I can find that model for sale.

[EDIT]
Oh Here's one with 4 headsets. $250.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09BHQDHFS/?tag=pfamazon01-20

Ok, an update and more detail.

1) The model number I gave turned out to be for the Base station only. The System model is Sennheiser HDR 130. Base station power is from a wall-wart power pack rated 9VDC, 200mA to a 4mm co-axial plug, center pin positive.

​

A) That is one base station with user selection choice by a slide switch for any of three channels. Audio input is two RCA plugs, Red and Black. Transmitter is FM in the 926-928MHz band.​

B) One wireless headset with push button selection of receive channel, volume control knob, On-Off slide switch. The original came with batteries.​

C) One wall-wart power pack.​

That particular model was been discontinued some years ago for systems with a single, fixed, transmit channel; thus not allowing multiple sound sources supplying separate units.

The only trouble we've had is we wore out the ear pads on the headsets. These are easily user replaceable but I do not know if they are still available; probably should ask the manufacturer.

The headset uses two common Ni-MH AAA rechargable batteries.

There seem to be a number of used systems available, for instance
https://www.hifishark.com/model/sennheiser-hdr-130
finds many hits in the $$ price range.

Considering the price, buying 2 systems to get 2 headsets is still cheaper than the $249 you mentioned.

Other things to consider:
Choice of Open, Closed, or Noise Cancelling headset.
1) The HDR 130 has Open headsets which allow you to hear the phone ringing in the next room.

2) Closed headsets do not have an open path to the surroundings thus reducing low to moderate level ambient noise.

3) Noise Cancelling uses an in-built microphone and electronics to cancel high ambient noise.

Hope this helps!
Tom

 

[harborsparrow]

Having lived in may shared houses over my lifetime, I can only say that the ability to use headphones with a TV should be straightforward and easy. Or at least, easier. For many years, my spouse and I have limited out purchases of TV's to those with an audio output jack, but even that didn't make it easy, because even if the audio output jack worked, the TV's room volume might continue working in sync with the jack, making the headphones not straightforward to use. Even if the headphones worked, how to discontinue the audio output of the TV itself? Computers just do this automatically, but TV's don't necessarily even when you plug something into the audio jack. Big sigh.

 

[DaveC426913]

[UPDATE]
Well, I ordered this dual set for $250CDN.

Avantree HT41899

I have it working with the Optical Out. But to do that I have to disconnect the optical cable from my soundbar. It will be an annoying inconvenience to manually flip the so8ndbar over and unplug and replug with the transceiver box every time.

What I don't understand is that I can't get it to work with the RCA jacks. It comes with an RCA-to-3.5mm jack and my TV has RCA jacks on the back but as far as I can tell, my TV has no way to output to RCA.

LG webOS UH6150

There's a bunch of sound settings but none of them output to RCA as far as I can determine (I am open to suggestions).

Unless anyone has some things I could try, I think my next option is to pick up an optical splitter so I can run it to my sound bar as well as the headset transceiver. (I would like to have the option of having a headset and soundbar active at the same time).

Then, hopefully, there will be a way to conveniently mute or switch off the sound bar when we are both using the headsets. (I mean, I guess the sound bar has a power button...)

 

[pbuk]

What I don't understand is that I can't get it to work with the RCA jacks. It comes with an RCA-to-3.5mm jack and my TV has RCA jacks on the back but as far as I can tell, my TV has no way to output to RCA.

I'm only guessing (based on my LG TV) but that could be because the RCA jacks are inputs (for sound to go with component or composite video).

Unless anyone has some things I could try

My LG TV has a 3.5mm headphone jack. Some soundbars do too.

Alternative option (damn the expense but facilitates a lot more too):

TV -> HDMI ARC -> Sonos soundbar -> [Sonos WiFi] -> Sonos Port -> HiFi Amp -> Headphones

Edit: alternative multi-room solutions may be available

 

[DaveC426913]

the RCA jacks are inputs

:Dave feels like an idiot: