T.V. Ears? Do you have a set?

[maslex]

I'm looking to get something for my mom and my husband said these would work.

She just moved into a rehab/nursing home type place. She shares her room with another lady and they both have their own TV. These are their own TV's and not supplied by the nursing home.

My mom would like to be able to listen to just her TV and my husband said that these T.V. Ears would be good for her. I looked at the website http://www.tvears.com/5-0-analog?gclid=CLvg0J_Q8bwCFSHNOgod7SMA-Q&promo=46001 and it's on "special" for $80. Just wondering if there are cheaper versions out there. We're probably heading to Walmart today and hoping to find something similar.

Any ideas?

 

[skatalite]

The link didn't work for me but what's the difference between T.V. Ears and regular headphones?

 

[Squirlz]

The link didn't work for me but what's the difference between T.V. Ears and regular headphones?

Televisions don't have headphone jacks.

The only drawback I see is the sound is mono. Assuming it's being hooked up to a stereo TV. But that might not matter to everybody.

 

[sam_gordon]

I'm looking to get something for my mom and my husband said these would work.

She just moved into a rehab/nursing home type place. She shares her room with another lady and they both have their own TV. These are their own TV's and not supplied by the nursing home.

My mom would like to be able to listen to just her TV and my husband said that these T.V. Ears would be good for her. I looked at the website http://www.tvears.com/5-0-analog?gclid=CLvg0J_Q8bwCFSHNOgod7SMA-Q&promo=46001 and it's on "special" for $80. Just wondering if there are cheaper versions out there. We're probably heading to Walmart today and hoping to find something similar.

Any ideas?

The link worked fine for me. Here's a couple thing to think about before you purchase anything....

1) Specifically regarding the linked set... is your mom comfortable with earbuds (sit in your ear) or would she rather have earphones (sit over your ear).
2) Does the TV have an "audio out" port? All of these "personal TV listening devices" are going to require getting the sound from the TV. Without the connection on the TV (or satellite receiver, cable box, etc), these will be worthless.

@skatalite... "regular" headphones will only work if you have a headphone output to plug them into. Most TV's don't have that.

 

[skatalite]

Televisions don't have headphone jacks.

The only drawback I see is the sound is mono. Assuming it's being hooked up to a stereo TV. But that might not matter to everybody.

<facepalm> I knew that.

 

[bcla]

The link worked fine for me. Here's a couple thing to think about before you purchase anything....

1) Specifically regarding the linked set... is your mom comfortable with earbuds (sit in your ear) or would she rather have earphones (sit over your ear).
2) Does the TV have an "audio out" port? All of these "personal TV listening devices" are going to require getting the sound from the TV. Without the connection on the TV (or satellite receiver, cable box, etc), these will be worthless.

@skatalite... "regular" headphones will only work if you have a headphone output to plug them into. Most TV's don't have that.

There are many ways to convert a line-level audio out to a headphone jack. The circuit in most preamps/receivers/etc barely cost anything to add on, but usually you have to buy the whole thing. I once had a high-end CD player with its own headphone output. It was one of those fat 3.5mm jacks though.

There are some specific headphone amps that will do this, but most are esoteric ones designed for demanding audiophiles. I'm pretty sure there's something in the Markertek catalog that would do the trick cheap. Here's something sold via Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/MCM-Desktop-Headphone-Amplifier/dp/B00ETODB6S/
http://www.amazon.com/TC-780LC-Stereo-Booster-BLACK-VERSION/dp/B000RZXAHI/

 

[tvguy]

Televisions don't have headphone jacks.

The only drawback I see is the sound is mono. Assuming it's being hooked up to a stereo TV. But that might not matter to everybody.

The headphone jack is worth a look. It may be labeled as audio out or speakers on the back. Most TV's now do have some sort of audio out since so many people set up surround sound and such with their TV's. I would expect any TV with a screen smaller than 20" to have a headphone jack.

 

[Squirlz]

The headphone jack is worth a look. It may be labeled as audio out or speakers on the back. Most TV's now do have some sort of audio out since so many people set up surround sound and such with their TV's. I would expect any TV with a screen smaller than 20" to have a headphone jack.

I know what audio out is. I have 3 televisions running into A/V receivers with surround sound. Not the same thing as a headphone jack.

 

[minnie mum]

DH uses an assistive listening device similar to this for our bedroom TV (he can watch TV in bed without his hearing aids). His is an IR stereo system, though, and he says the sound quality is excellent. It has a set of dual jacks that plug into the audio out on the back of the satellite box. I've tried it too, and agreed with the sound quality. I wouldn't want a mono system if that was the only way I could listen to my TV.

He got his through the audiology office that also sees to his hearing aid needs. I have a feeling that these are probably much more expensive than the one the OP is looking at. Ours didn't cost us anything though- DHs hearing loss is covered by his military disability pension.

If the OPs mom has hearing aids in both ears, they now make an IR receiver that you wear around your neck and it sends the sound wirelessly, directly into the hearing aids. DH also has this for our main TV in the living room. He loves it.

 

[Danielle3699]

I'm an audiologist and we have a lot of patients using TV Ears. I've only heard good things about them! I'd go for it!

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Yes we have headphones, one for me, one for DH. We have the Sony wireless headset. I need comfort and those TV Ears do not look comfortable.

http://www.amazon.com/Sony-MDRRF985...5112&sr=8-1&keywords=sony+wireless+headphones

 

[JillyBean1899]

The first thing I thought of when I saw this was "I didn't know Disney made MM ears big enough for TV sets!!" Then I opened it and it made more sense.

 

[sam_gordon]

There are many ways to convert a line-level audio out to a headphone jack. The circuit in most preamps/receivers/etc barely cost anything to add on, but usually you have to buy the whole thing. I once had a high-end CD player with its own headphone output. It was one of those fat 3.5mm jacks though.

There are some specific headphone amps that will do this, but most are esoteric ones designed for demanding audiophiles. I'm pretty sure there's something in the Markertek catalog that would do the trick cheap. Here's something sold via Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/MCM-Desktop-Headphone-Amplifier/dp/B00ETODB6S/
http://www.amazon.com/TC-780LC-Stereo-Booster-BLACK-VERSION/dp/B000RZXAHI/

I know there are adaptors out there. But if there is an existing audio out jack on the TV, you can feed them straight to the TV Ears (or similar) for wireless capability. If you're going to buy something to adapt the audio out to a headphone jack, while doable, it then forces you into wired headphones. Either way, you need the audio out jacks. If the jacks aren't on the TV, it doesn't matter what you get, they won't work.

 

[elgerber]

Televisions don't have headphone jacks. The only drawback I see is the sound is mono. Assuming it's being hooked up to a stereo TV. But that might not matter to everybody.

Mine does. I have a Samsung LCD a few years old and it has one specifically for headphones. I use it with over the ear headphones with an extra long cord when I use the elliptical when people are home.

 

[bcla]

I know what audio out is. I have 3 televisions running into A/V receivers with surround sound. Not the same thing as a headphone jack.

My TV has a 2.5mm headphone jack right on the side outputs. It's a 42" Samsung plasma.

 

[tvguy]

I know what audio out is. I have 3 televisions running into A/V receivers with surround sound. Not the same thing as a headphone jack.

I think we're getting hung up with semantics. The TV Ears are available to connect to either type of connection. Audio out, headphones and one of my TV's says "external speakers" on the jacks, all do the same thing.

 

[Squirlz]

I think we're getting hung up with semantics. The TV Ears are available to connect to either type of connection. Audio out, headphones and one of my TV's says "external speakers" on the jacks, all do the same thing.

You explain that to the woman in the nursing home.

 

[ndelaware]

We have a pair for my wife. They work great. Range is about 30 feet. Bought them at Costco for about half the price.

 

[lauradis]

We have a pair for my wife. They work great. Range is about 30 feet. Bought them at Costco for about half the price.

Lol your wife wears rabbit ears

 

[beavismom]

We have these and they work great...

http://www.amazon.com/Sennheiser-RS...&qid=1393783671&sr=1-2&keywords=tv+headphones

There are higher and lower priced models. This is our second set and they are very useful!