BT headphones and TV speakers at the same time...possible ?

dodzy

Hi folks,

asking for a friend. His dad lives with him and he is hard of hearing. We are looking for a solution whereby the aul fella can sit with the headphones on, volume cranked up and also have the TV speakers controllable (separately) for the rest of the family. Any ideas ?

coylemj

If you plug a set of headphones direct into the TV, it will cut off the speakers so your friend will need to have the audio sent from the TV to an amp (via red and black phono connections) and the dad can then plug headphones into the amp. This will leave the sound coming from the TV speakers.

Unless there is a menu option on the TV whereby you select the internal speakers or external audio in which case you can't have both.

dodzy

coylemj wrote: »

If you plug a set of headphones direct into the TV, it will cut off the speakers so your friend will need to have the audio sent from the TV to an amp (via red and black phono connections) and the dad can then plug headphones into the amp. This will leave the sound coming from the TV speakers.

Unless there is a menu option on the TV whereby you select the internal speakers or external audio in which case you can't have both.

Unfortunately not an option on this particular TV. The newer ones do have the feature though. Was thinking of perhaps tapping into the audio out (RCA) from the back of the Horizon box and into a BT transmitter (leaving the TV out of the equation) - something like this perhaps

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bluetooth-Streaming-Wireless-Receiver-Speakers/dp/B01CZVCYU0/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1510587963&sr=8-3&keywords=RCA+to+bluetooth

coylemj

That gadget is doing the opposite of what you want - it's receiving the audio via bluetooth from a mobile device and outputting it from the phono ports, typically to an amp. The second-last photo in the left column shows how it's intended to work - bluetooth in, phono out.

The search you did ('RCA to Bluetooth') was correct and true to form, Amazon threw the kitchen sink at you but the gadget you need will be called a transmitter, that one is a receiver.

thebiglad

I have used this one for the Father in law - exact same issues

Works brilliantly and easy to pair.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bluetooth-Transmitter-TaoTronics-Portable-Transmission-Black/dp/B00Q2EGQQU/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1510588851&sr=1-1&keywords=bluetooth+transmitter+for+headphones

dodzy

thebiglad wrote: »

I have used this one for the Father in law - exact same issues

Works brilliantly and easy to pair.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bluetooth-Transmitter-TaoTronics-Portable-Transmission-Black/dp/B00Q2EGQQU/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1510588851&sr=1-1&keywords=bluetooth+transmitter+for+headphones

so, that 3.5mm jack connects where exactly on your dad's setup ?

thebiglad

It comes with an rca cable connector which connects to red/white audio outputs

when you Look at the photos with the product on amazon, one shows basically what's in the box - you can see what it is there.

We left ours plugged in but it will hold charge for a days viewing (it doesn't come with a plug just USB cable)

coylemj

thebiglad wrote: »

when you Look at the photos with the product on amazon, one shows basically what's in the box - you can see what it is there.

OP, hover the mouse over the bottom thumbnail photo on the left, it shows you the two cables that come with the device.

thebiglad wrote: »

We left ours plugged in but it will hold charge for a days viewing (it doesn't come with a plug just USB cable)

If your TV has a USB port to connect an external HDD (to play movies), you can use that to provide permanent power to the BT transmitter. Or charge it up with a mobile phone charger plug and the supplied USB cable.