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Old 29th October 2013, 10:00   #1
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Wireless headphones for the Hearing-impaired

Looking to buy a wireless headphone for my mom who is hearing impaired and uses digital hearing aid.

Some requirements -
Should be light-weight
Rechargeable
Once the wireless headphone is connected to TV, TV speaker should still output audio.
(This is a key requirement, so others in family can watch TV along with her).

Any inputs in helping decide a headphone will be greatly appreciated.
thanks,
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Old 29th October 2013, 10:47   #2
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re: Wireless headphones for the Hearing-impaired

Quote:
Originally Posted by andyonwheels View Post
Looking to buy a wireless headphone for my mom who is hearing impaired and uses digital hearing aid.

Some requirements -
Should be light-weight
Rechargeable
Once the wireless headphone is connected to TV, TV speaker should still output audio.
(This is a key requirement, so others in family can watch TV along with her).

Any inputs in helping decide a headphone will be greatly appreciated.
thanks,
TV speaker output depends upon the TV, not on the headphone. On most TVs, if you plug in anything in the headphone jack, TV speakers stop playing. That is now TVs are designed.
That said, if she uses hearing aid, she should not need headphones.
The solution lies in a louder hearing aid, not in headphones.
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Old 29th October 2013, 11:09   #3
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re: Wireless headphones for the Hearing-impaired

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Originally Posted by tsk1979 View Post
TV speaker output depends upon the TV, not on the headphone. On most TVs, if you plug in anything in the headphone jack, TV speakers stop playing. That is now TVs are designed.
That said, if she uses hearing aid, she should not need headphones.
The solution lies in a louder hearing aid, not in headphones.
I agree using the headphone jack will disable audio.
However is there a work around to seek audio from the TV speakers if we used the Audio Out using RCA audio cables / connectors ?
Have attached a screenshot of the TV panel inputs/outputs.
Attached Thumbnails
Wireless headphones for the Hearing-impaired-tv_panel.png  

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Old 29th October 2013, 11:14   #4
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re: Wireless headphones for the Hearing-impaired

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Originally Posted by andyonwheels View Post
... However is there a work around to seek audio from the TV speakers if we used the Audio Out using RCA audio cables / connectors ? ...
The Audio Out at the RCA sockets could work, provided you find cordless headphone that accept RCA plugs for Audio In.
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Old 29th October 2013, 11:16   #5
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re: Wireless headphones for the Hearing-impaired

Andy, is there any reason she can't continue using her hearing aid for listening to TV at normal audio levels with the family? The head phone will be big in size, and somehow I think will not be used much by an elderly person for an extended period of time.
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Old 29th October 2013, 11:21   #6
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re: Wireless headphones for the Hearing-impaired

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Originally Posted by tsk1979 View Post
The solution lies in a louder hearing aid, not in headphones.
Iam assuming the reason to choose a headphone is probably because his mom would want the TV loud at all instances due to her hearing problem which can be disturbing to others

Having said that, not sure if a wireless headphone has option to increase the volume within the headphone without increasing it from TV for other members in the room
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Old 29th October 2013, 11:22   #7
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re: Wireless headphones for the Hearing-impaired

You can use a Bluetooth headphone. In my TV, there is an option to use TV Speakers and the bluetooth headphone at the same time. Might be possible with your TV too.

With bluetooth, volume can be controlled and that would not impact TV volume.

However, I would stringly suggest an advice from ENT. Not sure how it would impact her hearing.
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Old 29th October 2013, 11:28   #8
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re: Wireless headphones for the Hearing-impaired

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Originally Posted by DerAlte View Post
The Audio Out at the RCA sockets could work, provided you find cordless headphone that accept RCA plugs for Audio In.
Am inclining towards one of these Sennheiser ones . That's what the guy at the store mentioned as well when i called in. Will go for a demo over the weekend.

Quote:
Originally Posted by ani_meher View Post
Andy, is there any reason she can't continue using her hearing aid for listening to TV at normal audio levels with the family? The head phone will be big in size, and somehow I think will not be used much by an elderly person for an extended period of time.
Apparently the hearing aids do not work for her. If she cranks up the amp in the aid, the ambient sound gets too loud for her. And so the 'light weight wireless headphone route'.



Quote:
Originally Posted by mobike008 View Post
I am assuming the reason to choose a headphone is probably because his mom would want the TV loud at all instances due to her hearing problem which can be disturbing to others
True aswell.

Quote:
Having said that, not sure if a wireless headphone has option to increase the volume within the headphone without increasing it from TV for other members in the room
I think there are, though not sure. I read about Left / Right audio level controllers for headphones.

Quote:
Originally Posted by NetfreakBombay View Post
You can use a Bluetooth headphone. In my TV, there is an option to use TV Speakers and the bluetooth headphone at the same time. Might be possible with your TV too.
Will look into this. Thanks!

Last edited by andyonwheels : 29th October 2013 at 11:52. Reason: including response to 2 other posts
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Old 29th October 2013, 12:01   #9
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re: Wireless headphones for the Hearing-impaired

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Originally Posted by andyonwheels View Post
... Apparently the hearing aids do not work for her. If she cranks up the amp in the aid, the ambient sound gets too loud for her. And so the 'light weight wireless headphone route'. ...
Err... I am not a doctor, but from what I have heard from others in the same situation, this approach is incorrect. If she is uncomfortable with the audio properties of the current HA, she should get one which she is comfortable with. This is psychological, and a good doctor should be able to correct this behavior. The objective is to hear, as far / much as possible, what the others are hearing normally - without requiring further amplification nor tending to read lips.

If she puts on headphones, she will anyhow not be able to participate with others - as she will no longer hear what others are saying.
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Old 29th October 2013, 15:28   #10
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Re: Wireless headphones for the Hearing-impaired

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Originally Posted by andyonwheels View Post
Looking to buy a wireless headphone for my mom who is hearing impaired and uses digital hearing aid.
What you need are hearing aids with induction coils (also referred to as induction loops and telecoils). Do not simply get a hearing aid that can amplify the sound louder - it would be very uncomfortable. In addition to the hearing aid, you need a loop system set up within the room.

If you do not wish to have television audio for other people who may want to watch television, connect the induction loop system (the unit that connects to the audio source) to the component audio out (the red and white sockets - RCA), or via an adapter to the digital audio out (optical fibre) if you are using the component out for external speakers, instead of to the regular headphone jack. Look at the connectors available on the loop system that you are buying.
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Old 29th October 2013, 16:13   #11
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Re: Wireless headphones for the Hearing-impaired

I'll double check this tonight, but i think newer TVs come with the option of leaving the speakers on even when headphones are plugged in. This toggle should be in the Audio Setup menu.

That said, chances are high that the wireless headphone system will have RCA inputs, rather than a 3.5mm in.

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Old 29th October 2013, 22:36   #12
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Re: Wireless headphones for the Hearing-impaired

What if you use an RCA splitter and connect headphones as well as a surround sound system for all others. If you have an older CTV or the lcd tvs this might work. The sound will stop from the tv itself but you will be able to get sound from both the headphones as well as the home theater.

*please do not me for this. Just a thought,might not work.
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Old 30th October 2013, 11:48   #13
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Re: Wireless headphones for the Hearing-impaired

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Originally Posted by Rehaan View Post
... chances are high that the wireless headphone system will have RCA inputs, rather than a 3.5mm in. ...
Quote:
Originally Posted by richie4u View Post
What if you use an RCA splitter and connect headphones as well as a surround sound system for all others. ...
Haven't found wireless headphones that accept RCA input yet. All of them give a 3.5mm (1/8") jack.

All that one needs is an Aux-in cable - the kind one uses from mobile phone EP out to connect to an amp or car HU - 3.5mm jack plug on one side, 2x RCA plugs - one marked red and one white - on the other. This is available at Reliance, Croma and other large electronics shops - as well as SJP Road in Bangalore. Just connect it in reverse: RCA plugs go into Audio Out (RCA sockets at the back, marked red for R, white for L) of TV, and jack plug goes into the wireless headphone. Should work since the transmission between base station and headphones is digital, it only needs a low level signal to the base station. Adjust volume at headphones.
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Old 30th October 2013, 23:23   #14
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Re: Wireless headphones for the Hearing-impaired

My father has been using the following setup for the last few years and it works well for him: connect the line out of tv to the wireless transmitter. It should be to the line out and not headphone jack.

the wireless headphones will have a seperate volume control,and the tv volume control will work,as well for speaker volume. Note,that increasing volume on TV will not increase volume on the wireless headset as line out by default has a standard volume level.

BTW the wireless headphones we have are Sony and Sanheisser, both bought in the US.

Last edited by deep_bang : 30th October 2013 at 23:25.
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Old 31st October 2013, 08:53   #15
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Re: Wireless headphones for the Hearing-impaired

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Originally Posted by DerAlte View Post
Just connect it in reverse: RCA plugs go into Audio Out (RCA sockets at the back, marked red for R, white for L) of TV, and jack plug goes into the wireless headphone. Should work since the transmission between base station and headphones is digital, it only needs a low level signal to the base station. Adjust volume at headphones.
We will taking a demo of the Sennheiser headphones in the same manner to see how comfortable it is for her.

Also, she uses the Widex hearing aid device and they have a prodcut called TV-Dex which transmits TV audio to the hearing aid she is wearing. Will be taking a demo of this as well.


Thanks all for the inputs, folks!
This is very timely and much needed help!

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