Bluetooth TV Transmitter (phone, volume, control, sound)

[PawleysDude]

Hi - I'm considering getting a bluetooth TV transmitter for use by a household member who is hard of hearing. My concern is that I would like to also have audio from my TV speakers, which I could control from the TV remote, including mute capability. Is that possible?

I'm trying to replace and replicate an old "TV Ears" set-up. It works the way I need it to, but replacement is expensive and the earpiece is clunky.

Any thoughts? Thanks.

[adjusterjack]

Yes, it's possible.

My hearing aids are Phonak. I have a matching Phonak TV transmitter. I can still turn up the audio separately if somebody else is watching TV with me.

Have your household member check his/her hearing aid company for matching equipment.

[KCZ]

If s/he doesn't have hearing aids, you can use a BT transmitter. You'll need to plug it into an audio out port on the television, and it will need a power source like a USB port on the television also. Your family member will need some BT earphones or headphones that allow them to adjust the volume. You can adjust the volume for everyone else using your remote. If no one else is listening, you can mute the television. One potential problem is that there will be a tiny delay in BT transmission of the sound, so the user may have a hard time hearing if s/he is close to the television speakers because of the slightly offset sound, or find the discrepancy between the picture and sound to be annoying. You can avoid the delay issue with aptx low latency transmitter, or also consider noise cancelling headphones.

I use a BT setup almost every night, so I can watch television late without disturbing anyone else. I've had good luck with the MEE aptx low latency BT transmitter (AF-T1-BK-MEE), paired with either Sony WI-XB400 earphones or Bose QC35 headphones. All BT transmitters are not created equal...some are extremely difficult to set up and pair, and none of them come with much in the way of instructions or tech support. I would avoid Avantree, which is a major producer of aptx devices, and spare yourself a massive headache.

HTH.

[PawleysDude]

Originally Posted by KCZ

If s/he doesn't have hearing aids, you can use a BT transmitter...

Thanks very much, that is very helpful. We already have bluetooth earphones for use with a laptop, but when we do that, the laptop's external speakers are automatically muted. I was concerned the same thing would happen with the TV, not allowing other listeners to be able to hear and control volume from the TV's external speakers. Sounds like exactly what I need. Thanks again,

[KCZ]

Originally Posted by PawleysDude

Thanks very much, that is very helpful. We already have bluetooth earphones for use with a laptop, but when we do that, the laptop's external speakers are automatically muted. I was concerned the same thing would happen with the TV, not allowing other listeners to be able to hear and control volume from the TV's external speakers. Sounds like exactly what I need. Thanks again,

There should be a setting on your television to prevent that from happening.