People who live together are often on different schedules. You might be working during the day while your spouse works weekends or the graveyard shift. Because of these different schedules, it is important for television volume to be low in order to allow your loved ones to get proper rest.
One solution is using a set of corded headphones such as Sennheiser HD 202 II. Unfortunately, headphones like this can be restricting and limit the distance you are able to sit from the television. Lucky for us, this modern age provides wireless earbuds for TV listening which enable viewers to comfortably sit on the couch or walk around the room freely.
Pairing Bluetooth earbuds to your TV set is a great way to watch television at the volume you desire without disturbing anyone else in the process. Users can move around without having to fret about unplugging the headphones or taking them off.
With minimum effort, you can give your television a Bluetooth upgrade and enjoy wireless, hassle-free sound. Several different types of Bluetooth transmitters are available for televisions.
One of the most popular products for a Bluetooth wireless connection is the Bluetooth Transmitter Zio-Switchable Entertainment. This product is a versatile gadget that acts both as a transmitter and receiver adapter. It has the capacity to connect wirelessly with 2 pairs of Bluetooth earbuds supported by AD2P. The following is an instruction on how to watch TV with Bluetooth earbuds using the Zio Bluetooth transmitter.
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What do you need to get started?
The first step in retrofitting your television is to establish how sound exits your television set and/or media center to ensure the proper setup. If you only have a TV set and no larger media center (for example no receiver with satellite speakers or other equipment) check the available ports on your TV set.
On the other hand, if you have a media center where all your audio sources (such as your Blu-ray player, TV, cable box, etc.) feed into a Bluetooth receiver which controls all the audio and then pumps it out to your sound system, check the ports on the receiver rather than the television. This way, your Bluetooth earbuds set up will work for not only watching TV but also for listening to music and whichever other audio source you pipe through your media center.
Connecting Bluetooth earbuds to a TV
Setting up a Bluetooth audio adapter is a straightforward affair. After you’ve identified which audio jack your TV has, it is time to plug everything in. The Bluetooth Transmitter Zio has a standard 3.5mm headphone-style audio cable. The next step is to plug the Bluetooth adapter directly into the ports using the supplied audio jack. If you’re using the optical audio port then you can simply plug in the TOSLINK converter, and link the TOSLINK port to the converter. Then plug your Bluetooth receiver into the converter.
Once everything is hooked up the final step is to pair the Bluetooth earbuds with your Bluetooth adapter/transmitter. In the case of the Zio Switchable Entertainment unit, and many other similar units, you’ll need to press and hold the main button on your receiver and wait for the light to blink. When the light on the base unit starts to blink, hold the pairing button on your earbuds. A couple of blinking lights later and you have a direct link between the two. Pop the Bluetooth earbuds on, turn the television set on, and test the audio.
If you can’t hear the audio from your television you could easily test whether or not the earbuds are properly paired by unplugging the adapter from the TV and then plugging it back into another audio source such as the earbud jack on the radio, your smartphone, etc.
If you can clearly hear audio when troubleshooting the Bluetooth earbuds with a second audio source, but the TV audio isn’t working, you might need to go into the menu on your television set or media receiver and change to an “input” that relates to “auxiliary speakers” or “headphone jack”. Some units will not pipe sound out to the auxiliary audio ports unless instructed to do so. Barring this potential minor hiccup, the entire experience should be plug-and-play.
If you already have Roku 3 you can stream wireless audio content from your TV by using Tunity.
More information about using Bluetooth devices at home.
Another option is to buy a pair of headphones that come with a transmitter, like these from Mee Audio:
MEE Audio T1N1 Bluetooth Headphones for TV.
MEE audio Connect T1M3 ( Amazon). This is another solid entry into this list of affordable wireless headphones. It features a connected transmitter that helps provide a clear and seamless connection with high definition sound. One thing you will immediately notice with the MEE T1N1 headphone is how compact it is.
The headphone comes with a USB charging cable, 3.5mm audio cable, optical audio cable, and RCA audio adapter. Pairing the device with the receiver is simple and easy enough that even the less technically savvy individual will be able to set it up properly. The sound is pretty decent and does not have any distortion issues even when played at full volume.
Key Features:
- Bluetooth headphone for TVs.
- High definition sound quality.
- 1-year warranty.
Our Rating:
- Sound Quality: 8.5/10
- Bass: 8/10
- Build Quality/Design: 8.5/10
- Fit/Comfort: 8/10
- Battery Life: 7/10
- Connectivity (Bluetooth stability): 9/10
Who would this be good for?
This one is a pretty specific product and is designed for people who prefer to watch their television shows or movies using headphones. It is also designed to pair up with two BT headphones making it a good choice for a couple to use.
Pros:
- Paring the device with Bluetooth headphones is easy.
- Decent sound quality.
- Multiple ways to connect.
Cons:
- Rather short Bluetooth range (less 25 feet).