Monday, January 1, 2018

Connecting Headsets and Speakers

Our new TV came with no jacks nor wireless for listening privately with headsets.  Headsets are also desirable for clear hearing for old ears.

The TV did come with an optical jack, but optical is no good for wireless.     
Similarly smartphones do come with the wireless capability for old style headsets but how do we get that sound to speakers?     Some devices come now only with USB ports and do not accept other audio input.   Tap or click for such a speaker solution.

What to do about all this?

The following will discuss the issues and the solutions.

For a TV with Optical,  the simplest is a wired solution like this one. Tap or click for it.

Wireless is a whole lot more complicated.     Optical needs to be translated to bluetooth.    Bluetooth needs to be extended to a Bluetooth device or receiver.   The receiver needs to be connected to your old style radio frequency headsets such as those from Sennheiser with RCA or  3.5 mm cell phone type jacks.

Sounds complicated?.    Indeed.     But it does work.    Tap or click for an optical to bluetooth converter.    Tap or click for a bluetooth receiver.   Or maybe just use a second optical to Bluetooth converter as a receiver.     These devices work both ways.

Whew!

So what about sending that smartphone sound out to speakers.

There are three ways to do this all of them quite simple, cheap,  and uncomplicated...fortunately.

Bluetooth is the most used.      Much less known is  Google's Chromecast Audio.   

There are plenty of bluetooth speaker, but I have found the Oontz speakers easiest to set up.     they come in various sizes with varied ranges and loudness.  Tap or click for them.

Then there is Chromecast audio which will send sound out to  headsets and speakers. Tap or click for these.

The third way is simply to send sound out to your Echo device and speakers.    Tap or click for how to do it.

Now finally,  what about cost?

Nowadays outstanding speakers and headsets can be found for a pittance.

Here are a few:





Old cheap vintage KLH speakers can be wonderful end can be found on eBay,  even new.

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