using headphones on a tv

Pardus

Diamond Member
Jun 29, 2000
8,197
21
81
the project:
to listen to the tv with my headphones that i use on a walkman (standard headphone jack).

what i have to work with:
tv tube that doesn't have a headphone jack, only has audio/video output composite inputs for hooking up a dvd player/game system/etc. on front and back.

dvr cable box also with bunch of inputs, none for headphones.

the recommendations:
best buy guy #1 -buy a vcr (why, its dead technology) which has audio out ports on it and these $199 headphones to go with it.

best buy guy #2 (later that day) - buy a RCA S-Video Switcher with RF Modulator box that also has audio out for $40 then i could use any wireless headphones and it should work.

radio shack guy - buy headphones to composite input cables and adapter that "should" make this work.

now what?
welp, i don't belive any of them, so i ask fellow anandtechers, is there any way to listen to a tv with any type of headphones, wirelessly, without spening a fortune. thanks!!
 

Cattlegod

Diamond Member
May 22, 2001
8,687
1
0
just open up the TV and splice the speaker wires with a headphone jack. buy a 5c resistor to reduce the voltage and you are done. if you want wireless, you will have to buy wireless headphones, otherwise you can just splice your headphones with longer wire.

total cost, .05 dollars if you go with your current headphones.
 

Ika

Lifer
Mar 22, 2006
14,264
3
81
I believe getting a male-stereo-RCA cable-to-female stereo headphone jack would work if you plugged it into the audio out of the TV. I'm really not sure if this cable exists, however. You might be able to piece it together with parts from Radio Shack, but it probably wouldn't be too cheap.

Wireless would probably be a lot more money, unless you use the FM transmitter option, but you'll probably still have to go through the above process.
 

OREOSpeedwagon

Diamond Member
May 30, 2001
8,485
1
81
Originally posted by: Aflac
I believe getting a male-stereo-RCA cable-to-female stereo headphone jack would work if you plugged it into the audio out of the TV. I'm really not sure if this cable exists, however. You might be able to piece it together with parts from Radio Shack, but it probably wouldn't be too cheap.

Wireless would probably be a lot more money, unless you use the FM transmitter option, but you'll probably still have to go through the above process.

I'm pretty sure those cables do exist, but you wouldn't be able to adjust the volume as it would be a direct line-out via RCA. You could pick up a small headphone amp on ebay such as a cmoy or a little dot micro+ and get an RCA -> mini cable to run to the amp, then plug your headphones into the headphone out port. This could also be achieved with any other kind of cheap amplifier/receiver you could find.
 

NiteWulf

Golden Member
Jan 3, 2003
1,112
1
0
Originally posted by: OREOSpeedwagon
Originally posted by: Aflac
I believe getting a male-stereo-RCA cable-to-female stereo headphone jack would work if you plugged it into the audio out of the TV. I'm really not sure if this cable exists, however. You might be able to piece it together with parts from Radio Shack, but it probably wouldn't be too cheap.

Wireless would probably be a lot more money, unless you use the FM transmitter option, but you'll probably still have to go through the above process.

I'm pretty sure those cables do exist, but you wouldn't be able to adjust the volume as it would be a direct line-out via RCA. You could pick up a small headphone amp on ebay such as a cmoy or a little dot micro+ and get an RCA -> mini cable to run to the amp, then plug your headphones into the headphone out port. This could also be achieved with any other kind of cheap amplifier/receiver you could find.
Why not just use the remote? :confused:
 

OREOSpeedwagon

Diamond Member
May 30, 2001
8,485
1
81
Originally posted by: NiteWulf
Originally posted by: OREOSpeedwagon
Originally posted by: Aflac
I believe getting a male-stereo-RCA cable-to-female stereo headphone jack would work if you plugged it into the audio out of the TV. I'm really not sure if this cable exists, however. You might be able to piece it together with parts from Radio Shack, but it probably wouldn't be too cheap.

Wireless would probably be a lot more money, unless you use the FM transmitter option, but you'll probably still have to go through the above process.

I'm pretty sure those cables do exist, but you wouldn't be able to adjust the volume as it would be a direct line-out via RCA. You could pick up a small headphone amp on ebay such as a cmoy or a little dot micro+ and get an RCA -> mini cable to run to the amp, then plug your headphones into the headphone out port. This could also be achieved with any other kind of cheap amplifier/receiver you could find.
Why not just use the remote? :confused:

that controls the speakers on the tv, not any output from the RCA ports.
 

YOyoYOhowsDAjello

Moderator<br>A/V & Home Theater<br>Elite member
Aug 6, 2001
31,204
45
91
Originally posted by: OREOSpeedwagon
Originally posted by: NiteWulf
Originally posted by: OREOSpeedwagon
Originally posted by: Aflac
I believe getting a male-stereo-RCA cable-to-female stereo headphone jack would work if you plugged it into the audio out of the TV. I'm really not sure if this cable exists, however. You might be able to piece it together with parts from Radio Shack, but it probably wouldn't be too cheap.

Wireless would probably be a lot more money, unless you use the FM transmitter option, but you'll probably still have to go through the above process.

I'm pretty sure those cables do exist, but you wouldn't be able to adjust the volume as it would be a direct line-out via RCA. You could pick up a small headphone amp on ebay such as a cmoy or a little dot micro+ and get an RCA -> mini cable to run to the amp, then plug your headphones into the headphone out port. This could also be achieved with any other kind of cheap amplifier/receiver you could find.
Why not just use the remote? :confused:

that controls the speakers on the tv, not any output from the RCA ports.

Depends on the TV? I know the ones I've worked with have done volume control of the audio output.
 

YOyoYOhowsDAjello

Moderator<br>A/V & Home Theater<br>Elite member
Aug 6, 2001
31,204
45
91

ttown

Platinum Member
Oct 27, 2003
2,412
0
0
The radio shack guy is (probably) right

It would have worked on my old TV before it died -- the audio-out was variable depending on the volume.
My most recent TV has a constant volume on the audio-out -- so it wouldn't work for my newer tv.