[dheian]

The missus sometimes has problems sleeping so will often plug a set of headphones into our ol' Toshiba set and watch TV for a bit. The headphone jack shuts off the speakers.

Sadly, the Toshiba's dying and we're about to replace it with an HDTV...but I haven't seen any with a headphone jack. I've read the threads here about Y-cables from the RCA outputs but I guess my main question is how we get the same plug-in headphones/turn off speakers we did with the old set.

Would it be safe to assume that we'd have to plug the Y-cable into the RCA audio outs of the 8300HD and she'd just have to use the actual TV remote to mute the set while leaving the STB unmuted?

 

[57]

Several options:

1. TV with headphone jack - there are probably still some out there.

2. Analogue outs from TV, but then you'd have to turn off the internal TV speakers - a pain.

3. Headphone jack on an AVR (a used inexpensive AVR could be used for headpones and/or speakers).

4. Analogue outs from STB to headphones (no auto mute, but one button mute on TV would be easy). Properly setting up the Rogers remote to control the TV volume instead of doing so via the STB would be a good idea in any case - global volume lock.

5. Digital (optical) out from TV to digital headphones - need to turn off internal speakers, a pain.

6. Digital (optical) out from STB to digital headphones with optical input - need to mute TV speakers - easy.

 

[andrew.r]

For options 5 and 6, are there headphones that have an digital optical input?

 

[JamesK]

How big of TV are you talking about? Smaller sets, both digital and analog tend to be the ones with headphone jacks. You might also be able to use a computer monitor that has HDMI or DVI input and a headphone jack, as my LG 23" does. However, this method would require a separate audio amp.

Re #2 in 57's comment. Most sets have a mute function, so if you were to use a small audio amp to power headphones from the analog output, she'd just have to hit the mute button. You should have configured the PVR remote to mute the TV instead. I don't know if the PVRs analog output is sufficient to power headphones. Also, if you buy a new set, it would be HDTV and preferrably use HDMI rather than analog audio input.

 

[57]

Most sets have a mute function, so if you were to use a small audio amp to power headphones from the analog output, she'd just have to hit the mute button

Some TVs require you to turn off the internal speakers to activate the analogue outs (There is usually an "internal or external" user menu option - I've had to do this for several optimizations when the client wished a connection to an AVR for example). I don't know if simply muting the TV speakers would power on the analogue outs...

For options 5 and 6, are there headphones that have an digital optical input?

Yes, headphone amps or wireless. Search the web for "headphone optical", or similar terms.

 

[andrew.r]

I have been using a wired Sennheiser TV headphone that I purchased about 20 years ago and the model number has worn off. They have been sat on, dropped and the wires pulled requiring soldering numerous times. Would have replaced them but never managed to come across a Sennheiser dealer that had theser small, great-sounding headphones.

Recently, I pulled the wire again when it got tangled on me somehow and one wire broke off, so I made a concerted effort to find a replacement set with Sennheiser being the top choice since others I have had did not come close.

I found this set and ordered it from the UK because they don't seem to be available in North America. They have a volume control which hopefully will amp-up the volume from the Y-connection which I find insufficient. I haven't received them yet so can't give my opinion on how they perform.

http://www.sennheiser.com/sennheiser/home_en.nsf/root/private_headphones_tv-headphones-hd-30-tv

My other headphone set is a Sennheiser Pro model and these provide more and sufficient volume but are very uncomfortable for watching TV and especially when falling asleep on the couch watching a Leafs game.

I have tried a very inexpensive wireless headphone from XScargo and found the hiss and drop outs when turning your head to be beyond acceptable so throwing them out was not painful. It seems that even expensive optical wireless headphones have this issue so I had no interest in buying such a wireless set.

 

[dheian]

Thanks for the suggestions everyone.