Way to use headphone?

[Kerry]

I have the following equipment:
Sony 40” 40Z4100
Scientific Atlanta 4250HDC cable box
AT&T Series 2 TIVO

The new HDTV doesn't have a headset jack. Is there a way for me to connect headphones without adding a power-consuming amp? (monthly electric bill a concern).

I saw a cordless rechargeable headset at Radio Shack for about $80 (a bit pricey given I already have have an excellent corded headset).

Thanks,

Kerry

[NJ_HB]

www.amazon.com/3-5mm-Female-Plugs-Audio-Cable/dp/B000I23TTE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1218934933&sr=1-1

Assuming your TV has a set of RCA audio out ports, you need either a 1/8 or 1/4 female to RCA cable.

1/8 or 1/4 depending on your headphone plug.

[Sherminator]

Not too sure about the volume on that solution though, as that would depend on impedence of the drivers & wire. The volume would not be adjustable.

[Kerry]

Thanks, it's a toss up between cordless and corded.

I've been checking cordless and the batt life (very expensive Seinhiesner sp? 820) seems to be around 4 hrs. I sometimes watch for 5 hrs.

Kerry

[lrhorer]

The new HDTV doesn't have a headset jack. Is there a way for me to connect headphones without adding a power-consuming amp? (monthly electric bill a concern).
An amplifier for a headphone would not add more than $0.10 per year in power costs. Even using an A/V receiver for a headphone amplifier wouldn't run but a dollar or so a month when not outputting to large speakers. If I were you, I would pick up an old audio-only receiver, pre-amp, or amplifier at a hamfest or maybe on e-bay. An old 10-12W model is more than plenty. That, or just go down to Best Buy or Wal-Mart and get one of their little bookshelf systems for under $50. The power used by one of those systems is almost zilch. Far less than a 15W light bulb.

I saw a cordless rechargeable headset at Radio Shack for about $80 (a bit pricey given I already have have an excellent corded headset).
I've tried several, including ones much more expensive than that. I have never been satisfied.

[Kerry]

I saw a cordless rechargeable headset at Radio Shack for about $80 (a bit pricey given I already have have an excellent corded headset).
I've tried several, including ones much more expensive than that. I have never been satisfied. Thanks for the warning.

I do have a Sony Receiver STR-DE597 but only use it for movies that have awesome sound effects; I'm thinking it takes more watts even at idle, or say with headphones plugged in, than you suggest. The manual says, "220 W" (no doubt when driving average size speakers). The new 40" Sony HDTV draws about 300 W. 220 + 300 (plus TIVO and cable box) for 5 hours per eve @ .39 per KWH is a bit much for a pensioner.

Kerry

[classicsat]

Go for a wired headphone and amplifier, or a wireless set with better longevity.

FWIW, I have a normal stereo receiver connected to an out on my A/V switcher, and have no problems using it.

[Kerry]

Go for a wired headphone and amplifier, or a wireless set with better longevity.

FWIW, I have a normal stereo receiver connected to an out on my A/V switcher, and have no problems using it.Thanks classicsat, Any recommendations for a wireless headset that lasts 6+ hours?

Kerry

[Kerry]

I'm looking at wired from the RCA L & R outs on the back of the HDTV to a very small amp.

Avia HP 2000 Headphones (http://http://www.briansdiscountstore.com/product_info.php/products_id/844), comes with the amp and the headset.

Suggestions?

Thanks,

Kerry

[classicsat]

Look for wireless headphones that uses a Lithium-ion battery, or AA cells (rather than AAAs). And have spare rechargeable cells on hand.

I am going to say those wired headphones look like a deal, but it seems they need connected to a discrete 5.1 source.

[dlfl]

Take a look at this Sony Wireless headphone (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000OEV88K/themusicso0b6891-20), which I own. Battery life per charge is claimed to be well in excess of five hours although I haven't tested this.

You don't need an amplifier and the phones have a volume control on them. I've used mine hooked to the RCA composite audio out of my Tivo Series 2. I did insert 6 dB RCA in-line attenuators because I suspected the TiVo level was too strong.

[Kerry]

Re: "I am going to say those wired headphones look like a deal, but it seems they need connected to a discrete 5.1 source." Yes, they'd connect to the TV's RCA L & R outs.

Re: "Sony MDR-RF925RK 900 MHz Analog RF Wireless Headphone" What I want is the 5.1 surround sound.

Re: "...five hours...." I'd be reluctant to trust that 5 means 5 each and every time. My sense is that the batt would die right at 4 hrs and 50 minutes while watching something.

As I see it there are two possibilities. A headset with multiple speakers in each ear piece or a dedicated Dolby headphone amp that sends 5.1-like signals to any headphone (it plugs into the TV's RCA L & R outs) such as Dolby Headphone (http://http://hometheater.about.com/gi/dynamic/offsite.htm?zi=1/XJ&sdn=hometheater&cdn=gadgets&tm=31&gps=290_205_1187_634&f=11&tt=13&bt=1&bts=1&zu=http%3A//www.dolby.com/consumer/technology/headphone.html), also SRS Headphone ($700) and Smyth Research (http://http://hometheater.about.com/gi/dynamic/offsite.htm?zi=1/XJ&sdn=hometheater&cdn=gadgets&tm=179&gps=283_224_1187_634&f=11&tt=13&bt=1&bts=1&zu=http%3A//www.barryrudolph.com/utilities/smyth.html)).

In any case, I'm certain I want wired headphones.

Thanks,

Kerry

[lrhorer]

I do have a Sony Receiver STR-DE597 but only use it for movies that have awesome sound effects; I'm thinking it takes more watts even at idle, or say with headphones plugged in, than you suggest. The manual says, "220 W" (no doubt when driving average size speakers).
That is not the power utilization rating. It is the maximum instantaneous power which can be delivered into a pair of 8 ohm speakers (or possibly 4 ohm). Believe me, a continuous 220 watt tone in a small room (or even a large auditorium) would deafen you. If the entire population of the state of New York (about 19 million people) were to simultaneously shout at the top of their lungs, it would produce a sound whose power is about 20KW. If they were all to speak at a normal level, it would be about 200W. The idle current of your 220W amplifier is probably less than 100ma at 120VAC, or maybe 12 watts. It's easy to measure with an AC ammeter. Remember, too you can turn off the unit when you are not watching TV.

I have a 2000 watt system, and at idle it probably draws less than 100 watts.

The new 40" Sony HDTV draws about 300 W.
If it's a projection TV, that's about right. If power draw was a real consideration, you might have opted for a plasma or LCD flat panel, rather than a projection set, but c'est la vie. If it's not a projection TV, the I suspect the 300W number is a bit high - maybe a lot high. It's not unheard of for a manufacturer to rate a unit for its fuse at maximum current draw. The start-up current is often many times the operational current, and the NEC calls for fuses / breakers to be rated at 1.25 times the maximum current draw.

220 + 300 (plus TIVO and cable box) for 5 hours per eve @ .39 per KWH is a bit much for a pensioner.
MAke that more like maybe 12W for the receiver, 30W or less for the TiVo (my THD with 500G drive pulls 30 watts) and about the same for the STB, leaves us with about 372W, or about $0.72 a night. Of course, it does add up, and going with a smaller home theater system would save a little, but by far the biggest chunk of the 372 W is the TV.

[Kerry]

Thanks very much Lrhorer. Nicely explained. I'm greatly relieved to know my new TV doesn't draw 300w. It is an LCD. I really should get a watt meter.

What I'm testing now is RCA L & R jacks from the TV to my old but pretty good wired headphones and it works quite nicely. I've lost some frequencies (grenade in Vietnam) and I'm always shocked to hear the high volume I ended up with the night before. I'm so concerned about the neighbors that I glued cardboard egg liners to the window of my TV room (as they used to do in low budget radios stations). There's a curtain hiding them. I think they do absorb some sound.

I tried plugging the phones into my Sony receiver's 1/4" jack and I'm able to get better volume but the receiver doesn't send Dolby signals to headphones. It reads "2 ch headphones" and none of the other soundfields (5.1, 7.1, etc.) are available with the headphones plugged in. Still, I'm able to understand English sitcoms (at times it's hard to get all the words).

Again, much thanks,

Kerry

P. S. Sherminator, Not too sure about the volume on that solution though, as that would depend on impedence of the drivers & wire. The volume would not be adjustable. You're right. I'm pretty much resigned to plugging in the headphones to the Receiver's 1/4" jack

[lrhorer]

Thanks very much irhorer.
Actually, that's Lrhorer, not Irhorer.

Nicely explained. I'm greatly relieved to know my new TV doesn't draw 300w. It is an LCD. I really should get a watt meter.
Watt meters are rather expensive, and in your case unnecessary. A nice inductive AC ammeter can be had for somewhere around $50 - $75. Take a cheap extension cord and carefully split the wires out without exposing any bare copper. (A little vinyl tape will fix it right up if your knife slips and skins one of the conductors.) Plug the adapter you just built in between the wall and whatever device(s) about which whose power dissipation you are curious and clip the ammeter mandibles around one of the conductors (not the ground if it's a 3 wire extension cord). This will allow you to easily measure the actual current draw of any device or group of devices. Multiply the measured current in amperes by 120V. Within reasonable tolerance, that's the power being dissipated by the device(s). Divide by 1000 and you have the power in Kilowatts. Multiply by $0.39 and you have the cost per hour for the devices themselves. If you are air-conditioning the room, multiply that amount by about 3 and you have the total cost. If you have to heat your room, then the extra heat actually reduces your heating bill by a little bit.

I tried plugging the phones into my Sony receiver's 1/4" jack and I'm able to get better volume but the receiver doesn't send Dolby signals to headphones. It reads "2 ch headphones" and none of the other soundfields (5.1, 7.1, etc.) are available with the headphones plugged in.
Unless you have true surround sound headphones with multiple speakers in each earpiece, your headphones won't be able to make any use of more than 2 channels, anyway.

Still, I'm able to understand English sitcoms (at times it's hard to get all the words).
That's when Closed Captioning comes in handy. I use it all the time to help fill in the "blanks".

[Jonathan_S]

Actually, that's Lrhorer, not Irhorer.


Watt meters are rather expensive, and in your case unnecessary. A nice inductive AC ammeter can be had for somewhere around $50 - $75. Take a cheap extension cord and carefully split the wires out without exposing any bare copper. (A little vinyl tape will fix it right up if your knife slips and skins one of the conductors.) Plug the adapter you just built in between the wall and whatever device(s) about which whose power dissipation you are curious and clip the ammeter mandibles around one of the conductors (not the ground if it's a 3 wire extension cord). This will allow you to easily measure the actual current draw of any device or group of devices. Multiply the measured current in amperes by 120V. Within reasonable tolerance, that's the power being dissipated by the device(s). Divide by 1000 and you have the power in Kilowatts. Multiply by $0.39 and you have the cost per hour for the devices themselves. If you are air-conditioning the room, multiply that amount by about 3 and you have the total cost. If you have to heat your room, then the extra heat actually reduces your heating bill by a little bit.
Isn't all that kind of doing it the hard way, since a 'Kill A Watt (http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_gw?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=kill+a+watt)' watt meter is also in that $40-$70 price range. And those are simple plug in devices that just display the information you're looking for.

[Kerry]

Hi Jonathan,

Thanks for the correction.

I'll check out 'Kill A Watt' meters.

When I think about it it's a moot point, to be worrying about electricty, I've run my hot tub 24/7 for 19 years. :eek:

With aloha,

Kerry

[lrhorer]

Isn't all that kind of doing it the hard way, since a 'Kill A Watt (http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_gw?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=kill+a+watt)' watt meter is also in that $40-$70 price range. And those are simple plug in devices that just display the information you're looking for.
True enough, but they are also limited to only 120V appliances with standard duplex plugs. 'Not that that would necessarily prevent them from being a good choice for the OP, of course. Admittedly, my suggestion is more of that which an engineer might choose. Hmm, I wonder why that might be...