Have hearing loss, need to buy better TV. What do others do in this situation?

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Denise1952

Well-known Member
I'm feeling so frustrated as I've tried to use headphones, a soundbar, and I'm just struggling, and stressing over it all. I could really use some help in finding something that will work for me.

I know that some of the issue is the actual TVs they are making nowadays, but that doesn't change the fact I live in an apartment building and have to think of my neighbors being disturbed by my TV. I don't get any complaints, but that's because I never turn it up loud enough to really hear most of what people are saying. Here is the type of TV I have now:

Sanyo TV Model DP32242

I really don't want to use headphones as they are uncomfortable, and, my TV does not have a headphone jack. I have to go through my laptop and use HDMI, just plugging my headphones into laptop (pain, a real pain).

I also need to find a TV that has a good "sound leveler" I think they call them, so your TV adjusts to louder "parts" of shows. If I can avoid headphones, I so want to do that.

Is someone else in a similar situation? And hopefully found a better TV/Sound system?

I'm missing all my Christmas movies, and I know last year I didn't have as bad an issue with it. It's either my hearing and/or the TV just doesn't have good sound.

Thanks in advance to anyone who might help me with this. I didn't know whether to put it hear, or well, I didn't know where for sure. Admin will move it if it's in the wrong area. Denise

PS Some programs I hear fine, others, usually movies (not TV Shows, I seem to hear them ok). I was playing 2 different Christmas DVDs lastnight and had to turn the sound up to 70 on one, and on the other 60. 40 I think is average sound level, or typical lets say, on my TV.:(
 

Denise, I have the same problem but haven't done anything about it yet. I'm thinking ear phones.

They DO have a thing that sits near the TV and broadcasts the sound to light weight ear phones that you wear.
 

Thanks, it helps to know others have issues with TVs, not that I want others to suffer:( I heard someone mention an old TV that he just loves, I think he called it a CRT?? Anyway, I read after I posted this, that most "new" tv's don't come with headphone jacks, go figure:( I would rather not use them, but if I have to I will. Wireless headphones can work too, might be better, but I still need a TV with a connection for a headphone.

Maybe some others will speak up and let us know some ideas that work for them too;) If I run across some ideas, I'll be sure to share them with you Falcon.
 
The sound quality in most of these flat panel tv's is atrocious....after all, there is No room in the unit for decent speakers...and most direct the sound towards the rear, where it has to "bounce" off the wall, before it is directed towards the viewer. It is almost necessary to install a soundbar, or external speakers if you want to get good quality sound. If you do most of your TV watching from a favorite chair/couch, you might consider placing a set of external speakers near your seat....might require installing a longer cord.
 
Okay Don I would consider that but I need to know what type of TV hookups I need and whether or not my television is rigged for that kind of connection since I only have digital audio out I don't have optical audio out on this TV I think the speaker's sitting beside my chair would be a really good idea I just need to know how to go about either hooking them up to my television or buying a TV that would work with something like that I'm cooking some dinner right now so I'm using my phone and voice to text sorry about no punctuation I'll get back to you with more information on my television and some other ideas I've been thinking about but so far I think the speakers sound best for me because I hate using anything on my ears like a headphone or an earbud thanks Don really appreciate your input and yes I know that's all true about these TVs
 
Denise1952 said:
Okay Don I would consider that but I need to know what type of TV hookups I need and whether or not my television is rigged for that kind of connection since I only have digital audio out I don't have optical audio out on this TV I think the speaker's sitting beside my chair would be a really good idea I just need to know how to go about either hooking them up to my television or buying a TV that would work with something like that I'm cooking some dinner right now so I'm using my phone and voice to text sorry about no punctuation I'll get back to you with more information on my television and some other ideas I've been thinking about but so far I think the speakers sound best for me because I hate using anything on my ears like a headphone or an earbud thanks Don really appreciate your input and yes I know that's all true about these TVs
Click to expand...

Here's a site that offers some suggestions for external speakers. It's really a pretty easy fix, and needn't cost much....the only problem is stringing some cable where it won't get in the way.

https://www.cnet.com/news/a-cheap-and-easy-fix-for-crummy-hdtv-speakers/
 
Okay I'll go ahead and check out CNET and see what they've got to say yeah I'd have to well it wouldn't be too hard really to run the chord at along the wall and I think I've already got a surround sound system at my sister's I mean I know I have it there it's just getting her to send it down she doesn't use it anymore since they got a soundbar thanks again Don and if something like this works for me than I can pass it on to Falcon if he isn't following the thread right now I really do believe that those speakers first of all not being very big and second of all being behind the television is what has screwed up people's listening
 
I know exactly what you are going through. I have hearing aids but they don't work well with the TV. The captions help a lot but the hubby says it distracts him while he is watching a show. I also have an extra control for the TV that I constantly turn up or down depending on what I am watching. My audiologist says they sell some type of system that helps but it is so expensive. After spending $4000.00 on the aids I just can't afford it. I find that I am replacing my TV viewing with other things that interest me such as reading or audio books that seem to come through just fine on my Kindle. I hope you find something that works. Being hearing impaired is no fun.
 
Hi Ruth my sister wears hearing aids and my heart goes out to both of you because I have mild hearing loss at this point but even the mild Los is really hard to accept along with some other things that come with age like my eyesight isn't near as good as it used to be and I have to wear glasses to read anything and especially use my computer but I know that there's people that have it way worse than I do my sister ended up with a soundbar and she and her boyfriend really like it my sister's actually 75 she's 10 years older than I am and they have a house so they can have their TV up as loud as they want and she does love the soundbar but her and her boyfriend are the same as far as hearing goes so there's no problems with the volume they both like the volume up loud I do use captions sometimes and they are distracting for me but it's all I've got on some things that I just really can't hear I'm sorry the messages so long but I can talk a lot faster than I type and I am using voice to text as I mentioned before thanks for your reply Ruth
 
Yes I use that quite often to anymore but I don't want to settle for that if I can figure something else out thats not too spendy I noticed that I can hear a lot of things but when it comes to people talking just at a normal tone and a normal volume I can't hear them but I can hear all the other noises going on like background music maybe or you know and then if I turn it up so I can hear the voices then of course when the loud stuff comes on I'm busy hitting the down arrow on the volume so i don't blow out my neighbors
 
I forgot to mention that I bought a digital to Optical audio converter anyway it's called something like that so I already have that to use with this TV but I still think this particular model is missing something that I can't remember the name of but when you're trying to convert the digital audio out into optical audio you need a certain TV for that to work right so I'll have to look that up Don if you're reading this and that little Gadget was very inexpensive plus a coaxial anyway I'll check all that out tomorrow and then add that to the thread so you know what parts I do have to work with and I'll talk to my sister about shipping that surround sound down to me
 
Wow I didn't know they made Wireless speakers I like the sound of those I'll check your link tomorrow morning when I'm awake more so anyway and thank you so much for that idea I do still want to avoid the headphones if I can and a speaker on each side of where I sit most often to watch TV would be really perfect I think so I'll talk to you guys tomorrow and let you know what I find on the links I don't want to get my sisters sound system while it's hers now I gave it to her I don't even want to bother with that I want to get something new so be sure that will be in good condition thanks again talk to you tomorrow
 
Okay I found all kinds of sound systems or speaker systems that I believe will work with my digital out only television I'll put the link down below that I found on how to connect them to a television if anyone sees any reason why they wouldn't work with my particular television please let me know and I will talk to you guys tomorrow I think this is the best solution and maybe Falcon will be interested to because some of these are really reasonably priced very low priced under $50

https://www.techwalla.com/articles/how-to-connect-wireless-speakers-to-a-television
 
Did you notice you have to power the wireless speakers either plugging them in or using batteries.

If you are going to use batteries I would recommend getting rechargeables and a charger. That's all I use now is rechargeable batteries. Two sets. Plug them in at night and they are ready the next morning.

Don't get cheap ones. Get those that have about 1300 mah. They are not that expensive.

I don't see why they wouldn't work with your television set if you have the RCA outlet on your t.v.

That's how I have mine plugged in but I used cable because I was able to run the cord under the rug to where I sit and watch T.V.

You might also check your settings with either the remote or the t.v. remote to set it to stereo output. Really nice for music.

I have the same type of hearing loss that you have. Instead of headphones I use high quality earbuds. I find them more convenient than headphones.
 
My fairly high quality external speaker system has settings to level the volume and to emphasis speech. The sound is excellent out the speakers themselves and those two setting help as well. So does turning on Closed Caption so that the audio is written along the bottom of the screen.
 
dpwspringer said:
My fairly high quality external speaker system has settings to level the volume and to emphasis speech. The sound is excellent out the speakers themselves and those two setting help as well. So does turning on Closed Caption so that the audio is written along the bottom of the screen.
Click to expand...

Are your external speakers close to where you sit to watch television? Or are they at the television set?
 
Denise1952 said:
Okay I found all kinds of sound systems or speaker systems that I believe will work with my digital out only television I'll put the link down below that I found on how to connect them to a television if anyone sees any reason why they wouldn't work with my particular television please let me know and I will talk to you guys tomorrow I think this is the best solution and maybe Falcon will be interested to because some of these are really reasonably priced very low priced under $50 https://www.techwalla.com/articles/how-to-connect-wireless-speakers-to-a-television
Click to expand...

These wireless speakers look like a good idea...you can easily move them around as needed. The only drawback, as Camper said, is that you will need to insure that you have good replacement batteries on hand.

Our Panasonic Plasma is one of the few TV's with front mounted speakers, so the sound is good for most applications. However, I like rock concerts, so I installed a Sherwood Home Theater system...with a couple of good externals, and a subwoofer. I can rattle the walls with this rig, but we live in the boondocks, so all I do is irritate the squirrels.
 
I have what is probably a very silly question. If I were to get a headset with a wire which I could run under my rug from me to the TV,once I plug the wire into the TV will it cancel out the sound coming from the TV? I ask this because I have a very cheap headset that plugs into the speaker on my computer. As soon as I do that I can only hear through the headset. No sound coming from the computer at all. I use this late at night when I'm on the computer and the hubby is sleeping. With the TV we both need to hear it. We have an old Sony flat screen TV.
 
Camper6 said:
Did you notice you have to power the wireless speakers either plugging them in or using batteries.

If you are going to use batteries I would recommend getting rechargeables and a charger. That's all I use now is rechargeable batteries. Two sets. Plug them in at night and they are ready the next morning.

Don't get cheap ones. Get those that have about 1300 mah. They are not that expensive.

I don't see why they wouldn't work with your television set if you have the RCA outlet on your t.v.

That's how I have mine plugged in but I used cable because I was able to run the cord under the rug to where I sit and watch T.V.

You might also check your settings with either the remote or the t.v. remote to set it to stereo output. Really nice for music.

I have the same type of hearing loss that you have. Instead of headphones I use high quality earbuds. I find them more convenient than headphones.
Click to expand...

Yes, I have a charger and use Lithium batteries. Although I have plenty of outlets if I want to plug them in (either/or) but thank you for that reminder. As far as an RCA outlet on my TV, I'm not sure. I'll show you a pic of the back panel. I also have some other parts I mentioned about, I'll show you those pics too, just so you can see what I have here;) Even if I have to with a cord, it wouldn't be bad in my place at all.

I really, again, want to avoid the headphones or earbuds. I would have to get used to them if I have to, I understand that, just want to try the other way first. That top right is orange, and is the output as you can maybe see, not a good photo. I don't know if color matters, I think it does so you can match the coaxial. If I go for wireless, I am hoping it works, I won't have to worry, unless the transmitter plugs in there?? Duh, I'm thinking it must??

IMG_20170814_151949892.jpg
parts.PNG
 
I like the little speaker (wireless) but I have a surround sound that still works up at my sisters, and she's sending me the brand name and model number today. Just so I can compare to what they have today. It's about 9 years old now, but looks something like this setup I saw on Walmart site (80 bucks, bluetooth): I don't know anything about these brands though.

speaker system.PNG
 
Ok, got the info from my sis, this is what I have available to me as I gave them to her to use with her TV. They didn't care for them so they bought a soundbar. I like these when I could crank up the sound in my house, and the one I kept next to me had the volume control;)

They're 9 lbs, so shipping might be so high it would pay to buy a new set though. I'll have to find out, plus, they are old. I don't know about quality, they worked great, but thing nowadays are made cheap as dirt and sold for gold:( LOL!

PS Oh, and they are wired.

Altec.jpg
 

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