Connecting Wireless Headphones to Old TV? (Help) (1 Viewer)

[Demonyx]

Ok, my elderly father can only use over the ear headphones that he considers really comfortable, he tried my Jabra Elite 85h headphones and loved them. He wants to use them only to listen to his TV and to do so wirelessly. So we bought him a pair as a gift only to realize after the fact that his older TV does not have Bluetooth connectivity. What is an easy way to add Bluetooth capability to his old TV? (He will not buy a new one, "it still runs great")

Headphones: Jabra Elite 85h https://www.jabra.com/bluetooth-headsets/jabra-elite-85h

TV: Vizio SV320XVT 1080p LCD HDTV https://www.amazon.com/vizio-32-inch-sv320xvt-full-1080p/dp/b002qpwc4o

Thanks,
Demonyx

Attempt #1: [FAILED] I bought a Esinkin Wireless Audio Adapter and connected it to the TVs red/white "RCA" audio out. But apparently this device is only a receiver and not a transmitter of Bluetooth signals. I saw the word adapter and just assumed the word adapter meant both directions, D'oh! Plus this offered up no display options for establishing connection on the TV iteself and headphones are a bit vague on how to go about "blind" pairing (outside of smartphone apps - which my father wants nothing to do with).

 

[David Weicker]

I assume his TV has an Audio Jack.

You can get a Bluetooth Receiver (under $20)

I’ve used one in my car. It’s has a rechargeable battery or can be plugged in

Mine (a TaoTronics) was about the size of four stacked quarters

You can probably do search for one that is compatible to you headphones

 

[Demonyx]

I assume his TV has an Audio Jack.

You can get a Bluetooth Receiver (under $20)

I’ve used one in my car. It’s has a rechargeable battery or can be plugged in

Mine (a TaoTronics) was about the size of four stacked quarters

You can probably do search for one that is compatible to you headphones

(1) I cannot seem to find an audio jack out other than for PC. Red and white "RCA" audio out and optical out. See attached for rear panel connections. http://cdn.vizio.com/manuals/kb/legacy/sv370xvt.pdf

(2) If all I need is a Bluetooth receiver then why did the Esinkin Wireless Audio Adapter Receiver I bought not work? Don't I need a transmitter? Don't I want to transmit the audio out from the TV to the headphones? Should I connect the aduio jack from the PC section of the back of the TV into the AUX audio jack of the Esinkin Wireless [device]?

I am admittedly getting confused here myself with all this Bluetooth adapter/receiver/transmitter language (surely all those terms are not synonymous?). I can connect my smart phone to the Jabra headphones and the Esinkin Receiver without a hitch but I cannot seem to connect the Jabra Headphones to the Esinkin Receiver no matter what I do.

 

[Scott Merryfield]

I found numerous ones on Amazon. Here is one that will connect to your optical audio output for under $20 if you apply the $5 digital coupon. Here is an Anker model for $45 that does both digital optical and RCA audio. I just Googled "optical to bluetooth transmitter" to find these.

 

[kalm_traveler]

(1) I cannot seem to find an audio jack out other than for PC. Red and white "RCA" audio out and optical out. See attached for rear panel connections. http://cdn.vizio.com/manuals/kb/legacy/sv370xvt.pdf

(2) If all I need is a Bluetooth receiver then why did the Esinkin Wireless Audio Adapter Receiver I bought not work? Don't I need a transmitter? Don't I want to transmit the audio out from the TV to the headphones? Should I connect the aduio jack from the PC section of the back of the TV into the AUX audio jack of the Esinkin Wireless [device]?

I am admittedly getting confused here myself with all this Bluetooth adapter/receiver/transmitter language (surely all those terms are not synonymous?). I can connect my smart phone to the Jabra headphones and the Esinkin Receiver without a hitch but I cannot seem to connect the Jabra Headphones to the Esinkin Receiver no matter what I do.

the audio out jack for PC is what you would use. It's a typical headphone 3.5mm stereo mini jack.

You then buy a cheap 3.5mm stereo mini jack bluetooth adapter and plug that into the TV - then sync your headphones to it.

 

[Todd Erwin]

What you need is a Bluetooth Transmitter not a Receiver, as you are wanting to transmit the audio from the TV to your Bluetooth headphones. Scott's recommendations should work just fine, and for the best audio, I would use the optical audio output on the TV. Personally, I would go with a known brand, such as the Anker (one of Scott's suggestions) or this one from Monoprice.

See on Amazon See on Amazon

Both appear to come with the necessary cables, but may be missing a USB power adapter.

 

[Thomas Newton]

(1) I cannot seem to find an audio jack out other than for PC. Red and white "RCA" audio out and optical out. See attached for rear panel connections. http://cdn.vizio.com/manuals/kb/legacy/sv370xvt.pdf

(2) If all I need is a Bluetooth receiver then why did the Esinkin Wireless Audio Adapter Receiver I bought not work? Don't I need a transmitter? Don't I want to transmit the audio out from the TV to the headphones? Should I connect the aduio jack from the PC section of the back of the TV into the AUX audio jack of the Esinkin Wireless [device]?

I am admittedly getting confused here myself with all this Bluetooth adapter/receiver/transmitter language (surely all those terms are not synonymous?). I can connect my smart phone to the Jabra headphones and the Esinkin Receiver without a hitch but I cannot seem to connect the Jabra Headphones to the Esinkin Receiver no matter what I do.

(1) The audio jack in the RGB PC section of the TV's rear panel is an input. You need to use one of the outputs from the Audio Out section. I'm guessing that the RCA outputs are the ones that you will want. If a Bluetooth transmitter has a 1/8" stereo jack, but no RCA jacks, just get an audio splitter cable that has two RCA plugs on one end, and a 1/8" stereo plug on the other.

(2) You need a Bluetooth transmitter. Your Jabra headphones contain a Bluetooth receiver. The reason that the smart phone connects to them is that when it is talking to them, it takes on the role of a transmitter. (Note that if your smart phone has Bluetooth turned on and remembers your headphones, they may pair with it at times when you would rather that they pair with the Bluetooth transmitter associated with your TV.)

 

[Thomas Newton]

the audio out jack for PC is what you would use. It's a typical headphone 3.5mm stereo mini jack.

Except that according to the manual, the stereo mini jack in the RGB PC section is an input.

 

[kalm_traveler]

Except that according to the manual, the stereo mini jack in the RGB PC section is an input.

ah good catch, you're absolutely right - I must have not looked at the picture.

In that case, he'll need something that can take the audio out signal either from the optical jack or the pair of RCA outputs, then transmit it over bluetooth.