How to Connect Wireless Headphones to TV: Different Ways and Means of Their Connection.

Watching TV with wireless headphones is convenient. Firstly, you can make the sound louder, and secondly, it will not interfere with those around you. And the sound in this case will be of higher quality, which is quite important for movie buffs or connoisseurs of hi-fi sound.

How do you connect wireless headphones to the TV? What variations do they have?

And what about the owners of TVs that were produced more than 10 years ago, because they do not have any wireless modules?

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What are wireless headphones

Today there are 3 widespread standards of wireless sound transmission that are actively used in consumer equipment:

Radio. One of the most outdated standards of sound transmission "over the air". It is also used, for example, in conventional FM radio. The main advantage is the long range (about 100 - 200 meters from the receiver). But the sound quality is poor, and there is also no resistance to interference. If there is even a cell phone near the receiver (the device that generates the radio signal), it can cause distortion.
WiFi. A more modern standard, but in practice is rarely used. Because WiFi signal is adapted for high-speed data transfer, not for sound. And when using WiFi in headphones, manufacturers have to install a chip which will be responsible for converting the digital data into an audio signal.
Bluetooth. The most modern and so far the most advanced standard for the wireless transmission of sound. It works on the same frequency as WiFi. But in the Bluetooth-module by default there is a chip that can convert the received digital data into an audio signal. That is, for the manufacturer, the production of such headphones is many times easier, and the sound quality is at a high level. For example, Bluetooth modules from QUALCOMM already allow Hi-Fi sound (with a bitrate comparable to FLAC) to be transmitted via bluetooth.

But WiFi and Bluetooth headphones can only be connected to the TV if the TV is equipped with the appropriate wireless data transmission modules. And this mostly applies only to modern TVs with Smart TV support.

But for older TVs, you can only connect wireless headphones (they are compatible with all devices that have a 3.5 mm audio output).

TIP! There are also so-called "hybrid" WiFi headphones. They are also connected to the 3.5 mm jack in the TV. The signal is transmitted to a special WiFi base (supplied with the headphones), and then the signal is transmitted to the headset itself via WiFi. Such headphones can also be connected to older TVs. The only thing you need is a 3.5 millimeter jack (or AV, to which you can connect through an adapter).

How to connect wireless headphones to the TV

And the connection algorithm directly depends on what type of headphones are used, as well as to which TV the connection is made.

Radio headphones connection

It is easier to connect these radio headphones, as with them in the kit is a special receiver. The sound source can be any audio output on your TV (and for which there is a compatible input in the receiver). In most cases, either an AV or 3.5mm jack is used.

You will also need to connect a power source to the receiver beforehand. This can be either a rechargeable battery or a power adapter. It synchronizes with the headphones automatically, since they are set to work with the same radio frequency.

That is, the connection procedure is as follows:

Connect the receiver to a compatible audio output on your TV. It is recommended to use AV or 3.5 millimeters.
Apply power to the receiver. That is, either install batteries, rechargeable battery, or connect the power supply.
Turn on the headphones themselves. They also have a battery, and sometimes an external receiving receiver (usually with a clip-shaped attachment).

The main advantages of radio headphones are the long range. There are models that can transmit sound at distances of up to 100 meters in direct line of sight between the receivers.

The main disadvantage is the low quality of the signal transmission, as well as low resistance to any external interference. They can create even a cell phone, not to mention the large-scale home appliances.

Connecting Bluetooth headphones

Unlike radio headphones, transmit an order of magnitude better sound quality. But the range is significantly limited - only about 10 - 15 meters in direct line of sight. Although in the most modern full-size models it is higher - up to 25 meters.

Sound is transmitted in stereo. Also, each Bluetooth module version 2.1 or higher is equipped with a special microprocessor, which is responsible for audio processing. Therefore, the sound is similar to a wired connection.

You can connect Bluetooth headphones only to modern TVs that support Smart TV or Android TV, for example, from Sony, Philips, Lg.

To do this, you need:

Put the headphones in pairing mode. How exactly this is done must be specified in the manual. In most cases it is sufficient to press and hold the power button (this can also be a touch button if it is TWS headphones).
On the TV, go to "Menu" and find "Devices" (or "Sound output").
Select Bluetooth.
From the list of detected devices, select the headphones. If necessary, enter the pairing code (it can also be found in the manual or on the manufacturer's website).
Wait until the pairing of the devices is completed.

In some TVs in the menu you can also select the port through which the sound is output. And by default, it is HDMI (if, for example, a game console is connected to it).

That is, you need to enter this item and manually set that the sound output is carried out through a Bluetooth headset.

IMPORTANT: Android TVs also allow you to use the built-in microphone in the Bluetooth headset. You can use this, for example, for voice input or to search for information in the browser.

Connecting WiFi headphones

Nowadays, WiFi headphones are hardly ever produced because they are inferior in sound quality to Bluetooth headsets. They are also not resistant to radio interference at 2.4 gigahertz. That is, if there is a router near them, a cell phone with WiFi turned on, there is a probability of periodic loss of connection.

Such headphones also come with an external receiver (in most cases, it is made in the form of a docking station, when installed on which the headset is also charged).

That is, the order of connection will be as follows:

Connect a compatible audio source to the receiver. In most cases this is a 3.5 millimeter port.
Turn on the receiver, the headphones themselves.
Wait for their automatic synchronization. In some cases you may need to reset the receiver's WiFi settings. To do this you just need to press and hold the power button or a special Reset button (depending on the model).

The sound quality of these headphones is much higher than that of a radio headset. The average range is 30 to 40 meters.

But they consume quite a lot of power, so they run out quickly. Also not resistant to interference at 2.4 gigahertz.

Adjusting the sound after connecting to the TV

The sound level can be adjusted either through the TV itself or on the headphones themselves (if the appropriate switch or knob is provided). Sometimes there are buttons on the receiver itself for this purpose.

Switching the audio output source is done directly through the TV settings. In most cases, you just need to press "Menu" on the remote control, then go to "Sound" and specify the output device.

On older TVs (not supporting Smart TV), there are no such settings. There, the sound output is carried out through the built-in speakers, if the device is connected to the 3.5 mm jack or AV, then through it.

If the Bluetooth headphones on the TV do not work properly (for example, the sound is not output through them, even if everything is correct in the settings), in most cases the "culprit" is HDMI.

You need to turn off the HDMI CEC function in the settings (in Android TV, for example, under "Picture"). After that - be sure to turn off and on the TV (or manually reconnect HDMI). After - re-sync the wireless headset.

Why there is no sound after connection

The most common reasons why no sound is output to the headphones after connection are as follows:

The TV does not support the necessary Bluetooth codecs. As a rule, the wireless module in them is used exclusively to connect the remote control. The only way around this limitation is to use an external Bluetooth receiver.
It is necessary to update the TV firmware. Many manufacturers do not have support for wireless headphones and a whole range of additional functions from the factory. But they are added in the future by releasing updated firmware.
The 3.5 millimeter connector on the TV is defective (if you use a WiFi connection or radio headphones). Since they are rarely used, oxides often form inside the contact pads. Consequently, the signal is simply not transmitted when the headphones are connected. It is necessary to contact the service center. Although the forums often recommend that you perform the cleaning yourself, using ethanol.
The headphones themselves are faulty or their volume is set to minimum.
There are devices placed near the TV that could theoretically interfere with the radio signal. This can be a refrigerator, microwave oven, wireless router, cell phone and so on. It is recommended to place both the receiver itself and the headphones at a distance of at least 3 - 5 meters from the potential source of interference.

To summarize, watching TV using radio headphones is really convenient.

If it is a Smart TV, it is easy enough to connect a wireless speaker to it. Users often have difficulties with older TVs, where the connection is made through a special receiver.

Useful video

To find out how to connect wireless headphones to the TV, watch this video clip: