Assistive Listening Devices?

[KJ]

Has anyone used Assisted Listening Devices, such as the kind similar to an IPod with earbuds?  I am wondering if these are worth the investment.  I need assistance mainly when I'm watching TV at home or when I go to the movies. I just need something to crank up the volume a little without blasting other people out of the room.  Any input on this topic would be helpful.  I just finished my FSR treatment shortly before Christmas and I am in my six month wait period before my next MRI, so hearing aids are a possible item in the future, but I'm looking for something in the interim.

Thanks,
KJ

[Jim Scott]

Kate ~

I use 'TV EARS' and find them very satisfactory.  They're wireless - and quite effective,  Although I'm deaf in one ear, when using TV Ears I can hear the TV sound perfectly in my 'good' ear.  Because the receiver/transmitter plugs into the 'audio output' jack (in the back of the TV) the setting of the TV volume is irrelevant to me while I'm using the earhones.   If my wife receives a phone call and puts the TV sound on 'mute', I still hear it just fine.  I highly recommend 'TV Ears' although there may be similar products available. Unfortunately, they are not 'portable' and of no use other than when watching TV, at home.

Here's the TV Ears website link: http://www.tvears.com/shopexd.asp?id=2.   I hope this is helpful to you.

Jim

[KJ]

Thanks Jim,
My brother-in-law uses TV Ears and recommended them, but they are not good for taking to the movie theater or concerts. I was hoping for something more portable so that I could use it while I watch TV while on the treadmill, also.  I saw a device on the internet
that looked pretty useful but I wanted to know if any others had looked into it before I buy.  The web address is :  http://www.epill.com/superear.html

Thanks again,
KJ

[sgerrard]

The one I have heard of is Pocketalker. You can find them with Google pretty easily, at various prices. I don't have one, but I have met two people that do, and both said they do help in a number of situations. They tend to emphasize speech over other sounds, and are good in meetings and restaurants. I think they are less useful when you are moving around a lot. I don't know about theaters, I'm sure you would hear the movie better, but you might also hear a lot of popcorn munching. And I don't know if they work as well for listening to music.

The best thing is they are about 1/10 the cost of a hearing aid, so in a sense you can't go wrong.

Steve