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Author Topic: Difficulty hearing certain TV programs  (Read 19150 times)

saccadiceye

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Difficulty hearing certain TV programs
« on: November 27, 2013, 03:01:49 am »
Hi all,

I'm luckier than the vast majority of you I'm sure, however, I still experience some issues related to hearing (primarily sound discrimination). I don't experience issues hearing the news or sitcoms for the most part (not perfect, but adequate). However, I have trouble hearing movie dialogue through my TV's speakers. Would it be wise to consider a cheap surround sound system? They sell these soundbar devices now for a couple hundred bucks and they seem to get decent reviews http://reviews.cnet.com/best-sound-bars/ .

I'm sure many of you have experienced this too, so I was wondering if you guys had any advice.

Thanks,
« Last Edit: November 27, 2013, 03:04:32 am by saccadiceye »
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CHD63

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Re: Difficulty hearing certain TV programs
« Reply #1 on: November 27, 2013, 07:28:05 am »
Hi saccadiceye .....

Hearing loss is so different in the general population that it is difficult for anyone to recommend a speaker/sound system.  That being said, my husband and I have totally different hearing issues (mine is SSD with perfect hearing in good ear, his is age-related high frequency loss).  When attempting to watch TV (or movies) at the same time, it was always a struggle.

We did two things that basically saved our marriage.  ;D  1) always put on the sub-titles when available for movies  2) purchased TV Ears (see the following for one brand, there are others at Best Buy:  http://www.tvears.com/products ).  The TV Ears allows him to put the volume at the level needed for him, without blasting me out of the room.

Just a thought.

Clarice
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arizonajack

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Re: Difficulty hearing certain TV programs
« Reply #2 on: November 27, 2013, 08:34:02 am »
Quote from: saccadiceye on November 27, 2013, 03:01:49 am
I have trouble hearing movie dialogue through my TV's speakers. Would it be wise to consider a cheap surround sound system? They sell these soundbar devices now for a couple hundred bucks and they seem to get decent reviews http://reviews.cnet.com/best-sound-bars/ .

I'm sure many of you have experienced this too, so I was wondering if you guys had any advice.

I have exactly the same problem. The sound tracks on TV shows and TV movies are awful. The dialog is combined with all the background sounds to make the show more "realistic", I guess.

Ironically, I can watch TV shows and movies from 20 to 30 years ago and further back and the dialog is crystal clear.

I have had a little success with the 5 band graphic equalizer built into my TV where I can adjust treble, bass, and midrange to some extent. But it's still not perfect and there are a few shows where I have to put in my hearing aids.

Check your TV's on screen adjustments for sound quality (if it has any) and see if tweaking helps any.

I have also thought about the sound bars but, without some sort of graphic equalizer, I'm not sure that it would help much.

If you decide to buy one I suggest buying from Sam's Club or Costco for the liberal return policy.

Report back with the results.

PS: I'm single so there's nobody around to complain about TV volume (or anything else  ::) ).
« Last Edit: November 27, 2013, 08:36:04 am by arizonajack »
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terisandler

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Re: Difficulty hearing certain TV programs
« Reply #3 on: November 27, 2013, 08:48:53 am »
Do you have a smart phone?  I have an iPhone and downloaded an inexpensive (maybe $1.99) app called I-Hear.  I use it with headphones when I cannot understand dialogue on TV.  This is not the perfect solution because it picks up and magnifies other noises around me, but definitely cheaper than a sound bar.  I am not sure if there is a comparable Android app - but I imagine there would be one.
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arizonajack

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Re: Difficulty hearing certain TV programs
« Reply #4 on: November 27, 2013, 10:27:13 am »
Quote from: terisandler on November 27, 2013, 08:48:53 am
Do you have a smart phone?

No, I have a dumb phone. It only makes phone calls. ::)
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Jim Scott

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Re: Difficulty hearing certain TV programs
« Reply #5 on: November 27, 2013, 01:05:08 pm »
saccadiceye ~

I just want to concur with the always helpful Clarice and recommend 'TV Ears'® or a similar device.  I've been using them for almost 6 years.  They were a Christmas present from my wife and solved my hearing struggles with TV sound.  Not only can my wife - who has excellent hearing - keep the sound where it is comfortable for her but she can even 'mute' the TV sound if she receives a phone call while I can continue to listen to the TV through the wireless earphones, which are very small and light so they are never a nuisance as some larger, heavier headphones can be. 

Ironically, although I'm SSD I do not use any kind of hearing aid.  However, not doing so does not seriously impact anyone else.  Needing the TV sound at unusually high levels does negatively impact my spouse.  Hence, my satisfaction with 'TV Ears', invented for folks with hearing issues, like us. 

Jim
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saccadiceye

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Re: Difficulty hearing certain TV programs
« Reply #6 on: November 27, 2013, 03:44:39 pm »
Thanks for the suggestion I will consider TV ears.

I will also experiment with surround sound / better speakers down the line.
« Last Edit: November 27, 2013, 03:58:16 pm by saccadiceye »
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Tisha

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Re: Difficulty hearing certain TV programs
« Reply #7 on: December 08, 2013, 05:57:15 pm »
I second TV ears. I bought my first pair fall of 2012 and it was such a relief to be able to hear TV shows again...especially those with English accents, which I find extremely difficult to understand on the TV (big Downton Abbey lover here!)

They are sort of cheap, so plan on not having them long term.  Mine are full of static now and don't work right.  I'm getting ready to call and see what they can do for me as there is a 5 year warranty...but the reviews say they don't do a really good job at that.  Right now the new 5.0 are $ 129.95, but there is a $50 off special.

Another thing I noticed is I have more problems with our new big flatscreen TV, than I did our old tube TV.  Never seemed to have much of a problem with that.  I've also been thinking about purchasing a soundbar.  the speakers on the flatscreens TVs are on the bottom or side.  My DH says it's more difficult to hear than the old TV and he doesnt' have hearing problems.

Anyway...for a relatively quick fix and not too expensive I give a thumbs up to TV Ears. 
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Nannybee

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Re: Difficulty hearing certain TV programs
« Reply #8 on: December 08, 2013, 06:23:43 pm »
Don't forget about the closed captioning option, too. I find most shows now have it and although sometimes there are blatant misspellings, it's very helpful. You should be able to find the option to turn it on somewhere on your TV remote.
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arizonajack

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Re: Difficulty hearing certain TV programs
« Reply #9 on: December 09, 2013, 03:01:15 pm »
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saccadiceye

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Re: Difficulty hearing certain TV programs
« Reply #10 on: December 12, 2013, 02:45:06 am »
Well ... Since I'm too cheap to buy TV EARS, I decided to connect my amp to my TV and plug my headphones into the audio out jack. This way I can get audio through the TV and headphones simultaneously, if I'm w/ friends. I also had issues watching Downton Abbey, so watched it all on my computer. Maybe when the new season airs I will try to watch it w/ using the headphone solution.

Probably not the best solution (hopefully it doesn't cause hearing damage), but I don't watch much TV anyways.

For those of you that are tech savvy, the Roku 3 streaming box has a remote control with a built in audio jack too. However, I think it cancels the audio coming from the TV, so it probably works best when you're alone. It's a great device that plays Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, HBO, among others. It also has a great free app called PLEX that streams local content from your computer.
« Last Edit: December 12, 2013, 02:52:37 am by saccadiceye »
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Pumpkin22

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Re: Difficulty hearing certain TV programs
« Reply #11 on: September 11, 2014, 05:58:02 am »
I have recently purchased a Digi-Whizz unit from Redwhizz for £45 which allows me to use headphones while everybody else can listen at normal volume. I can now hear most of the speech clearly. If you have moderate hearing loss like myself I have found headphones gives the best possible sound.   
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