Discover gadgets and TV hearing aid devices that make it easier to hear your favorite shows.
Whether it’s a documentary, sporting event, or your favorite sitcom, diving into an interesting TV show or movie is a fun way to spend time at home. Hearing loss accessories for watching TV can ensure you don’t miss any key plot points or dialog. Here are a few helpful gadgets and TV hearing devices that can help you – and your TV-viewing companions – enjoy the experience more comfortably:
- Sound bar speakers
- Hearing aid-compatible devices
- Assistive listening devices
- TV headphones
- Closed captioning
Keep reading below for more details on each of these pieces of technology.
Sound bar speakers
These special speakers are made to amplify sound more effectively than regular speakers. The bars contain multiple speakers inside for added volume and amplification, which can help transform your room into a surround-sound theater experience. Some models also offer speech enhancement capabilities like a hearing aid that increase the frequency of human voices while downplaying background sounds, so that dialog is easier to hear.
Hearing aid-compatible devices
While any hearing aid can help pick up the sound from the TV, there are certain things hearing aid-wearers can do to get the sound directly from the TV to your ear. If you have Bluetooth®-capable hearing aids, you can hook up a Bluetooth-compatible streaming box to your TV, which will funnel the sound directly to your hearing aids. Or, you can set up an audio induction loop, a hearing loss accessory where one component is plugged into the TV and connects with a hearing aid-compatible loop worn around the neck.
Assistive listening devices
For those who don’t wear hearing aids, there are other TV hearing devices that help funnel the sound to your ears. Many of these TV listening tools offer personal amplification features, and most can be used similarly to a hearing aid in that they’re worn in-ear or slipped on over the ear. Loop induction systems are another type of hearing loss accessory that can make TV watching easier for those who don’t wear hearing aids.
TV headphones
Headphones are a hearing loss accessory ideal for those who want to keep their household volume quieter while watching TV. There are special TV headphones, or TV earphones, that connect to the television either wirelessly or via a wire and headphone jack. The sound is then funneled to the headphones, and you can usually adjust volume and tone directly from your device. Sound can transmit to multiple pairs of these headphones, allowing everyone to control their own auditory experience if you’re watching with others.
Closed captioning
One easy option to help you enjoy your TV time is to turn on the closed captions. In fact, it’s federally required for all digital TVs with a screen larger than 13 inches to include the option to turn on closed captions in the settings feature on your TV. You can use this feature on its own or in conjunction with your other hearing loss accessories for watching TV. Check our infographic on how to turn on closed captions on your TV for helpful enablement hints.
If you enjoy captions on your TV, you may also find them helpful on your telephone! Learn how CapTel captioned telephones can help you catch every word over the phone.
As you settle in for a relaxing TV-watching experience, consider these hearing loss accessories to help you get the most from your favorite shows and movies.
