Question Help !!! TV and a deaf person :((

[ollyguss]

Hi
have a (rather old) ue48ju 6400K Samsung TV.

It works well but unfortunately, over the years, I have become increasingly deaf and I miss a lot of what is being said on television.

So as I can use this system without headphones - and therefore upsetting other people by cutting out the sound - I bought Blue 'Avantree' headphones using a Bluetooth system with an optic outlet.

This worked fine for several years but these days the volume on my headphones are now insufficient, no matter how much I turn up the volume on these phones which, I have to say, the volume is rather quite low but Aventree say they cannot increase the volume any higher.

If I use normal audio headphones on the head socket on the TV I can get as much volume as I need, but of course this cuts other people in the room from hearing what's happening.

While looking around on YouTube etc I saw a device called an 'HDMI Audio Extractor' which I thought might be the cure of my problems. I assumed I could connect an ordinary headphone through an HDMI socket/arc, but the one I purchased didn't work at all. Anyway,rather than keep buying other things to hope one would work I thought I'd see if I could contact Samsung for help.

I managed to contact the Samsung Chat box (I deserved an MBE for doing that) but the person I eventually reached didn't seem to know what the answer was. He kept kept telling me what I couldn't do but gave me no assistance whatever to tell me what I could do. I couldn't even get a straight answer if it was actually possible at all to get on audio headphone on my TV. Eventually I had to end the chat.

So,I'm hoping someone here can help me:

To'cut to the chase', is it possible to connect an audio lead and headphone to my TV without cutting the sound for everyone else, and if so, how do I do it?

If this is too difficult, or not possible at all, could I connect a small amplifier and do it via that way? I'm open to any suggestions as long as they're not illegal )

OllyGuss

 

[LordVile]

How about a hearingaid? If anything loud headphones will make it worse.

 

[ollyguss]

Ah, were it so easy.

I've had hearing aids for years (Phonak ones too!) But thanks for the suggestion.

I won't bother you with why they won't work other than to say I don't need LOUD headphones, just a little more than I can get from the Optical ones on Avantree and Samsung.

Very kind regards

Ollyguss )

 

[bendenvor111]

You're definitely not alone in this — it’s a common issue for people who need headphone volume without cutting off everyone else in the room. And yes, your instincts about an HDMI audio extractor and using an amplifier are absolutely heading in the right direction — you just need the right setup to make it all work properly with your Samsung UE48JU6400K.


The reason your Avantree Bluetooth setup used to work and now doesn’t is probably due to its limited amplifier power, aging hardware, or small internal battery degrading over time. Bluetooth transmitters also usually max out well below wired headphone amp levels, so even at full volume, it might still fall short for those with hearing loss.


Now to your main question: can you connect headphones and still have the TV speakers or soundbar playing too? Short answer: not directly via the headphone jack, because as you found, it disables external audio output when plugged in. However, yes, it is absolutely possible with a workaround, and here’s how:


What you need is an HDMI audio extractor that does three things:

1. Passes full HDMI video and audio to the TV as normal,
2. Extracts analog stereo audio (via a 3.5mm or RCA out) from the HDMI stream,
3. Does NOT interrupt the main audio output (TV speakers or soundbar).

Many cheap extractors do cut audio or don’t output properly, which is likely what happened to you. Look for one that explicitly supports simultaneous HDMI pass-through and analog audio output. A good one to try is something like the J-Tech Digital HDMI Audio Extractor with 3.5mm jack and optical out, which is designed for exactly this use — feeding a headphone amp or speaker without affecting the HDMI signal going to the TV.


Once you have a proper extractor, connect it between your set-top box or streaming device and your TV. Use the analog audio output to plug into either:

• A pair of headphones directly (if they don’t need amplification), or
• A small headphone amplifier (like the FiiO A1 or A3, or even a home stereo amp) if you want more volume control and sound clarity.

This way, you can watch TV as normal, everyone else hears the regular sound, and you get your own private audio feed with as much volume as you need.


Lastly, just a side note, some Samsung TVs do allow for both TV speakers and Bluetooth output at the same time via the accessibility settings (under Audio/Sound > Multi-output Audio), but many older models don’t. If you want to test that route again, go through your TV’s audio settings and see if there's any multi-output or “dual sound” feature, though I suspect yours is too early for that.


If you'd like, I can walk you through exactly how to connect the gear once you confirm what source devices you’re using (like cable box, Apple TV, etc.), and what audio gear you already have at home.

 

[LordVile]

How about a hearingaid?

Ah, were it so easy.

I've had hearing aids for years (Phonak ones too!) But thanks for the suggestion.

I won't bother you with why they won't work other than to say I don't need LOUD headphones, just a little more than I can get from the Optical ones on Avantree and Samsung.

Very kind regards

Ollyguss )

Thats too loud. They go loud enough to damage your hearing.

 

[ollyguss]

You're definitely not alone in this — it’s a common issue for people who need headphone volume without cutting off everyone else in the room. And yes, your instincts about an HDMI audio extractor and using an amplifier are absolutely heading in the right direction — you just need the right setup to make it all work properly with your Samsung UE48JU6400K.


The reason your Avantree Bluetooth setup used to work and now doesn’t is probably due to its limited amplifier power, aging hardware, or small internal battery degrading over time. Bluetooth transmitters also usually max out well below wired headphone amp levels, so even at full volume, it might still fall short for those with hearing loss.


Now to your main question: can you connect headphones and still have the TV speakers or soundbar playing too? Short answer: not directly via the headphone jack, because as you found, it disables external audio output when plugged in. However, yes, it is absolutely possible with a workaround, and here’s how:


What you need is an HDMI audio extractor that does three things:

1. Passes full HDMI video and audio to the TV as normal,
2. Extracts analog stereo audio (via a 3.5mm or RCA out) from the HDMI stream,
3. Does NOT interrupt the main audio output (TV speakers or soundbar).

Many cheap extractors do cut audio or don’t output properly, which is likely what happened to you. Look for one that explicitly supports simultaneous HDMI pass-through and analog audio output. A good one to try is something like the J-Tech Digital HDMI Audio Extractor with 3.5mm jack and optical out, which is designed for exactly this use — feeding a headphone amp or speaker without affecting the HDMI signal going to the TV.


Once you have a proper extractor, connect it between your set-top box or streaming device and your TV. Use the analog audio output to plug into either:

• A pair of headphones directly (if they don’t need amplification), or
• A small headphone amplifier (like the FiiO A1 or A3, or even a home stereo amp) if you want more volume control and sound clarity.

This way, you can watch TV as normal, everyone else hears the regular sound, and you get your own private audio feed with as much volume as you need.


Lastly, just a side note, some Samsung TVs do allow for both TV speakers and Bluetooth output at the same time via the accessibility settings (under Audio/Sound > Multi-output Audio), but many older models don’t. If you want to test that route again, go through your TV’s audio settings and see if there's any multi-output or “dual sound” feature, though I suspect yours is too early for that.


If you'd like, I can walk you through exactly how to connect the gear once you confirm what source devices you’re using (like cable box, Apple TV, etc.), and what audio gear you already have at home.

 

[ollyguss]

Bendenvor

Firstly, many thanks for your excellent response.

I do have a (brand new) HDMI Audio Extractor but either it's broken or it just isn't up to the job,

I'll have a look at your suggestion and consider getting a better one; and I think your offer to help me walk through these problems is superb - many thanks.

I haven't got a lot of time at the moment but I shall have a look at the weekend and see if I can make sense of everything.

Regards