cordless headset for watching tv, help please

happyhero

Hi I am fancying one of those cordless headsets for Xmas so I can watch TV when I'm being boring and cant hear due to all my noisy kids etc, but have a few questions, as follows:

When you plug the headset in on a HI-FI it normally goes dead quiet except in the headphones, does this happen with these ones that people get to watch TV, as that would be a problem for us?

Next would you not want ones with a volume control so that you could alter what you heard only ie thats assuming you hear sound in the headset and on the TV at the same time, otherwise every time you tried to turn it up in the headset everyone in the room would suffer.

I have noticed that some say Infrared and some say FM, I assume FM is best looking at the pricing, can anyone tell me any more about this?

Do they all charge themselves on the base?

How clear are they?

Are any of the other features worth having, ie I see some advertising surround sound and 5.1?

Anything else to consider I haven't mentioned?

And finally any recommendations, which to get?

All help appreciated.

Mr_Meanie

"When you plug the headset in on a HI-FI it normally goes.........."
Connect it through your scart socket with something similar to this (cheaper on eBay):
http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=13372

"Next would you not want ones with a volume control so that......."
Yes you would really need ones with a volume control.

"I have noticed that some say Infrared and some say FM..........."
Infrared ones usually work in line of sight ie. they only work in one room, FM ones can go through walls ceilings etc. (but not too many).

"Do they all charge themselves on the base??"
Only if it says so on the box!

"How clear are they??"
The cheaper ones are OK for speech but defiantly not HiFi quality.

"Are any of the other features worth having, ie I see some........."
Pass.

"Anything else to consider I haven't mentioned?.........."
Yes, they make your ears sweat if you have them on for a long time.

"And finally any recommendations, which to get??............"
As with everything, the best you can afford at the time!