Samsung TVs and Headphones.

Cardew

For years I have listened to TV much of the time with a set of Sennheiser remote headphones. I have both the older analogue HDR110 and newer digital HDR170.

They have superb stereo sound, and the great advantage is that I can have the volume set to the level I require, and my wife can listen to the TV speakers at the volume she prefers – or read with the TV muted. The base unit has its own power supply and a connection to the headphone jack. I can then move around the room listening to the TV.

Both sets of headphones work with a Panasonic Viera and a Sony Bravia and also worked with and old Sony CRT.

I have been thinking of buying a large Samsung TV that has had excellent reports everywhere. However I have been told that with most(all?) Samsung TVs when something is plugged into the headphone jack the TV speakers are disconnected i.e. you cannot have sound from both TV speakers and head phones.

This happened initially on the Sony Bravia but on the TV menu there was a setting that enabled both to work.

So my question is has anyone got a modern Samsung TV and knows if it is possible to have both TV and headphones operating together? - if so what model. I have tried to get an answer from Samsung(UK) without success.

I am aware that there might be ways to work around the problem(if indeed it exists) by buying additional equipment e.g. a sound bar and plugging headphones into this equipment; however I don’t want to take this path as I get superb sound on the Sony and Panasonic.

almillar

You're going to have to read the user manuals carefully, and maybe also test this in the shops. I don't even think you can make a sweeping statement like 'Panasonics do, Samsungs don't' as there will be plenty of different ranges that may not implement this the same way.

[Deleted User]

I've got a Samsung TV (3 years old smart TV) and the sound does cut off when you plug in the headphones.

Maybe you could find a model with optical out (i.e. sound) and then plug it into a soundbar or stereo.

e.g. look for 'Digital Audio Out (Optical)' http://www.samsung.com/uk/consumer/tv-audio-video/televisions/flat-tvs/UE40H7000STXXU

edit: just checked, there's no option for sound via headphones AND the TV

Norman_Castle

This might get you closer to an answer http://support-us.samsung.com/cyber/popup/iframe/pop_troubleshooting_fr.jsp?modelname=LN52A750R1F&idx=167826&modelcode=&
My year old Samsung ue32f ? cuts the speakers when headphones are plugged in and I cannot find a way of using both. The headphone socket is also stupidly placed on the back of the tv set. If it was wall mounted it would be impossible to use!.

Cardew

almillar wrote: »

You're going to have to read the user manuals carefully, and maybe also test this in the shops. I don't even think you can make a sweeping statement like 'Panasonics do, Samsungs don't' as there will be plenty of different ranges that may not implement this the same way.

What user manuals?


Nearly all of the latest TVs don't have printed user manuals, but a menu displayed on the TV via a button on the remote.


Since I posted my OP a pal with a brand new Samsung read through this manual and reached the same conclusion as the two posts above - namely that it is not possible to have sound from both sources. He also got a email reply from Samsung confirming that their TV's are all the same in this respect. They also suggested an optical output to a sound bar.

Norman_Castle

http://www.cabledepot.co.uk/scart-adapter-scart-phono-p-1802.html?gclid=Cj0KEQiA8MSkBRCP5LaRlcOAusMBEiQAiqldkvURMudGMXxXTC0WJCrlkpaffRpe9OgbLSVtwQigWKkaAuPH8P8HAQ

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/like/191230262715?limghlpsr=true&hlpv=2&ops=true&viphx=1&hlpht=true&lpid=108&chn=ps&device=c&adtype=pla&crdt=0&ff3=1&ff11=ICEP3.0.0-L&ff12=67&ff13=80&ff14=108&ff19=0

One of these might work but it requires the scart output to be fully wired. I believe some are only wired as inputs.

Edit. I've just realised I've got an in/out scart to phono lead. I'll try it later today.

almillar

What user manuals?

They're on the manufacturer's websites last time I checked any current TV. You look up the spec sheets, tech info, but something as specific as this will probably only be found in the manual.

Cardew

Norman_Castle wrote: »

http://www.cabledepot.co.uk/scart-adapter-scart-phono-p-1802.html?gclid=Cj0KEQiA8MSkBRCP5LaRlcOAusMBEiQAiqldkvURMudGMXxXTC0WJCrlkpaffRpe9OgbLSVtwQigWKkaAuPH8P8HAQ

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/like/191230262715?limghlpsr=true&hlpv=2&ops=true&viphx=1&hlpht=true&lpid=108&chn=ps&device=c&adtype=pla&crdt=0&ff3=1&ff11=ICEP3.0.0-L&ff12=67&ff13=80&ff14=108&ff19=0

One of these might work but it requires the scart output to be fully wired. I believe some are only wired as inputs.

Edit. I've just realised I've got an in/out scart to phono lead. I'll try it later today.

I finally got through to Samsung support and spoke to someone who appeared to know what he was talking about. He confirmed that:


1. On all Samsung TV's connection to the headphone socket mutes the TV speakers and like your TV there is no menu option to have both.


2. Scart connectors are only 'Scart in'.


Thanks for your efforts.

[Deleted User]

Cardew - lots of the Samsung TVs have an optical audio out too.

Who on earth still uses Scart?

Moneymaker

Are there no red and white Phono audio output sockets?
Those can be used with a Stereo Headphone amplifier such as the HPA01.

Alternatively, any Electronics Engineer could probably replace the headphone socket with one that does not mute.

Cardew

Cardew - lots of the Samsung TVs have an optical audio out too.

Who on earth still uses Scart

But use the optical output to what?? I really don't want to buy a soundbar.

In any case I am not sure that even a soundbar will solve the problem. I will quote you from my pal's(with the brand new Samsung) email:

When one uses the optical output connector of the Samsung one has to change the set-ups to ‘Use external audio’ which automatically disconnects the loudspeakers.

The Samsung rep I spoke to today was very clear that you can only get one audio output at any time.

My pal uses an expensive Bose soundbar which has a headphone facility that doesn't cancel the 'normal' output from the unit. However turning up the soundbar output turns up the sound to headphones.

As a matter of interest I 'chatted' to LG today and they have the same problem.

[LG Support] I was also asking about this to head office recently, at this time, the TVs in our range have one audio output meaning that when headphones are plugged in, it mutes the TVs speakers.



[LG Support] the only option I can think of to get around this is to use a surround sound system that is capable of outputting 2 audio signals at the same time, one via an audio jack (the headphones) and the other via speakers