Let’s face it. Sometimes you just want to hear the television. For some people expensive hearing aids can’t be afforded or are just over kill to be able to listen to the TV set. If you have seen any late night commercials then you’ve probably come across one for TV Ears. For those of you who are unfamiliar with the product, it’s a listening device or hearing amplifier made specifically for watching television.
One of the big advantages of using this product is that is gives you the ability to control the volume for yourself personally and not have to change the volume on the TV it’s self so that others can watch and not have to be blasted away with volume. What users really like about this product is that when they are using the product, it does not change how your TV would normally operates. So the tv can actually be on mute and the person wearing TV Ears is able to adjust the volume as they please. For this reason, those without hearing loss find this product very useful. For example, if you like to watch TV in Bed and your partner prefers to read or sleep then this can be a great solution so you don’t bother the other person with the volume of the TV.
Another reason why this product is so popular is that it is able to work with just about any television set which includes HD TV, Digital, cable, and even satellite. Hooking up the electronics is easy and there is a support number to call if you have any issues with setup. The company offers four models including Tv Ears 2.3, TV Ears Original, TV Ears Professional, and TV Ears Home Theater. It is important to note that the original version does not work with Plasma or LCD TVs.
Here are some things we liked about TV Ears.
The unit is adjustable so you can customize your listening experience by volume, tone, and balance. It’s wireless so you don’t have to worry about any one tripping over annoying cords. We also like the fact that it comes with rechargeable batteries and a charging unit. TV Ears has what it calls Voice Enhancement Technology and Automatic Commercials control however we were not totally sold on how well these technologies actually worked.
Some complaints about TV Ears
Some users have complained that the device hurts their ears while others have had issues with the construction of the wireless set being flimsy and breaking. Users have also complained that the TV Ears transmit too much static noise.
It should be noted that customer service with TV Ears seems to be solid. When people had problems with the device they were able to get a hold of customer service via phone and it most cases a new unit was shipped out to them. This is more than can be said for other hearing amplifier companies’ customer service.
I have been using TV Ears for a couple of months and have been pleased with the results. My reason for purchasing was that human voices in programs were often overpowered by background music and the TV Ears raised the pitch. Of course, commercials were never a problem. The weight of the device is sometimes distracting and I only reach for them when I need them. The volume control works very well. I detect little or no change when operating the tone control.
Posted by Donald Jones | 19. Mar, 2010, 12:39 pmI am using the TV Ears 2.3 and they work great. I would buy them again.
They could be a bit more comfortable on the ears though. For me, the foam pads should be larger/softer and the spring tension of the curved bars (which press the earpieces towards the ears) should be a bit less strong or adjustable.
Posted by Hal Keiner | 05. Apr, 2010, 9:35 amI also found the TV Ears to be uncomfortable in the ear after a short time of use. So, I tried placing them next to the ears (above the ear lobes) but not actually in the canals. The spring tension holds them securely in place. This allows for many hours of comfortable use with clear audibility.
Posted by Lou Stevens | 16. Apr, 2010, 6:53 amI had tv ears before but they broke very easily and I even tried to glue and tape them and they won’t work doing that. They really broke too easily. I gave up after that. While I was using them, I could hear clarity more than volume. That is the important thing. You don’t need the sound high if the clarity is good. I just wish they were more durable.
Posted by Lorne Willeford | 22. May, 2010, 4:30 pmMy first paid lasted about one year. My second pair lasted five months.
and replacement of just the sending unit is about $39. But they worked well while they lasted.
Posted by J C Wetzel | 31. May, 2010, 12:05 pmThese work just fine with one exception…
I had a problem with my Internet connection which also provides our phone service thru ITP Viop.com
There was a serious problem with my Internet connection and my phone became all but worthless. Both my Internet provider and ITP worked for around a month trying to resolve why my phone would keep breaking up, usually to the point where it was impossible to understand the person talking. Eventually the connection would just end by itself.
I finally realized after the Internet field support technician asked if I had any wireless phones that operated in the 90 megahertz range as he said that would interfere with my Internet connection, which is wireless. About the same time a month ago when the TV Ears arrived the Internet service and, thus, the phone service got real bad real fast. I disconnected the TV Ears and the Internet and phone problem went away.
Keep in mind that I receive Internet via wireless from a tower about a mile from my home.
Other than this I love the TV Ears as I can finally hear what is being said on the TV. They are uncomfortable and make my inner ear sore. However, my ears get over it and I find it an acceptable trade-off.
Steven
Posted by Steven | 05. Jul, 2010, 2:29 pmSaw the product at Radio Shack. Brought it home to install and somewhere near the end of the 4 pages of illustrated instgructions it is stated that installation requires non-digital audio out. Very few TVs have this – all are digital.
Brought it back to the store and the salesman said this has been a problem.
The company’s website is dishonest. Says it works with all tvs including plasma and lcd. This is true if you buy a “DAC” adaptor for another $60., and you only learn this if you go into the support or products part of the website.
I’m sure it is a good product, but a little honesty in sales information would be nice.
Posted by alan | 30. Aug, 2010, 7:47 pm