Football day is coming on February 2nd and millions of people will be glued to their TV set to watch the big game. This isn’t the only day of the year that people watch television, of course, but it is the time of year where the most TV sets go on sale in anticipation of the game. For persons with hearing loss or vision impairments enjoying screen time might not be as enjoyable as one might hope. This blog will look at three different types of technology that helps bridge the gap so that everyone can watch their favorite TV program, big game or otherwise, more enjoyably.

TV Glasses

Television glasses enable persons with macular degeneration, or other vision loss, to be able to see the screen more clearly up to 10 feet away from the screen itself. Because no two eyes are exactly the same these glasses allow for vision adjustment in each eye independently allowing for more precise vision.  These glasses are intended for watching events, sports, or movies but are not for reading or close up work. These glasses also work well with the closed captioning feature enabling the viewer to be able to read them more clearly. These  Eschenbach MaxTV Glasses provide 2.1X magnification through plastic Galilean lenses. The lenses measure 1.25” each and are connected to a black frame. Each pair comes with a sturdy protective zippered case.

Amplifying Headphones

When it comes to assisted listening devices for the television, Healthy Hearing states that there are several advantages over simply turning up the volume on the TV itself.

• They send the signal directly to headphones or hearing aids, minimizing the interference of background noise in the room.
• The direct delivery of the auditory signal improves the overall clarity of sound.
• The person with hearing loss can operate their personal volume independently of the volume produced by the television's speakers.
• Loved ones with different degrees of hearing ability can enjoy television together.

The TV and Audio Listener Amplifying Headphones does all of these things and more. These headphones pair wirelessly with either your television or mobile phone to amplify TV shows, phone calls and music. This allows the user to amplify the television volume, while others in the room listen at their preferred level. This product has a 30' headset range.

Wireless TV Speaker

Think of these speakers as kind of a portable “boom box” for your TV. Instead of it playing a cassette tape or the radio these speakers transmit the sound coming from the television. Many come with a convenient handle for carrying it from room to room. The sound and volume from the speaker are completely independent from that TV itself. In fact, you can turn the television sound off and just listen from the wireless speaker itself. Just like with the headphones in the last section, these speakers allow loved ones with varying degrees of hearing ability to enjoy television together again in addition to improving the overall clarity of sound. One example of this type assisted listening device is the TV SoundBox Wireless TV Speaker by Serene Innovations. It is simple to install, just plug the included transmitter to your TV's audio output port with the provided cable. The transmitter will then wirelessly deliver your television's audio to this portable speaker. This transmitter base also serves as a charging dock when the speaker (receiver) is not in use. Simply rest the speaker on the transmitter base charging dock. The built-in rechargeable battery delivers up to 8 hours of listening time between charging periods. To see what’s currently on sale at ILA please sign up for our newsletter, view our Facebook page, follow us on Twitter, or visit our website.