Connect headphones to TV
Step-by-step: How to connect and use one or two Bluetooth headphones or speakers with your TV, even if you don't have Bluetooth.
At a glance: Connecting headphones to TV
- To connect a TV without Bluetooth to Bluetooth headphones, you need a suitable Bluetooth adapter
- In conjunction with the Bluetooth adapter "Link.it duo": Depending on the available outputs on the TV set, there are two options for connecting the TV and headphones
- For both options: advantages and disadvantages in comparison, as well as step-by-step instructions on how to proceed - practical and clear
- Delay between picture and sound? Common errors, what they are, and how you can solve them
- Advice and help with problems and questions
Adapter for existing TV outputs
If you want to connect a TV without Bluetooth to Bluetooth headphones, you need an adapter to make the audio signal readable for a Bluetooth device. The Hama Bluetooth adapter ‘Link.it duo’ offers you two ways to connect your speaker or headphones to the TV, even if it is not Bluetooth-enabled. On the one hand, this works via the optical output on the TV set, and on the other hand via the classic headphone output if available. If both are available to you, you can see the comparison here:
| Output on the TV | Optical output | Headphone output |
| How does it work? | Transmission of digital audio signals via optical fibers | Analogue sound signal is picked up directly at the headphone jack of the TV |
| Advantages |
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| Disadvantages | Special setting necessary: The sound format for the optical output of the TV must be changed to "PCM" in the menu of the TV (more information in this manual). |
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| How does it work? | Directly to the instructions | Directly to the instructions |
With the Hama Bluetooth adapter "Link.it duo", you have everything you need to connect up to two wireless headphones to the TV without Bluetooth. Whether classic headphone socket or optical output: We explain step by step how to proceed.
Optical output on the TV: Connect headphones
If your TV has an optical port, follow these steps to connect your headphones to the TV:
1. Connect "Link.it duo" to TV
The adapter is powered via a USB cable (included with the ‘Link.it duo’). To do this, first insert the small plug (USB-C) into the corresponding socket on the adapter and the USB-A plug into the TV set. If no USB-A port is free or available, you can use any mobile phone charger with a USB-A socket.
Once the power connection is established, it's time to transfer the sound. Take the optical cable (also included) and insert one plug into each socket:
- TV socket labelled ‘Optical out’
- socket on the ‘Link.it duo’ labelled ‘Optical’ (the socket closer to the rod antenna).
The adapter now receives the audio signal from the TV to transmit it to your Bluetooth headphones and is connected to the power supply.
2. Pairing headphones with adapter
Before using the Bluetooth headphones for the first time, they must be set to pairing mode in order to connect to the ‘Link.it duo’ adapter. Simply switching on is not enough. You can find out exactly how to set your headphones to pairing mode in the instructions for the respective headphones.
With the Hama Bluetooth adapter "Link.it duo" you have the advantage that you can also pair a second pair of Bluetooth headphones. The audio signal is then transmitted to both headphones at the same time.
3. Connect to "Link.it duo"
If the headphones are now in pairing mode, next set the Bluetooth adapter to ‘TX OPT’ mode using the rotary knob and then press the Bluetooth button (the second round button below the display). The adapter then searches for audio devices ready for pairing, i.e. headphones and/or speakers, and displays the names of the devices found in a list.
Now select the headphones using the rotary knob and confirm the selection by pressing the knob like a button. The adapter and headphones will then connect and the headphones will receive the sound from the TV set.
This pairing is only necessary before the first use. After this initial pairing, only the TV set, adapter and Bluetooth headphones or speakers need to be switched on. The connection is then established automatically.
If the headphones or speakers do not emit any sound or only emit noise or interference, the sound format on the TV set is still set incorrectly. To change this, proceed as follows:
- Open the menu on the TV set
- In the settings, you will find an item for selecting the output format for the optical output. This is often called ‘Audio settings’, ‘Expert settings’ or similar
- Set the output format for the optical output to ‘PCM’.
You should now hear the correct sound for the programme.
Use the AUX output on the TV for Bluetooth headphones
If your TV set still has a headphone output (‘AUX’, 3.5 mm jack), proceed as follows to connect your Bluetooth headphones to the TV:
1. Connect "Link.it duo" to TV
The adapter is powered via a USB cable (included with the ‘Link.it duo’). To do this, first insert the small plug (USB-C) into the corresponding socket on the adapter and the USB-A plug into the TV set. If no USB-A port is free or available, you can use any mobile phone charger with a USB-A socket.
Once the power connection is established, it's time to transfer the sound. To do this, take the optical cable (also included) and insert one plug into each:
- AUX socket on the TV set
- Adapter socket labelled ‘AUX TX Input’ (the socket directly next to the rod antenna).
The adapter now receives the audio signal from the TV set to transmit it to your Bluetooth headphones and is connected to the power supply.
2. Pair headphones with adapter
Before using the Bluetooth headphones for the first time, they must be set to pairing mode in order to connect to the adapter. Simply switching on is not enough. You can find out exactly how to set your headphones to pairing mode in the instructions for the respective headphones.
With the Hama Bluetooth adapter ‘Link.it duo’ you have the advantage that you can also pair a second pair of Bluetooth headphones. The audio signal is then transmitted to both headphones simultaneously.
3. Establishing a connection with "Link.it duo"
If the headphones are now in pairing mode, press the Bluetooth button (the second round button below the display) repeatedly until the ‘TX AUX’ mode is displayed. The adapter then searches for audio devices ready for pairing, i.e. headphones and/or speakers, and displays the names of the devices found in a list.
Now select the headphones using the rotary knob and confirm the selection by pressing the knob like a button. The adapter and headphones will then connect and the headphones will now receive the sound from the TV set.
This pairing is only necessary before the first use. After this initial pairing, only the TV set, adapter and Bluetooth headphones or speakers need to be switched on. The connection is then established automatically.
Bluetooth headphones: Sound is played with a delay
If the audio signal is transmitted from the TV to the headphones or speakers via Bluetooth, there may be a certain delay. The extent of this delay in the signal depends on the codec used, i.e. the format in which the signal is transmitted - and which codecs the headphones support.
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Why do the TV picture and the sound through my headphones not match?
The most likely reason is that simple headphones usually only support the SBC codec, which causes a relatively long delay in the signal. This is not a problem when listening to music. However, if you want to listen to the sound of the TV programme, the picture and sound no longer match due to the delay. For example, the newsreader moves his lips and the sound is only heard much later.
If the Bluetooth headphones used do not support apt-X or apt-X LL, the SBC codec is automatically used.
The Hama Bluetooth adapter ‘Link.it duo’ also supports the apt-X and apt-X LL codecs in addition to the SBC codec, which cause a significantly lower delay in the sound signal. Therefore, please use Bluetooth headphones that also support apt-x or apt-x LL.