Send Audio to Earbuds from a TV That Doesn't Have Audio Out
There's no plug and play way, but it wouldn't be that hard to do.
Steps
- Check to see if there are any external speaker jacks. If so, they will be 8 ohm impedance, the same as you ear buds, and you will just need an adapter to connect them. Be sure they are speaker out jacks though and not "audio out". Audio out is at a lower impedance and won't work. Speaker out jacks are often RCA plugs, one for each channel. If so you will need a 3.5mm/Female to 2 RCA/Male Audio Cable.
- If you don't have any speaker out jacks it gets a little more complicated. You will have to tap into the speakers on your TV. Optimally with a switch so that you can switch back and forth between the internal speakers and your earbuds.
- Be careful. Speakers are all low voltage, so you don't have to worry about getting shocked from them, but you may have to open up the TV to get to them and there are some dangers in there. Even after unplugging a TV there are capacitors that hold a charge and can be quite shocking.
- Get a DTDP switch, some speaker wire and a 3.5mm female plug. For the latter you can use the adapter above and cut the RCA ends off, or order one.
- Re wire you speakers through the switch starting with the positive speaker wires, usually with a white line on the wire, or you may see a plus on the speaker (or a minus on the ground wires). Disconnect the right and left positive speaker wires from both speakers and run them to the common (center) terminals on each side of the switch. You should solder them for a good connection. Run a new wire from the upper poles of the switch back to each of the speakers. Wire the lower poles of the switch to the center conductors of the 3.5mm female jack. If you get them mixed your right and left stereo will be crossed. You can reverse them if you like, but no big deal.
- Run a wire from the ground of either speaker to the ground of your 3.5mm female plug.
- Mount the switch and plug somewhere and close the TV back up
- Your switch should now allow you to listen via either the speakers or you earbuds depending on the position.
Warnings
- Even after unplugging a TV there are capacitors that hold a charge and can be quite shocking - so be careful
