I cannot understand the TV dialogue

[MRSPOCK]

All wonderful options but how does one get rid of tinnitus? Have suffered with this annoying buzz for 10 years. Went to multiple doctors - answer- just live with it.

 

[Skitso999]

if you have a surround sound sound bar and can set the levels on the various channels, elevate the center channel volume and turn down the others - that is where voices come from.

Also, simply turn down the bass and turn up the treble if you don't have a surround sound. This makes a huge difference for us.

I too have the T (all my life) and my wife has hearing issues. What we did is run a 3.5mm jack from our TV to right behind our sofa. When we are in Denver - we have a vizio sound bar right behind our heads on a sofa table. When we are in our cabin, we listen to TV on a simple speaker that rests on the sofa back right between us.

The bass/treble settings on the speaker are really the fix for us - kill the bass, enable the treble.

I like to take the wired center speaker of my surround sound system (about 4"x4"x6") and place it right next to me on the couch. It'd be better if it were wireless, but I'm not sure they make surround sound systems with a wireless center speaker.

 

[gooddog]

On some TVs under 'audio', there are various presets that can be used. Often one of those presets is 'speech'. If you have that preset, use it - the speech will be much clearer. In addition, the background score will fade out a bit.

 

[Vinnygret]

Being sequestered in these covid times, we find ourselves watching a bit more tv than previously. I suffer from some hearing loss and tinnitus. DW has excellent hearing. When watching movies on Netflix (or any channel for that matter) we both find it difficult to hear dialogue. Often there is a background music or noise that seems to overwhelm the human voice, particularly voices with accents. We have an inexpensive flat screen Vizio smart tv, and a vizio sound bar. I have monkeyed with both and still have trouble hearing the dialogue. Turning up the volume is not always helpful.
We are looking for an inexpensive solution ($300 range) that will improve the quality of human vocals. We don't intend it to be used to play music.
Anybody out there with similar problem that have found a solution, please discuss!

Have you considered a visit to an audiologist? The newest hearing aids are a lot better than the old ones. My husband uses captioning, which I find distracting, but he refuses to investigate anything that might help his hearing. Unfortunately, my hearing is quite a bit better than his and my ears are nearly blasted off when I turn the TV on after he has watched. Audiologists are hearing professionals and can offer the best advice available on how to maximize your listening experience.

 

[Time2]

A few months ago we were going to watch a movie with our son (mid-20s, no hearing impairment) and he insisted on turned on closed captioning. We thought there was no reason for it and I thought it would be distracting. He routinely does it though. Anyway, we turned it on and it was such a revelation. It made the movie so much easier to watch. No more straining to hear something when someone didn't speak clearly or there was a lot of background noise. It wasn't distracting at all. Since then, I've been a believer for using it for all movies.

My kids in their late 20s also turn on captioning, they say it is brain stimulating. I guess they don't want to be 65 and struggle to retrieve the next ______ in the sentence.
Oh, word.

 

[Joggernot]

1) Closed captioning: 2) Buy a Sony wireless head phone that plugs into the "out" for sound. I also learned that the TV sound has a specific channel for voices and a separate one for music, etc. Talk to a very knowledgeable person and they might be able to enhance one and suppress the other. I've used the first two for years. When live TV comes on, the CC can be entertaining. Sometimes it's obvious they are using a program for training of the new people...

 

[PointBreeze]

This. Yes. +1 We were missing so much.

+1. Closed captioning makes a huge difference. We love British TV but have a really hard time understanding the dialogue (accent + hearing loss). Closed captioning is a godsend.

 

[Charlie_Boy]

Interesting to me on different levels. I do need a hearing aid and had plans to head over to Costco for a set but then I found out I could get tested and a free set of hearing aids thru the V.A. Then, along came Covid 19 and the V.A. closed their doors in my city. I attempted several times to contact them to see if my appointment has been rescheduled, leave messages, but hear nothing back. I tried blue tooth headphones too but there is a delay and so an echo if I am watching with my wife, besides the voice sync being off. We do use CC and have no trouble with it.

I was fascinated by those watching foreign channels and their experiences. We have both TV Japan and NHK here thru Directv and I don't have any hearing problems with the audio. Funny huh? Of course, my Japanese is quite inept, maybe that is why, but I do like it for the limited advertisements. I understand about 30% of the Japanese news and since the local news channels are about 40% ads, I kinda break even. Of course, it is different news, or maybe not. NHK has wonderful documentaries, many on the U.S. even, and NHK World is in English. When I am listening to local channels and it goes into advertisements, so many so strident, I flip over (or flip out). For most other programs on local channels we use the DVR to skip the ads.

 

[financemups]

I'm a GenX 50 year old who can't hear **** due to attending numerous punk rock shows in the 80s, just turn on the closed captioning!

 

[swakyaby]

I tried blue tooth headphones too but there is a delay and so an echo if I am watching with my wife, besides the voice sync being off.

I had that same experience of sound delay when I first bought an inexpensive Motorola bluetooth TV assistive wireless headphones. It was too annoying to have the lips move out-of-sync with the dialogue, so I didn't use it. After a few more years, I tried a more expensive set by Sennheiser which is a radio frequency wireless headset for TV. No more sound delay, and dialogue sounds so distinct. So there are wireless TV assistive headphones that don't have that issue, if you research them (customer reviews are helpful).

 

[Retch The Grate]

I'm a GenX 50 year old who can't hear **** due to attending numerous punk rock shows in the 80s, just turn on the closed captioning!

GenX as well, I remember the specific rave in 1996 where I went home with ringing in my ears that never went away. Started wearing ear plugs at all raves, clubs, concerts and parties after that. Still have the ringing, fortunately electronics and white noise all tend to cover it up well. When I stand somewhere quiet like inside a redwood tree, it is super noticeable.

Turning the volume louder (argh, I know it is sometimes at a level that infuriated me as a kid), adjust the EQ, use my headphones, rewind sequences, sometimes just give up on what was said entirely or activate Close Captioning.

Meanwhile, I can still hear the extremely high pitch whine of the speakers some neighbors have in their yard to drive away dogs? teenagers?

 

[Sunset]

On some TVs under 'audio', there are various presets that can be used. Often one of those presets is 'speech'. If you have that preset, use it - the speech will be much clearer. In addition, the background score will fade out a bit.

I have an LG tv.
I found an Audio setting in my tv, and set it for "clear voice II" , it has levels for the clear voice.

It has really improved the speech of programs.

 

[Rosedala]

You are among a large audience here in the same situation I'm afraid. I find some stations really compress the highs and voice is difficult, if not impossible to discern. Especially in accents or slang that is not my norm. Funny thing is that the commercials almost always have the highs turned up (along with the overall volume!) Treble and Base on the soundbar are what I use to help. Also most modern TV's have similar equalizer presets deep in their menus. That might help too. I find movies have a very wide range of volume. If I set the volume to where I can hear, then the explosions or commercials are too loud. Even the auto volume leveling within the TV settings don;t help. I feel your pain.

If I set the volume to where I can hear, then the explosions or commercials are too loud. Even the auto volume leveling within the TV settings don;t help.

Perhaps you could install a TIVO (or equivalent) to speed up the commercials in 2-1/2 seconds or less! I got so addicted to it that I won't see/listen to anything not taped to my TIVO. Aside of that, yes, i too have problem hearing and understanding dialog even in person. My vanity has made me live with the impairment but I feel I must soon find an "invisible" hearing aid so I can stop annoying people with my "Whats? lol!

 

[Joggernot]

I have an LG tv.
I found an Audio setting in my tv, and set it for "clear voice II" , it has levels for the clear voice.

It has really improved the speech of programs.

Thanks! I also have an LG and found "clear voice" that helps.

 

[sgstaley]

Closed Captioning.

+1

I have a sister that has been hard of hearing since birth, now has terminal cancer, so hearing seems to be leaving her even more. I spend a lot of time with her and she has had the closed captioning on for what seems to be forever now.
I suffer from tinnitus myself PLUS I don't pay attention half of the time. I turned on closed captioning on my laptop (my form of what little tv that I watch.) Turns out I really like it now and leave it on all of the time.

In the end, I would say try it. You will either like it, or you won't.

 

[Time2]

I just looked at an Android app called
"Live Transcibe".
You talk to your phone and it transcribes everything on a black screen with white letters. I think this is a great app comunicating with a person with very poor hearing. This is a screen shot on my phone.
We have one fellow at our breakfast* that misses a lot of what we talk about, I think his phone transcribing the conversation would help.
*When we were having our breakfast!

 

[tpner1]

I have also have a Vizio sound 5.1 system. Same problem with not hearing the dialogue over the background music. I just disconnected the two back satellite speakers. Both my DW and I are enjoying TV again

 

[Rosedala]

You are among a large audience here in the same situation I'm afraid. I find some stations really compress the highs and voice is difficult, if not impossible to discern. Especially in accents or slang that is not my norm. Funny thing is that the commercials almost always have the highs turned up (along with the overall volume!) Treble and Base on the soundbar are what I use to help. Also most modern TV's have similar equalizer presets deep in their menus. That might help too. I find movies have a very wide range of volume. If I set the volume to where I can hear, then the explosions or commercials are too loud. Even the auto volume leveling within the TV settings don;t help.

I feel your pain.

Get TIVO to get rid of commercials in 1 or 2 seconds. Besides you'll always have an arsenal of your favorite TV shows at the click of your remote!

 

[Rosedala]

Sonos Arc $800 USD.
Spend the money.
Cheaper than $6000 Danish hearing aids which is what my 34-year-old daughter wears.

Dave, does your daughter have the "invisible" hearing aids? I'm looking around and hope to find that kind if they are equally effective for better hearing. if she does could I have brand, model, etc.? Thanks so much!

 

[Rosedala]

+1. The CC'ing drives me nuts as it constantly distracts me. The rest of my family (DW, DS, DD) love using it though. If I happen to miss/misunderstand some dialogue, I will rewind the show and turn the CC on, then turn it off again.

Thanks to you, wonderful people, describing problems and solutions for hearing/understanding better TV dialogues I just learned about Close Caption. If it's the same as the captions for foreign language movies, doesn't it bother having to rapidly switch your eyes from show to captions and vice versa (many times they last only 1 second!!!). Sometimes one may lose an important scene while eyes are still on captions. Yet, many here are very happy with it, so something to think about.

How can I tell if I have CC in my TV already (besides foreign movies?) Do I ask my server? Or Samsung? I'd start with the CC and if it doesn't help, I'll escalate to advice of the other wonderful posters here though I don't understand about sound bars, etc.

Thank you so much for any more info if needed or correcting my understanding of the above.

P.S. I to am hard of hearing and haven't yet gotten aids. I'm looking and looking for an effective one BUT "invisible" if possible. Ah....that eternal feminine vanity.....

 

[Rosedala]

I just looked at an Android app called
"Live Transcibe".
You talk to your phone and it transcribes everything on a black screen with white letters. I think this is a great app comunicating with a person with very poor hearing. This is a screen shot on my phone.
We have one fellow at our breakfast* that misses a lot of what we talk about, I think his phone transcribing the conversation would help.
*When we were having our breakfast!

Oh this Live transcribe is fantastic!!! You get this while talking on the phone? I have an Android, do you know whether it comes with it or I should ask for it? Also once you install it you get this automatically? Or do you have to tap it or something? Thank you.

 

[Sunset]

....

How can I tell if I have CC in my TV already (besides foreign movies?) Do I ask my server? Or Samsung? I'd start with the CC and if it doesn't help, ,,,,,

....

You just have to check out the sound settings on your flatscreen tv. Depends on your specific model or brand of tv.
While watching local news I just played around with my sound settings, and there was CC. It offered different types () so I picked one and exited out, and within 20 seconds, CC appeared on my screen even though the local news was in English.

If you don't find it, specify your brand/model of tv and maybe someone can tell you what to click to find it.

 

[AS2019]

I have a Sonos Play1 that I sit on the table right beside me. That way the TV isn't loud, and I can here it just fine. The Sonos volume can be controlled independently of the TV volume. Works great and there's no audio delay.