Alas, A Mistake Of The First Order

[spicemeister]

I purchased two (2) Sony Bravia TV's. We enjoy them except for one thing. I am unable to figure out how to use headphones so the TV mutes and either my wife or I can watch and listen. I fear I may have truly messed up.

If anyone knows of a way to circumvent this, or perhaps encountered and solved the same problem I would be forever grateful if you'd share the solution!

Thanks, Johnny / San Antonio

[AndyH]

Having just looked at some published specs, I don't see any analogue outputs, so how you are attaching any headphones is quite unclear.

The only output listed is optical digital audio. This is almost certainly S/PDIF. It would be very strange if turning the audio down all the way (at the TV's built in speakers) had any effect on this output. You should be able to use it this way, picture as normal, no sound from the TV, then get your audio feed from the optical digital out.

This requires a DAC with an optical S/PDIF input or an optical to coax converter plus a DAC with coax S/PDIF input. It would be nice if the DAC had headphone output with volume control. If it has only simple line out, you need to follow that with a headphone amplifier/distributor. This could be a self contained unit or the headphone output of a receiver or integrated amplifier.

In my case the television has analogue line out. As is common, but probably not universal, this line is not effected by the volume control. I don't know about the mute control, I never use that as any mute I'm familiar with will be turned off (sound back on) by various other controls, such as changing the channel. I have a simple headphone amplifier on that TV line out which I can easily turn off, or down, if sound is wanted from the TV speakers instead of at the headphones.

[AndyH]

A "newer model" page loaded. It lists "audio out." If you happen to have this newer model, this output should allow you to attach headphones as I described for my out setup,. Again, it depends on how Sony implemented it, but it is probably not effected by the TV volume control. Its purpose it to output audio to an external device, such an separate amplifier and speakers, which would usually have their own volume control.