Discussions

[Ericf]

Hi, I just bought a new Roku Smart Tv I have the app on my phone I plugged in my headphones and it muted the TV but it tells me Private is not available for this input? Help please 

Eric 

[atc98092]

Private listening isn't available for all devices. I haven't ever seen a complete list of supported devices. @RokuDanny-R or @RokuTannerD should be able to answer that question tomorrow. 

[RokuTannerD · Accepted solution]

Thanks for the question here! Private Listening is available for all built-in streaming channels, but is not available for HDMI inputs on some models of Roku TV (depending on hardware). If your TV is displaying an HDMI input source and not a built-in streaming channel, you may not be able to use private listening for that input, and would see that type of message display in the app. 

Thanks,

Tanner

[Ericf]

ok  thanks 

[Grandi]

I bought the TV, DVD player and Airpods specifically so I can use my workout DVDs at night while people around me are sleeping!  Is there any way private listening will work for HDMI, maybe with additional software or hardware?!

[lesmikesell]

If you have a computer with dvd reader, rip the DVDs to files with software like makemkv.   You can put them on a USB drive and play with the roku media player or stream them from your computer with Plex to the plex app.  Or you might be able to find suitable workouts on Youtube or other streaming services.

[djchristensen]

There are bluetooth transmitters that plug into the headphone and/or optical audio jacks on the TV.  One of those would do what you want (a USB-based adapter will not work).

[bsmithril]

There is a combination of hardware you can buy.  You need an hdmi audio extractor $25, a bluetooth audio dongle $10, and a bluetooth headset.  It's not a roku thing it's a group of components that gets the audio from the hdmi and then broadcasts it to a bluetooth audio device.

[ethylmax]

@bsmithril 

Hi, these 3 products you listed would work for an older Panasonic flat screen (not smart) and the Roku express? I would like one person to be able to watch tv with headphones.

Also, Is there anything that would allow 2 people to watch tv with one using headphone so they could hear better?

Thanks

[djchristensen]

One way to allow one person to listen with headphones and another to the speakers would be using an optical adapter like this:

https://www.amazon.com/TaoTronics-Bluetooth-Transmitter-Receiver-Wireless/dp/B01KO1JNCA

(Note: this is not an endorsement of that particular product, which I have not used, just an example.)

Plugging something into the optical output on a Roku TV will not disable the speakers like the headphone jack will (the speakers can be disabled via Settings if needed, though).  This allows one person to listen via bluetooth headphones while others can listen to the speakers.  There may be a slight delay between the two that could be irritating to the headphone user depending on the headphones and volumes (make sure the headphones used support low latency to minimize this issue).

An HDMI audio extractor solution might also work, but would be limited to the HDMI input it is attached to and would not work for streaming, tuner, or AV.  Private listening in the app would work for some of those.  The optical adapter should work for all audio the TV can produce.