I like to watch TV late at night. The issue however is that it wakes everybody else up. So I decided to look into various headphone options for my TV. My preference was that they be wireless for the flexibility.
In this post I’ll share my findings and hope that this helps you as well.
Contents
Built-in Bluetooth
If the Roku TV had Bluetooth capability it would be simple to connect a Bluetooth headset. Unfortunately TCL Roku TVs do not have Bluetooth. Many people (including me) think this is a major shortcoming of the TV. However the price point is so compelling that despite these minor annoyances, Roku continues to be a popular TV.
Note that while Roku TV’s have a USB port, a Bluetooth dongle cannot be connected to it.
Use the Remote
One option (while it’s not wireless) is to use the enhanced remote that has a built-in wired headphone jack. When the headphones are plugged in, the TV is automatically muted and the audio can be enjoyed privately.
Note that headphones are not provided with the remote. They have to be purchased separately.
Use your Phone
Download the Roku app onto your smartphone. This allows the phone to act as a remote for the TV.
Use the headphone option (located to the bottom right and shown with the red arrow in the picture below) within the app and it stream the TV audio to any Bluetooth headset or earbuds connected to the phone.
Optical Port
Use a splitter to divide the signal out of the optical port of your TCL TV. One of the two optical outputs can be connected to a playbar
The other optical output can be connected to a Bluetooth transmitter. The transmitter can then be paired with your Bluetooth headset.
Frequently Asked Questions
Bluetooth headphones not working with TCL Roku TV App – how to solve this problem?
The Roku App uses Wi-Fi to connect to the TV. If you’re having an issue with the headphones not working, check your internet connection. If the connection is poor or too slow, the headphones won’t work. The reason for this is that the TV is trying to download content from the internet and send the audio to the app over the same shared Wi-Fi connection.
Can I stream Bluetooth from my soundbar?
Your TCL Roku TV might have a soundbar that supports Bluetooth. This is a Bluetooth receiver which means that you can stream audio to it from a phone. The playbar cannot send the TV audio stream to a Bluetooth headset.