Expert: Cleggsan - 11/1/2008

Question
QUESTION: I have a Sirius radio in my minivan.I would like to be able to listen 20 feet away from the van via wireless headphones.Can I buy wireless headphones that would work & what name & model number would you recommend?How do I connect to the speakers that are inside the van?Thanks!

ANSWER: I don't make equipment recommendations because there are so many subjective factors involved - that are unique to the end user.

But, you can check the wireless headphones easily with a few google searches.  They run from well under $100 to way over $100. Most of them have a normal range of 20 to 40 feet.

Here is just one place to start your search:

http://www.consumersearch.com/wireless-headphones/comparison

http://www.consumersearch.com/wireless-headphones

Here is another:

http://www.goodcans.com/HeadphoneReviews/wireless100.htm

And you can find others.

Connecting it to the car system is another matter all together.  There must be an audio output connection somewhere in which to tie in the transmitter.   Some car radios have audio output; many do not.  You will have to check that out and see what interface you might have to get hold of to bring out the audio.  You can also tap into the speaker output wiring if you are techy enough to do it (requires soldering, resitor voltage divider and output rca connectors).  

You can also purchase a number of adapters for specific car audio systems.  See www.crutchfield.com and www.installer.com for these kinds of devices.  Since you did not give me the car model and radio model I cannot solve that portion of the system, but you can search it easily at the above mentioned sites.

Hope this helps.

C


---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: The minivan is a Chrysler town & Country LX with a AM/FM/CD MP3 satellite digital radio.How do I connect the infrared transmitter?Would the Clarion WH104 work for me?Thanks for your good help!

Answer
You must get an audio out from the radio unit.  EIther it has such at the back of the unit or you must add an adapter that will provide it.

If you go to:

http://www.installer.com/hilo/index.php

and move down to the Chrysler section you will find several items that bring out an audio output to feed into another amplifier - in your case the wireless transmitter.  You did not give the year of your vehicle, so you might want to call the supplier to make sure it is the right one.

Crutchfield.com has similar units available.

I am sure the Clarion WH104 would work as long as you can get audio into the inputs of the transmitter and as long as you remember IR transmission is strictly line-of-sight; it won't go around trees or any opaque obstacle.

C