Expert: Cleggsan - 11/10/2010

Question
Can regular headphones or earbuds work in place of the wireless ones? Just bought a 2004 Chevy Tahoe LT and the wireless headphones are broken and wondered if I couldn't just go to Radio Shack and get some.

Answer
Wireless headphones work with an rf or IR (Infra Red) transmitter feeding a signal to the wireless headphones.  They have a radio receiver built in to them which is powered by internal batteries and are tuned to the transmitter in the car.  

Some may work on magnetic induction but the principle is about the same.

In any event, the headphones must be able to receive the transmitted signal from the cars player system.

HOWEVER:  Some models have a module which contains the receiver and a couple of phone plugs that accept standard headphone for plugging into the receiver box that sits in the back.

If the headphones are truly wireless (no cord coming out of the but a switch to turn them ON and OFF) they will need to be replaced with the correct model.  Your car owners manual should specify the batteries they use and how to operate them.

Now, it is possible that general purpose wireless headphones are used wherein the system is using standard home wireless phones. In this case Radio Shack may very well have replacement phones.  Bestbuy or Frys would be a better place to look.

If you are confused, send a follow up but tell us what kind of system your car has and the markings on the headphones that came with the car.  That way we can know what system you must work with.

Maybe this is what you are looking for:

http://www.audiovideo2go.com/products/Chevy-Tahoe-Single-Channel-IR-Wireless-Hea...

Good Luck.