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[JustinChase]

I have a ROKU TV, and their remote program has an option called Private listening, and selecting it plays the audio from the TV through the phone, and in my case, through the Bluetooth headphones I've got connected to the phone at the time.  No headphones selected plays the audio on the phone speakers.  Either way, the audio is on the phone, but the video stays on the TV.  I often want to watch something on the TV< but not force others to listen to what I'm watching, and I can't find any way to do this with JRiver, but really hope that can be changed.

ROKU allows anyone connected, with their app, to listen this way, so we can both have our own headsets on, and each control the volume of the show independently, but both watch the big screen at the same time.  It's great when I have guests in the other room.  I can listen to explosions as loud as I like at 3am and no one cares.

[JustinChase]

i hate to bump my own thread, but with the holiday break, I know it's easy to miss things, so I wanted to ask again (beg?) if this could be considered.

I'm often up late, and like watching movies, but a decent sound level is not appropriate while others sleep (quiet dialog then loud explosion/gunfire/etc makes setting the acceptable volume impossible).  This change would allow me to listen with the phone/headphones, but still get the 'big screen' experience.

Thanks for (re)considering!

[wer]

Have you considered just plugging headphones into the TV or receiver? That's what lots of people do, including myself.  Long cords are cheap, and there are wireless options if you prefer.

[JustinChase]

Have you considered just plugging headphones into the TV or receiver? That's what lots of people do, including myself.  Long cords are cheap, and there are wireless options if you prefer.

I have considered it.  I don't think the TV has a headphone jack, nor would I want to be tethered.  Also, occasionally I'm not alone, so that couldn't work.  Plus, I enjoy listening to action movies LOUD, but the person most likely to join me doesn't like it as loud, so even if we could pair both our headphones to the TV directly (not sure it's possible), we'd have to settle on the 'right' volume, which wouldn't please all parties.

The ROKU solution is super slick.  Touch the 'private listening' button on their app and the sound is moved to the device, and the video stays on the TV.  Everyone using the app gets their own volume, untethered, separate from anyone elses choice.

Gizmo already has a "Choose Where To Play" section (and the JRemote has something similar), so it's already able to play sound and video in either place, I guess I'm just asking to 'split' it to play parts in both places.

[wer]

I understand you want what you want. But in case JRiver does not accommodate you, you can still solve your problem.

I don't think the TV has a headphone jack, nor would I want to be tethered.  Also, occasionally I'm not alone, so that couldn't work.

First, if your TV sound goes to a receiver, you can plug headphones into the receiver.

Second, all (reasonably modern) TVs have an audio out. It may not have a separate headphone jack, but the existing audio out can be used with a splitter, so that sound can still go to your receiver or soundbar while being also sent to the headphones.

And you need not be tethered.  There are plenty of wireless options available, and some of them support multiple sets of headphones simultaneously.  Here is one:
https://www.amazon.com/Avantree-Bluetooth-Transmitter-Receiver-Simultaneously/dp/B07BQYYDNJ

Avantree even has a unit (the Orbit) that decodes Dolby Digital, so it will work with the Netflix app on your smarttv, without having to output as PCM.

Here are some more units:
https://www.headphonesty.com/2019/10/best-bluetooth-audio-transmitters-tv/

Plus, I enjoy listening to action movies LOUD, but the person most likely to join me doesn't like it as loud, so even if we could pair both our headphones to the TV directly (not sure it's possible), we'd have to settle on the 'right' volume, which wouldn't please all parties.

Not really a valid complaint against headphones, as you have that problem now with your speakers. Speakers in a room play at one volume level, not two.

An easy way to address this is just get yourself bluetooth headphones with their own volume controls. Or, use a splitter with volume controls. They exist, cheap. Google will show you.  Either way, you get multiple headphones with independent volume controls.

So yes, you can hook up multiple sets of wireless headphones to your existing TV, each with their own independent volume controls.

Hope this helps.  Good luck...

[JustinChase]

I understand you want what you want. But in case JRiver does not accommodate you, you can still solve your problem.

First, if your TV sound goes to a receiver, you can plug headphones into the receiver.

No receiver, only a soundbar.  However, I will not wire headphones, to anything.  Bluetooth is the way forward; for me.

Second, all (reasonably modern) TVs have an audio out. It may not have a separate headphone jack, but the existing audio out can be used with a splitter, so that sound can still go to your receiver or soundbar while being also sent to the headphones.

And you need not be tethered.  There are plenty of wireless options available, and some of them support multiple sets of headphones simultaneously.  Here is one:
https://www.amazon.com/Avantree-Bluetooth-Transmitter-Receiver-Simultaneously/dp/B07BQYYDNJ

Avantree even has a unit (the Orbit) that decodes Dolby Digital, so it will work with the Netflix app on your smarttv, without having to output as PCM.

Here are some more units:
https://www.headphonesty.com/2019/10/best-bluetooth-audio-transmitters-tv/
Not really a valid complaint against headphones, as you have that problem now with your speakers. Speakers in a room play at one volume level, not two.

I have ZERO desire to purchase something to resolve this issue.  It seems like a relatively easy change that could be implemented in software, and anything beyond that is a non-starter for me.

An easy way to address this is just get yourself bluetooth headphones with their own volume controls. Or, use a splitter with volume controls. They exist, cheap. Google will show you.  Either way, you get multiple headphones with independent volume controls.

we both have bluetooth headphones, but I'm not sure if they can both be connected to the soundbar (or TV) simultaneously.  Even if they could, I suspect it's a 'one volume to control them all' situation.  Even if it wasn't and each person could control the volume independently, they would still need to be paired each time you want to listen the the TV, whereas currently, my headphones automatically pair to my phone, since that's what I listen to most/all the time.

So yes, you can hook up multiple sets of wireless headphones to your existing TV, each with their own independent volume controls.

Hope this helps.  Good luck...

It is appreciated, thank you.

TL;DR  if JRiver can add this, it would be great and appreciated, and once you experience how great it is, I think it becomes a selling point to others.  Any hardware solution is not a realistic solution for me (cost, complexity, multiple points of failure, etc)