How to Use Your Roku’s “Private Listening” Mode
Living in an apartment, like me, I like to watch TV with headphones. It’s not easy (and not neighborly) to design a home theater with booming surround sound that shakes walls, floors, and ceilings, so headphones are the perfect compromise, allowing me to turn up the volume as much as I want (or can tolerate) without disturbing anyone. person within earshot.
Of course, this is another benefit: if you’re watching a show or movie on your Roku in the same place with someone who doesn’t want to enjoy it with you, whether it’s because they’re sleeping, working, or for some other reason too cool. for your content – a good pair of headphones keeps only your ears entertained.
Depending on your setup, outputting audio to headphones can be simple or complex. Apple TV , for example, lets you quickly connect Apple headphones like AirPods or Beats to your streaming device for seamless wireless listening. However, wired headphones may not play as well (or not play at all). That’s why Roku is king here: the company has integrated a feature that makes it quick and easy to use any type of headphones while streaming.
This feature, called private listening, is made possible by the Roku app, which allows you to control your Roku from a digital remote on your phone or tablet. All you need to do is connect your headphones to your phone – wired or wireless – and press a button on the app to watch your stories in private.
How to Enable Private Listening on Roku
If you haven’t already, you’ll need to link the Roku app on your smartphone to your Roku streaming device. To do this, download the app for iOS or Android , then go to Devices, which appears as a TV icon. As long as your phone or tablet and your Roku use the same Wi-Fi connection, your Roku should show up here automatically.
Select the remote access icon, then tap the headphone icon – this is the private listening button. Once you do this, your Roku will send audio through any headphones connected to your device.
Even if you’re using wired headphones, audio is still streaming wirelessly from Roku to your device. So there can be audio delay if things aren’t perfectly in sync. In this case, tap the “Settings” icon in the remote app, then select “Adjust Audio Delay”. Disconnect from private listening, then select Start. From here, you will need to use your phone’s camera to capture your TV in the frame. Click Continue and Roku will go through a roughly 10-second sync process, which should get you up and running smoothly again.
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