infrared speakers?

[aclivity]

I'm hoping some of the YD gadgeteers can help me here.

my wife bought herself a new car a couple of weeks ago, well really it's what our American members might call a minivan ... it's a Kia Sedona. One of the extra features is a roof mounted DVD player, which beats all other gadgets hands down as far as the kids are concerned. It came with 2 pairs of infrared headphones so the kids can listen whilst the grown ups listen to Robbie Williams on the car hifi (it IS my wife's car, so she chooses which CD's are in it).

Problem is that my son is only 2 and he's not keen on wearing the headphones. Rather than condemn him to pictures without sound, is it possible to get infrared stereo speakers that I could mount near the back seats so he can hear the Magic Roundabout as well as see it?

I did a google search for all combinations of infrared, ir, wireless and speakers but couldn't see anything obviously useful.

Andy

[MATTBIN]

I'm guessing as I have had a google too and cant see anything, that the signal from the IR transmitter isnt sufficiently strong to power free standing speakers, hence headphones only. I have a set of laptop speakers that use very little power, and have a connector as per 'normal' headphones i.e. a jack socket, maybe they do those in IR?

Matt

[Bantam]

My suggestion is this;

Get a spare pair of the headphones (the Kia dealer should be able to help you out there).
Take them apart.. The IR section and the amp will be together somehow, then there will be a low level output to the headphone speakers. You could remove this little bit of circuit board and power bit (or even just take a line out from the board) and somehow install it inside a small pair of battery powered speakers like you would get for an iPod or walkman.

Well, that's what I'd do.

Mark.

[Scuby]

Originally Posted by MATTBIN

I'm guessing as I have had a google too and cant see anything, that the signal from the IR transmitter isnt sufficiently strong to power free standing speakers,

Shouldn't make a difference. They will all need to be battery powered (can't send power over IR!) so its just a case of how good the signal is to how well it will amplify up. I *believe* I have seen some IR speakers in Argos (many years ago), no idea if they're still around or not though. Most have gone to radio frequencies now as a superior technology, and IR speakers aren't an obvious useful technology - there are very few circumstances I can think of where you'd have a clear line-of-sight between speakers and a source, without being able to wire the speakers in.

Easiest way is probably get in and put a wire to wherever you need it with a headphone socket - you can then plug in any old mini-speakers, and take them out when you don't want them.

David

[recurve]

If you are up to a bit of surgery and soldering.

1) Open up a pair of the headphones, wire in a mini stereo jack socket to the headphone 'speakers' and see if you can mount it into the shell of the headphones somewhere.

2) Pick up a pair of computer speakers that run at 12 volts (ish) (check the speakers for voltage used, or the mains adapter that comes with them). a couple of volts either side will probably not cause any problems. Failing that, get a car voltage adapter off ebay for a few quid.

3) Power the speakers from a cigy lighter and connect to the headphones with a bit of stereo screened cable with suitable plugs.

4) ingenuity required to mount the speakers, will leave that up to you.

Edit: And it is no good getting a 'random' set of infra-red speakers, as the player and the speakers have to 'talk the same language' so to speak.

It is possible that the headphones could drive some small high efficiency speakers directly, with no extra amplification, wouldn't like to stake too much on it though.

PM me if you want more of a talk through, sorry, you are a bit far for a 'service call'.