How Do I Choose A Sound Bar For My Tv?

[Stargazer]

I have a slimline modern Panasonic tv and always have subtitles turned on as the volume is not always loud enough especially on films and many of the Sky channels like PBS which do not allow subtitles. I miss huge amounts of dialogue especially when watching films. I need to buy a sound bar but only to increase the volume for speech. I never listen to music and do not want to unnecessarily buy one with all bells and whistles. Do I need one with Bluetooth - I don't even know what that is? I am 76 and not even deaf athough my kids say I have the tv on too loud.

[Barsel]

Stargazer, have you finally got it sorted with sound and everything? I probably wasn't much help to you as one of my neighbours set mine up and I didn't watch how he did it but I was just trying to help by sending you info on links etc and pretending to know what I was talking about. I wonder if like me you find that a lot of people mumble these days? I don't believe I'm deaf as I can hear perfectly well if people talk clearly, this is how I was brought up. It came in handy in later years when my Mum started to lose her hearing as she could still understand what I was saying to her. Have a mess about with your soundbar to get the right sound for yourself. x

[davebro]

"plus it into the power supply!!"

I thought to ask that right at the start but you said you connected 2 cables - I assumed one was the power!!!! hahaha

[Stargazer]

Davebro, I had to phone my brother to be advised to plug it into the power socket as the instructions did not mention that. I was assuming that the tv would be producing the sound once connected by optical link to the soundbar! Don't laugh but "green side up" is a standing joke when I used to ask which side a cd should be put into a player!

[retrocop]

As a matter of interest I had similar problems with our new TV. I thought the maximum volume was too low. Wife always asking from next room to turn it down.l knew I had hearing impairment. I bit the bullet and found two NHS hearing aids solved the problem. A win win situation for all.
Have you had a audio test recently? I am almost 70 and lost my hearing nearly 25 years ago.