I am helping a friend look for wireless headphones that he can bring
to the gym. In his gym there are tv in front of the various
treadmills. They are tuned to different radio frequencies. A headphone
that will allow him to easily choose between them. Again it should be
wireless top of the line. The absolute best and easiest for this one
function. Thanks.

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Request for Question Clarification by bobbie7-ga on 15 Jan 2004 17:46 PST

Hi  Cheaptrinkets!

Please take a look at the following product.

Koss JR50 Wireless Radio Frequency Headphones System
Manufactured by Koss

Product Features:
Frequency response 20-18,000 Hz 
Provides Cordless Listening from your Stereo, Video, or Computer System 
Transmits through Walls, and Celings 
Multiple Sound Source Capability when used with additional transmitters 
Closed Ear Cushions for Maximum Bass and Isolation
Price: $74.99
http://www.1-electronics-store.com/headphones/Koss-JR50-Wireless-B00008Z1QH.html

Would these headphones meet your needs?

Thanks,
Bobbie7

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Clarification of Question by cheaptrinkets-ga on 15 Jan 2004 19:32 PST

This headset is to be brought into a gym to pick up FM radio. The
product you found is for home usage only and totally inappropriate

cheaptrinkets-ga:

Thank you for your question regarding wireless radio headphones for
your friend to use while working out at their fitness gym.

I hope that your friend finds one of the following options as fitting
their tastes. I've listed them in the order of my own preference:

-------------------------------------
SONY SRF-HM01V S2 Sports Street Style Radio Walkman
http://www.sonystyle.com/is-bin/INTERSHOP.enfinity/eCS/Store/-/-/-/SY_DisplayProductInformation-Start?ProductSKU=SRFHM01V

 - Digital tuning, TV/Weather/AM/FM Stereo
 - behind-the-neck style
 - water-resistant (important when working out)
 - 30 preset memory, MegaBass
 - uses 1 AAA battery

-------------------------------------
SONY SRF-H11 S2 Sports Street Style Radio Walkman
http://www.sonystyle.com/is-bin/INTERSHOP.enfinity/eCS/Store/-/-/-/SY_DisplayProductInformation-Start?ProductSKU=SRFH11

 - Analog tuning, AM/FM Stereo
 - behind-the-neck style
 - water-resistant
 - uses 1 AAA battery

-------------------------------------
SONY SRF-HM33 Walkman AM/FM Stereo Headphone Radio
http://www.sonystyle.com/is-bin/INTERSHOP.enfinity/eCS/Store/-/-/-/SY_DisplayProductInformation-Start?ProductSKU=SRFHM33

 - Digital tuning, AM/FM Stereo
 - over-the-head style
 - 20 preset memory

=====================================

This one isn't available yet, but if it was, it would be at the top of my list:

AIWA AZ-FS128 Headphone Style Memory Player w/FM Tuner
http://www.us.aiwa.com/default.asp?page=products&action=viewProduct&prod=59

 - Pavit 128MB Digital Audio player
 - Digital FM tuner
 - 20 preset memory

=====================================

While any of these options would work, I personally prefer to use
behind-the-neck style headphones when I'm going any sort of exercise
or physical activity. They tend to stay in place better, at least on
my head. :) The water-resistant feature of the first two Sony units is
also important, if your friend happens to work up a sweat while
working out.

I have restricted the units in this Answer to the best units available
from highly-regarded brands. There are a myriad of cheaper,
no-name/low-name brand units out there, but as you specified that you
were interested in 'top of the line' units, I went with these instead.

I hope that this information is useful! Please let me know if you
would like me to clarify this Answer, using the "Request
Clarification" button above.

Thanks,

aht-ga
Google Answers Researcher

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Request for Answer Clarification by cheaptrinkets-ga on 16 Jan 2004 06:56 PST

Do these have presets that can be memorized? So in other words he can
memorize the stations (there are three I think) put them in and only
have to push a button. It is actually for a friend's father who is not
technologically savy at all. If there are any by bose or someone
ridiculously overprices like that it would even be better. Thanks for
your work so far.

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Clarification of Answer by aht-ga on 16 Jan 2004 09:18 PST

cheaptrinkets-ga:

The two with digital tuning, namely the SRF-HM01V and the SRF-HM33,
both feature station memory presets; you tune in the station once, set
it into memory, and at that point all the user will need to do is
toggle up and down through the presets. No need to fumble around with
tuning in a station every time he wants to follow another TV.

You also asked about the possibility of there being other, perhaps
more expensive, brands. I have checked through the following brands
for anything that would fit your requirements, and have not found
anything that fits: Bose, Philips, Technics, Panasonic Shockwave.

Again, there are a lot of cheaper units out there, but a very limited
selection of high-quality units fit for regular use in a fitness gym.
Because of the intense amount of industrial design that goes into
making a headphone radio, it is really only the major brands that
carry such units. Of the major brands, only Sony (and their related
company, Aiwa) have units that I personally see as fit for your
friend's needs.

The best that the other top brands had, is an armband radio with
headphones, similar to this:

PANASONIC RF-SW200 SHOCKWAVE Metal Headphone Radio
http://catalog2.panasonic.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ModelDetail?storeId=11251&catalogId=11005&itemId=62679&catGroupId=11125&modelNo=RF-SW200&surfModel=RF-SW200

They call it a headphone radio, but it is not a simple, single unit.
With a unit like this, the cord for the headphones will almost always
get caught on equipment, or tangled when stored, causing no end of
grief for your friend's father.

I hope this helps!

Regards,

aht-ga
Google Answers Researcher

Good job.

cheaptrinkets-ga:

It sounds like you are looking for a set of wireless headphones that
will let your friend tune into the audio portion of the TV broadcast
being shown on the TVs in front of the treadmills.

You mention that the TVs are tuned to different radio frequencies. Can
you explain this further? For example, does the fitness gym have
little radio transmitters that re-transmit the audio for each TV? Does
anyone else at the gym have the ability to listen to the audio portion
of these TV broadcasts?

If the gym is re-broadcasting the audio on a low-power FM transmitter,
then your friend needs FM radio headphones.

If the gym is not re-broadcasting, and if the TVs are tuned into a
local television station that broadcasts over-the-air, then your
friend needs a set of headphones that can tune into the VHF/UHF band.

If the gym is not re-broadcasting, and the TVs are tuned to stations
that are received via cable or satellite, then your friend will need
to convince the fitness gym to let them install the transmitter
portion of the headphones that bobbie7-ga provided the link to above,
so that your friend (and others who buy the same headphones) can
listen to the audio portion of the TV show.

Can you clarify the exact situation in this gym?

Thanks,

aht-ga
Google Answers Researcher

To Aht-ga.

The Gym is rebroadcasting the stations and we will need FM radio headsets. 

To bobbie7-ga 

This headset is to be brought into a gym to pick up FM radio. The
product you found is for home usage only and totally inappropriate.