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Q & A with George Dennis, CEO of TV Ears posted on Tuesday, 23 December 2008

Through technology and dedication, TV Ears has made it possible for the hearing impaired and their loved ones to co-exist harmoniously. This week, bizSanDiego was able to catch up with TV Ears CEO George Dennis, who gave some insight on the company behind the Ears.

bizSanDiego: How did the idea for TV Ears come about? What’s the story behind the name?

George Dennis: The founder of TV Ears was trying to find something for his dad that would help him hear TV but couldn’t find anything so he made TV Ears. It was supposed to take about two months but it took about two years to develop the prototype.

We went through a hundred names: peace keeper 20000, the marriage saver, and Infraport 401 were some of the most memorable, but TV Ears was short, simple, to the point, and most importantly not too corny.

bizSD: Why use TV Ears as opposed to other hearing devices, such as hearing aids?

Dennis: Hearing aids and other hearing devices amplify all sounds in one’s environment. TV Ears only amplifies the sound of the television. This is an important distinction because a home is not always quiet; dishwashers, children, air-conditioners, etc. will be amplified by hearing aids. The other important distinction is with TV Ears the television can be put on mute so others hear nothing. Great for sleeping or reading spouses.

bizSD: How have changes in media and television affected TV Ears as a product?

Dennis: As television programming has developed into multichannel sound tracks, dialog has become increasingly difficult to understand. TV Ears, with its proprietary “Voice Clarifying Circuitry,” amplifies television dialog above other distracting sounds so that television programming is easy to understand.

bizSD: What was the most difficult part of building TV Ears into the company it is today?

Dennis: Building a good organization to keep up to our rapid growth, which includes a good management team, infrastructure, and a good banking relationship.

bizSD: How does TV Ears work?

Dennis: A small transmitter is plugged into the audio out ports located on the back of the television set, satellite box, or cable box. The transmitter wirelessly transmits the audio of the television to the headset. Once at the headset, the user can adjust the volume and tone dials on the headset to their preference. The television volume can be set to any level or turned off without affecting the function of the TV Ears system. The transmitter also doubles as a charger and holder for the headset, which is three times more powerful than your average headset.

bizSD: Moving into the future, what can we expect from TV Ears? Are you working on anything new/ any advancement in the technology?

Dennis: The Company is focused upon helping people hear television so the entire family benefits from the increased enjoyment. We will be launching a series of new products in 2009. Keep your eyes open for our Seat Side Speaker, hearing aid compatible TV Ears, TV Ears Remote Control and the TV Ears TV. TV Ears is also starting to make the jump to international sales to meet the demand that exists all around the world.

Posted by bizSanDiego: San Diego Business News