Skip to content
HearingTracker
Log in

Bluetooth dongle with Auracast support - FlooGoo FMA120

451 replies21.4k viewsLast reply

Jump
Link to this topic
Reply

In reply to @Ranson

@Ranson said:

Bluetooth operates within an 80MHz bandwidth and uses randomized frequency hopping to reduce interference. It also has an error retransmission mechanism to correct occasional signal collisions.

Not sure what protocols you’re thinking of, but BT uses the 2.4GHz ISM band. It is frequency agile.

WH

In reply to @jwerner

My S25U can broadcast its own audio as , but downloading that auracast assistant software does not allow me to use my phone as a “helper” to bridge my 9050s to connect with Floogoo’s auracast. Right now just my Jabra E20P’s can pick up the cast but haven’t tried using my s25u as a assistant since it is directly connecting to the cast after pairing with the dongle. I think manufactures will need to update their smartphone apps to enable assistant features to scan/connect to auracasts if they haven’t already.

@mursewilli said:

bridge my 9050s to connect with Floogoo’s auracast.

The 9050s aren’t yet enabled for . There’s nothing any Auracast assistant can do. Here’s hoping for the next firmware update.

In reply to @Ranson

Thanks for your pic of the various devices connected. As you say, many TVs and sound systems may not have USB audio output which leaves the A2DP route the only alternative. But this reintroduces the dreaded latency of classic bluetooth. It would be so much nicer if the FMA120 had an optical or 3.4mm jack input. Cut out the middle man.

In reply to @Ranson

Good news for TruHearing 7 (Signia 5IX) users! A user has confirmed that the FMA120 works with their hearing aids after updating the dongle to firmware version 1.1.0. If you’re using the same model, you might want to give it a try!

In reply to @EagleHeart

Thanks… this is great find! I’ve been struggling with what version my laptop has (Lenovo Ideapad 5)… supposedly it supports 5.2 but I think I would need firmware update, but don’t think Lenovo’s supporting it anymore :frowning:

I’ve got a Lenovo Yoga 9i, purchased in Feb 2023, an EVO machine, and based upon all the hardware, firmware, drivers, and BIOS that I am able to understand and update, it ought to support but it doesn’t.

Lenovo support has been worthless. After the first useless chat, I started asking, “Do you know what LE Audio is?” They don’t but that doesn’t stop them from looking in their knowledge base and coming up with irrelevant “solutions”.

I really like my Yoga laptop but my recent support experiences (I have premium support, too!) have left me soured. Just the opposite of Dell… I’m not much into Dell equipment but their premium support has been first class.

this is from another thread :

Upgrades for church sound system? Auracast? Anything else?
I’d like to share my experience installing an Auracast transmitter in my church, which has a seating capacity of approximately 400 people. We use this transmitter (link). [IMG_6149] The transmitter is positioned in the front right area, behind a concrete pillar where the choir and audio equipment are located. It is mounted on the back of the sound mixer desk. [IMG_6152] For the sound setup, we used the included RCA-to-analog 3.5mm cable to connect the sound mixer to the transmitter and po…
Edited

In reply to @Ranson

The Floogoo FMA120 does work with my Windows 11 laptop and TruHearing 7 Advanced (Signia 5IX) ’s but I have to do different things each time I want to use it and because of this I have not been able to document what needs to be done to get it to work consistantly. For example, I always have to turn off Bluetooth on the phone to use the dongle but sometimes when I return to the phone I cannot get my HA’s to connect without re-pairing them in the app. Sometimes I need to unplug and plug in the dongle a couple of times to get it to connect. I could not find any consistancy with the process. Support has been great from Flairmesh and Ranson.

Edited

Thanks for confirming this. The reconnection issue with the phone could also be related to the hearing aid firmware, as it needs to switch between (with the FMA120) and (with the phone). It might be worth reporting this to TruHearing as well. If the FMA120 consistently reconnects when the phone connection isn’t switched (just as a test, since phone calls are essential), that would suggest the issue isn’t something the dongle itself can resolve. LE Audio is still relatively new for hearing aids, and manufacturers are actively improving compatibility and performance.

By the way, here’s a list of hearing aids with firmware versions confirmed to work with the FMA120:

GN ReSound Nexia 9^ / Jabra Enhanced Pro 20^: 9.68.1
Oticon Intent / Philips HearLink 9050: 1.1.0
Rexton Reach^^: 25.5.972.3
Starkey Edge ^: 10.0.0
TruHearing 7 Advanced (Signia 5IX)^^: 25.5.972.3
TruHearing TH 7 Premium (Signia 7IX)^^: 25.5.1039.3

^ Supports both unicast and broadcast/ modes, with no need for a phone as an Auracast assistant after pairing.
^^ Broadcast/Auracast mode has not yet been confirmed for Rexton, TruHearing, or Signia.

I an having the same issues with my Rexton Reach, I have to turn off bluetooth on phone to connect with pc and sometimes i need to reboot the aids,

The Rexton firmware update that works with FMA 120 is 25.5.972.3

In reply to @Ranson

The firmware on my TruHearing 7 Advanced (Signia 5IX) is 25.5.972.3 which according to my visit with my audiologist last week is the latest version. My iPhone is also at the latest IOS release.

Thank you, @snah76 and @s_f_p , for confirming the firmware versions. To connect with a PC, Bluetooth must be temporarily turned off (an Oticon user has confirmed that once connected to the PC, Bluetooth can be re-enabled without interrupting the connection). This happens because the phone is always attempting to reconnect to maintain an “always connected” experience.

Here are two workarounds to avoid having to switch between the PC and phone:

  1. Unpair the from the phone and use a USB-C to USB-A adapter to connect the HAs to the phone. This allows you to pick up calls, as the FMA120 also supports a microphone channel, functioning as a wired headphone for the phone. However, this may not be the most ideal solution, as you won’t hear incoming calls until you unplug the connection from the PC and plug it into the phone.
  2. If the HAs support , you can unpair them from the FMA120 and connect them directly to the phone. The PC can then stream audio to the HAs via Auracast (provided the phone supports it or the HA vendor offers an assistant, like ReSound).

I tested this transmitter from 2 laptops (Win11) in Broadcast Public mode with Resound Nexia 5 and Smart 3D application.
The control (by Smart 3D) worked on iPhone 13 mini, Sony Xperia 1 V, Samsung Galaxy S25
On Xperia and Galaxy also directly in the Android 15 setup.
All working ok.

In reply to @Franciszek_K

Thank you for confirming this. It should work as expected since is a standardized technology, and the FMA120 is a certified transmitter. It was also showcased by the Bluetooth SIG at IFA 2024 in Berlin.

Thanks for visiting The Auracast™ Experience at IFA 2024 | Bluetooth®...2

Thanks for visiting The Auracast™ Experience at IFA 2024 We are thrilled you had the opportunity to visit us at The Auracast™ Experience. We hope you enjoyed our demonstration showcasing how Auracast™…

There is a typo in the model name in the photo below—it should be FMA120.

image

In reply to @WhiteHat

Unpairing is only necessary for users who don’t want to manually toggle Bluetooth on their phone when switching between a PC (for YouTube, Teams, or Zoom calls) and the phone. Some users may find it required with certain hearing aids, though this is likely something their vendor will address in future updates. Users of GN ReSound, Jabra, Oticon(A user has reported re-pairing with FMA120 is required when using the TV streamer simultaneously.), Philips, and Starkey only need to turn off either the dongle or the phone’s Bluetooth to reconnect to another device—they don’t need to unpair their hearing aids from the phone’s Bluetooth menu (or Hearing Devices) or from the device list in FlooCast.

A simple test might help clarify the reason. First, pair a GN ReSound Nexia 9 with a Samsung Galaxy S23. With the Samsung’s Bluetooth still on, place the hearing aids back in their charger. After a few seconds, take them out and attempt to pair them with an iPhone. The iPhone will detect the hearing aids under ‘ Hearing Devices,’ but when you tap on their name, the pairing won’t succeed. This happens because the nearby Samsung automatically reconnects, interrupting the iPhone’s pairing process. A similar issue can occur when pairing or reconnecting the FMA120 while a previously paired phone is still nearby with Bluetooth enabled.

Many classic Bluetooth headsets allow new pairing even while connected to another device. Hopefully, hearing aid manufacturers will offer this functionality in the future as well.

Related discussions