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Are there any hearing aids that provide direct Bluetooth connectivity with modern TVs?

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If you get an Amazon Fire Cube it allows direct connection to most newer aids. You can check for compatibility. Yes for most Starkey’s and Oticons. No need to buy their cheap tv’s.

For what it is worth. I was able to connect my Phonak to my TV when I installed a Chromecast. Could not do that before. A lot depends on the age of the technology in the TV. I currently have TruHearing HAs (by Signia) and use a Streamline Mic which will connect to my newer TV bu not my older one (that has the Chromecast). Technology is fascinating.

In reply to @JohnFeb

The most high-end units (8K) are supposed to support now, but I don’t think they will lend me one to test :slight_smile: Without a 5.3 or newer hardware component it’s not likely. I was looking through the add on streamer devices on Amazon most are NOT really Auracast like you need it for , or even Auracast at all yet. I think by June 2025 maybe. They will work great with a single device but what is needed is a standard method that is fully supported by all Hearing Aid manufacturers. Some Mfgs might be able to tell you when this support will arrive, but others are actively trying to hide their firmware release schedules. All still like their proprietary streamer even with Auracast.
A good solution in a TV will:
Support standard BT solutions not just specialized mfg.-based solutions
Allow for connection to HA devices using the CODEC and sampling that HA devices will use (23Khz?)
Fully support some type of volume control for the HA separate from the speakers
Allow you to name the Auracast Broadcast so if you have 2 TVs you do not end up with 2 Samsung 500" 16K TV xxxx entries in you HA Auracast list (oh yes list handling, lots missing there in ALL solutions)

Auracast alone will not solve the problem, but it is critical that people question the suppliers and Mfgs to remind them there is a need to support the HA user.

In reply to @MeBPatB

This happened to me too. Chromecast will connnect to . Newer Sansui TV will connect to Streamline mic. I don’t really listen to TV with HA’s connected. They are usually out by the time I get around to watching in the evening. My brother told me he could connect new Resound but the TV sounded terrible. He is going to try some other brands.

I do not currently wear Phonak . I have TruHearing (by Signia). I will try to get back to you about this as I am not currently wearing my HA.

In reply to @JohnFeb

My Philips can use their tv streamer box, and I have learned there is a USB device called Floogoo that will transmit to many hearing aid brands from a TV, computer, etc for about $45.

For anyone trying to connect Phonak devices via Bluetooth to anything just a reminder that the hearing aids are only in pairing mode for two minutes from when they are powered on. If you cannot see the devices Power down, Power back on and you should see them appear for two mins only.

This catches a lot of people out.

From the Samsung manual…

Using
You can listen to the TV’s audio by connecting to a Bluetooth audio device that supports Auracast.
This feature is supported in the QN800C/QN800D series or higher only.
This feature may not be supported depending on the models of the mobile device and Bluetooth audio device.

Make sure you switch the aids off and then on again and search for them to connect. They are only discoverable for 2 mins from a power cycle to connect to

Yes, Phonaks will thus connect to anything Bluetooth. The problem with TVs, though, is that it will be very difficult to avoid an extremely annoying echo (lag) with ambient TV (speaker) sound that others listen to in the same room. There are possibly some TVs that can apply separate lags (“lipsync”) to their different audio outputs- but you really want Phonak’s TV-streamer, which only generates negligible lag.

With the Roger OnIn dock at the back of the TV or near the TV speaker, I have to lower the sound of the TV whereby my wife complaint the sound is too low! Roger is a perfect AHD (assisted hearing Device).
Not sure whether the FloGoo device helps in the future of connectivity to newer generation ’s.

I have the Phonak sphere Infino i90s. Bluetooth connection to my Google Pixel phone is faultless. I have a 2017 LG OLED TV which has a direct Bluetooth connection. I can get the Bluetooth to connect to the but the volume is that low it is unusable. The volume cannot be adjusted with the TV. There is also a lot of interference

It depends on your setup and where in the setup you have the TVC connected and the connection effects of where it’s connected.
I use my tv as the centre of the “system”. The STB goes to the tv via HDMI. The tv has stereo speaker out. The TVC is connected to optical out of the tv. Volume does not affect the optical. I discovered recently that volume can be controlled out of the STB which controls all output connections out of the tv until I fixed the remote after setting the STB volume to max. Now volume is controlled by the tv. Any able-hearing viewers can hear the speakers and volume works (other than optical). Some tv’s do control volume out of the optical.

I wouldn’t do bluetooth out of a tv. The TVC is an awesome piece of kit.

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