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Oticon Bluetooth latency & audio/video sync Question

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I’m going to replace two, 4 year old Widex aids with either two Oticon Agil RITE aids or two Widex CLEASR440s.

My audiologist is leaning toward the Oticon but I’m concerned about latency issues with the Bluetooh connection. Specifically, I watch a lot of video on my iPad and I want to be able to transmit the sound from these videos directly to my aids. My concern with the Oticon is the latency of the Bluetooth connection, which is about 150ms. It drives me crazy to watch video when the sound is not completely in sync with the lips. Because of this, I’ve never been able to successfully use a Bluetooth headset for watching videos on my iPad. The sound is never in sync with the actors’ lips. I can only assume that if I were to pair my iPad with Oticon aids via Bluetooth, this same problem would exist. Is that correct? Is there any way around this? Is audio/video sync failure a problem if the Oticon Streamer is connected to the iPad audio output jack with a cord? Can this be done? I feel that Bluetooth would be great for audio on my iPhone and iPad but I’m really concerned about this video sync issue.

I understand that the Widex uses a RF (Radio Frequency) connection that does not have this long latency problem that plagues Bluetooth. The downside is that the WidexLink system would always require that my iPad (and iPhone) be plugged in via a cord to the M-DEX system. I think another advantage this has over the Oticon though is that the Widex system does not require the wearing of a neck strap like the Oticon Streamer system does.

Can anyone here offer some opinions and/or experience about Oticon’s Streamer versus Widex’s WidexLink for watching video on iPads and iPhones?

Thanks, Mardon

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Mardon,
That is why I use a cable that comes with the Streamer. The delay drove me crazy! With the cable everything is in sync.

@seb said:

That is why I use a cable that comes with the Streamer. The delay drove me crazy! With the cable everything is in sync.

Seb,

Thanks for confirming that there is no sync issue when the Streamer is connected to the iPad/iPhone with a cable.

What about sync problems when using a Connectline TV box? Isn’t the wireless connection between the Connectline box and the Streamer a Bluetooth connection and doesn’t that cause a sync problem? The Oticon literature states: “They can listen … without the latency delay problem of off-the-shelf Bluetooth transmitters.” The Oticon Support site describes their method of reducing latency in the Connectline box and then states: “This enables us to achieve a less than 40 ms delay for the entire link, including the hearing instruments.”

I found that Dolby Laboratories specifies audio can not lag video in their systems by any more than 15ms. The Oticon delay of 40ms is equivalent to one full video frame. To me, that seems long enough to produce noticable sync problem between the TV sound and the actors lips. What is your experience?

I just what to fully understand this issue, so I know what I’m getting before I order the Oticon with Bluetooth.

Thanks, Mardon

Mardon,
I didn’t buy the Oticon TV box because a friend had one and I paired my Streamer with it and the delay wasn’t bad but it was there. So I bought a 3.5mm stereo cable and plugged it into the audio out on the TV and plug into the Streamer and the audio is delivered with no delay, but you are tethered by a cable.

I have Oticon Epoqs and if my cell phone had a plug in for a cable I would definitely use it. The inconsistent nature of the streamer is enough to drive you crazy. For the price they get for it I don’t understand why it doesn’t perform better. Recently it drops calls from either my desk phone or cell phone on a regular basis.

Soonerman,
Try repairing the phones to the Streamer after reseting it, it worked for me after mine did the same thing.

In reply to @Mardon

Mardon, I’ve had Oticon aids, streamer and as of last night, the TV connect box. I’ve noticed no latency with the TV connection. There is as others have suggested interference problems with other electrical devices such as WiFi routers. So I have to accept a certain amount of “white noise” accompanying the TV audio but to be honest, I manage to phase that out if the program is interesting enough.

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