Bluetooth Headphones and TV sets
Don
headphones and TV sets that transmit the sound directly to them.
Maybe they already make those TV sets and I am unaware of it. Yes?
How about the (dual)headphones?
(They seem to make plenty of the headsets for ONE ear).
Don
Steve Parfitt
for TV manufacturers to add a Bluetooth transmitter to a TV in what is a
certainly a very price-sensitive market. Lets face it, not many people
listen to their TV through headphones by any method.
But you can get an add-on A2DP transmitter from various companies (e.g.
Sony HWS-BTA2W). It should connect to any TV or audio device that has a
headphone jack.
A2DP is a specific Bluetooth profile for hi-fi audio that is stereo -
the profile used for those Star-Wars-hearing-aid thingies is mono and
not exactly hi-fi.
Hmmm ... could come in handy for doing Yoga while watching breakfast TV.
Not sure how I'm going to read the Closed Captions at the same time.
Steve
Ken
Talk about over-engineering! Bluetooth is a data link capable of
megabit rates which can work, rather clunkily, as a phone/TV to
hearing aid link. But the simplest way to listen to TV with hearing
aids is to have a long cord on a set of headphones. You can get
extension cords from places like Tandy. OK - so plugging in the
headphones usually turns off the speaker. The way around that problem
is either to have the TV set re-wired (and they can insert a separate
volume control for the headphones at the same time - or you can get
headphones with a volume control in the cord) or buy a second TV. The
latter is probably the most cost-effective solution - a 'deafie' will
happily sacrifice has/her access to the plasma screen so as not only
be able to hear programs, but also choose his/her own.
"G"
FYI, there is a product from Oticon called the Streamer.
http://www.oticon.com/com/OurProducts/ConsumerProducts/Epoq/Streamer/index.htm
The Oticon Epoq Streamer is a body-worn device and a gateway to
connecting your hearing instruments to the expanding world of
electronic media. The Streamer enables signals from modern
communication devices, such as mobile phones and televisions, to be
streamed wirelessly into your hearing instruments.
If you have two hearing instruments, the sound will be directed to
both ears.
This solution gives you the world’s smallest hands-free headset and
personal headphones for many listening and communication purposes.
Sue
Don
and the amplifier runs through the TV. That way I have speakers on the
TV plus the sound comes through my headphones.
Don
find much information about them and how this works. I will be in
search of a dealer in my area. Sounds like Oticon has the upper-hand on
innovation and the technology that is possible with today's electronics.
They must be applauded for that and I am wondering why other hearing
aid companies are not offering this technology in their hearing aids.
Steve Parfitt
"Over-engineering" ... I have to agree with you there. It's a 'cool'
solution to a simple problem. But it does have a couple of advantages
over a fixed headphone cable:
* won't get tangled up or throttle you if you are trying to do exercises
or cleaning the house while watching/listening to the TV
* several people can pick up the same signal
The solution I use, which is a small FM band transmitter from C Crane,
works well enough but it too has some disadvantages: you need to find a
clear, unused channel in the FM band so that you don't get interference
from some local radio station using that frequency. Not too hard where
I live (Toronto) but I understand that the FM band is chock-a-block in a
lot of U.S. cities (and, I would imagine, in Europe also).
The Oticon Epoq Streamer sounds like a replacement for DAI cables and/or
telecoils. Their flyer says that the transmitter has to be within 0.5m
of the hearing-aids. It still needs to be connected to the audio source
with a cable or possibly Bluetooth. So it's similar to Phonak's
Smartlink devices except that it uses a different method to transmit to
the HA's. Oticon uses a form of magnetic induction and, I would guess,
FM encoding. Phonak uses the 216-217MHz radio band and its range is up
to about 30m depending on circumstances.
Of course, the Bluetooth gadgets are mass-market and therefore
relatively inexpensive. Phonak/Oticon are always going to be catering
to a very small market with limited competition - which means they can
charge kilo-dollars for their products.
Steve
Ken
All the alternatives have their own disadvantages. It is a tragedy
that Phonak did not price their Smartlink system more keenly - they
produce versions for most makes of hearing aid but then priced their
product out of the market. The handshaking routine with Bluetooth
introduces its own problems while long headphone cables are a
nuisance. The FM TV systems which are widely used turn out to have
ridiculous set of headphones about as practical (and as comfortable)
as a stethoscope. Nevertheless anyone who is sufficiently motivated
will find a solution which works reasonably well for them. I have used
DAI instead of headphones - still the long cable. Though Smartlink
also uses DAI, but with a FM link rather than cable.