You are watching TV with the family and you find it difficult to hear amongst all the noises and sounds around you. Instead of asking to turn the volume up, you ask yourself if there is another solution. Is there a way to stream sounds of the TV into your hearing aids?
When having hearing loss, one of the first things you will notice is how hard it is to watch TV and hear what’s going on. It is one of the most common problems that patients think about and discuss with their audiologists. However, latest hearing aids have shown, through advanced technology, different features and accessories that patients can use to have a flexible and easy life.
This page will guide you to how you can solve this matter. There are two basic ways that can help you stay connected with your hearing aids and wirelessly stream TV to them.
What is Bluetooth technology?
It is based on high-frequency radio waves, enabling two or more devices to connect wirelessly without cables within a short range.
It helps to connect to the devices you are close to, unlike the Wi-Fi which can connect from anywhere.
Many products incorporate Bluetooth connectivity including mobile phones, computers, televisions and tablets.
It uses a 2.4GHz connection for exchanging data and communicating between devices.
What is a TV streamer?
It is a device, similar to a small computer, that you connect to your television.
It transmits sounds from your TV directly to your hearing aids.
It provides a communication link between the wireless technology in the hearing aid and the TV.
Patients wearing hearing aids can set and change the volume by adjusting the volume control of their own hearing aid. They don’t have to bother the people around them. This way, their family and friends can adjust their own volume, and everyone will be satisfied, achieving a preferable sound level.
How does a TV streamer work?
Having a TV streamer will allow you to stream audio from your television. Each TV streamer includes specific cables that ensure the audio heard by other TV viewers isn’t affected.
The person suffering from hearing loss sets their television’s volume at a high level, which is very uncomfortable for the ones around them, especially for prolonged period of time. This doesn’t only affect how comfortable the people around are, but it also creates a situation where members of the same family live separate lives in their own house.
This option improves your hearing in the same way as if you are sitting directly in front of the TV. You don’t have to make it louder to hear if sitting away from it.
Each hearing aid manufacturer possess their own TV streamers.
Once bought, they are paired with your hearing aid device and your audiologist will make all the necessary programming changes required. This initial setup is needed to have the direct streaming from the TV.
Once it is set, the streamer will pick up the Bluetooth signal from the TV and send it to the hearing aid either through FM signal or through electromagnetic field. It all varies depending on the manufacturer’s design.
In conclusion, the device is physically connected to the television. The TV will receive the sound and stream it to the hearing aids you are using.
It is important to mention that TV streamers can only connect to one device at a time. If you have more than one TV at a time, you need to either buy another device or disconnect and reconnect the current one in a different room.
How does Bluetooth connectivity work?
The latest hearing aids available in the market use Bluetooth technology to turn the wearer’s hearing aid into earphones.
If you have a new, Bluetooth enabled TV set, you can use the instructions given to connect to your hearing aids and improve your audio experience. It is the most common method for connecting to the television. Here is how you can you do it:
Turn on the hearing aid Bluetooth connectivity. Make sure it is in pairing mode and turned on.
Open your TV’s settings menu and try to find the Bluetooth setting.
Select the name of the hearing aids from the list of devices once they appear.
You might sometimes need to enter a PIN code. In this case, consult your hearing aid’s specialist for the correct code.
Once connected, adjust the volume as needed using the remote control.
Disconnecting them works in the same manner. You deselect them from the same menu on the TV.
Once the hearing aids are paired, you can directly and easily switch to wireless streaming by pressing one button.
Using the patent-pending dual antenna technology, TV Play presents maximum streaming stability. You can change programs and volume on your hearing aid via an app on your smartphone or with RC-DEX control.
How can you connect your hearing aid to it?
Connect to the digital audio out and the plug in the USB power on the back of the TV.
Pair your hearing aids by turning on the battery of your hearing aids.
Click the TV play icon on the app.
You can control the volume of the stream.
What tips can you follow when watching TV with hearing aids?
Turn the volume down.
Turning the volume up does not make the sound clearer or easier to comprehend. The loud volume can seriously damage your hearing and hurt your ears. Your family and you will suffer from this loud noise with time.
Get the right speakers.
High quality speakers increase the clarity of sounds. It will make it easier for you to follow conversations on screen. They deliver sounds better than the TV sound system. They will help you watch without turning up the volume.
Get TV headphones.
This assistive learning device will make it easier to hear whatever there is on the TV. It comes with a transmitter device that you plug into your television. You can adjust the volume to the level you prefer and make adjustments to the tone, so you are able to hear more clearly.
most of them can be worn or placed over your hearing aids.
Use subtitles.
If you miss a word while watching, you can read what was being said and hear without getting mad or frustrated. Most televisions have captioning settings to provide subtitles. Search for a CC button on the TV’s remote to switch on the subtitles or find this closed captioning setting in the television’s menu. This allows you to both hear and read the speech on the television.
Whether you want to watch your newest series or your favorite sports team, you can use both your hearings aids and your television. Leaving hearing problems unaddressed could lead to unwanted consequences. Watching TV with hearing aids is a great idea to enjoy all your favorite programming without turning the volume up.