Aptx low latency bluetooth transmitters

Assistive Listening Devices
#1

There is talk from time to time about low latency bluetooth transmitters, and using those to transmit to hearing aids, either with an intermediate device like a Phonak Compilot 2 or a Resound Phone Clip+, or other similar device, or directly to a Phonak Marvel or the Phonak B90 Direct.

The problem is that both source and destination bluetooth devices have to recognize the low latency aptx bluetooth codec in order for low latency transmission to be a reality. I could be wrong but I don’t think any of the destination side hearing aid bluetooth devices, or direct connects, recognize aptx. If that’s true it would mean that the transmission using the aptx transmitter would actually use the normal bluetooth transmission speed and there would be no aptx benefit.

I don’t think there is much incentive for hearing aid companies to add aptx since they all sell their own proprietary TV transmitters that are low latency. The hearing aid brand tv transmitters do work well and they have the added benefit of working with the phone connection so when you get a call in your hearing aids, it mutes the TV transmission until the call is over. They are also normally very convenient to start and stop transmitting.

Here is a quote from an article about aptx:

"It’s also important to be aware that both the sending and receiving Bluetooth device need to support aptX for the benefits to be seen, else the lesser codec (SBC) is used by default so that both devices can still work.

A simple example can be seen if you’re using your phone and some external Bluetooth speakers. Say your phone uses aptX but your speakers don’t, or maybe your phone doesn’t but your speakers do. Either way, it’s the same as not having aptX at all."

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#2

That’s the attitude that everyone takes. I asked Cliff the video review guy about this and Oticon eventually replied to his query. Their answer was essentially that. Let them eat cake- sorry- buy our tv transmitter. This from a company with the motto ‘People First’. You’re correct in everything you say. Some people get away with wearing their aids inside their headphones.

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#3

Qualcomm seems to stop supporting their CSR aptX LL solution.

What about a neckloop with bluetooth receiver to transmit music to hearing aids with T-coil? Though built-in bluetooth HAs (MFi…) could be the trend for most companies, there are still a large number of HAs can receive EM sounds from Telecoil.

#4

Hearing Aid Users are a Captive Audience. The old adage Follow the Money seems to always apply.

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#5

Loosely related, I have two (pair of) devices that I use to make things wireless that aren’t. Both have decent range and fidelity. Pretty sure they both use proprietary protocols. One is 2.4GHz for sure, the other I would have to research.

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#6

have Audeo M7os and bluetooth from TV transmitter works great EXCEPT the range is to short. 20 feet is not enough, need 50. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

#7

I have seen it work on other devices where you have a class 1 transmitter and a class two receiver. Not sure it will work with the Marvel. See the last sentence below.

Class 1 Bluetooth devices can transmit up to 100 meters – which works out to about 328 feet. Class 2 devices have a range of about 10 meters and class 3 devices about one meter. The way that the transmission distance is determined is by the power, measured in milliwatts, that is run through the transmitter. Class 1 devices have a maximum of 100 mW, class 2 maxes out at 2.5 mW and class 3 tops out at just 1 mW.

It Takes Two to Tango

Since the power of the transmission is related to the class of the device, in order to get class 1 transmission distances out of a two-way connection, both devices must be class 1. If one of the devices is class 2 and the other class 1, the class 2 device will limit the transmission distance to about 32 feet even though the class 1 device can transmit much farther. If you don’t need two-way communication between the devices, you can get by with just having one higher-class device.

#8

tried several “long range” transmitters but they are APTX which do not seem to be comparable with hearing aides casing poor latency. range was not as claimed also. Provided trans does not seem to have a power rating. VERY HARD TO READ grey lettering on black background.