Bluetooth Transmitter With Optical input

Hearing Aids
#1

I have been struggling with my 900MZ RF TV hearing device ever since TVs went digital, with only an optical sound output I am forced to plug the 900MZ transmitter directly in the TV’s Set Top Box audio out. The problem is the echo effect when the TV speakers are turned up at the same time.
So I just came across this and ordered it.
ToseBlue II
Converts optical digital sound signals – referred to as Toslink or SPDIF into wireless Bluetooth stereo sound signals transmitted to Bluetooth stereo headset. Or possibly to Bluetooth capable HA direct.


http://www.telme2.com/webshop/index.php $69.00

In my case to the Samsung Stereo Clip-On Bluetooth HS3000 with my headphones plugged into it.

Also ordered a “ DIGITAL OPTICAL TOSLINK SPLITTER ADAPTER $5.52”
and some Optical Toslink cables so I can still use the TV sound bar.

Has anyone heard of, or used the ToseBlue II ? I think it’s a new device and will be shipped from Norway.

#2

The echo effect is caused by the system processing delay: it can also be an issue for some 5.1 amp systems. Some TV have a function to apply a similar delay to the picture/onboard sound. Whichever way it is, you have to sync it all from the slowest element of the system, (your bluetooth connection) back to the TV or it won’t sound right.

I’m guessing here, but if you use an optical cable from the TV to the soundbar, then you’ll get a synchronous signal from the TV to the soundbar, but it will still be out of phase with the transmitted signal to your hearing aids.

#3

Um bongo, I hear you loud and clear.
My guess is this would fix the issue once and for all DD740 Four-Input Digital Audio Delay Felston DD740 - Digital Audio Delay to solve lip sync
But costly.

#4

I’m not sure what your 900MHz hearing device is, but if it has analog inputs you could just get a digital-to-analog converter box and still use your existing device(s). The telecoil/hearing loop people run across this all the time.

I’m not big on Bluetooth myself, and doubt there are any aids supporting it directly, only indirectly via a streamer device.

One possible problem with using an audio (or video) delay is that I think it might be that the delay is not fixed. Depending on the moment it could be a few ms +/- and not sure if a delay will give satisfactory results.

Of course it’s great that you are trying new things, and please report back with your findings. I am using Starkey Wi’s right now with the SurfLink Mobile and I use other devices to help in certain circumstances. Starkey also has a “Media” device for connection to a TV but I don’t have one yet. The “Mobile” has some of the same features as the “Media”, but not quite. So I use a i2i wirelsss RF transmitter to send the TV signal to my person, where I have the “Mobile” in hand. This allows me to have my hands on the Mobile remote and stream at the same time. The i2i is a proprietary 2.4Ghz system and the Starkey a 900MHz one.

#5

Grantb5
Among all the other wireless units I have tried, including FM, the Optimuse is my favored, a wireless stereo lightweight Headphone 900MHz with analog input, it was sold by Radioshack in 1998 but shortly thereafter discontinued.

What’s nice about the Optimuse is, the receiver is a belt pack with volume control and I could use ear buts or lightweight headphones.
At that time I didn’t have a HA and it made TV listening great for me.

I wanted to recommend this unit to friends over the years, but it could not be found anymore so I started to experiment with Bluetooth, the sound was great but I ran into this annoying sound delay echo problem.
Now with everything on TV being digital, I again would like to try Bluetooth but not go from digital Toslink to analog Converter and back to digital Bluetooth and back to analog Speaker.
So I am excited to have found this Bluetooth transmitter that has optical input, the ToseBlue II. I am not sure at all what sound delay I will encounter, but I am willing to experiment.

“I’m not big on Bluetooth myself, and doubt there are any aids supporting it directly, only indirectly via a streamer device.”
I have no knowledge on this but I am sure you are correct on this.

“One possible problem with using an audio (or video) delay is that I think it might be that the delay is not fixed. Depending on the moment it could be a few ms +/- and not sure if a delay will give satisfactory results.”
I do share this concern.

I now have my CIC Starkey iQ and I do understand the TV commentators well, but trying to follow actors during a movie is still hard and it helps me to use the Optimuse unit plugged in the TVs headphone outlet and use headphones over the CIC’s.

The CIC Starkey does not have a telecoil.

I will update once I receive my units.

#6

Just received the TosBlue II Bluetooth transmitter that has an Toslink (optical input).
My TV has a Toslink audio output. I used an optical splitter to connect both the Sound-Bar and the TosBlue II to my TV.

I must say that I am very pleased with the outcome. The TosBlue II now streams to The Samsung Clip and it has a light weight headphone that goes over my CIC aids. By adjusting the Audio-Delay on the Sound Bar I was able to Sync the speakers to the headphones.

The pictures show the sound in blue from the speakers and red from the headphones.

In the first pictures you can see on my old 900 MHz RF unit, the headphones receive the sound 40 ms before the speakers do. This could not be corrected with the Sound Bar audio delay.
The second picture shows the delay from the Bluetooth unit 160ms before adjusting the delay on the Sound Bar.
The last pictures show it adjusted as well as it can be.