Compatible 3rd party LE Audio and Auracast devices - a technical deep dive

@Vincent_R, I would think that you would need one ReSound Nexia or a Jabra EP 20 to first pair over the proprietary 2.5 GHz wireless connection. Then it may be able to open an Auracast broadcast for the Oticon Intent or Phillips 9050 to connect with.

So I guess if you came over to my house we could enjoy a show, music, or even Zoom calls together with my partner. :smiley:

Have anyone tried those usb dongles that advertise support for le audio?

I got Oticon Intent 1 for trialing, and I got LE Audio “working” in Windows by using my Google Pixel 8a (with LE Audio activated) as “proxy” with a software called AudioRelay, and it works surprisingly well, without any perceptible audio latency, as well as the Oticon TV Adapter I’d say.

Beside the no latency part, does it sound much better than the Oticon TV Adapter?

Are you connecting to the phone via USB C (not LE Audio) then from the phone to the HAs over LE Audio?

I think this is what you are saying. Sounds like an acceptable solution without needing the TV Streamer.

What happens when a call comes in? I take it the PC Audio is paused?

Thank you for sharing. It could have saved me $240 :joy:.

I use AudioRelay on my Windows PC and the connection to the Samsung phone is via WiFi. Then it uses the normal bluetooth HA pairing. There is always some latency but it varies depending on the bandwidth options.

Have disconnected my PC speakers but it is not without its pain points. I have to reconnect AudioRelay whenever I have been out of WiFi range, turn off/on bluetooth, listen to another audio program on my phone or have a phone call. Still hear the notifications sounds such as for emails, etc where the AudioRelay volume is temporarily lowered.

The premium version is $.99/mo, $9.99/yr, or $14.99/lifetime.

@Volusiano I’ll need more time before I say for certain which sounds better, I was happy enough that I could play games without any perceptible latency and without the TV Adapter :slight_smile:

@RSW as @Haptown mentioned, it’s possible to connect via Wi-Fi as well, but my Wi-Fi connection is not stable enough to prevent sound drops, so I am connecting through USB-C with USB Tethering to fix that. Regarding calls, AudioRelay has the option to continue playing PC audio even during a call, but I prefer to stop it.
I’d still buy the TV Adapter, but for the TV itself only, because there’s no such app like this for TV.

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Thank you @Bruno_Marques and @Haptown, I got Audiorelay to work over USB C. Pretty straightforward or else I just stumbled on the correct switches :joy:.

The latency is tiny. Averaging about .7ms.

Now I can use my TV Streamer+ on the TV with my partner. We both have the Jabras and Samsung Galaxy S23 and S24 phones so we can tryout Auracast…when we are both in the same town for a bit. Alas.

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Jabra pro 20 Auracast is a waste of time.

Jabra online support is useless and just a beginners introduction to bluetooth.

Jabra email help was routed from tech support to sales! Sales had absolutely no clue what I was referring to and referred me back to the same online beginners information. Clueless and useless.

So, do not waste your time on either of them.

I finally found a savvy tech at this Jabra support phone number:
888-511-3864

The clarification about Jabras and Auracast is this:

The Phones on the supported list can stream music to the Jabra 1:1 via old bluetooth.

*Phones on the supported list can “mostly” make a totally hands free call. My S23 does.
(and my old Moto phones could do this for the last decade, what is the problem here?)

The Auracast claims and advertising are NOT trurhful. Jabra pro 20 will receive an Auracast transmission “from a Jabra device”. The transmission is “private”. Meaning just that, from Jabra tech only.

*Samsung has also made untrue claims about Auracast.

My S23 can start an Auracast transmission but it is again “private” and can only be received by Samsung proprietary products. Not at all compliant with the point of Auracast.

What a crappy way to provide what was/is hyped as a liberating open project.
BTW The Auracast working group has not responded to the above.

Neither Resound, the Jabra manufacturer, nor Samsung will answer if either product can be furure updated.

So, why be a beta tester for these products? Both are going back.

…This paragraph from Jabra should be rewritten with my capitalized clarifications…

Auracast broadcast audio (ONLY FROM A JABRA PRODUCT) works with Jabra Enhance Pro 20 and compatible mobile devices (WORKING ONLY AS AN AURACAST ASSISTANT) with Bluetooth 5.3 or later and the latest Bluetooth LE Audio streaming protocol (BUT NOT AS AN AURACAST TRANSMITTER, UNLESS IT’S A JABRA)

Someone please show me I am wrong.

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Well is it possible your confusing Auracast with LE Audio, I’m not exactly excited or impressed with how the roll out has gone, I was hoping for a much quicker implementation tho, but Auracast doesn’t do calls or music streaming from your phone right ? that’s LE Audio’s job, hands free calls etc

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Auracast is an ability within the LE audio to broadcast to many devices at once. The Jabra documents say the HAs will work with Auracast transmission. BUT they will only do so if it comes from a Jabra device. The transmission is “private” therefore NOT available to all capable receivers.
It’s false advertising, or colusion at least.
Samsung is doing the same wordsmithing by claiming it can make an Auracast transmission, and the S23 does, but it can only be picked up by a Samsung device.
So, the Jabra and Samsung work for music and phone but NOT for Auracasting.
What’s the point of claiming it except to corner a market share.

I have the Samsung phone with audiocast and it is working with a non Samsung speaker

Wow.
What is the brand and model of speaker?
And are you Auracasting to multiple devices or only to that one speaker?
Can you describe how you got the speaker to accept the number of your broadcast?
Thanks, i am now hopeful.
Jim

It is my wife’s not sure if the brand, i can listen to music with my Oticon INTENT aids and also broadcast to the speaker for my wife to listen. Therebis an app on my wife’s phone that we added the password information in of the audio case of my phone. That is all that I know.

So the Oticon Intents are receiving the Samsung broadcast as well as the speakers. That is all I am looking for. For the same reason. To share the music with my wife.
If you find the brand of the speakers please let me know.
I thought Jabras were the only HAs to work with Auracast but that must be marketing again.
(I have a large number of items that don’t work to return to Anazon already :wink:

Oticon Intents and now the new Philips 9050 should have the ability to use Auracast.

Rexton says the hardware is installed in the new Reach hearing aids, but the hearing aids need a future update to the software to make Auracast work.

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My Oticon INTENT are definitely using le audio and they aren’t even updated to the latest firmware

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But are the Oticon Intent HAs making an Auracast broadcast?
The LE audio function is more commonly available.
Auracast is the slowpoke roll out.

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My hesitation to stay with Jabra is they are not clear that there will be any updating of the HA software for auracast. At least Rexto

Opps, at least Rexton says they will have an update.

Auto cast is what the aids will be able to receive. INTENT aids have a new firmware update that is said to fix some of the issues. But it is up to the devices that can broadcast the signals that will be sending out the signals

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