Yes, the magnifying glass does it 
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My TVs use optical audio cable. Will check Amazon for options.
Does the Avantree use aptx for low latency? I would be surprised if any hearing aid Bluetooth devices have aptx. They all want you to buy their TV transmitter, which do work very well.
Yes. Full specs by scrolling down a ways.
*Audio codec: aptX, aptX-LL, SBC
So if the Starkey Surflink doesn’t have aptx you will have a little lag between lips on the screen and sound, unless you can adjust the latency on the TV. Many Tv’s have that adjustment.
Good point. Yes my Sony Vizio has that adjustment. I just searched on the Starkey consumer and pro sites and nowhere do they list BT specs. I’ll add that to my notes to discuss with the audi when I go in for the fittings. Thanks!
I just setup an appt w/ my audi to return the Phonaks and buy the Resound Forte 8 13 RIC’s.
Let me make sure I understand, if I buy a third party low latency BT transmitter and Resounds Phone Clip+ , then I can hook up the BT transmitter to anything with a 3.5mm jack and stream it to my HA’s using the phone clip??
Do I have that correct??
Not quite. You plug a low latency transmitter that then send to the clip. You can go wired by adding the multi-mic but you can buy a half-dozen low latency transmitters for that cost and be wireless.
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As Ken P says. The phone clip + is the way to go, especially if your state has severe driving with holding phone handset laws.
There’s plenty of control/input on there to run your other features too. Or just get the App.
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Yes, that is correct. With a BT transmitter plugged into the headphone jack of whatever, you can transmit the sound to the phone clip+ and on to both ears like wireless headphones.
If you are connecting to a TV where you want to match up the lips and the voices, the TV transmitter works better than generic transmitters.
I got a pair of Costco Resound Forte 8s (battery size 13) and TV streamer last week replacing Costco KS5s (Resound Versa 9s). Very happy with them so far. I have a Resound remote and mic that I used with the KS5s and the fitter was able to pair them with the Fortes. TV Streamer works fine I installed the Resound Smart 3D app on my Android phone and it works fine even though it is not a supported model. I have an Motorola Razr Droid that’s 4 or 5 years old.
So far I’m happy with Costco and the HAs.
Back story - I originally went to a local audiologist to discuss new HAs. They did a hearing test and recommended HAs for $6k. I asked if we could negotiate the price or at least unbundle the pricing. We talked a while about changes in the HA market but they were unwilling to bargain. Finally they told I should go back to Costco so that’s what I did. The Fortes were $2500. I knew the price of the Fortes before I visited the audiologist and told them I would have been willing to pay $4k for Resound Linx 3D 9s (Forte equivalent) just for the local service. No deal. They stood by their pricing structure. Its no wonder both my fairly local Costcos have had to add to their HA staff.
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Hey ww-mjw-
Is your Resound remote mic the older one with the older mini usb connector and not the micro usb connector?
I ask this because I also moved from KS-5 to Forte’s, and the Costco fitter was unable to pair my older Resound Remote Mic (mini-usb) to the Forte’s.
Mine is the older mic w/ mini USB connector. Fitter had to call Resound support to find out how to pair it. They guided him through the process. Works fine.
The ReSound Unite Mini Microphone may require a firmware update before it will pair with newer hearing aids such as the Forte.
I bought the 13 Ric’s w/ Phone Clip+. The audi set me at 100% and sound is very natural. The HA is comfortable on and in my ear. The app is incredible; I love the ability to fine tune a setting for my work environment, which is extremely challenging. I work in an IT datacenter type hub. The sound of 1000 tiny fans are constantly whirring in 7 foot racks. The noise floor has been measured between 96dB-106dB. I’ve been able to fiddle with the app and set up noise cancellation and speech focus along with bass/mids/treb to create a terrific program which is saved as a favorite.
The Phone Clip+ works great in both ears. The app gives me the ability to adjust the phone call sound character, volume, and outside noise interference, so that I can work hands free on an install. I’m thrilled with just that feature alone, because I usually have to work and test services while on the phone bridge/conference call with Network Ops Center.
I can use my headphones!! I record music, so I have to wear closed back phones when tracking vocals and guitar. I can practice at night with headphone on from my guitar amp! I’m thrilled! NO FEEDBACK!
The outdoor program is wonderful. Birds, squirrels, lawnmowers far away. Outside is very natural sounding. almost ZERO wind noise in a breeze. I occasionally hear a scratchy low rumble (like when touching the HA with a finger) if I point my ear directly at the wind. But it’s a fast, light, and low sound that quickly disappears. I walked around outside during a pretty constant breeze yesterday, and while turning in all directions trying to get wind noise, I only heard the ruble once or twice very quickly, then it went away.
TV sounds great. I can hear conversation behind me or when speaker is facing away. These HA’s don’t sound thin, tinny, and harsh like the Phonak’s did. They sound full, natural, rich; music sounds really good.
So far, so good.
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I also felt that the Forte’s streaming music audio quality was poor, but as an experiment I pushed my Power Domes all the way into my ear – and suddenly, the quality was outstanding: great bass, no distortion.
thanks ramos, the information you made is very good 
, I also did a number of similar experiments
I am trialing the resound forte 8 888 bte. From Costco
I have to go beck in three weeks to get an new ear mold made, as the first ear mold is not working. Too small and not getting a good seal this does not allow me to turn up the volume at all. The fitting person did run the rem test, it should I was not getting what I needed from the bte , she said this was due to the ear mold not sealing right. So I have not worn the new aid much do to feed back issues. I do have another ear mold , nevertheless, it has issues with feed back, as It is old and although seals better ,then the new mold it too has issues with sealing and is prone to feedback.
Update - Saturday 8/18/18
Using my old ear mold, with the new bte. My wife and I went to a local restaurant for breakfast. Baha cafe. This is one of my favorite breakfast spots and we frequently go there on the weekend. This typically is a noisy place where I am normality unable to understand what anyone is saying. This morning , I was able to hear the waitress tell us what the specials of the day were. Easy peasy pancake desert and Pete’s duck was the entree. She of course discribed each item. I also could pick out my wife’s conversation and other folks near by. I heard the special of the day numerous times as each new customer came in. I even heard the server ask if we wanted syrup with the pancake. Wife did not hear what the server said and ask her to repeat (what?).
I had the speech focus set to narrow.
wind reduction and noise reduction set to full
Saved the the settings to baha cafe.
Bass , mid, treble are set to a downward ski slope with bass set at 3/4 and treble below half.
I was and am getting some potential feed back , nevertheless the bte was correcting and stopping the feed back automatically.
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Update
Went back and had impressions made for a new custom ear mold. 8/31/18
Switched back to my old bte for now
I’m checking back in after 2 months with the Costco ReSound Forte 8s. I’m still very happy with these. Granted there is feedback at times, mostly due to certain instrumentation of music in TV shows or classical music on my stereo.
I have severe hearing loss for anything above 2k. These are a huge improvement to my life. Not perfect. But wonderful just the same. And the cost is part of that equation.
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