How do I stream TV sound to my HAs while spouse listens to TV at their volume?

Question and Answer
#41

My wife has learned that if she wants to discuss something when we are watching TV and I have HAs connected to the TV she has to pause the show. Then we can talk.

I have learned that if I think I hear something, and I hit Mute on the Cable box control I can hear the outside world. Last month my wife was on a business trip and I was tuned into the TV. I kept hearing something very light and I noticed my dog getting active. I Muted and then hear the building Fire Alarm system loud and clear. We were able to take action and get out until the problem was resolved.

I had not thought about that, a door knock, phone ring or other need to hear the outside world when I am in the TV world.

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#42

I use the TV connector offered by Phonak to go with my Audeo M90 aids. The way my aids are set up if the TV connector is on they automatically connect when I’m within range. We have our powered through a USB port that is on our TV so when the TV is switch on the TV connector powers up as well. The sound being transmitted straight to my aids has allowed my spouse to lower the listening level to a comfortable level for her. The audion connection for the device is connected to the optical sound connection(not sure of the correct term) on the back of the TV as opposed to the RCA plug. This way it does it is not affected by the volume my wife wants to keep the TV at. The program in my phone allows me to adjust how much room noise I want to allow in although my wife has also learned to pause the TV if she wants to talk to me. I like the TV connector so much I wanted to buy additional units to have one with each spot I might want to watch TV. The retail cost however is steep 299.00. ( I think). I was pleased to learn in another thread that Costco sells a TV connector for their Kirkland line (made by the same manufacturer as my Phonak’s) that is compatable. I had to order the unit and picked it up over the weekend. They retail the unit for $99.99 (Costco membership is another $60.00). I hooked the unit up and it is working well. As near as I can tell the only difference is the marking on the outside of the box. My understanding is that my aids will pair with 2 of these units automatically. I’m thinking of getting another to replace some TV ears I’ve had for a few years on my bedroom TV. If Phonak is going to allow Costco to retail these units at that price point it would be nice if my audiologist or other retailers of the Phonak line could offer the same deal.

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#43

That sounds great I will be getting new aids in June and I am thinking about the Phonak Marvels. Can the aids and the TV connector be set to manual so I can control when to make the connection. My wife loves to have the TV on all of the time and most of the time I do not wish to even hear it.

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#44

My understanding is that there is either a switch within the app on my phone or my audiologist could change settings for the automatic connection. My units are easily reached and I find if someone turns on the TV and I don’t want the sound I just power off the TV connector. I could probably just change programs in the app but I don’t want to have the TV connector trying to re-connect each time I come in range. These units have greatly improved my ability to understand dialog when we are watching a movie and my wife loves that she can lower the volume on the TV. The speakers on most flat screen TV’s are poor and before I got the TV connector I’d have the volume near maxed out and still not be able to understand dialog as the sound quality got so poor.

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#45

Hey there, I’m not sure if I’m doing the right thing here by resurrecting an old post however the subject is bang on for my problem, just that time has advanced by a couple of years.

Our setup is using an LG TV and Samsung soundbar connected by hdmi ARC. The family watch via this setup with sound coming out of the soundbar.
I have phonak marvels and a paired roger pen with a stand. I can plug the roger pen into the tv audio out jack but the tv cannot output to both soundbar and this device simultaneously.
So, what do I do to achieve the objective of simultaneous streaming to my hearing aids and the rest of the family being able to watch also?

#46

You can use Phonaks own tv connecter, “TV Connecter”
https://www.phonakpro.com/us/en/products/wireless-accessories/tv-connector/overview-tv-connector.html
or just split the signal using a splitter.

#47

I have the same hearing aids - same set up with the TV and soundbar. I either just adjust the level up on the hearing aids or wear my Bose noise cancelling headphones which works really well when others are watching TV at the same time - it means they can watch at their level and me at mine.

#48

Hi tenkan, how do I split the signal when the tv sends it to the soundbar using admi arc?

Lorjoh not sure you’ve understood the problem :slight_smile: I’m trying and failing to simultaneously output audio to soundbar and headphones. If you have that working, how does it work?

The phonak tv connector - how will this solve the issue?

#50

Seriously? Well ok this will give you direct streaming to your hearing aids from your TV, while everyone else hears through the sound bar, actually depending on what sound bar you have you might even be able to plug the TV Connecter into that.

How many outputs have you got on the back of the TV, use one for the Phonak TV Connecter is the easiest, but HDMI splitters are available, use the link I posted to find out what cables are supplied with the TV Connecter to work out what you need.

Also you can use the search button from right here on hearingtracker to find quite a few posts on this very topic, check this one out you’ll find it interesting.

#51

I must be missing something here with the tv connector as I have direct streaming from the tv to my hearing aids via the roger pen setup. The only problem is that the audio gets switch off the tv so other people can’t hear.
Indeed in the tv connector manual it says the same thing may happen when using it, implying that taking a digital toslink output may solve the problem - does anyone know if that is indeed true?
You see if that’s the case can’t I just buy a £12 DAC converter to take the digital out from the tv into the 3.5mm roger pen input rather than drop £170 on the tv connector…?
Also as the tv connector doesn’t take hdmi audio output via the arc loop I don’t even know if it will work…

My tv audio outputs are via hdmi arc, digital toslink and analogue 3.5mm jack. My soundbar does not have any output sockets.

#52

What is the LG TV model? Sometimes there is an option in the sound settings to stop the headphone jack muting the TV for everyone else? Let me know and I’ll try and find the manual or other suitable options.

#53

Thanks will, I have already checked that and unfortunately it’s a ‘feature’. The model is OLED48CX5LC.

#54

Ok I see, so you would be using a 3.5mm output with Rodger pen, (mono?) so yes anything plugged into the 3.5mm would shut the other sound source, although some tvs can make adjustments for both yours doesn’t you say.

With the TV Connecter it’s stereo (Dolby) by using optical audio cable (toslink)

You could use RCA to 3.5mm converter for your pen, so long as your tv supports more then one output signal.

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But I still think the tv Connecter (eBay is much cheaper) is the better way, keep the pen for other things,plus you won’t need to worry about battery life on the pen, as having it permanently plugged in while watching TV will probably degrade over time.

#55

I also use toslink with the TV-Connector, it does not mute the TV.
And as tenkan mentioned, its perfect stereo sound as well.
I’d highly recommend it!

#56

Yeah, I have a GX and I checked my TV last night no feature for the muting of headphone socket

Could you try this product?

I have no idea if it would work

#57

From the technical point of view it would work.
As well as the RCA to 3.5mm converter-cable mentioned by tenkan, if an RCA ouput is availabe on the TV.

#59

Truth!!! What I find even more annoying is my hubby listening to the morning News with his phone on speaker at low volume, rather than grab his BT earbuds sitting right there. I cannot hear from a phone speaker or radio at the best of times. So my brain in constantly working in vain to hear. I end up just muting my hearing aids. Then a few minutes,’ later I glance up and realize he’s been talking to me! At some point he is going to figure it out! :crossed_fingers::smirk:

#60

Right just reporting back because I have it working now!
Digital out from tv into a splitter, one output into sound bar, the other into a dac converter, which in turn plugs into my roger pen input.
Had to remove the arc hdmi between tv and soundbar as it seemed to cause a buzz.
Total cost around £30 for 3x toslink cables, a splitter and the dac.
Works like a charm, tv volume can be on for others in the room and I have the added benefit of streaming directly into ears using roger which I understand is more economical power wise than Bluetooth?
Sound quality is good.
All in all pretty happy with this.

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