I bought the Resound TV Streamer+ and will report back on my experience with it when it arrives. It is “on sale” for $233.99 plus $3.99 shipping at https://www.ashaud.com. The install instructions for it are very specific with one aid at a time going through the pairing process. I was naive to think they would pair with any manufacturer’s AuraCast transmitting device. I’m primarily interested in seeing if the Streamer+ requires less power since my aids can run out of power toward the end of the day with lots of TV streaming.
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Well, that might be the difference. That at this stage of the game, the transmission between the Streamer+ and your JEP 20s is established by a special pairing. Whereas with Auracast, you don’t pair. When one transmitter is broadcasting to a number of Auracast receivers, the transmission is just picked out of the air without any special bond to the receiver (imagine an auditorium where everyone in the audience would have to pair their earbuds or their HAs with the transmitter before a talk or a sermon could be begun, etc.). Normally, for Auracast, picking up a transmission should be more like switching to an over-the-air TV station channel. I think @d_Wooluf’s remark is probably on the mark. Auracast-capable HAs will need a channel-changer, which would most likely be a smartphone or an HA remote (the HA buttons are probably reserved for volume changes, On/Off switching, and HA program/mode changes according to the user’s preference). The pairing part for the TV Streamer+ seems like a temporizing way around the Auracast channel switcher availability problem for now. I think @user990’s suggestion to give ReSound, Jabra, or Costco a ring for an explanation of when full Auracast will be available (and what the current roadblock is) is a good suggestion.
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The issue isn’t with Jabra. Any LE Audio buds or hearing aid will need an LE Audio source (to transmit audio) but also an “assistant” to facilitate a connection or find a broadcast (connectionless). In the simplest case, the phone is both the source and the assistant. When the buds/aids are to get their audio from a third device (eg a tv transmitter), the assistant functionality in the phone facilitates things for the buds. The buds don’t have the UI to take on that role. The iphone doesn’t support LE Audio, so no assistant functionality, so no way to connect the Jabras to that third device even if the Jabra and the transmitter both support LE Audio/Auracast. Without a matchmaker there is no wedding.
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If Google, Samsung and tmobile are to blame, why is no one reporting that the new Resounds with LE bt work great with a compatible pjonr? Are we still supposed to blame the aid mfg? LE is supposed to be as good and even better than MFi. And there are many many posts of users with iphones that are not pleased how MFi bt currently works and have the same isses at updates.
But users with compatible phones are also claiming LE doesnt work as advertised…
I don’t know about anyone else’s phone, but on the Pixel 8 Pro you can disable LE Audio in developer options. That would leave you with ASHA presumably. For those experiencing problems, it would tell you if LE Audio is the problem.
I’ve asked before, but how do you know which protocol your aids are communicating with? Does it say anywhere?
My understanding of the “assistant” is that it’s basically a UI (user interface). I must admit there’s a lot I still don’t get about LE Audio. My S23 phone is (according to the NRF app) compatible with LE Audio,
does NOT support LE Audio Broadcast Source, but does support LE Audio Broadcast Assistant. I see nothing in Developer mode about LE Audio, but do see that it uses the SBC audio codec. I thought that should read LC3 codec, but all other codec options are greyed out and LC3 is not even one of the greyed out options.
So my questions are: 1) Does the S23 and other LE Audio compatible phones still pair with a LE Audio compatible headset, earbuds or HA?, or is everything in broadcast mode? Since my phone only lists the SBC codec, does that mean it’s not really LE Audio compatible? I guess I should go to the Bluetooth Sig site and read up, but don’t feel up to a deep dive right now.
Edit: Looked at Bluetooth sig. Looks like there are 3 modes for LE Audio. 1)Point to point (I think this is the typical pairing we’re familiar with, 2) Broadcast, in which a device can broadcast to multiple devices without pairing (requires a Broadcast Assistant and 3) Mesh, which I don’t think has any application to hearing aids (don’t know for sure), but has more industrial applications. I think this is where BT 5.4 becomes necessary. Anybody who knows more, please correct me.
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Here go MDB you ask for it. The difference between SBC and LC3 What Is the Bluetooth LC3 Codec? Is It Better Than SBC?
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I have the Pixel 7 and in the developer options it shows SBC audio codec. When I open the Bluetooth Audio Codec I have two options System Default and SBC. The options are grayed out but does show LC3 For what is worth. I have phonak P90 so what I understand is the these p90 only have Bt classic and the only Bluetooth audio codec option I have is the SBC.
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Your iPhone won’t see Auracast devices since iPhones don’t support LE Audio. Could you perhaps borrow someone with quite recent Android device (Samsung galaxy, Sony or Google pixel preferably) for the test sake?
Paired/connected is vanilla mode. Without supporting it, I doubt that any device would get certified. LC3 shows up in my codec list. Greyed out, like every other codec apart from SBC (I don’t have any devices connected). No idea why it doesn’t show up on the Samsung.
I’ve seen videos online showing phones clearly running LE Audio. Might be https://www.reddit.com/r/bluetooth/comments/18lcir2/auracast_demo/. So it’s out there and working to some extent on some devices.
I’m hoping to try it myself in 2 weeks, Costco and Jabra being willing. The first platform where we see it fully functional and integrated might be Windows. Overall, the LE Audio rollout over Android is disappointing so far.
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The iPhone is paired to the TV Streamer+ using standard Bluetooth to control it (combined volume, right/left volume, stream on/off) even though the actual audio transmission to the aids is via AuraCast. Streaming on/off is also controlled via a button press on one of the aids just like with the TV Streamer 2.
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I’m guessing that it’s a special use-case and non-standard behaviour, since Resound knew they can’t detect/use Auracast on iPhone.
I’m quite certain that all those Auracast dongles would be visible to LE Audio enabled Android phones.
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Is “point to point” what you’re calling “vanilla mode?”
Yes. point to point. It’s the basic mode of operation. You’re not going to have your phone and your buds broadcast your phone calls. It’s also essential for initiating reception of a broadcast. Phone and bud need to be connected so that the phone can assist the buds in finding and receiving broadcasts. To be clear, I was addressing your question above (“Does the S23 and other LE Audio compatible phones still pair with a LE Audio compatible headset, earbuds or HA?, or is everything in broadcast mode?”).
@Andy_Bellavia posted a new video demoing Galaxy Buds Pro 2s accepting a broadcast from a Resound Streamer 2+ with the assistance (I’m fairly sure) of a Samsung Galaxy S23. So LE Audio does work on the S23. Others have noted the absence of LC3 in the codecs list. Andy might tell us if he’s managed to stream from his phone to his buds using LE Audio.
Edit: “vanilla” might be an Australianism, meaning basic, common. Not saying it’s an official LE Audio operating mode. 
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“Vanilla” has same connotation here. Perhaps codec only shows up if paired to a device that has the codec? Thanks. Hopefully you have new hearing aids soon?
The 18th is when I get them hopefully. The Pro 20 is still not available to Costco in Australia. If they do become available before my appointment, that’s what I’ll be getting. Phone calls are a bit of a trauma these days.
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@d_Wooluf to be clear, the Auracast assistant is like a TV tuner to set the channel. The Auracast stream does not flow through the phone but goes from transmitter directly to the buds. That’s why my S23 could find the TV Streamer even though the phone doesn’t have LE Audio / LC3 codec. I cannot stream music in LE Audio to the buds. I replied elsewhere showing my available codecs.
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Thanks. To support Broadcast Assistant but not audio streaming is just plain weird though. Anyway, back on topic. I found this screen shot of a Jabra Enhance Pro 20 LE Audio toggle screen. It was posted in a Samsung group on Reddit a few weeks ago.
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