Iām fairly confident that mfi aids only have a low-energy radio for both streaming and hearing aid control. A standard Bluetooth transmitter wouldnāt even see the aids.
Not so. Hereās Cochlear compatibility chart which Iām not convinced is current. Sound Processor and App Compatibility
App compatibility is not synonymous with streaming compatibility.
ASHA requires Android 10 or higher, BT 5.0 or higher AND the phone manufacturer and carrier choosing to implement. I think youāre referring to Samsung S9 and S10? S9 implementation is inconsistent as I know one forum member whose S9 didnāt work. S10 and higher seem pretty consistent. Googleās Pixel 3 and higher seem to work and at least with Resound hearing aids OnePlus 7 supposedly works. Not sure if compatibility with Resoundās HAs assures compatibility with Cochlear or not. I would think so, but Iāve learned with compatibility stuff to not assume anything.
I was referring to Galaxy Note 9 as N9. I noticed a typo in my postā¦ it is Android 10 (not 5) what it has to run. The Cochlear websiteās list for Android phones is as good as it can be. Probably all Note 10, or S10 will be compatible, but not all Note 9 (and have no idea about S9). It is because the different updates of the operating system, as a Cochlear tech explained to me some weeks ago. Thatās why I think, the benchmark is whether or not the Nucleus smart up installs correctly and connect with the processor. Itās a few minutes to find out.
Not to belabor a point but app compatibility is much broader than streaming compatibility. The app only requires Android 7 and above. The app only requires Low Energy BT data packets (not full streaming capability)
2 Likes
With regards to a third party audio transmitter, the issue is whether the phone (with an app) is able to receive the BT stream and then whether the Cochlear app is able to pick it up and transmit it to the N7.
If it cannot, another option is to attach a BT receiver to the phone via the audio port so that the BT communication (sound streaming) happens between two external BT devices (one transmitter and one receiver) and the phone will receive an audio signal. This is a bit more cumbersome, but it is more likely to work. What I am not entirely sure about is whether the phone will handle the audio signal through its audio port.
The app does not transmit the signal. Iām not trying to argue with you but to reduce confusion. The communication with the app (sorry Iām not an engineer and may not be using proper technical language) is by small data packets using Low Energy Bluetooth. Unless somebody has used āmagic sauceā like Appleās Made for iPhone or Androidās ASHA, the phones canāt stream directly to Cochlear device. As others have mentioned, introducing other devices into the mix contributes to latency which could be an issue with synchronizing sound and lip movements while watching TV.
1 Like
This is exactly correct. Cochlear streams with iOS or Android 10 or higher, plain simple.
Using this protocol will give great results.
@MDB, itās ok to argue with me. It is my preferred way to learn. I am not an engineer either, but I have (or I hope I still have 
) a full understanding of the difference between hardware and software. Of course, it is not the app that is transmitting the packets, it āonlyā controls the transmission on the user level. So the questions are really about what the hardware can possibly do (even if not designed to do so), and finding an app that realizes that possibility.
It is for that reason I did a 180 to turn away from using (or even trying to understand) the Cochlear BT, and use other technology to extend its capabilities. It is a bit like subcontracting certain tasks. I assume a working connection between the N7 and the phone via BT, and use the phoneās and other external devices (computer, third party BT devices etc) to bypass the need of a Cochlear TV adapterā¦ and save $500 for Xmas presents.
Of course, the introduction of more devices will increases latency and that may cause some problem with lip reading. However, I am sure all with severe hearing loss would agree that it is infinitely better to listen to a movie (with latency) rather than reading subtitle. Further, it is the very reason for having direct streaming into a CI, to reduce the need for lip reading. Latency becomes an issue only when there are more than one source of sound (for example, connecting and listening to my acoustic guitar via BT)
Cheers
Anybody know if Resoundās TV Streamer 2 is compatible with Cochlear N7? If it is and I were concerned about saving money, Iād order a used one from EBay.
Hi everyone who has followed this thread.
Finally I identified 4 different ways to achieve what I intended to. One is a definite answer, another is a āhighly likelyā candidate, and two others are in the ātoo hard basketā.
I am sorry that his thread eventually did not bring the benefit that it could have to those who have a similar situation to mine (and would have welcomed an extra $500 savings for Xmas).
For now, as I indicated earlier, (and, I am sure, for the delight of some of the posters on this thread), I withdraw from this forum.
I say thank you for those few posters who gave valuable input and highlighted the technical difficulties on the grass-root level. They helped me a lot to steer away from my original idea.
To those, who cried for the forum police when I asked them to read and understand a post before responding to it, I say I have no doubt of their genuine intention to help. However, it was very clear from the OP that the issue was highly technical with no easy answer at hand. So there was nothing offensive in reminding them to this.
To the rest of the posters on this thread who had nothing relevant to say, but to express their outrage for a new boy on their playground, I say āplay the ball not the playerāā¦ and just lighten up.
Goodbye.
Another question raised by this discussion. I live in the āPhonak Universeā and know how their stuff works but do not live in the āResound/Cochlearā Universe. In the Phonak Universe, the app is not needed to stream. I stream from my computers to my aids with my phone and app off. Is the app needed in the Resound/Cochlear Universe to be able to stream?
ā¦ and you couldnāt take a few minutes out of your busy day to tell us what those solutions are. You got what you came for and exit stage left? You clearly donāt know how forums like this are supposed to work. I know youāre still watching for a reaction to your last post by the way, 'cause thatās the kind of guy you are. Iād love to save itās been fun, but it hasnāt. xxx
1 Like
For the time being, there are only two protocols allowing to stream audio to the cochlear latest processors and GN Resound hearing aids.
- The first one is a proprietary protocol only compatible with Apple products (iPad. iPhones) or GN Resound or cochlear wireless accessories (phone clip, mini mic, tv streamer), probably based on the lower level Bluetooth Low Energy protocol or at least using the same RF frequencies and a similar modulation scheme. The specification of this proprietary protocol is not public, it is only available after paying a license.
- The second one is a protocol defined by Google. It is Open source and based on Bluetooth Low Energy, but as far I know, only Google, Samsung, GN Resound and Cochlear implemented this protocols in their devices. And the only audio sources that supports this protocol are rather high end Android smartphones manufactured by Google and Samsung. There are no cheap transmitters despite the protocol is open source.
The reason is that a third protocol not compatible with these two protocols has been integrated to next versions of the Bluetooth standard (Bluetooth version 5.2). This audio streaming protocol based on Bluetooth Low Energy will be recognised as a non proprietary standard and will be supported by the major Bluetooth chips and IP manufacturers. It will use a better audio codec requiring less bandwidth than the two existing protocols. But it is unlikely that il will be supported by the current hearing aids and cochlear implant processors : only new generation devices will implement it. Nevertheless, this prevent most audio devices manufacturers to invest in the development of the software required to support the Google protocol for their devices despite it is open source : it is not so simple (and therefore expensive) and they know that it will become obsolete rather quickly ā¦
@Raudrive what phone did you end up getting? Your phone pairs easily with your CI and HA? I know itās not a iPhone or Samsungā¦
Ended up with a Google Pixel 3. So far it has been perfect as far as Bluetooth with the Nucleus 7 or Kanso 2 processors. It did not connect to both the Phonak Audeo M90 RT aid and a Cochlear processor at the same time or I didnāt figure out how to do it. Thatās not a big deal to me since a second implant is in the future.
2 Likes
When using your pixel 3, how far can you go from the phone before it the streaming stops working ? For the time being I am using an iPad to listen to the radio, but I would like to replace my old android phone by a newer android phone instead of an iPhone. But I want to make sure that I can move at the same distance from this phone as from the iPad, else I will buy an iPhone ā¦
The Google Pixel 3 will stream to my Nucleus 7 straight line of sight, a little over 50 feet.
2 Likes
Thank you very much. Quite similar to my iPad, but it is significantly lower when there is a wall in the signal path. With 1 or 2 walls in the path, I can stream only up to 20/25 feet, sometimes less depending on the wall. But the protocol is really robust: after a loss of streaming, if I move a bit closer, it reconnects automatically.
Same here.
The Cochlear TV connector has a even stronger signal if it could be used for your purposes. It goes through walls out to about 75 feet.
1 Like
The TV audio streamer may work as well in this case: I often use the iPad to listen to podcasts, radio, or even to the TV via TV applications, everywhere at home, without taking it close to me each time I move. But I could use either a smartphone or a PC connected to the TV streamer as well. I am already doing that with the minimic 2+ but it does not stream as far as the iPad. And streaming up to 75 feets despite a wall, this would be great 