Q: TV alternatives with iPhone/Starkey
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May 12, 2016 11:09 AMby OldGnome,My Starkeys have a similar feature built into the TruLink app. I point my phone at the source of the sound and it streams it to my hearing aids. Unfortunately, a smartphone microphone is not designed to pick up high quality sound at a distance.
Also, using an app on a smartphone to capture audio is a fine idea, but it may not be able to pass that audio on to one's hearing aids.
Have you tested this with your hearing aids?
The users at www.tunity.com all appear to be using their headphones. Tunity also claims to work with muted TVs. I'm not sure what that has to do with pushing sound through one's hearing aids.
Can you clarify why you think this is such an incredible app?
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May 12, 2016 11:16 AMby karenfromprovidence,Guessing my Starkeys have same ability to stream............is it stream boost??? Pls advise.
I actually connected through my hearing aids with Tunity! So I'm speaking from experience. I also did it with audio coming from TV so my boyfriend could hear it normally, and I could hear THROUGH my hearing aids!!! Have you tried it??? It's not perfect but an alternative that may work for some some of the time which, to me, is a bonus!!!
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by karenfromprovidence,May 12, 2016 11:32 AM
karenfromprovidence
May 12, 2016 11:32 AM
in response to karenfromprovidence
Level 1
(16 points)
AccessibilityHere's response from Tunity:
Hello,
Thanks so much for reaching out!
We are so happy to hear that we are helping the hearing aid users!
The TV does not have to be muted for the app to work, so it will not be an issue for your boyfriend to listen also.
Please feel fee to reply to this email with any other questions you may have.
Best,
The Tunity Team
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by karenfromprovidence,May 12, 2016 11:33 AM
karenfromprovidence
May 12, 2016 11:33 AM
in response to karenfromprovidence
Level 1
(16 points)
Accessibility
By the way, if you follow this link, it explains more: http://www.engadget.com/2014/12/31/tunity-turns-your-iphone-into-personal-tv-hea dphones/
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May 12, 2016 2:33 PMby OldGnome,Yes, I was referring to Stream Boost. Keep in mind that the microphone on the iPhone is not intended to act as a high-quality sound pickup device from a distance. Using Stream Boost will amplify everything picked up by the microphone.
Tunity also appears to be designed to work with wired headphones or earbuds. If it is using simple amplification to pick up the sound and then transmit it through the headphones, the microphone quality again comes into question. If Tunity uses Bluetooth to pickup the sound and then transmit it, it cannot pick up sound via Bluetooth and then transmit it via Bluetooth to your Starkey hearing aids.
Are you looking for a streamer device?
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May 12, 2016 3:29 PMby OldGnome,I just learned about streamers at a hearing health fair in Brandon, FL last weekend. A streamer is a device that is typically worn like a necklace where there is a pickup device that captures sound and transmits it to the hearing aids. Since my Starkey Halo i110s do not have a telecoil, I can't connect to those where available. A streamer is like a loop that you carry with you but that doesn't require an existing sound system. I hope that all makes sense.
I will be discussing the option with my audiologist at my next appointment.
