undefined | Better HN

0 pointsretrac4mo ago0 comments

I use Bluetooth with my phone and sometimes my laptop. My current hearing aids can stream directly from devices with Bluetooth LE audio; no relay dongle necessary.

But at home I often use telecoil. It's one of the killer features for hearing aids that no one seems to know about. Short-range (inches to a few feet) baseband analog radio.

I have a transmitter set up in the living room. If I come within a few feet of the couch I'll hear the television. Got another at my desktop computer in the office. I also have a loop I put around my neck when I play my electric guitar. Telecoil transmitters will plug into any standard line audio source.

0 comments

gertlex4mo ago

I haven't used telecoil since I had analog HAs, probably. I learned about the even lesser-known DAI (direct audio input) option before I got my first pair of digital HAs. Since then, I've used cables, and almost as long (15+ years now) have had modified pairs of bluetooth headphones:

https://hackaday.io/project/1406-bluetooth-headphones-for-he...

Sadly, it seems modern Phonaks (and probably everyone else) no longer makes DAI "boots" for their BTEs.

I'll probably be ok with the transition, but it's going to annoying having to recharge hearing aids during the day. Right now, I can get 6+ hours of music/podcast/meetings/phone calls on my (5+ year old) headphones batteries, and can take those off and charge them when not using them. (and other perks...)

I'll have to refresh myself on telecoil to see if it's of use. (My BTEs still have it, iirc)

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse