Advice on how to connect Win 10 Desktop to Bluetooth Hearing Aids

therealsimpsons · 11 Apr 2023

Recently upgraded by hearing aids which now can be paired with a TV or PC. The TV was easy, but I'm stumped on the PC. Win 10 machine that does not have Bluetooth, and LG monitor that does not have speakers. For sound now, I'm using a Logitech GS933 gaming headset which has a built in sound card. The hearing aids will only work with Dolby digital sound, not DTS.

Need advice on where to start and what to plug in where. I'm thinking I have to get a USB bluetooth adapter, but don't know what's after that. The only in and out the PC is a pink 3.5mm for Microphone, and a green and blue for right and left speakers. I assume they connect to the onboard Realtek Audio. I will be using a plug and play USGB microphone.

End user here, not too computer savvy, but I can follow directions.

Windows 10 Version 22H2 OS Build 19045.2728

Thank you.

sandyt · 11 Apr 2023

Bluetooth hearing aids are not really bluetooth. They use a proprietary protocol --- which is why they sell tv streaming devices and dongles for tv and pc connections.

TV Streamer, Hearing Aid Accessories | Starkey

ReSound TV Streamer 2 - stream to hearing aid | ReSound | ReSound US

It is forced by the FCC for iphones and android phones to be compatible with hearing aids. Computers are not covered by the FCC regulation, so you have to buy an expensive streaming device from the hearing aid companies.

About Hearing Aid Compatibility (HAC) requirements for iPhone - Apple Support

Use Made for iPhone hearing devices - Apple Support (CA)

iphone adjacent things like ipads may be compatible with hearing aids. Android adjacent things like chromebook may be compatible with hearing aids. Smart tv's that may be android adjacent may be compatible with hearing aids.

But notice that actual apple mac laptops (they come with bluetooth) are not compatible with "made for iphones" hearing aids.

Basically you have to buy a dongle like this.

How to use computer and tablet with your hearing aids

cereberus · 12 Apr 2023

sandyt said:

Bluetooth hearing aids are not really bluetooth. They use a proprietary protocol --- which is why they sell tv streaming devices and dongles for tv and pc connections.

TV Streamer, Hearing Aid Accessories | Starkey

ReSound TV Streamer 2 - stream to hearing aid | ReSound | ReSound US

It is forced by the FCC for iphones and android phones to be compatible with hearing aids. Computers are not covered by the FCC regulation, so you have to buy an expensive streaming device from the hearing aid companies.

About Hearing Aid Compatibility (HAC) requirements for iPhone - Apple Support

Use Made for iPhone hearing devices - Apple Support (CA)

iphone adjacent things like ipads may be compatible with hearing aids. Android adjacent things like chromebook may be compatible with hearing aids. Smart tv's that may be android adjacent may be compatible with hearing aids.

But notice that actual apple mac laptops (they come with bluetooth) are not compatible with "made for iphones" hearing aids.

Basically you have to buy a dongle like this.

How to use computer and tablet with your hearing aids

This is not entirely correct.

It depends on the make of hearing aids. There has been a lot of development in last couple of years

Latest Phonak devices for example can connect to any bluetooth device just like a normal bluetooth headset.

Many now have a universal mode.

Best thing is for OP to talk to their audiologist.

MisterEd · 12 Apr 2023

My hearing aids use Bluetooth with an app on my Android phone for configuration and testing. However, they will only stream audio using Bluetooth through an iPhone.

Update:

I bought my hearing aids through my insurance. They don't directly pay for them but I get a discount through TrueHearing. They don't make their own hearing aids so I don't know the real manufacturer. On TrueHearing's website they state that their are devices available to stream from my TV but don't give any details. I called them but they said they could make me an appointment with a provider that could answer that question. That kind of annoys me because all I wanted was them to recommend some device I could buy on a place like Amazon.

I have a feeling I am going to have to start buying streaming devices on Amazon (with a 30-day no question return policy) to see if I can find something that works. If it works fine but if not I just return it and try something else.

fireberd · 12 Apr 2023

I have Starkey hearing aids. They pair with my iPhone and they have the "Thrive" app to configure and test. They will not directly pair with our Samsung TV or a PC.

sandyt · 12 Apr 2023

MisterEd said:

I called them but they said they could make me an appointment with a provider that could answer that question. That kind of annoys me because all I wanted was them to recommend some device I could buy on a place like Amazon.

I have a feeling I am going to have to start buying streaming devices on Amazon (with a 30-day no question return policy) to see if I can find something that works. If it works fine but if not I just return it and try something else.

Then you are going to buy 100 items off Amazon and return all 100 items. They are not Bluetooth. They are proprietary. The only reason why you don't need to buy an expensive proprietary bridge device to connect to your cell phone is because FCC made a regulation mandating cell phone compatibility.

Quote:

"Bridge" accessories for audio streaming
Some hearing-aid manufacturers offer special "bridge" hearing-aid accessories that receive audio through Bluetooth from the iPhone and retransmit that audio using proprietary wireless audio-streaming technologies built in to some hearing aids. Check with your audiologist or hearing-aid manufacturer for more information.

About Hearing Aid Compatibility (HAC) requirements for iPhone - Apple Support

MisterEd · 12 Apr 2023

sandyt said:

Then you are going to buy 100 items off Amazon and return all 100 items. They are not Bluetooth. They are proprietary. The only reason why you don't need to buy an expensive proprietary bridge device to connect to your cell phone is because FCC made a regulation mandating cell phone compatibility.

Quote:

"Bridge" accessories for audio streaming
Some hearing-aid manufacturers offer special "bridge" hearing-aid accessories that receive audio through Bluetooth from the iPhone and retransmit that audio using proprietary wireless audio-streaming technologies built in to some hearing aids. Check with your audiologist or hearing-aid manufacturer for more information.

About Hearing Aid Compatibility (HAC) requirements for iPhone - Apple Support

The problem is phone support says it is possible but is clueless about what to get to make it work. My current audiologist is clueless also. Maybe it is time to find a new audiologist.

Advice on how to connect Win 10 Desktop to Bluetooth Hearing Aids-2023-04-12-18_37_32-hearing-aid-accessories-truhearing-mozilla-firefox.jpg

therealsimpsons · 18 Apr 2023

What I've read here is pretty much my experience. My hearing aids are Phonak Lumity. They easily pair to my iPhone, and it is awesome to hear my kids and grandkids on the phone now. I had to purchase a streaming device from Phonak (TV Connector) and it has both a 3.5mm connector to insert into the headphone jack, which is what I'm using right now, and also has at Toslink (optical digital) connector, but unless the TV or the PC sound card has the port, I can't use it. I experimented with attaching the 3.5mm to the headset out on the PC, and got the TV Connector to pair with the PC, but the sound quality is poor. There is no sound card on my PC now, just the motherboard sound, and I don't know if I am choosing the right option to make that sound the default. I'm attaching a screen shot of what I think is the correct option.

Two more questions.

1. Will I get better sound by adding an aftermarket sound card that has a Toslink port?
2. If so, what do you recommend based on my system specs?

sandyt · 18 Apr 2023

Try the speaker out in the rear of your computer. The manual said use "audio out", NOT headphone/headset out.

If you have to use the front audio panel, then make sure that you pick "line out", not headphone. Any settings with headphone/headset means that it would turn on the headphone amp --- causing the audio signal to be much hotter than the tv connector expected (thus audio clipping would happen and it would sound bad).

And make sure that your wifi router is NOT next to your tv connector device and have line of sight to your hearing aids.

cereberus · 19 Apr 2023

As @sandyt says, using headphone socket is not the best solution e.g. distortion if signal is too loud.

Not all tvs have lineout but virtually all have RCA phono out (red and white ports)

Advice on how to connect Win 10 Desktop to Bluetooth Hearing Aids-image.png

I have an older phonak TV system on a tv without a toslink. I simply connect the rca phono out (Left, right channels) to tv connector via a simple RCA phono to 3.5 mm jack.

503 - Service Unavailable Error

Note - link is displayed incorrectly but works ok.

By the way connecting via phono ports means others can hear tv via normal tv speakers at a low volume, but you can hear at whatever volume you want. On most tvs connecting via headphones turns off main speakers. If you are only user, just turn down tv volume to zero (not mute as you normall get a dog on the screen (digital onscreen graphic) of speaker being muted.

PS lumity range is really great.