Issues with connecting hearing aid bluetooth device to Sony XH90

[SonySSD]

Hi everyone, new user here, today i got my sony xh90 TV.

I  wanted to try out my hearing aid namely (Naida CI) i have a built in bluetooth through one of the larger batteries to it, i also have phonak compilot, another hearing aid device that can get connected with any device that has bluetooth in it.

So here's the issue, i've done two tests, one with my Naida CI, without the use of phonak compilot and one with phonak compilot.

- Both the devices can be found in the bluetooth search bar and even connect to the TV. However, once you connect it to the TV, then when i try to watch anything, no sounds will come through to my hearing aid at all.

- I went into an electronic store to test out a "LG Nanocell TV" and i could connect my hearing aid there, but the thing here, is that the sound from the TV could get transmitted directly to my hearing aid.

- Which means, a person next to me won't hear the sound from any video, which is the intention and purpose of the hearing aid, only i'll be able to hear it.

So here's the question: Sony, is this a bug? If it is, it would be nice if you could fix it, so deaf people like me can take advantage of bluetooth, if it isn't a bug, would you please add proper implementation, bluetooth support for hearing aid? (Naida CI & Phonak Compilot) ?

One last thing, i don't know if this is a TV software issue or android software issue. But i am leaning towards it being this TV's issue. I did try to connect my hearing aid on my old sony 2016 TV a few months ago, the same thing happened there, i couldn't get it to work at all. 

Thanks in advance for reading this.

[SonySSD]

I hope i can get a response from any of the mods, if this is being looked into...

[Win_88]

Hi @SonySSD

I don't think the fact they're hearing aids matters here, as they act just like Bluetooth headphones. So what I'm thinking is hapenning here is a compatibility issue with the Bluetooth profiles.

The thing is, Sony only guarantees the functionality of some of Sony Headphones/Sound bars with their BT enabled TVs:

https://www.sony.co.uk/electronics/support/televisions-projectors/articles/00159290

So apart from raising feedback about this (which I have), there isn't much to do about it apart from getting hearing aids that are confirmed to work with the XH90.

Win_88

[SonySSD]

Thank you for raising this as a feedback at the very least...Unfortunately my hearing aid isn't listed there, it's something you have to undergo surgery for...(Cochlear Implant is kind of different from the usual hearing aid you get)

Do you suppose there is a possibility that in the future we could get a firmware update to allow proper compatibility with "my kind" of hearing aid? 

Are there any possibilities that they could work together on this with "advanced bionics" the ones who provide those hearing aids? 

I'm refering to this link in particular, which i usually order my hearing aid-related items from:

https://advancedbionics.com/dk/da/home.html

And here's the hearing aid i am using:

https://advancedbionics.com/dk/da/home/bestilling/order-form-naida.html

Since you were kind enough to raise feedback, could you also raise these as feedbacks, namely compatibility for these known hearing aids in the website:

- Naida CI (The ones i use)

- Neptune CI

- Harmony CI 

Perhaps even compatibility with "Phonak compilot" which is an external bluetooth device for hearing aid users, this even works for normal hearing aid users who haven't undergone surgery for either of the 3 hearing aid's i just mentioned.

Here's the phonak compilot as referenced up above, incase you're going to add it as a feedback:

https://www.phonak.com/dk/da/hearing-aids/tilbehoer/phonak-com-pilot.html

I atleast hope that this feedback could get raised higher up... 

Atleast thanks for doing this, i just hope that sony will look into it at some point, i'm sure alot of deaf people would be happy with more support to their needs...

Have a nice day. 

[Win_88]

Hi again

Just to clarify, if a product isn't listed in that article, it doesn't necessarily mean it won't work. It's really about the compatibility of Bluetooth profiles. The headphones listed in the article are the ones Sony officially confirms are supported by the TV (meaning they should work as expected, otherwise, Sony will investigate problems looking for a fix if needed).

The same can't be said about third party products, as it's probably compatibility issues rather than defects that get in the way of the wireless audio.

What I'm trying to say is that although you may not find official confirmation about any of the hearing aids being compatible, it doesn't mean none will work. Perhaps you could contact Advanced Bionics to inquire about a pair that supports the following:

Bluetooth v4.2

A2DP (stereo audio)

AVRCP (AV remote control)

Win_88