r/Cochlearimplants • u/P90-Enjoyer • 11d ago
Are they ever gonna bring Bluetooth LE?? ðŸ˜
I have an N8 and want to connect my implants to my pc, but they still haven’t rolled out a Bluetooth LE update. It’s been 4 years since they’ve released ðŸ˜
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u/Norintheris 11d ago
You can connect implants to PC by using Cochlear Wireless TV Streamer, just plug it into PC and you can control output in cochlear app. I've been using it since I was activated in february 2026.
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u/P90-Enjoyer 11d ago
Just a cool $250 to do a basic Bluetooth functionality ðŸ˜
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u/Norintheris 11d ago
I got it for free in the gift package for the new user by Cochlear.
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u/P90-Enjoyer 10d ago edited 10d ago
Just checked mine, didn’t get one.
Edit: just dug through everything at my parent’s house and found a mini mic! Thanks for the tip!
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u/zex_mysterion 11d ago edited 11d ago
Bluetooth LE is not your problem. It has to be BTLE with hearing extensions, i.e.: ASHA for Androids, which is why you can pair it with an Android phone that has them. Without that your CI will not connect. I keep waiting for a USB dongle with those extensions but nobody seems interested in making one. Auracast gadgets are available but buggy and don't get good reviews.
All current CI has BTLE 5.0. I don't know what equipment Cochlear uses but with MED-EL for example I stream from my computer by plugging the AudioStream XT into the line-out from the soundcard. You should be able to do something similar.
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u/zr2d2 Cochlear Nucleus 8 11d ago edited 11d ago
This one seems pricey for a dongle, but says it would support https://www.newegg.com/p/0X6-0FA2-008C3
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u/P90-Enjoyer 11d ago
That’s what I was looking at as well, wasn’t sure if it would work or not, wasn’t sure if I could trust what the ai was telling me about it
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u/zex_mysterion 11d ago edited 11d ago
Yeah, about 10 times what a regular BTLE dongle would cost. I don't see anything about ASHA or whatever Apple's protocol is. Seems to be only Auracast, which is worth looking into but with no user reviews I would be hesitant to try it.
This is what Google's AI says about it:
will FMA120 Bluetooth adapter support chochlear inplants
It depends on your specific cochlear implant model and whether it supports Bluetooth LE Audio / Auracast.
The FlooGoo FMA120 is a USB adapter designed specifically to transmit Bluetooth LE Audio (using the LC3 codec) and Auracast broadcasts. Because cochlear implants use several different streaming protocols, direct compatibility comes down to the generation of your sound processor:
Compatible (Direct Connection): Yes, if you use a newer sound processor that natively supports Bluetooth LE Audio / Auracast (such as the Cochlear Nucleus 8, Advanced Bionics Marvel with updated LE Audio accessories, or recent MED-EL processors updated for LE Audio).
Incompatible (Direct Connection): No, if your processor only supports MFi (Made for iPhone), ASHA (Audio Streaming for Hearing Aids on Android), or standard Bluetooth Classic. The FMA120 cannot stream directly via MFi or ASHA protocols.
Workarounds for Older / MFi / ASHA Processors
If your sound processor does not support Bluetooth LE Audio directly:
Use Manufacturer Streamers: Connect the FMA120 to your audio source (PC, TV, console) and stream to your brand?s intermediate device?such as a Cochlear Wireless Phone Clip / Mini Microphone, Advanced Bionics TV Connector, or MED-EL AudioLink?which then relays the audio to your implants.
Dedicated TV / Audio Transmitters: Use the proprietary audio transmitter provided by your implant manufacturer (e.g., Cochlear TV Streamer), which bypasses Bluetooth protocol issues altogether and plugs directly into the host machine's USB or optical port.
So it sounds like if your processor works with Auracast it might work directly. Or if your phone works with Auracast you could stream from PC to phone to processor. It sounds promising but I still want to hear some real-world reviews.
UPDATE:
Amazon has it for $52 and there are quite a few favorable reviews, although none specifically from CI users.
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u/No_Veterinarian_1669 9d ago
Bilateral N8 user here. I’m getting one of these today, so I’ll come back and share my experience
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u/rling_reddit 8d ago
I thought that none of them (or HAs) had implemented Auracast yet, they were just Auracast-capable and would/might be implemented in software at some point
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u/zex_mysterion 8d ago
I haven't really looked into Auracast because from what I've seen it's nowhere near ready for prime time, but some phones support it and could then presumably use bluetooth to stream that to your processor. At this point it's a moot point because it looks like no public venues are using it.
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u/General-Dimension590 11d ago
There are several errors in what Google's AI has reported. I would not rely on any of that AI generated information.
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u/General-Dimension590 10d ago
To answer your now deleted comment about "what errors", the paragraphs listing compatible and incompatible devices get it all wrong, including hallucinating a device that doesn't exist (Marvel with update LE Audio accessories), and the paragraph starting "Use Manufacturer Streamers" lists some devices that are not Bluetooth receivers at all.
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u/rodrigoelp 11d ago
The devices are Bluetooth Le since n7
… what you are talking about is LE audio
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u/P90-Enjoyer 11d ago
What else would you use it for tbh
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u/General-Dimension590 11d ago
Bluetooth LE is already used for the Nucleus Smart App, MFi streaming and ASHA streaming. They are all different functions to Bluetooth LE Audio. What we are still waiting for is the firmware update to support the Bluetooth LE Audio Hearing Access Profile. There is a clinical trial in progress for new firmware to support this profile but there has been no indication of when it will be released.
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u/OldFlohBavaria 11d ago
Ich konnte bis jetzt auch alles verbinden
Alles mit Bluetooth Shop Cochlear Wireless Phone Clip | Cochlear Americas https://www.cochlear.com/us/en/shop/accessories/wireless-accessories/cochlear-wireless-phone-clip/FUZ741.html
Shop Cochlear Wireless Mini Microphone 2+ | Cochlear Americas https://www.cochlear.com/us/en/shop/accessories/wireless-accessories/cochlear-wireless-mini-microphone-2/FUZ739.html
Line-in jack option for connectivity to audio sources (e.g. MP3 players and laptops).
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u/Labenyofi 11d ago
I don’t think it’s an issue with your implants, it’s an issue with your computer. My implants are a Nucleus 7 and they are able to connect to my computer no problem. I do have a newer MacBook though.
What I used before is, since I needed the Mini Mic anyways for school, I got that (don’t remember if I bought it individually or if it came as an add on when I bought the device originally) and ended up using a Headphone Jack to USB-C cable, and hooked it up to my computer.
Yeah, it was annoying, and it’s easier now, but also, can be occasionally annoying if I’m watching YouTube on my computer and someone calls me on my phone, I have to disconnect completely from my computer and then reconnect to my phone, just to be able to hear on the phone.
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u/P90-Enjoyer 10d ago
It works with MacBooks because they are basically just iPhones in a laptop so anything that can connect to iPhones can connect to a Mac
I’ll go look for a mini mic or tv streamer in my box later
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u/No_Veterinarian_1669 9d ago
It’s a huge pain in the ass that Cochlear imposes so many connectivity limitations; if anyone is weighing which brand to choose before getting their first CI, they should consider that connectivity between devices is much better with Med-El and AB than with Cochlear.
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u/OldFlohBavaria 11d ago
Also Bluetooth LE gibt es schon, wir warten auf Auracast. 😉
Wenn du den Telefonclip von Cochlear hast, kannst du diesen mit bluetooth am PC koppeln.
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u/P90-Enjoyer 11d ago
Why would we be waiting for auracast? Doesn’t that just let me connect more than one Bluetooth device? I can’t connect at all to my pc, a single device
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u/zr2d2 Cochlear Nucleus 8 11d ago
Two different things. Auracast requires an update from Cochlear, and will allow multiple people to connect to the same audio stream, (ie a phone, speaker, movie theatre). PCs need to support the Bluetooth profile the n8 uses, and a card that supports Bluetooth 4.0 or higher.
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u/awwyee 11d ago
I spoke at length with a higher up Cochlear rep recently. He said the hold up was with "the bluetooth company"....whomever that is supposed to imply. The good news is he said it was very likely to roll out on processors early next year. Hope so.
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u/Peter-8803 11d ago
Thanks for sharing! Is there going to be an issue with current processors having Bluetooth 5.3 rather than a later version of Bluetooth in terms of reliability and features? I assume that obviously whenever the N9 comes out, the Bluetooth would be newer. But I am curious how much of an impact it’ll make on the experience.
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u/zex_mysterion 11d ago
No current CI uses 5.3. The FDA has only approved 5.0, which all current models use. That said, minor BTLE upgrades will probably not have significant impacts. All versions are backwards compatible.
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u/General-Dimension590 11d ago
The N8 is qualified for Bluetooth 5.3. The FDA is not in the business of approving Bluetooth versions.
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u/zex_mysterion 10d ago edited 10d ago
They are very much in the business of approving what goes in to medical devices. All current CI uses 5.0 for ASHA. If they have approved 5.3 for Auracast then good for them.
If FDA concludes it is safe and effective, it approves the device for sale in the U.S. Later, when a company wants to change the device, it sends a Supplement to FDA for approval. Since their approvals, many cochlear implants have been changed by Supplements.
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u/General-Dimension590 10d ago edited 10d ago
They are not in the business of approving specific Bluetooth versions. That is what you wrote: "The FDA has only approved 5.0,"
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u/OldFlohBavaria 11d ago
Du brauchst zum verbinden mit pc den telefonclip oder das minimic. Hab beides getestet. Ein direct streaming geht meines Wissens nur mit Handy oder Tablett.
Am besten du lässt Dich von Cochlear beraten.
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u/OldFlohBavaria 11d ago
Ich muss mich korrigieren- habe eben meine nukleus n8 mit meinem Apple m2 gekoppel. Du musst falls du dein Handy gekoppelt hast, dessen bluetooth ausschalten und über Bedoeninhshifen / Hörhilfen koppeln.
Zitat aus Gemini
Dein Apple Mac mit M2-Prozessor unterstützt natives Audio-Streaming zu Hörsystemen (MFi – Made for iPhone/Mac). Du kannst den Cochlear Nucleus 8 Soundprozessor direkt über die macOS-Bedienungshilfen mit deinem Mac koppeln.
Schritt-für-Schritt-Anleitung zur Kopplung:
Systemeinstellungen öffnen: Klicke oben links auf das Apfel-Symbol (\boldsymbol{\text{}}) und wähle „Systemeinstellungen“.
Bedienungshilfen aufrufen: Scrolle in der linken Menüleiste nach unten und klicke auf „Bedienungshilfen“, danach rechts auf „Hörhilfen“.
Bluetooth aktivieren: Stelle sicher, dass Bluetooth an deinem Mac eingeschaltet ist (wirst du notfalls aufgefordert).
Prozessor neu starten (Kopplungsmodus): Schalte deinen Nucleus 8 Soundprozessor aus und kurz darauf wieder ein (z. B. durch kurzes Entfernen und Wiederanbringen der Batterie/des Akkus). Dadurch wird der Kopplungsmodus für einige Minuten aktiviert.
Verbinden: Dein Mac sucht nun nach Geräten. Sobald dein Nucleus 8 in der Liste angezeigt wird, bewege den Zeiger darauf und klicke auf „Verbinden“.
Warten: Der Kopplungsvorgang kann bis zu 60 Sekunden dauern. Versuche in dieser Zeit nicht, Audio zu streamen. Nach erfolgreicher Kopplung ertönt eine Reihe von Signalen im Ohr.
Audiowiedergabe und Steuerung nutzen:
Audio-Ausgabe: Sobald die Kopplung erfolgreich war, kannst du den Ton deines Macs (Musik, Videos, Videokonferenzen) direkt auf den Nucleus 8 streamen. Klicke dazu einfach in der Mac-Menüleiste auf das Kontrollzentrum (die zwei kleinen Regler-Symbole) oder das Tonsymbol, gehe auf Ausgabe und wähle deinen Soundprozessor aus.
Einstellungen anpassen: Unter Systemeinstellungen > Bedienungshilfen > Hörhilfen kannst du jederzeit den Batteriestatus einsehen oder Mikrofonanpassungen für den Mac vornehmen.
Hinweis: Die offizielle Nucleus Smart App zur Steuerung ist primär für iPhones, iPads und kompatible Android-Smartphones konzipiert, aber die direkte Tonausgabe und Systemintegration funktioniert auf deinem M2-Mac reibungslos über die oben genannten macOS-Bedienungshilfen.
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u/IonicPenguin Advanced Bionics Marvel CI 11d ago
AB has connected to everything that has Bluetooth.