Amazon Launches Hearing Aids Support for 2nd Generation Fire TV Cube

Fire TV is launching Audio Streaming for Hearing Aids on Fire TV Cube (2nd gen) for compatible Bluetooth hearing aids from Starkey. This makes Fire TV Cube (2nd gen) the first-ever streaming media player to support Audio Streaming for Hearing Aids, commonly known as ASHA. Through research, we learned that improving TV sound quality was one of the most requested features among hearing aid users. 

Here’s more about the feature:

• Customers with compatible Starkey hearing aids can connect directly to Fire TV Cube for private listening with audio delivered directly to the hearing aids. 
• Hearing aids connect with Fire TV on a system level, so you can enjoy private audio from your favorite streaming services, apps, and games, as well as Alexa.
• To pair your hearing aids, visit Fire TV Settings  Accessibility  Hearing Aids, and connect them like you would with Bluetooth headphones.
• To control the streaming volume, use the Fire TV remote like you otherwise would. When you’re done with your movie, you can disconnect through a shortcut by pressing and holding the ‘Home’ button and selecting ‘Disconnect Hearing Aids.’
• For an optimal experience, we recommend customers connect over a 5Ghz wifi network, within 10 feet and in line of sight to Fire TV Cube. Due to the small size of hearing aids, their radio antennas require closer proximity for the best connection. Customers with 2.4GHz wifi can still enjoy the feature, with range that varies depending on spectrum congestion. 

“At Starkey, we are transforming hearing aids into multifunctional devices; enabling our patients to connect and communicate with the world via our technology,” said Achin Bhowmik, Chief Technology Officer and Executive Vice President of Engineering at Starkey. “Through this strategic collaboration with Amazon, we are paving the way for cutting-edge products to connect with and stream audio to our state-of-the-art hearing devices.”