Amazon’s Fire TV Cube is the first set-top box to support ASHA streaming to hearing aids
Amazon’s long been locked in the battle for thebest video streaming devices, and products like its Fire TV Cube (2nd Generation) are just some of the contenders. Like many of the company’s other devices, the Cube comes with support for the highest-end AV formats, access to all major streaming services, and very responsive performance, checking all the right boxes. The device is now getting even better with the addition of an important accessibility feature that’ll make it a lot more convenient for the hard-of-hearing.
Amazon has announced that the second-gen Fire TV Cube will supportASHA(Audio Streaming for Hearing Aids) for compatible Bluetooth-enabled hearing aids from Starkey, making the device the self-proclaimed first-ever streaming media player to do so. For many hearing aids, an additional bridge device is required to enable audio streaming. The Fire TV Cube eliminates that, at least for those lucky enough to own both Starkey hearing aids and this specific Fire TV unit.
To pair your hearing aids, simply navigate toFire TV Settings > Accessibility > Hearing Aidsand follow the on-screen instructions. The streaming volume can be controlled via the remote’s volume buttons as usual following connection. Once done with a session, hold down on the ‘Home’ button and select ‘Disconnect Hearing Aids.’
ASHA is a Google initiative for direct Bluetooth LE audio streaming for hearing aids and aims to be more power efficient than regular Bluetooth without sacrificing any of the audio quality. While the Fire TV Cube may be the first streaming box to gain support for the protocol, it’s safe to assume that more devices from the manufacturer will follow.
The National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders reports that 15% (37.5 million) of Americans over the age of 18 suffer from some hearing loss. From these, nearly 29 million American adults could benefit from using hearing aids. According to the World Health Organization, 1.5 billion people in the world experience hearing loss and the number continues to rise.
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