Fire TV Cube launches Audio Streaming for Hearing Aids. Compatible Starkey Bluetooth hearing aids are supported
We are thrilled to announce Fire TV cube (2nd gen), now supports audio streaming for hearing aids, also known as ASHA. Fire TV is the first streaming media player to support ASHA. Customers can also connect Bluetooth compatible hearing aids directly to Fire TV. According to the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, 15% (37.5 million) Americans aged over 18 have some hearing loss. Nearly 29 million Americans could benefit from hearing aids. We discovered that the top-requested feature for hearing aid users was improving the sound quality of TVs. You can visit website to learn more.
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This firestick feature allows your hearing aids to connect to Fire TV at system level. You can enjoy audio from your favorite apps as well as Alexa, music and navigation sounds. This video explains how to activate this feature.
- Customers who have compatible Starkey Bluetooth hearing devices can connect to Fire TV Cube directly for private listening. You can use the volume buttons on your remote to adjust the streaming audio level.
- Bluetooth hearing aids can be connected to Fire TV at a system level so that you can listen to private audio from streaming services, apps, games, and Alexa.
- Fire TV Settings, Accessibility and Hearing Aids will pair your hearing aids. Follow the on-screen instructions for pairing them just like with Bluetooth headphones.
- You can control the streaming volume using the Fire TV remote as you would normally. You can also disconnect your streaming audio aids by holding down the “Home” button while watching your movie.
- We recommend that customers connect to a 5Ghz wifi network within 10 feet of Fire TV Cube for the best experience. Because of the small size and proximity of their radio antennas, they need to be closer for the best connection. Customers who use 2.4GHz wifi may still be able to enjoy this feature. However, the range will vary depending on spectrum congestion.
- Closed Captions may be turned on or left on in Fire TV Accessibility settings.
- VoiceView allows you to navigate menu options and settings using a screen reader.
- Text banner is an assistive tech that brings together information from various parts of the screen. It presents descriptive text in one location that doesn’t move. Customers with limited vision and visual impairments will appreciate this feature.
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- Screen Magnifier was created for customers with low vision. This magnifies your Fire TV’s screen while you navigate it, making it easier for you to read and see.
- Audio Description describes the actions, characters, scenes, text changes, and other visual content of a movie or television show while it is being played. This is for visually impaired viewers and blind people. However, audio description can make movies more enjoyable for those who are not able to see the screen. Prime Video can be set to Audio Description while browsing over 3,000 titles.
- Fire TV devices have High Contrast text. This feature is designed to make text more easily read. It makes most of the text visible on the screen black or white and then adds a border in the opposite color.
- Customers with limited mobility can use Alexa with voice to turn on the TV. This allows them to enjoy their entertainment more easily.
We’re just getting started. We’ll be expanding ASHA support to other devices later in the year. We are excited to continue to improve functionality and welcome feedback from customers. Contact us via social media @AmazonFireTV. You can also find more information about accessibility features at: amazon.com/accessibility.