An Innovative Audio Feature on Amazon's Fire TV Facilitates Communal Viewing For A Larger Audience

Although most streaming devices and televisions offer accessibility capabilities for individuals with hearing or vision impairments, utilizing these personalized settings can lead to a solitary viewing experience. To enhance inclusivity, Amazon has incorporated a dual output function in its latest Fire TV models, enabling simultaneous engagement for individuals with and without hearing aids.

Amazon Fire TVs Now Feature Dual Audio

Most Fire TVs facilitate the connection of hearing aids through the Audio Streaming for Hearing Aids (ASHA) protocol. This technology enables direct audio streaming from an Amazon smart TV to your implant. This feature, while transformational, generally results in solitary content consumption. A newly introduced feature, Dual Audio, is "enhancing the communal streaming experience on Fire TV," as stated in an Amazon blog post.

Commencing its implementation today, Dual Audio will enable simultaneous listening in two distinct modalities: one individual may utilize a hearing aid, while another can engage with the audio via speakers. Its dual simultaneous outputs enable collective viewing of content, irrespective of auditory ability.

If your television belongs to the Fire TV Omni Mini-LED Series, a software update enabling this capability is anticipated in the forthcoming weeks.

Instructions for Configuring Dual Audio

To activate Dual Audio, access the Accessibility options on your Fire TV.

1. Navigate to Settings > Accessibility.

2. If you possess an upgraded Omni Mini-LED TV, you should observe an option to activate Dual Audio.

3. The configuration will guide you in pairing a hearing aid.

If your television is not included in the Omni Mini-LED series, it may still possess ASHA capability, allowing for hearing aid connectivity, albeit without the Dual Audio feature. The option to Add Hearing Aids is located within the Accessibility menu.

Note: Amazon identifies the following devices as ASHA-enabled: Fire TV Omni Mini-LED Series, Fire TV Omni QLED Series, Fire TV Cube, Fire TV 4-Series, Fire TV 2-Series, and Fire TV Omni Series.

Access is Paramount

In addition to Dual Audio, Amazon is enhancing Fire TV's accessibility through various other means. The company's release states that additional hearing aids will be compatible with the ASHA protocol, encompassing "all Widex Moment behind-the-ear (BTE) and receiver-in-canal (RIC)" devices.

The company is incorporating raised dots into its start guides to enhance inclusivity for individuals with visual impairments. These tactile indicators direct users to a QR code that encompasses the most current setup information, including instructions for activating accessibility features.

In recent years, advancements in audio technology have significantly facilitated interactions for individuals with hearing loss, exemplified by the dual functionality of Apple's AirPods Pro 2 as hearing aids. Televisions including ASHA assistance exemplify technology promoting inclusivity.

Nonetheless, a television equipped with ASHA cannot be entirely inclusive if a someone with a hearing aid must watch in solitude. This output setting appears straightforward, yet it can significantly enhance shared watch parties, premieres, and binge sessions.