Do you have more than average difficulty hearing the caller at square dances? Are the music and surroundings too loud for you to understand the voice? If so, you may be able to take customized control over these issues by using the assisted listening capabilities of a modern hearing aid or earbud.
Glenview Squares has an assisted listening transmitter at each dance that broadcasts the caller's voice (voice only – not mixed with music) over Bluetooth to an unlimited number of compatible hearing aids and earbuds.
What do I need?
A personal hearing aid or earbud and its manufacturer’s assistant app that are compatible with the Bluetooth’s Auracast standard. The earbuds you already have are probably not compatible.
A smartphone with Bluetooth radio supporting version 5.2 or higher. I.e. most smartphones released since 2021. (E.g. iPhone 14, Samsung S22).
The manufacturer’s assistant is app installed in your phone and paired with your airs/earbuds.
How do I listen?
Use your hearing aid/earbud app to search for and select the “Square Dance” Auracast broadcast, or use your smartphone’s camera to scan the QR code at displayed near the entrance. Your app directs your hearing aid/earbud to stream the caller’s voice to your ears. As necessary, use your assistant app to adjust the volume of the streamed voice vs surroundings.
Are my current hearing aids compatible?
The Bluetooth radios in most hearing aids manufactured since 2022 are capable of supporting Bluetooth’s Auracast. However, the manufacturer might not have yet implemented that support. The following sites frequently update the status of products’ stated Auracast compliance.
Prepare for my first try at a dance
My hearing aid is listed as fully compatible, but why doesn’t my hearing aid app find the “Square Dance” broadcast?
Your hearing aid may be running older firmware. Ask for availability of a firmware update to a version that is compatible with Auracast.
Other sources of information about Auracast: