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IFE to Bluetooth headphones

IFE to Bluetooth headphones

Old Apr 23, 2017, 3:05 am
  #1  
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IFE to Bluetooth headphones

Yes, I know IFEs don't support bluetooth, please read the post before pointing this out!

I am looking to find a way to connect bluetooth headphones to the IFE in an aircraft, this would require bluetooth-enabling the audio output of the IFE. My first thought was to get a bluetooth to 3.5mm adapter like this (with an airline headphone to single 3.5mm adapter):

http://www.amazon.in/Generix-Wireles...luetooth+3.5mm

I've used these before, but in a brain fart I didn't realise this device would be transmitting to the headphones, not receiving from an audio source, which is what they're designed for. There's also no screen and thus no way to pair to the headphones.

There don't appear to be any 3.5mm to Bluetooth transmitters on the market, and the pairing issue remains. This leaves two options:

Use an Android Phone or a Windows laptop as a transmitter. However I'm not sure this is possible. This is where I am so far:

An aux cable from IFE to phone won't work as it won't have the TRRS connector to feed the mic in the phone. There are apps to transmit the phone mic to bluetooth, and to record from external mic. Whether these apps can transmit external mic to bluetooth is also a question. The issue is to get the TRRS connector fed from the IFE.

It seems the only way to do this is to use a 3.5mm TRRS male to RCA female, and from the IFE have the 2-to-1 adapter then a 3.5mm male to RCA female.

Another option is to use USB (complication: my phone has USB Type C). This all depends on these transmitter apps being able to even use an external audio source and not just the built-in mic.

Anyway, long post short: Has anyone ever experimented with any of this and/or had any success?
skywardhunter is offline  
Old Apr 23, 2017, 6:01 am
  #2  
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Is this what you're looking for?

http://www.amazon.in/VeeDee-Wireless...mm+transmitter
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Old Apr 23, 2017, 6:35 am
  #3  
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Originally Posted by DYKWIA
Yeah it is, I saw this earlier, I had written it off as being quite pricey (not in the grand scheme of things, but I paid Rs1,800 for the headphones...) and thinking I wouldn't be able to pair it. Checking now the description kind of implies one would be able to pair it blindly... Hm. Think I'll order and find out
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Old Apr 23, 2017, 6:39 am
  #4  
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Thanks DYKWIA, reading the full description this is exactly what I was looking for. Not sure why I hadn't figured that one out myself (I literally went around HYD to mobile phone shops trying to find TRRS > RCA cables...). + 1-day delivery which was an issue with ordering the cables online to use my phone as a transmitter. Will be trying it out on HYD-DXB Tuesday morning
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Old Apr 24, 2017, 6:30 am
  #5  
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Thanks @DYKWIA. Just got it and exactly what I needed! Excited for my flight tonight
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Old Apr 24, 2017, 12:32 pm
  #6  
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Originally Posted by skywardhunter
Thanks @DYKWIA. Just got it and exactly what I needed! Excited for my flight tonight
​​​​​​Nice one! I assume it's battery powered? Or does it need a power source?
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Old Apr 24, 2017, 12:53 pm
  #7  
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Originally Posted by DYKWIA
​​​​​​Nice one! I assume it's battery powered? Or does it need a power source?
Allegedly 9-10 hours battery, but it can also operate on power (which is USB, so perfect).
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Old Apr 24, 2017, 1:42 pm
  #8  
 
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I bought this one from Havit HV-BT018 last week and use it in my car Aux port to play spotify, etc. I can also use it in headphone out jack on my receiver to listen via my Bose QC35. Works well so far, would think you could use it for IFE as well, but haven't tested yet.
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