Headset with dual bluetooths

[Matt Ward]

Is there an aviation headset on the market where I can be connected to my iPad and iPhone at the same time? I’d love to be able to get ForeFlight alerts and take phone calls without disconnecting and reconnecting Bluetooth connections. 

[toto]

The Bose A20 claims to be able to connect to two Bluetooth sources at once.

https://www.bose.com/en_us/support/article/pairing-a-bluetooth-enabled-device-bluetooth-models-only-a20.html

They do say that you can only listen to one audio source at a time, but I assume that's what you would want. 

[carusoam]

Possibly...

I have a new Bose wireless headset for home use... it connects to both the iPad and the iPhone at the same time...

It announces their device names when they automatically connect... or if one gets out of view, it announces the disconnect....

This is on six month old technology... not specific to aviation...

When the batteries croak after several hours... they work really good as static ear plugs... 

Available through Costco at Costco prices...

PP thoughts only, Not an audiophile...

Best regards,

-a-

[Matt Ward]

That seems like the opposite. Technically I can connect my iPad and iPhone to the same device and click disconnect and reconnect in the device. I think what I’d want is to be able to hear both at the same time. I understand how that’s complicated: which connection does the mic transmit to? How does something like the PMA450B do this? Do you know @gsxrpilot?

 

[carusoam]

Matt,

You are describing how the audio panel works...

They haven’t put the audio panel on a chip yet... 

I’m sure somebody will some day...

Probably with the name Bose on it...

The app will be impressive with buttons and volume sliders...  

Best regards,

-a-

[Matt Ward]

Hahaha @carusoam it’s really close! I think technically I could pair my headset to my iPad. Then there is a way to pair my iPad to my iPhone to take calls through my iPad. It may be an apple solution and not a Bose one! I’m just not sure how to do it. Every once in a while I goof up some setting on my ipad though and it starts ringing...

[carusoam]

Matt,

I can watch two different video sources on my iPad... 

But... only one sound source at a time... 

Hardware has its limitations...

Sometimes the hardware has the skill built in....

But software hasn’t enabled it yet....

Then a new iOS comes out... and nothing works right for a while... until the next rev... fine tunes things...

Best regards,

-a-

[MIm20c]

I run ForeFlight on both devices and connect my phone to my a20’s.  iPhone is used for calls, music, FF alerts, and I have it display different maps/info to supplement the iPad. 

[gsxrpilot]

I don't know of any headphones that can connect to two different bluetooth sources at the same time.

But the functionality you're looking for is possible with the PMA450B. They do it by including two bluetooth radios in the unit. You have BT1 and BT2. You can connect your phone to BT1 and your iPad to BT2. The PMA450B then has a feature that allows you to send BT1, BT2, Com1 and Com2, or any combination of those, to the Pilot, or CoPilot, or any seat in the plane. 

The PMA450B really is amazing for the amount of flexibility built into the unit.

[Niko182]

I connect the music to the audio panel and the ipad to the headphones. Works just fine.

[JohnB]

Has anyone tried to do this with a video camera? I wanted to see if my A20's would pair Bluetooth with my Garmin camera to get cockpit audio recorded rather than using the cables.

 

Edited May 8, 2020 by JohnB

[Paul_Havelka]

I think the BT module in the headset is a receiver and not capable of sending a signal out.  That being said, my son's tango headset has an app that will record audio so the bose may have something similar.

[gsxrpilot]

9 hours ago, JohnB said:

Has anyone tried to do this with a video camera? I wanted to see if my A20's would pair Bluetooth with my Garmin camera to get cockpit audio recorded rather than using the cables.

The PMA450B audio panel has a BT feed specifically for streaming cockpit audio to a camera.

[hypertech]

I connect my Bose A20 to both the phone for ground phone calls and music and the ipad for foreflight.  Seems to work fine.  Its one way - it won't broadcast audio to your camera.  Though, if you have the garmin audio panel with bluetooth, you are supposed to be able to connect that to the garmin camera.  I don' t have a garmin camera to test it.

[Matt Ward]

Thanks @hypertech, that's exactly what I'm wanting to do.  Can you describe how it works practically?  As in, your A20 is connected to both the iPad and iPhone at the same time, Foreflight traffic alerts are coming in and you hear them, while you're streaming music off your phone?  And do you have to actively do anything to make that work besides for initially connecting to them when you first get in the plane?  I'm assuming your audio panel is not involved in making this happen but I just want to confirm.

[hypertech]

Pretty sure that's how it works.  Lately, I'm usually on an IFR flight plan (no traffic call outs) and I have the music off when I'm on the final approach for the 500' call out so I can't remember 100% off hand.  Both are connected to the headset.  I have bluetooth in the panel but usually the passengers all prefer their own music and/or wish to continue playing it when I shut it off.  So, I don't use the panel bluetooth all that much.

[MIm20c]

To answer your question I just tried to listen to two sources at the same time on my a20’s. Both will connect and stay connected. If YouTube, Spotify, etc is currently playing on one the other source is muted. As soon as the music is paused it switches over to the other device. I’m not sure if FF overrides this but I don’t think so. So if you have both connected they can both play through the Bose but not at the same time. So if your listening to Spotify on your phone you will not get a traffic call out on the iPad unless the music is paused on the iPhone.

[Matt Ward]

Thanks @MIm20c, that's what I was afraid of.  So if you're listening to Spotify on the phone, and you go to Foreflight - More - Settings - Alerts - and Toggle Speak All Alerts on and off to get it to talk, I'm assuming you don't hear the "alerts are disabled" audio from Foreflight do you?  Sorry to ask, just trying to figure this out before I buy anything!

[MIm20c]

1 hour ago, Matt Ward said:

Thanks @MIm20c, that's what I was afraid of.  So if you're listening to Spotify on the phone, and you go to Foreflight - More - Settings - Alerts - and Toggle Speak All Alerts on and off to get it to talk, I'm assuming you don't hear the "alerts are disabled" audio from Foreflight do you?  Sorry to ask, just trying to figure this out before I buy anything!

Correct, when activity listening to my iPhone the audio alerts do not “push” through to the headset from the iPad. Even between songs the iPad stays muted unless the music/movie/etc is manually paused. If nothing is actively playing the headset will switch seamlessly between the two devices. 

[hypertech]

https://assets.bose.com/content/dam/Bose_DAM/Web/consumer_electronics/global/products/headphones/a20_aviation_headset/pdf/746706_og_a20_en.pdf

[carusoam]

Somewhere around page 20 in the Bose handbook....

“The headset can connect to two Bluetooth devices at a time. Only one connected device can be heard at a time.“

 

It has two connections, but only uses one at a time...

Still needs the audio panel to balance what the OP is looking for... hearing both simultaneously...

Best regards,

-a-

[carusoam]

23 hours ago, Matt Ward said:

Hahaha @carusoam it’s really close! I think technically I could pair my headset to my iPad. Then there is a way to pair my iPad to my iPhone to take calls through my iPad. It may be an apple solution and not a Bose one! I’m just not sure how to do it. Every once in a while I goof up some setting on my ipad though and it starts ringing...

I took a phone call through my iPad earlier today...

My current iPad has no cellular skills...

My iPhone has the cellular and gps skills....

When the phone call comes in whatever video (TV was on) gets held...

They work really well together...

My iPad and WingX need my cellphone nearby for GPS skills...

Low cost ipad is near disposable... cost and everything considered...  Backed up to the iCloud...

fewer fears of losing, dropping, leaving behind...

PP thoughts only,

Best regards,

-a-

[Matt Ward]

Understood. Here is how apple works for non cellular phone calls. https://support.apple.com/guide/ipad/make-and-receive-phone-calls-ipadf97892b2/ipados
 

the inflight issue is I can’t get the phone and iPad on the same WiFi. 
 

gogo for Mooney?

 

[carusoam]

Sounds a tad expensive...      https://business.gogoair.com
 

-a-

[Matt Ward]

“Talk to a connectivity consultant“ does sound out of the budget for my 66 E!