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AudioFetch Blog Header_ADA Compliance

ADA Compliance and Hearing Impairments: Everything Your Business Needs to Know

By | airports, Auction, Business, Casinos, Churches, Education, Government, Hearing Assistance, Hearing Loss, Stadiums, Theater, Tour Guides, Wireless Audio | No Comments

Every public business, organization, or venue should be thinking about how to improve accessibility at their establishment. Not only does it create a more welcoming environment for any and every-one that visits, but it can also be a legal requirement. 

Read on to learn more about how your business can (and must) improve accessibility through ADA compliance and other accessibility-friendly solutions.

What is ADA compliance?

The Americans with Disabilities Act was signed into law in 1990. It prohibits discrimination and seeks to improve accessibility at public government entities and privately-owned “places of public accommodation,” and requires employers with 15+ employees to provide reasonable accommodations for those with disabilities.

What are ADA guidelines for hearing impairments?

The ADA requirements for hearing impairments vary by platform, business type, or entity. For example, all airlines within and into the United States must accommodate hearing loss, according to the Air Carriers Access Act (ACAA), which is typically accomplished by adding captions to airport TVs
 
Other public venues must provide assistive listening devices (ALDs) in each assembly area where audible communication is integral to the use of the space. These venues include movie theaters, concert and lecture halls, schools, museums, hospitals, stadiums and arenas, courtrooms, conference rooms, convention centers, nursing homes, community centers, and the list goes on and on. 
 
If your venue provides fixed seating (e.g., theater or stadium) for 50 or more people, ADA compliant receivers must be available for a percentage of seating capacity. Originally it was 4% of capacity, but that figure was updated in 2010 to give larger venues a bit of a break with a scaled quantity. Additionally, at least 25% or a minimum of two receivers must be hearing-aid compatible.

What is an ADA-compliant device?

ADA compliant products for hard-of-hearing individuals include assistive listening systems (ALS) or assistive listening devices (ALDs). An assistive listening system is defined as an amplification system utilizing transmitters, receivers, and coupling devices to bypass the acoustical space between a sound source and a listener by means of induction loop, radio frequency, infrared, direct-wired equipment or wireless connection.

Who enforces ADA compliance?

Several agencies play a role in enforcing or investigating ADA compliance claims, including The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Communications Commission (FCC), U.S. Department of Justice, U.S. Department of Education, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), U.S. Department of Labor, and the Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board (ATBCB).

What are the consequences of not following the ADA guidelines?

Failing to comply with ADA guidelines can result in both financial and reputation repercussions
 
On a purely financial basis, your business or organization can be fined by the federal government up to $75,000 for the first violation and $150,000 for additional ADA violations, and state or local governments may tack on additional fines. Additionally, you open yourself up to lawsuits, personal injury claims, and legal or civil penalties from disabled individuals with legitimate complaints or ambulance-chasing entities looking to make an easy buck. 
 
From a reputation perspective, your brand name can also be dragged through the mud for non-compliance, which can also severely affect your business financially in both the short and long term.

What businesses or organizations are exempt from ADA compliance?

The ADA does not apply to places of worship, religious organizations/schools, private clubs, or any other venue historically excluded from federal civil rights laws. However, many of these organizations decide to provide some type of assistive listening option to create a more welcoming and inclusive environment for all of their members and patrons. 
 
Learn more about our assistive listening solutions for churches and houses of worship.

Does AudioFetch work with ADA-compliant receivers?

Yes, AudioFetch is compatible with ADA-compliant receivers. AudioFetch can be used to broadcast the audio source live, and then businesses can use a regulation ADA-compliant device to receive that audio. 
 
AudioFetch also integrates seamlessly with hearing aids; listeners connect the hearing aid to their smartphone via Bluetooth and are able to listen in real-time.

AudioFetch works with businesses and organizations of all sizes to help you create a more accessible and welcoming environment for your guests, customers, and employees. If you’re ready to get started, contact us or schedule an appointment to learn more and request a free demo. 

AudioFetch Blog Header_Audio Over WiFi at Business Office

How Audio Over WiFi Benefits Your Business Office or Corporate HQ

By | Business, Fitness Centers, Hearing Assistance, Tour Guides, Wireless Audio | No Comments

After working from home for two years, it can be difficult to get employees back into the office. The convenience and comfort of working from home can oftentimes outweigh the collaboration and communication that comes with being together in one space. And while some companies have vowed to go full-time or remote first, such as Google, Shopify, Quora, US Xpress, Pratt & Whitney, many others are eager to have their staff back in the office environment on a daily basis. 

To encourage staff to willingly and enthusiastically come back, these in-person-ready companies are looking for ways to make the experience more enjoyable, more efficient and safer for everyone. One unique way they can do this is by utilizing a wireless audio streaming system

Below are five ways that corporate HQs and business offices can use audio over WiFi to improve employee satisfaction and productivity: 

1. Employee Training Solution

Training is essential to ensuring your employees are prepared to complete their work in the most effective, efficient, and responsible ways. But if they’re unable to hear or understand the training material, they’ll never be able to perform their job responsibilities to the fullest potential. AudioFetch can be used as an assistive listening solution or live translation system to help your staff learn and comprehend better, leading to better job performance.

Scott M from the US Playing Card Company has found AudioFetch to be particularly useful for their employee training: “We used the tour pack [AudioFetch Express for tour application] and it made a world of difference on the training session. Thank you!!”

2. Fitness TV Audio System

Many corporate headquarters and larger businesses offer a gym or fitness center that their employees can access at any time. Our audio over WiFi system is a perfect solution for allowing staff to stream gym TV audio to their phones. They don’t have to be tethered to any one piece of cardio equipment; rather, they can move around freely throughout the fitness space and use several machines, all while enjoying (and getting distracted by!) the news, a game, a TV show, or anything else playing in the facility. 

3. Wireless Factory Tour Guide System

During tours of factory floors, where conditions can be dangerous and safety is of the utmost importance, it’s imperative that all participants can hear the tour guide clearly. But churning machinery, beeping vehicles, whirring fans, and other loud sounds can easily drown out the audio and potentially put participants at risk and workers at risk. 

Our portable tour guide system is an ideal solution, and a great replacement for outdated, unhygienic, and expensive listening devices you may already be using. Tour groups use their own personal smartphones to listen with the AudioFetch app, eliminating the need to purchase, keep track of, maintain and sanitize numerous devices. The app is simple and intuitive for users of any age or expertise, plus it’s free to download with no monthly fees for your business. 

4. Controlled Music System

Did you know that music can increase your employees’ productivity?! It’s true. Especially for those staff whose tasks are clearly defined and repeated often, such as factory or warehouse workers. Music improves mood, increases concentration, reduces stress, and increases work speed. 

AudioFetch can be used to provide multiple music channels to your team to reap these benefits and more. Select channels can be programmed, offering options for varying musical tastes and work styles, while limiting employees’ ability to access the internet and thus get distracted. All employees have to do is download the free AudioFetch app, select their channel of choice, and start listening. 

5. Emergency Notification Solution

Quick action and widespread communication is required during an office fire or other emergency situation. Audio Over WiFi technology can be used to stream emergency instructions to employees on multiple floors and throughout thousands of square footage, allowing your staff to mobilize quickly and efficiently.

Helping your employees, clients and visitors hear better without distractions or distracting others can increase productivity and enhance the office space, making it a more desirable environment to return to. If you’re ready to get started, contact us or schedule an appointment to learn more and request a free demo. 

AudioFetch Blog Header - 2022 Wireless Audio Streaming Predictions

5 Predictions for Wireless Audio Streaming in 2022

By | Education, Food for thought, Hearing Assistance, Home Audio, Wireless Audio | No Comments

As A/V technologies grow more advanced and consumers become more reliant on their smartphone devices, we expect the field of local audio over WiFi to continue growing in the new year. Below are our 5 predictions for wireless audio streaming in 2022.

1. Increased Focus on Accessibility 

If there is one positive thing to come out of the past two years it’s that we have all become more aware of the health challenges and disabilities of others. That includes individuals with hearing impairments. 

This spotlight on hearing has lead to a focus on providing more and better accessibility options in theaters and churches. We predict this focus will continue to grow in 2022, with even more businesses and organizations using audio over WiFi for hearing assistance. The venues we anticipate will grow the most are schools and universities, hospitals and conferences and convention centers.

2. Social Distancing Will Still Be Important

No, unfortunately, we are not yet done with social distancing. As new variants continue to spread throughout the word (and there will be more no doubt, Omicron is not the final one), we’re going to have to continue maintaining safer distances in certain public establishments and spaces.

Wireless audio streaming is a simple, flexible and affordable way to permit social distancing, while allowing businesses to stay open and provide entrainment options. Expect this to continue throughout most if not all of 2022.

3. New Applications Will Be Discovered

We get calls from folks all the time that want to know, “Will AudioFetch work for X?” or “Can I use AudioFetch for Y?” And 99.9% of the time, our answer is yes! 

AudioFetch is so flexible, so simple and so affordable, there are near-infinite uses. We could never rattled them all off or list them all on our site. Heck, we haven’t even thought of some of them! But if it has to do with helping people hear better in public venues or at home, AudioFetch can probably help! 

Take Itchy-O for example, a 57-member avant-garde marching band and performance music group based in Denver, CO. The Itchy-O band leader uses AudioFetch to communicate with the other members as they dance throughout the crowd during their performances. We certainly couldn’t have imagined this application, but what a cool use and perfectly suited use for AudioFetch! 

4. More Businesses Using Wireless Audio Distribution

Interest in using AudioFetch for wireless audio distribution has grow significantly in the past couple years as businesses look for more flexible and affordable audio solutions that meet the needs of today’s tech-savvy consumer. AudioFetch has replaced the existing wireless audio distribution system for a music festival and race track, and we expect to see even more businesses using AudioFetch in this way in 2022. 

5. Continued Interest in Home Entertainment Options

We’ve all spent a lot of time at home these past couple years. And while there were certainly times when the cabin fever seemed unbearable and we would have rather been ANYWHERE else on the planet, collectively, we have all learned how to be at home more, and some folks even now prefer it.

Just because we’re staying home more, however, doesn’t mean we don’t want to be entertained. This is clear when you look at all the home-focused technology to come out of CES this year. We especially loved Samsung’s The FreeStyle projector that would be perfect for hosting outdoor movie nights with AudioFetch Home as the audio solution! 

We are choosing to stay positive and have an optimistic outlook for 2022. We look forward to working with even more large franchises, mom and pop businesses and individuals to help more people hear better in both commercial and residential spaces. 

AudioFetch Blog Header - Holiday Hearing Solutions

Holiday Hearing Solutions: 4 Ways AudioFetch Can Help People Hear More Together

By | Churches, Drive-in Audio, Hearing Assistance, Theater, Translation, Wireless Audio | No Comments

One holiday down, on to the next one! Now that Thanksgiving is past, businesses and organizations are gearing up for all the fun and festive Christmas events. 

To bring communities together in safer ways and help make these events more enjoyable for guests, businesses and organizations are using AudioFetch wireless audio streaming solutions. 

Discover four ways that AudioFetch is being used to help people hear more together this holiday season: 

Holiday Drive-Through Events

Last year, many organizations from community centers and city planning groups to zoos and botanic gardens held drive-through events for the holidays. These events were required to adhere to social distancing guidelines and indoor restrictions, but they ended up being extremely popular and requested again this year. 

If you are planning to host a drive-through or drive-in event for the holidays, we can help with your audio sound system. Our wireless audio streaming solutions allow you to broadcast audio to smartphones or tablets. Listeners simply download the AudioFetch App, and then they can hear in real-time from their cars using a smartphone or Bluetooth speaker.

Christmas Church Services 

The Christmas season always brings in larger crowds at churches for holiday-themed sermons and midnight masses. The messages during this time are special, and it is especially important that they are heard plainly by everyone. But that can be difficult with the background din of shuffling, kneeling, echoing and children, especially for those with hearing impairments or language barriers. 

Our assisted listening devices for churches can help 100% of people hear 100% of the services. With AudioFetch, you can broadcast the services to your congregation’s phones or other smart devices. Church members download the free AudioFetch app, and they can start listening immediately. 

AudioFetch is the simplest and most affordable assistive listening solution for churches. It’s cheaper and easier than installing a complex hearing loop system, and it entirely removes the concerns of using shared listening devices. Since congregants use their own personal smartphones, there is no risk of spreading viruses and germs and you don’t have to sanitize devices after every use. 

If your congregation has members that speak Spanish, French, Mandarin or any other language, AudioFetch is an invaluable solution here, too. A live translator can speak into a microphone attached to AudioFetch, which will broadcast the translated services to anyone listening via the app. Using AudioFetch as translation equipment for churches creates a welcoming environment for all church members and any new folks that only join during the Christmas season. 

Holiday Theater Performances and Concerts

The Nutcracker, A Christmas Carol, Elf, Bing Crosby Christmas Concerts, School Christmas Pageants. Traditional shows, new favorites and local events can be enjoyed at theaters and performing arts centers big and small around the world at this time of year.

AudioFetch is an ideal assistive listening device for theaters. Not only is it more affordable than the traditional hearing loop systems that theaters have used in the past, but it’s also simpler and more convenient than any other assistive listening solution out there. 

Plug AudioFetch in, connect to WiFi, and start broadcasting audio immediately. And there’s no need to keep track of clunky and unhygienic devices since listeners use their own smartphones and earbuds. It’s a simple and convenient solution for theater owners and theater-goers alike. 

Holiday Tour Groups

Tours often pick up during the holidays when friends and family look for unique ways to experience the season together. Whether it’s a holiday-themed exhibit at a museum or a walking tour to experience the seasonal sights and sounds of a city, tours can be a fun way to enjoy each other’s company outside the home.

To make that experience even more enjoyable and protect the health of both attendees and tour guides alike, businesses and organizations are using our wireless tour guide audio system. The tour guide simply speaks into a microphone attached to our AudioFetch Express, and the tour group members can listen via their smartphones and personal headphones. 

If you’re looking for an effective and cost-efficient audio solution for your business or organization this holiday season, AudioFetch is it! Contact us by calling 844-HI-FETCH or scheduling an appointment to discuss your needs and get a free quote.

Upgrade to AudioFetch

Why Customers are Upgrading to AudioFetch from Tunity

By | Business, Fitness Centers, Restaurants, Sports Bars, Wireless Audio | No Comments

Is Tunity hitting a sour note with your customers? 

We often hear from sports bars, gyms, universities, casinos and other businesses that are encouraging their customers to use Tunity’s app to hear muted TVs, but are dissatisfied with the option. As social distancing mandates continue and accessibility becomes a higher priority, we’re working with more and more businesses that need to upgrade their audio over WiFi streaming offering to AudioFetch.

Below are some of the reasons customers turn to AudioFetch when looking for a Tunity app alternative:

Works with Streaming Services

AudioFetch allows listeners to hear any program that’s playing on any TV. That could be a program streaming on Netflix, Hulu, Apple+, Amazon Prime Video, HBOMax, or any other streaming service. Tunity only allows listeners to hear audio from media broadcasts on major national networks only. Most local news and local programming don’t work either.

Works with DVDs and Blue-Rays

When we mentioned any program playing on any TV, that also includes DVDs, Blue-Ray discs, and downloaded digital copies of movies. Heck, it even includes VHS tapes and laserdiscs, if you’ve still got the working players laying around! 

No Annoying Commercials

One of the biggest complaints we hear is that the audio ads are incessant, and the only way to get around them is to pay for a premium service. According to one recent review

“I timed it on Saturday during the gator game and it cut off the game sound every 10 mins to watch some stupid irrelevant commercial. Why every 10 minutes? And why not make it during a tv timeout commercial. I was literally cut off 19 times during the game to the annoying ‘bring the app upfront to watch a commercial.’ Way too many commercials for sporting events.”

This is a complaint from a listener, but business owners also lament this feature because they’re essentially letting other businesses advertise directly to their customers! Without getting a dime in return! And what happens if the ad is for a competing business? Now that’s a conflict of interest if I’ve ever heard one!

AudioFetch does not include a single ad in the audio stream, and listeners will never have to pay a cent to use the app. The only “ads” that are allowed in the AudioFetch app are placed there by the business owner, and our customers typically use this space to advertise their own specials and events. 

Low Latency and Near Perfect Auto Syncing

Perhaps tied for the biggest complaint is the audio delay/syncing issue. Customers complain that the audio often gets out of alignment with the TV programming. The company has provided a solution for this with “Fine Tune Audio Sync” buttons within the app, which allow customers to fast forward or rewind to sync the audio themselves. Yet, the frequent ads cause the audio to get out of whack, which means customers are forced to fine-tune every ten minutes or so. Not fun when you’re trying to enjoy a game at the bar, and not safe if you’re running on a treadmill at the gym!

AudioFetch has a distributed processing platform that scales with the number of channels to ensure the lowest latency possible. The techniques employed in the development of the mobile AudioFetch App also ensure minimal latency. 

Doesn’t Drain Battery Life

The Tunity app uses GPS on your device to scan for channels in the area and local time. This frequent GPS usage can result in rapid battery drain if channels are scanned too often. Another battery-draining feature is the aforementioned commercials. Some listeners have complained that their phones die before the end of games because of this drain.

AudioFetch works by connecting to the local WiFi network once, and then you manually select which TV/channel to listen to. No battery-sucking features required. 

Attentive, Expert Support

We stand behind the AudioFetch products and service and are happy to help you through any technical or logistical challenges you may encounter. AudioFetch won’t connect to WiFi? We help with that! Less tech-savvy customers can’t figure out how to download the app? We got you covered. No issue is too big or too small. 

Should you encounter any issues and need support, you will engage with a person well-versed in all aspects of AudioFetch by calling us at 1-844-443-3824, scheduling an appointment or contacting us. You can also visit our Frequently Asked Questions section to find out more about common questions about our products and services. 

In the immortal words of Mr. Kurt Vonnegut: “In this world, you get what you pay for.” (He used it in a slightly different context, but knowing his futuristic and sci-fi slant, we think he’d approve of the connection to next-gen tech that would have been mind-blowing in his heyday!). And when you don’t pay a cent for something, you can typically expect that same low-price-point level of service.

AF Tunity Upgrade Twitter Post - AudioFetch Audio Over WiFi

Ready to upgrade to AudioFetch today? We’re offering businesses 20% off their order when they switch from Tunity. So don’t wait another minute to provide a better experience for your customers–order your AudioFetch today by calling 844-HI-FETCH or dropping us a line here.

Are you a listener that can no longer use Tunity at your local sports bar, fitness center or another facility? Let us know the name of the facility and we’ll work with them to bring AudioFetch to you!

AudioFetch Blog Header - Wireless Audio Distribution

What is Wireless Audio Distribution?

By | Wireless Audio | No Comments

Being part of the audio industry for nearly two decades, we’ve seen an unbelievable amount of change and growth. We’re excited to see that with each passing year, while the technology becomes more advanced and sophisticated, the listener experience becomes more user-friendly and simpler. 

Yet, some of the terms we use to describe various concepts, products and features can be confusing. So today we’d like to address one of those potentially puzzling topics–wireless audio distribution. 

Let’s dive in!

What is wireless audio distribution?

Wireless audio distribution is a way to deliver high-quality audio content without requiring hard-wiring. It’s a great option for public events or activities that require sound, but do not have the infrastructure (or budget!) for a complex installation of hardware and cables. 

While there are numerous types of wireless audio distribution systems out there, they all include the same four components:
1. Audio source
2. Audio transmitter
3. Audio receiver
4. Audio reproduction or playback device (i.e., amplifier or speaker)

How does wireless audio distribution work?

A transmitter receives an audio signal from a source (e.g., TV, music, person speaking, etc.) then transmits the signal over a wireless network. The receiver picks up this wireless signal and sends it to an audio reproduction devices (i.e., speaker or amplifier) which turns the signal into audible sound.

Who uses wireless audio distribution?

Numerous different types of businesses and events use wireless audio distribution systems. Here are just a few examples:
– Race tracks
Sports stadiums
– Live music events
Auctions
– Business conference rooms
Theaters
Legislative proceedings
Educational institutions
Churches and houses of worship
Airports
Casinos
– Event centers
Warehouses
– Community centers

Is AudioFetch a wireless audio distribution system?

Yes, it certainly is! AudioFetch is not your traditional wireless audio distribution system, but that’s why our customers love it. Instead of requiring separate receivers and playback devices, AudioFetch allows people to hear the audio on their smartphones. This makes it a much simpler and more affordable solution.

For businesses there’s no need to purchase, install and maintain speaker systems or provide individual hearing devices. And for listeners, they already have the receiver and playback device in their pocket already. It’s a simplified solution for everyone!

If you would like to know more about wireless audio distribution for your business, or would like to purchase a wireless audio solution, don’t hesitate to contact us by calling 844-HI-FETCH, dropping us a line here or scheduling an appointment at your convenience.