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Can you connect to the tv via Bluetooth to play your own music?


skindeep
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13 minutes ago, Meander Ingwa said:

that is a shame.  Elsewhere is being discussed the low volume of the TV screens.  Seems like Bluetooth ear buds would be a real help.


I don’t believe the TVs support Bluetooth. If they do, the TV controls don’t allow you access to the options. They are custom programmed with Viking’s hospitality interface to keep guests as far away from the controls as possible.

 

Also, they have mounted the TVs in such a manner that the inputs/outputs aren’t accessible. If they had a headphone jack available it would be possible to use a small Bluetooth transmitter. 

Edited by OneSixtyToOne
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This thread continually comes up as it seems folks now want to bring their entire repertoire with them on holiday.  Now I am not a techno geek but I am not an ignorant savage either.....  Well about this.  Having started my Appledom with the original iPhone and buying a Mac shortly thereafter we have lots of toys.  They mostly won't work like at home.  Viking works very well for a ship.  Bring phone, iPad, maybe laptop.  Kindle will have issues downloading books from time to time.  Anything else is subject to the ship gremlins. 

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2 hours ago, Jim Avery said:

This thread continually comes up as it seems folks now want to bring their entire repertoire with them on holiday.  Now I am not a techno geek but I am not an ignorant savage either.....  Well about this.  Having started my Appledom with the original iPhone and buying a Mac shortly thereafter we have lots of toys.  They mostly won't work like at home.  Viking works very well for a ship.  Bring phone, iPad, maybe laptop.  Kindle will have issues downloading books from time to time.  Anything else is subject to the ship gremlins. 

 

True, but a lot of the hospitality industry now allows access to TV inputs as well as have Bluetooth speakers, clock radios, etc. including the hotel Viking put us up in Barcelona. Airlines are transitioning from in-seat entertainment systems (weight savings) and are encouraging people to BYOD (device). I always load movies to my device when traveling since the ones available on a flight are either edited or of no interest to me.

 

The biggest issue with Viking's system is the volume and the lack of closed captioning. This is especially problematic with a business that caters to an aging demographic. I'm not exaggerating that the extremely low volume of the TV on the SKY (two different cabins BTW) made watching anything, especially the lectures, unwatchable. The live lectures allowed volume control but the record ones did not allow you to increase the volume.

Edited by OneSixtyToOne
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The TVs do have Bluetooth capability, and Viking will modify the TV position for a few circumstances.  One of them is a passenger had a Bluetooth amplifier for his hearing aid that he needed in order to be able to hear the TV.   I guess the amplifier needed to be plugged into the HDMI port.


BTW….the Neptune has closed captioning.  According the the Explorer Desk manager, this has been a 3 year fight with LA to get it.

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Yes hotels are far ahead but then they deal with virtually unlimited land based internet.  You are on a ship at sea and Viking does what they consider the best interest for Viking and the majority of passengers.

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1 minute ago, Jim Avery said:

Yes hotels are far ahead but then they deal with virtually unlimited land based internet.  You are on a ship at sea and Viking does what they consider the best interest for Viking and the majority of passengers.

Allowing device connectivity to the TV does not impact the internet bandwidth. A person could be streaming with or without the connectivity. Playing downloaded music or movies is passive.

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20 minutes ago, OneSixtyToOne said:

Allowing device connectivity to the TV does not impact the internet bandwidth. A person could be streaming with or without the connectivity. Playing downloaded music or movies is passive.

Bring whatever you want.  Even the Master Blaster XPJ456.  All I am saying is expect the occasional disappointment,  

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1 hour ago, Mich3554 said:

The TVs do have Bluetooth capability, and Viking will modify the TV position for a few circumstances.  One of them is a passenger had a Bluetooth amplifier for his hearing aid that he needed in order to be able to hear the TV.   I guess the amplifier needed to be plugged into the HDMI port.


BTW….the Neptune has closed captioning.  According the the Explorer Desk manager, this has been a 3 year fight with LA to get it.

Gosh I wish I knew this.  My friend spent 5 days in Covid quarantine with nothing to do but read or play a game on his phone.  He cannot hear a thing without his hearing aids and could not watch anything on the Viking TV programming as no Blue Tooth or sub titles on movies.  

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Ideally Viking could provide wireless headphones in the room. That would be a much better solution than turning up the volume further. We found the walls to be on the thin side on our first Viking cruise a few years back; we could hear every word on our neighbor’s TV. 

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55 minutes ago, Twitchly said:

Ideally Viking could provide wireless headphones in the room. That would be a much better solution than turning up the volume further. We found the walls to be on the thin side on our first Viking cruise a few years back; we could hear every word on our neighbor’s TV. 

Good idea. Replace the fairly useless binoculars.

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9 hours ago, OneSixtyToOne said:

Sanitary issue. There are no disposable wireless headphones.

They don’t dispose of the binocs. I’m sure they could have headphones. They do it on Saga Class on Iceland Air.

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I was think more as an option for those who have their own ear buds and linking device.  But they do make inexpensive bluetooth ear buds and they do come with replaceable rubber ear tips.  I dont see Viking providing Bose or Beats ear buds anytime soon

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