Summary
RNID's consumer page on the alternatives to hearing loops that people may meet in venues: infrared, FM and audio over Wi-Fi.
Key findings
- Says that where venues cannot use hearing loops, "In most cases, Auracast is now the preferred solution", although infrared, FM and Wi-Fi systems are still in use.
- Describes infrared as common in theatres and cinemas and received with a receiver the venue usually lends, with headphones or a neckloop. It says infrared is not affected by metal or other interference and does not pass through walls or around corners, which suits rooms where privacy matters but means transmitters need an unobstructed path.
- Describes audio over Wi-Fi as sound sent to an app on the listener's phone or tablet and heard through Bluetooth, a neckloop or headphones, and names being able to use one's own device as its benefit.
- States that Wi-Fi networks "often add too much delay to the signal", which can make listening worse.
- The Audio over WiFi section identifies a microphone or sound system as the input sent over the Wi-Fi connection to the phone or tablet app.
Limits
A short consumer explainer with no data or references; the statement on delay gives no figures. Its FM paragraph describes radio aids used mostly in classrooms and workplaces rather than venue systems. The date is the page's last update.
Read the original
Cited in
- Which hearing devices can receive which systems?Open
- Auracast, hearing loop, infrared, RF or Wi-Fi: which suits which room?Disputed
- What do listeners prefer, and how often do they use venue systems?Partly answered
- How much delay does Wi-Fi streaming add, and when does it matter?Not reliable yet
- What does Wi-Fi streaming need from the venue's network and from listeners' phones?Partly answered
- Where does infrared assistive listening work, and where does it fall short?Partly answered
- What works in theatres and cinemas, and what do the rules ask of them?Partly answered
- How much do room acoustics and distance limit listening without a system, and what follows for choosing one?Partly answered
Cite this source
RNID. Infrared, FM and Audio Over WiFi. RNID (Royal National Institute for Deaf People). 27 May 2026. https://rnid.org.uk/information-and-support/technology-and-products/assistive-listening/infrared-fm-and-audio-over-wifi/ (accessed 13 October 2026).
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