Netflix, Hulu and iTunes have all made it easier than ever before to skip the movie theater and opt to stream your favorite content. While many are happy to skip the lines and $10 tickets for their big screen TVs, recreating a theater-grade audio experience at home can be quite difficult. And you can forget about it if you’re trying to listen at a lower volume levels with sleeping kids in the house. A recent FCC filing seems to point to a potentially upcoming Dolby Bluetooth adapter that would bring pro-style audio to any pair of headphones. Dolby is known for its industry-leading codecs and audio certification, but a consumer-facing Bluetooth adapter would be a whole new animal. More details, including images, can be found below.
Dolby Bluetooth Adapter spotted in FCC filing
Dolby has been an industry leader in the audio space for quite some time, but entering the consumer market with an in-house branded product would be a first. Working from the FCC filing, it appears that this puck-shaped device would feature inputs and then connect wirelessly over Bluetooth to a consumer-supplied pair of headphones. There isn’t much in the way of details but it’s easy to imagine what this could mean for consumers.
As I mentioned above, it’s easy to swap out the theater headaches for an at-home screening of new films. Especially with the advances the industry has made with TVs. But replicating a similar audio experience can be a significant investment for consumers. This Dolby Bluetooth adapter may fill this void for prosumers looking to enjoy surround sound-quality audio at home with headphones.
Of course, to fully take advantage of this kind of product, a special pair of headphones will be required. 5.1 and 7.1-channel headsets have typically been reserved for gamers, and there are plenty on the market, but investing in a potential Dolby Bluetooth adapter without quality headphones will likely defeat the purpose here.
A crowded field of low-cost alternatives flood the market
Bluetooth adapters are hardly a new phenomenon. There are hundreds of options out there from third-party Asian brands to more well-known companies like Logitech, all of which are capable of beaming audio to your headphones wirelessly from a TV setup. Where Dolby is likely hoping to strike gold is by using its library of technology to deliver a next-level personal listening experience at home. It will be the challenge of convincing consumers that this new product is worth the price tag, which is sure to be more costly than what can be found at Amazon or we regularly feature in our Smartphone Accessories roundup.
9to5Toys’ Take
As a FCC filing, there is still plenty of road ahead of the Dolby Bluetooth adapter before we see it hit the mainstream. That said, it’s an interesting product to consider as more folks are staying home and enjoying content on their couches. If Dolby does decide to enter the consumer market with a Bluetooth adapter, it will likely be focused towards prosumers first and foremost.
Source: FCC ID
Lead image: IMPROB
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