Hearing aids with bluetooth receivers

L

Lennart

New Member
Joined
Feb 4, 2009
Messages
6
Reaction score
0
Hello folks

Please help me finding the right equipment.

I have been using haring aids for about 12 years. I am now about to testing out a new set.
At present it seems like I only get clear sound when I am using a pre-amplifier, i.e. a Komfort Duo with neck loop. (Simpler but similar to Phonak Smart Link.)
Naturally I would prefer that the HAs are doing job without the "Duo".

As I am going to get new hearing aids, I want to get something that is compatible with available pre-amplifiers on the market. I would also like to get rid of cables and neck loops.

I have been thinking in terms of Bluetooth compatible hearing aids to be used together with the cell phone and computer equipment, etc. Cell phones would also be practical at noisy dinner tables. Persons that need to talk to each other could just call the other person at the table.


Are there any Bluetooth compatible hearing aids on the market?
I would prefer having the Bluetooth receivers integrated in the HAs, as the T-coil is integrated today.


I have been looking at the following equipment:

Phonak Smart Link.
Bluetooth from cell phone to Smart Link. FM from SL to HA.
Drawback: The neck loop has to be used as antenna.

Oticon Streamer
Bluetooth from cell phone to Streamer. Bluetooth own special format from Streamer to HA.
Drawback: The neck loop has to be used. (Why)

Blues
Neck loop with Bluetooth receiver and T-loop out to HA.
Drawback: The neck loop has to be used.

Eli Dirx Bluetooth
Bluetooth receiver compatible with DAI-shoes for HA.
No cables, no neck loops, but is it good?
Long dongles hanging down from the hearing aids.
Not very practical in a working situations?


Are the conclusions wrong?
Have I missed something?
 
Hello PowerOn

Thanks for your suggestion, but it is realy one of the devices I already mentioned that had been looking at. Se the original message.

If You follow the following link and brows to page 18, you will get a good pictute on how it looks behind the ear.

http://hsls.gallaudet.edu/Documents... & induction with phone and music 8-25-07.pdf

The functions are probably satisfying, but having the receiver hanging down behind the ear would probably become a problem. Maybe worse than a neck loop.

Regards
 
:hmm: I have thought of that and I checked my Cochlear Americas (cuz I wear CI) and they do have Phonak wireless FM receiver and it did mentioned bluetooth which require Bluetooth to FM transmitter. Interesting... I went :-o:dizzy: when I saw the price of it :eek3:

Catty
 
I have Smartlink which I use with DAI on my HAs. It works OK while the person on the other end of the phone is speaking, but has one major problem. The Smartlink cuts out when it does not detect sound for more than a minute or so, so when someone asks you to hold, by the time they come back on the phone the Smartlink has cut out and you can't hear a thing, can't tell that they've come back and are talking to you!
 
djchur said:
I have Smartlink which I use with DAI on my HAs. It works OK while the person on the other end of the phone is speaking, but has one major problem. The Smartlink cuts out when it does not detect sound for more than a minute or so, so when someone asks you to hold, by the time they come back on the phone the Smartlink has cut out and you can't hear a thing, can't tell that they've come back and are talking to you!
Click to expand...

Ouch it apparently doesn't have "live" connection. When it goes silent, it cuts off. You can report a complaint to manufacture and maybe they can improve it.

:shrug:

Catty
 
purplecatty said:
:hmm: I have thought of that and I checked my Cochlear Americas (cuz I wear CI) and they do have Phonak wireless FM receiver and it did mentioned bluetooth which require Bluetooth to FM transmitter. Interesting... I went :-o:dizzy: when I saw the price of it :eek3:

Catty
Click to expand...

Hello Catty

I agree. It was my first reaction too, when I first learnt about "Smart link".
There are some more draw backs. You need to wear the neck loop, just because the FM antenna is included in the neck loop. The Smart link is rather complex device. It receives the sound via Bluetooth converts it to FM and transmits it to the hearing aids. It also handles the answer back and it handles the phone functions.

I am looking for a way of communicating directly with the hearing aids via the Bluetooth standard format. If the HA had Bluetooth receivers instead of T-coils it would work with a standard cell phone. As I can use all the standard functions of the cell phone, except for hearing the sound, I only need the amplification of the sound which is carried out in the HA’s.

If I must use a neck loop I would prefer a simple "Blues" neck loop.
Se my original message. If I do not find what I am looking for I will go on investigating, or testing the "Blues" neck loop.

Regards
 
djchur said:
I have Smartlink which I use with DAI on my HAs. It works OK while the person on the other end of the phone is speaking, but has one major problem. The Smartlink cuts out when it does not detect sound for more than a minute or so, so when someone asks you to hold, by the time they come back on the phone the Smartlink has cut out and you can't hear a thing, can't tell that they've come back and are talking to you!
Click to expand...

Hello djchur

This was interesting information. So the conclusion would be: Ask always for a test period before buying such an expensive device.

Regards
 
Lennart said:
Hello djchur

This was interesting information. So the conclusion would be: Ask always for a test period before buying such an expensive device.

Regards
Click to expand...

Fortunately I didn't have to pay for my Smartlink. I am a student at uni, and here in the UK we get Disabled Students Allowance to pay for any accommodations we need to study at uni.

Unfortunately it means that you don't get any choice about which fm system they provide.
 
djchur said:
Fortunately I didn't have to pay for my Smartlink. I am a student at uni, and here in the UK we get Disabled Students Allowance to pay for any accommodations we need to study at uni.

Unfortunately it means that you don't get any choice about which fm system they provide.
Click to expand...

Why don't you tell them that you "lost it" and they give you another one and mail it to us free
:naughty::naughty:;) :lol:

Catty
 
Sorry, don't think they'll be that generous, they'd probably make me pay for the next one!
 
Unfortunately that is difficult to possible you are not hear about to probleam. It is complex really problem with hearing aid or cochlear implant.

I cannot hear because I wish be become hearing but I don't understand what is happen. I want to talk to phone on cell phone or telephone.

That is not easy but hard sound. I understand what is happened communication to you. I'd know to up to you decided? I don't understand what ishappened. I understand
 
VamPyroX said:
What's wrong with using a neckloop?
Click to expand...

Hello VamPyroX

I have only experience of the neck loop of the "Duo", but the main disvantage is that it is in the way whatever you want to do. It hangs down in front of you when working. If you try to avoid the problem by wearing it underneath the shirt, then it does not function properly and the chafing against the cloth is making noise.

It also takes long time when switching from normal HA function to neck loop function. By the time I have spent switching two HA to T-coil position and switching on the DUO adjusted the volume, the persons I wanted to communicate with are already talking about something else.

This switching problem might be better with "Smart Link". That would be interesting to know. Does the "Smart Link" control the HA's so you only need to switch on one place?

The "DUO" with neck loop works fine when sitting still on a chair, but I do that very rarely.

Regards Lennart Sandqvist
 
The Smartlink is linked to your HAs by MicroMLxS receivers, attached to your HAs with audio input shoes. As long as you have your Smartlink and phone switched on to bluetooth, calls will come through automatically without your having to switch on anything. A drawback of this is that when you are using DAI you can not use other programmes on your HAs, like directional microphones, which makes it difficult to hear in noisy environments.
 
im not sure what kind of hearing loos you have, and you will have to forgivei do not know everything about hearing loss, terms or terms of this forum. but in order to answer your question

phonak nadia model, from my understanding is i guess for severe hearing loss. well these are bluetooth capable, they are not cheap but definitaley amazing! my boyfriend of 4 years has severe to profound hearing loss in both ears for reasons unknown, and he was the first of his audiologist to use these, in which case we are 20 and dont have alot of money and money from parents wasn't a question so we took it upon the state of illinois. its called the department of rehabilitation, check into if need be, they paid for these HA's and the iCOM. a total of $2,199 per ear and $300 for the iCOM.

anyways, they are bluetooth capable, by means of the iCOM, pair the iCOM with the HA's and the cell phone with the iCOM. now to explain the iCOM, it is kinda like a necklace, with a about 2in by 2in square on it thats about umm.. 1/2 in or less thick, simple pair all devices and when ur cell phone rings in your pocket, you don't even have to get it out of your pocket, simply press the button on the iCOM and talk away... my boyfriend was pleasantly surprised at the crisp clearness of this. when ur phone is in ur pocket and it is ringing, it rings in ur ear, and even has ur ring tone playing thru the HA's!!!

got a MP3 player thats not bluetooth? not a problem plug it into ur iCOM and listen away,

the possibilities are endless, phones, music, tv, lap top, car kits,.

check them out
Phonak Hearing Aids | Discount Prices | Save Up to 40%
his do not look just like that, looks more like the ha's with the ear models that go into the ear canal. they are great i suggest everyone that is technology up to date to check them out!!

u thought having a "T" coil capable phone made things easier... imagine crisp clear words. no "huh?"s "what'd u say?" and no more putting ur calls on speaker phone to hear better, make your call private again!!

hope this is usefull
 
Wow, what a wealth of information here, thanks to all. I'm a new user of this forum (today) and reading everything. I have a set of Naida IX arriving in about 5 weeks. I am very excited about using the Bluetooth connection to my cell phone. I see the iCom information above and it looks great but I also read about the Smartlink SX, as both seem to have the Bluetooth connectivity solution, but I'm confused as to what is best and what the purchase price is on each. Any suggestions as to the “best” solution? Thanks in advance.
 
Back
Top