Yes you’re right. Ironically I had posted this information myself earlier in this thread. The new app will allow remote control functions without the phone clip, but you’re absolutely correct that this will not include streaming.
I haven’t heard anyone giving any near term hope to direct streaming with Android. The Android operating system is not proprietary -so Google licensing won’t be needed. However, if Google is working with HA manufacturers I haven’t heard of it. In fact see further below for evidence to the contary.
Things are broken for Resound and Android. At present the Resound LINX App ONLY works with the Samsung Galaxy S5 and also apparently no longer functions at all now that Samsung has updated the phone’s operating system from Android Kit Kat to Android Lollipop. It does not sound like Resound and Google are talking with each other does it?
This is frustrating for Android users. There are hundreds if not thousands of Android apps that function properly across various manufacturers devices and Android operating system versions - hearing aids being notably absent.
I use KS5 with Phone clip and Android. Having had this “almost but not quite as good” solution, I look forward to being able to ditch the intermediary device with my next HA’s. I guess time will tell whether I have to give up Resound or give up Android.
Quoting from the Android Play Store:
The ReSound Smart™ app is compatible with the following devices:
Samsung Galaxy® S5
Running Android OS version 4.4.2-4.4.4 ”Kit-kat” and above.
Not compatible with OS 5.0 “Lollipop”.
The ReSound Smart™ app enables you to control and personalize your hearing experience – intuitive and discretely.
It is the first hearing aid app with a direct connection between your ReSound Smart hearing aids and your Android mobile device. ??????????????????????????I think the point here is that it still does not directly stream audio from the phone to the hearing aids. That does not look to be an option for the foreseeable future. I had spoken with a tech guy at ReSound, about the forth coming App for the KS6, and he reiterated that it would allow remote control functions directly to the hearing aids (volume, program, bass, treble, and I think the GPS-related functions), but it would not allow media streaming directly. The Phone Clip + would still be needed for that.
One tech also stated that the ReSound branded android apps would not work with the KS6, which required the Kirkland Signature Navigator app. I haven’t tested this, so am only going by what he is stating.
One tech also stated that the ReSound branded android apps would not work with the KS6, which required the Kirkland Signature Navigator app. I haven’t tested this, so am only going by what he is stating.
…how silly. If there is not a real issue then lets just create one.
KS6 Streaming fading. I have received the following email from ks6userportal.com:
Thank you for contacting Costco Member Support.
There is a firmware update coming in May that should solidify the connectivity issues with streaming. In the meantime, there are steps you can take to reestablish a strong connection with your phone in the meantime. If you need clarification or a more detailed explanation, please call 844-833-1133.
-go to Settings>General>Accessibility>Hearing Aids
-Tap on the circled ‘I’ next to the name of your device.
-Forget this device
-Make sure Bluetooth is off on any other mobile devices nearby (aside from your iPhone), like other smartphones or tablets.
-Then perform a hard reset. (Hold down the Home and Power buttons SIMULTANEOUSLY and the power will shut off, and keep holding until the Apple logo shows up again. Then release both buttons)
-Once the phone is rebooted, return to Settings>General>Accessibility>Hearing Aids.
-Open and close hearing aid battery doors.
-Under ‘My Devices’ on your phone, now you should see the name of your hearing aid in black font.
-Tap directly on the name of the hearing aids and it should go from black to blue.
-You will see 2 popup messages that ask you to pair your hearing aids. Accept them both and shortly you will hear a tone in one ear and then the other indicating that the connection has been established.
Thanks,
Jamison Rasbury | Consumer Technical Support Specialist
Phone: 844-833-1133
Your tech support rep confused the models. The firmware update is for the LiNX2, not the KS6.
The contact was thru the KS6 site? Hoping! May is around the corner.
There is no technical reason Android couldn’t have direct streaming. Apple/Resound are using BLE to stream the audio, which is not a “standard” protocol yet, but this is how protocols get changed, someone develops a way, and it becomes a standard. This is especially true in the development of Bluetooth.
But having said that, I think the use of the Phone Clip+ is a better solution today than the iphone direct streaming because of the microphone issue. I do like the features of the new app, but they are not necessarily dependent on a direct connection.
At bit of a high-jack here, but… Is everyone finding the certified audiologist support at Costco to be comparable to a standard medical clinic, or maybe my HMO in Washington State (Group Health)? I would like the confidence to know that the testing and support is all there if I decide on these HAs. Thank You
I have had better results and treatment at Costco than the ENT Audiologist practice I went to prior.
Houston, TX, Costco on Bunker Hill. The certified audiologist support I had there was excellent and compared favorably to the serviced I have had at Houston Ear Nose and Throat in the past. Testing and support was very professional.
Hi all:
got my KS6’s today and love them. Tricky pairing but finally did. At first, it would only see one HA. After trying everything, what worked was being sure I closed battery doors exactly at the same time. My question has to do with listening to music on the iPhone. I hear the music only in the left HA while the right HA is open to hear the surroundings. Is that the way it supposed to work or is there a setting I’m not familiar with?
You should hear the streamed signal in both ears. If you open up the Choice app and check the Connection screen, does it show both hearing aids connected?
Hi Rasmus:
yes it it shows both. Also the hearing aid settings in iPhone are set to stream to both HA’s. Possibly it is a software setting. I’ll check this out in two weeks when I have my next follow-up.
Btw I had to turn off wifi at one point to get any streaming. Then I was able to turn it back on without losing the streaming (left ha only though).
I’m really disappointed at the Costco I went to. They are so loud that I cannot put them all the way in my ears, they have to be at least half way out or more, she said that she can’t turn them down anymore, and I could do it on my I phone, well I have the volume all the way down and called another Costco and told them my problem. The other Costco called the Costco I went to and then the women who said she couldn’t turn them down called me and was upset that I made her look bad.
in the meantime I’m trying to work with these things and it is very difficult, I’m a waitress and everything is so loud, so that’s why I have them not even half way in my ears, made another appt at a different Costco, but can’t get in until Tuesday. Oh boy, my poor ears
I can feel where you are coming from. The day I was fitted the store was wall-to-wall. I really don’t notice much difference between the auto and the noise program. I am sure it can be made better but the default prescriptive setting for noise seems puny.
Something wrong here. I can hear music in both ears when playing music on my iPhone and I never had to turn off WiFi. Lots of times I’ll be connected to the internet with WiFi and open the YouTube app and listen to videos and it works fine. Nothing like listening to Anna Kendricks do Steal My Girl on Spike’s Linc Sync Battle when everyone thinks I’m working at my desk.
Forgot to mention that when I first got mine the left side kept going in and out so the audi reloaded the program again and it has not been an issue since. If you are hearing in only one ear I would ask that the programming be reloaded and see if that corrects it.
LouisInTexas, when I am streaming anything (music, phone call, etc) my wife can hear it from up to five feet away. And I don’t have it blasting into my ears by any means. Streaming into hearing aids can be heard by others nearby (maybe it depends on the buds that are used).