Does Phonak TV Connector shut off your h/a microphones when it's streaming TV program audio?

My wife and I both have Phonak Lumity hearing aids and watch TV using a Phonak TV Connector. She has more serious loss than I do. When the Connector is on and feeding audio to the aids, or even when on with no program audio at the moment coming from the TV, she cannot hear my attempts to speak to her, nor any other ambient noise. I can hear her fine while I am receiving the streaming program audio via the TV Connector. Is there a problem with her hearing aids, as the microphones seem to be muted when the TV Connector is on and she is in range of it? Or is it simply that both our h/a microphones are muted but I am more able to still hear without the microphones? (My receivers are fitted with earmolds, which block more outside sounds than domes, but I can still hear to a useable extent even if the aids are switched off.)

No, ambient sound is still transmitted (I believe the balance can be set). However, people deal differently with simultaneous audio inputs. My wife listens to TV using Bose headphones hanging on her shoulders (Bluetooth) but is then totally unable to hear what others in the room say, even during times when hardly any audio comes from those speakers.

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See how her ambient balance is set in the app

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When the aids are connected to the Connector then the volume buttons control the ambient balance.
If that is the version 2 Connector then set the volume on the connector to the middle. It will play the middle sound (in the aids). Then, the aids volume will control their ambient. Going up in “volume” will increase the Connector sound and lessen the ambient. Going down will lessen the Connector and increase the ambient.
But it could be initial Connector settings in the programming.
I would then be curious that two sets of aids are simultaneously connecting to the Connector. Maybe when you have it set for you, is not sufficient for her. As you say, she has worse hearing.

Roger devices and the TV Connector can both connect simultaneously to unlimited pairs of hearing aids. I understand the customisation comes from the Target settings for each pair.

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Thank you. I didn’t know that. That’s cool. But does setting the Connector then affect all of the aids connected? I would think so.

I only have V1s, but yes, I would imagine the output volume would affect all aids connected.

There may be a setting in Target. The Hearing aid mic settings, may be the place to set hers. There’s an on/off checkbox in there as well. There’s a separate section for Roger Direct too

I happened to be at the audiologist yesterday talking about just this topic. Phonak Lumity 90’s with current tv adapter.

The audiologist can set the tv adaptor parameters to allow in more or less microphone sound. Apparently default is mics off or very low.

So have your wife’s audiologist reset this parameter.

Other alternative is adjustment in the app. But if you don’t save that adjustment, she will need to redo it each time.

I have the TV Connector and l often have to use the MyPhonak app to either mute the microphone or move the slider volume towards the TV because the room A/C unit is noisy.
If you can’t hear the person, you can increase the volume, make adjustments with the MyPhonak app on phone.