Same here. Telecoil either wasn’t an option or was more expensive. @s.haude1805 do you need to be in a certain program to activate telecoil? Where else is telecoil useful? I know some broadway theaters offer it. Can a pair of HAs be upgraded for telecoil, do you know @Um_bongo?
There are four programmes on my OPN1’s. Normal (1 bleep), Speech in crowds (2 bleeps), Music (3 bleeps) and Telecoil (4 bleeps) operated either by the rocker button on the HA’s or my option remote control. I do not use (or need) streaming at all. I doubt a non-telecoil model could be upgraded. As I said, it’s a teeny bit larger to accomodate the coil.
Most churches, theatres, cinema’s, railway stations, buses, larger shops in the UK have loop systems for telecoil. These are usually indicated by a logo sign.
I haven’t found a use for using iPhone as remote mic. I tested it with ReSound LiNX, Oticon Opn1 and Signia Pure 312 Nx7.
I ended up choosing Signia and purchased StreamLine mic, which can be used as remote mic. That makes more sense than putting my phone at a distance.
But, frankly, I haven’t found much use for it as remote mic. For me, the problem is you can only start it from the mic itself, so you can’t adjust relative volumes volume once you place it across the room/table or turn it on again. You can turn it off, but you have to have it back in your hand to re-start.
Cheers.
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Does the Oticon Connect Clip require any intervention from the Audiologist or is it connectable right out of the box with a pair of OPN1 & iphone? thank you.
I think you need firmware 5 update on your OPN for it to work with the Connect Clip.
There are some programming options in the new version of Genie 2 specific to the Connect Clip that you can set up, too
Are there other features available w a firmware upgrade? Does Oticon charge for that?
@MrAerodynamic if you read the early part of this thread, lot of questions about usefulness of remote mic— though all agree if issues could be resolved it could be an amazing feature that many would want.
Firmware 4 update for the OPN brought Speech Rescue, a significantly new frequency lowering technology free of charge. It also brought several built in programs like for music and Speech in noise and Lectures, etc.
Firmware 5 update brought the Connect Clip support and the restoration of the in-situ audiometry.
Of course these firmware updates also improve the stability of the MFI connectivity.
All firmware updates are free of charge.
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Curious if one bought hearing aids in an “unbundled” approach if firmware updates would be free. Definitely a downside of online providers unless one is self programming–one would never know about and have a way to get updates.
There’s no guarantee that the hearing professional will bother notifying you about any update if you don’t know any better or bug them enough.
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I had to bug my provider to do the firmware 4 update on my OPN. I did the firmware 5 update myself after I bought the hardware to do so. My provider NEVER informed me about the firmware 5 update.
There’s no charge by the manufacturer for firmware updates, but a hearing care professional needs to cover the costs of running a business, including opportunity cost. Performing an update can take nearly 30 minutes depending on which programming device is used. Multiply this by hundreds of patients and you can see how expensive it becomes.
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No argument from me, although I would expect them to be “free” if I bought a bundled package. Really seems like there’s an opportunity to use adjunct staff to do some of the tasks that audiologists end up doing. Updates come to mind, as does helping a patient download and figure out a smartphone app. I took up a fair amount of an audiologist’s time trying to get an app to load until finally I said I’d take care of it at home.
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Don’t think so. They can only be managed by licensed individuals. Certainly more restricting than the environment you come from. Your idea has merit; it’s just illegal.
Licensing is a form of monopoly. That’s how so many licensed profession work; even outside the medical area.
I claim no knowledge of audiology licensing, but generally somebody just needs to be supervised by a professional. I find it really hard to believe that it would be illegal for a clerk to help a patient download a smartphone app and pair it with the hearing aids. Not sure where “the line” would be. Costco uses clerks to clean hearing aids and change domes and filters.
I talked with the clerk at my Costco. She was there alone. I was picking up a repair. I suggest she just copy in what was stored which is what the HAD would do. She said she couldn’t and that it was illegal. She is in training to become a HAD. She can only have training with product under supervision until she has her license.
Of course, states do the licenses so it may be possible elsewhere. Doubt it though.
Not quite sure I understand what your request was (copying data as in giving you a copy) or copying data into the hearing aids (I’m guessing this one) Although seemingly “low level”, it’s still programming the hearing aids. Downloading a smart phone app is not. Doing an update seems like it would be a grey area. It’s doing something to the hearing aids, but it’s not doing anything to change the prescription. I didn’t look at specific licensing requirements but a position of audiology assistant seems to be recognized that seems like it’s just on the job training under the supervision of an audiologist.
No problem in Canada. Support staff can use the software to pair accessories or run updates, as long as they never touch the gain controls.
I’ve seen a few patients who have made good use of the Table Mic. They are turn-taking, so they don’t all transmit at the same time. It is a first-speaker-wins situation, so they really are more for business meetings than social situations where people talk over eachother. It is also uncommon here for users to purchase them directly. Workplaces purchase them for accessibility. Generally I’d prefer CART captioning for workplace meeting accessibility.
What table mic do you mean? Is there one that will work with any hearing aids employees may be wearing?
Phonak Roger Table Mic 2.
There may have to be special options put into place, but most hearing aids will access them, some better than other. Some newer RIC hearing aids with no T-coil and no other FM input option won’t be able to use them. Like the Opn 1 miniRITE, for example.
I have used the older Phonak fm system that used the tcoil in the aid and the receiver around the neck. That system was no joke. It was powerful and had better fidelity than the mfi derived mics offered by Oticon, Signia, and Resound. I will say that Resound’s multi-mic has good reproduction of sound. When I find a good Roger system at a good price, I am going to buy it. It isn’t worth what Phonak wants to charge…not to me, but at half that…maybe.
The OPN 1 mic is useful for small lectures or restaurants where you have one person you want to hear and you have them wear the mic.
I used my multi-mic in a loud restaurant with my wife. My discrimination shot up to darn near 100%