More than one Bluetooth Connectivity

Hearing Aids
#21

Big deal! The HA’s are still effectively connected with two devices at the same time - that’s why I noted in my original comment:

I should imagine the Paradise connection is superior, being direct, the latency ought to be lower, but for many uses, the latency, once streaming gets started, won’t matter very much. I don’t notice latency much in phone conversations and for me it’s ~irrelevant in listening to audio podcasts. Latency for me is most apparent when using anything involving video and I remember latency showing up mainly as a delay for audio getting started when video gets started but thereafter I don’t remember noticing a big problem in lip synch.

So functionally, there’s at least one other hearing aid brand that offers “More than one Bluetooth Connectivity” to a variety of its HA models, some of them several years old. Perhaps there are devices available from Phonak, which like the PC+, effectively allow Phonak HA’s older than the Paradise to be effectively connected to more than one device at a time. IMHO, that might be a more productive direction for the thread to go than quibbling, “But ReSound’s multiple connections, although they exist, aren’t direct!” And when you have to spend upwards toward $7K for some of the HA’s were talking about, using an accessory for multiple connectivity is hardly the end of the world when some people carry around Roger Selects, Multi Mics, etc., with them all the time for other reasons. Maybe some folks don’t need a remote mic but wouldn’t mind carrying around a very small accessory that gives them multiple simultaneous connectivity with two devices (pairable with up to 8 devices).

#22

I tend to agree with you that adding an extra device in general shouldn’t be that big of a deal, but from most of the comments on the forum I get the feeling it is. People seem to want their hearing aid to do it all. Lots of hearing aids offer some sort of device that will offer connectivity and if one is creative enough one can figure out a way to stream from just about anything. I think Blacky is correct that currently Paradise offers unique connectivity. My impression is that there is much more in common with currently available hearing aids than there are differences so any criteria one wants to use to choose one is reasonable.

#23

But should you pay $5K to $7K, perhaps to get the connectivity with Paradises, when if you could tide yourself over for a little bit with a device like the PC+ that would solve a “multiple connectivity” issues in the interim, in a little bit you’d have a wide range of choices for HA’s offering many more benefits in BT connectivity than the Paradises. That’s why I said a more promising direction for the thread would be “How can I get multiple BT connectivity out of my current HA’s (whatever brand) until BT LE Audio arrives in the next year (or two, at most)?!” It would be interesting if ReSound has sold a device for years that allows multiple classic BT connectivity with one’s HA’s and Phonak only managed to figure that out recently with the Paradises and there’s no other way to get it but to spend $5K to $7K for the Paradises (depending on your provider and your insurance coverage, etc) for that sort of connectivity. Given the great technology and versatility of Phonak devices, I’d like to believe there’s some Phonak accessory that offers multiple BT connectivity at the same time to other Phonak HA’s. And the other aspect is that I’d surmise that multiple device connectivity in BT LE Audio will not be backwards compatible to classic BT, will it? So I think with a future ReSound HA, you’ll get the multiple BT LE Audio connectivity but still be able to have your cake and eat it, too, by using the PC+ for multiple classic BT connectivity - although will both BT LE Audio and classic BT connectivity work at the same time? I don’t think the interesting thing for Phonak (or any other brand) is exactly how much BT connectivity is offered now but when BT LE Audio is out, is there any brand that can offer multiple connectivity, no matter whether the connections are classic BT or BT LE Audio??? A brand that can mix and match and handle both types simultaneously would be a winner and maybe it will be Phonak?! That would be worth waiting a year or so to get, IMHO (maybe the Paradises can already do that after a firmware update and Phonak just hasn’t revealed all to us yet?!).

#24

Yup, it’s my impression also.

Not to mention that it often has to be CIC/ITE aid as well.

This is also completely true.
I’d only make distinction oticon approach vs others.

Everything else I think it boils down to lifestyle preferences.

@jim_lewis I feel attacked.
I simply answered the question OP asked.

I agree that offering another solutions is cool, however, you don’t need to bite around to send the message over.

Also, you mentioned the intermediary device and not aids themselves and I must say that I don’t know for all aids how their accessories are called. Eg your first post would be more helpful if it were to provide full information and not focus on proving whatever it is that you wanted to prove.

And when you mentioned select.
For the very reason I wanted select, I decided against testing starkey and resound because I didn’t want one more device to charge and carry around, their intermediary devices. Plus, it would be more expensive solution than going with phonak directly. Plus it’s not that I have to carry select around all the time, as intermediary device should be carried for me having older android phone. And I don’t want to buy new phone as well.

I totally get if someone is on the market for the new aid and wants some specific feature.
I definitely wanted convenience, since it exists.

Plus, as I said, for my situation, the cheapest way was phonak.

If someone asks for alternatives / cheaper ways, I’ll brainstorm.
However, I still think you overreacted and brought tension where it wasn’t necessary.

I think everyone should be able to ask whatever questions they want to know answers for. You are also free to open topics to share your insights.

I tend to answer the questions people ask, and since question from OP was who has this, NOW, the answer is simple.

What the future brings is unknown. Who wants to wait, sure, do that, it makes sense.
However, who doesn’t, because they have immediate needs, and they even explained them, suggesting waiting isn’t helpful.

Not every topic has to have philosophical discussions. Some people open topic to get their answer. And it’s much tidier if we open topics for things inspired by other topics and not continue under old topic.

#25

The original post question, and it didn’t say, it had to be a direction connection, and the answer is “YES, there is at least one other HA brand in which multiple models of that brand for years back can support multiple connectivity (through an intermediary device).”

The average premium HA costs about $5K or more so I don’t think opining as to what you might get shortly as opposed to what you get now is just a “philosophical” discussion. We already know that ReSound Ones will be BT LE Audio capable. Samsung phones and others containing the Qualcomm 888 chip will be. Apple as member of the BT LE Audio SIG will undoubtedly offer its version of BT LE Audio. So very shortly, it’s likely that ReSound through BT 5.2 and LC3 and the PC+ will offer both multiple connectivity to BT LE Audio devices and to classic BT devices, maybe not both types of BT connectivity simultaneously. That’s closer to fact than philosophy. Hope Phonak will be there, too, as I’m very interested in whatever Phonak is offering in a year or two and multiple BT connectivity with Phonak now is not a killer feature (for me) as I’ve already had it with ReSound for years.

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#26

Not realising the complexity of this subject, I wish to thank everybody for their input as this has been a steep learning curve for me.

So the intent of my original question to is get away from my Siemens EasyTek Neck Loop all together. So the new HA has to be able to connect directly (without an intermediary device) to 2 different devices al the same time, in this case my iPhone and my Dell Laptop. The paradise can make 8 pairings, so my MacBook, iMac & TV (though this may have to be through the TV device) would be the other additional pairings etc.

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#27

When using the TV connector it does not count as one of the two connections with Phonak Paradise aids. That’s one of the great things about using it not to mention no latency.

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#28

And because of that, I seem to recall a number of Phonak Marvel users used the TV Connector as a way to achieve additional connections for a computer as well as a TV - although don’t you have to switch between them? -but perhaps you can still field an incoming phone call while streaming thru the Phonak TV connector? The Phonak TV connector is a relative bargain, on the order of $100 or so - as opposed to connectors for some other brand HA’s

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#29

The phone has priority in my case or it did until the implant. While watching TV if a phone call came in, the TV connection would stop and the phone took priority. After the phone call the TV connection would come back on automatically.

The TV connector is lots of bang for the buck in my opinion for the Marvel and Paradise Phonak users.

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#30

I am seeing that 5K-7K USD price tags which is prett scary. You can have P90 R 3500-4000 USD range in İstanbul Turkey.

If anyone needs help about it, i’ll gladly help.

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#31

Hi
Have you tried the compilot Ii loop. I currently use it to support three sources , Windows 10, TV and Samsung phone. The phone and TV are pretty reliable, but the laptop does dropout frequently, particularly when using Teams. Don’t know how to validate the connectionn, before joining a call.
Let me know how you get on with this option

Rgds

Geoff McMullen

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#32

I just upgraded to P90s, seduced by the promise of the Bluetooth connectivity. They work really well with my iPhone but whatever I do, I cannot get them to work with Microsoft Teams. I see that they are coupled with my Windows 10 PC, but when I try the test call facility in Teams, Teams hears nothing and neither do I! I’m a Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer specialising in Teams so this is a bit embarrassing!
The strange thing is that I hear all other PC sounds and can also use Windows sound recorder to record test speech using the P90s. So Windows works with both the microphone and headphones represented by the P90s, just not Teams.
I’m not too proud to ask for help on this - my Paradise experience would be complete if I could get this to work!
Greetings from Switzerland!

#33

We are also using Teams on my workplace and my P90 R works perfectly. You probably misconfigured something.

#34

When you are in a Teams meeting, go to the the dots and select Device Settings. You’ll see two options for Speaker and Microphone. Select your hearing aids for both.

I’ve noticed it comes out really loud. You can you into your Volume Settings on your computer and you’ll see Teams settings (and all your other open applications). You can manually set the volume output for each application.

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#35

I don’t have the same needs as other folks here. I don’t watch TV much. I have an iPhone and iPad, not an android device. I have two Windows 10 music workstations, not a Mac or Chromebook. My wife is sensitive to noise - especially what I call “music” while I’m practicing on my digital piano. So using good headphones - not speakers - is critical. I’m creating music (my opinion), not just listening to music. So I have to hear the best, truest quality music output to ensure that my recordings will sound normal to others who are not hearing impaired.

And I use both my iPad and iPhone constantly. So being able to smoothly switch between the two is very important. For example… I have my Widex HAs paired on my iPhone and iPad. This morning is was listening to a Phonak YouTube review on my iPad connected via Bluetooth. Then a phone call came in on my iPhone. I stopped the video and accepted the iPhone call. (Voice through the iPhone, not the HA, because the iPhone’s Bluetooth was disabled.)

After the phone call was finished, I went back to the iPad video. The video played OK, but there was NO sound!!! iPhone Bluetooth was still disabled and iPad Bluetooth still enabled. I rebooted the iPad. Now iPad sound via Bluetooth was working fine!

This is where we all need to evaluate the vendor’s claims carefully. A feature may work. But not all the time. And under all conditions. And with the same quality. And still meeting your expectations. That’s where this gets tough - ensuring that it works to meet your specific wants and needs.

My wants and needs are:

  1. To use headphones over my HAs withOUT hearing feedback (squealing)
  2. Very good speech and music quality through the HAs
  3. To Bluetooth-connect to two different devices simultaneously or switch smoothly

My first choice was the Oticon More HA. The More should meet the first two requirements, but I started having qualms when I found out that the More could NOT meet the third. That’s why I’m interested in the Phonak and getting one soon.

Regards,

Dan.

#36

I’d just turn bt off and on, not reboot whole device. :lazy:

But if you didn’t use the bt for that call but regular hearing program in your aids (how did you swtich that?), that sounds more like you didn’t switch back to the program that allows streaming. Like, using app on phone to put it back in streaming mode. If app allows that. Or if aids automatically do the switch, then closing the player on ipad and/or starting the video from the list (not just clicking continue) could initiate the needed kick.

At least, such behaviour I’ve noticed with paradises.

So if I switch from laptop streaming to phone call, and come back, and no sound, my steps are:

  • go back in playlist and start the video again;
  • restart the player and start the video;
  • restart the bt and patiently wait and try again;
  • shut down all unneeded bts on other devices;
  • restart the aids and patiently wait
  • restart the laptop and patiently wait for everything to connect

Can’t recall when was it the last time when I needed to do step 3, let alone any further.
But when I didn’t get it how it works, I even went up to restarting laptop, aids and disconnecting to all other devices before that. Not to mention endless frustration when it didn’t do what I wanted.

In short - playing after stopping the stream might not kick it off, but restarting the stream most probably will.
Unless you’re not in auto mode on aids and you need to manually switch program on aids.

Also everything from the phone takes precedence.
That includes notifications which activate the stream. :joy:

I don’t think there exist perfect aids, however, the more you understand how they really work, you can work with them more smoothly.

Also, which aids those were?

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#37

Hello @SkX, could you advise what settings you use in Teams?

#38

Hello Bulk, did you figure the Teams settings in the end? I have the same issues

#39

Just select the preferred input and output device as your HA, that was all.

1 Like
#40

Hello deanvowden - I am Richard.
No, unfortunately not. I even purchased an ASUS Bluetooth 5 dongle - no improvement.
Unfortunately it seems some people have trouble getting it to work and for others it just works!
Did you try the Teams “Make a test call”? That simply does not work for me, even though the HA is selected as both microphone and headset.
I start to think it is something to do with the combination of Bluetooth hardware and drivers. Very frustrating for me as both a Microsoft Windows specialist and a Teams specialist!
I have not given up yet and will post here if things improve.

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