Noahlink on a Mac using Windows emulating with Paralles

Hearing Aid Self-Fitting and Adjusting [DIY]
#1

Hi everyone, is anyone using this setup?

I can’t get the Noahlink driver to install. It will install on a new Windows computer a friend has, but wont install on my 2020 MacBook Air running Monterey 12.6 and using Paralles 18 running Windows `11 emulation. The far from helpful Paralles support stated that the driver is not updated to run on a M1 series mac nad I have to get an updated driver. He just seemed to state this without much conviction though.

He stated that trying to have Windows emulate an older version won’t help.

Anybody have a workaround?

Thanks

Self-programming Widex Moments with a Mac?
#2

Yes, some ppl are running fitting software on a MAC using emulation. Here’s an excerpt for a DIY School PDF file named (04 Noahlink Wireless - Instructions For Use).

c1
c11536×508 159 KB

DIY School = Click any PVC Avatar, and then click PVC’s Featured Topic:

#3

https://www.amazon.com/HP-14-Laptop-Dual-Core-Processor/dp/B09VZR2BGN

About 200 bucks for this workaround and your problems with emulating Windows are over.

#4

Yeah yeah yeah… I know I know. Lol

1 Like
#5

Well, I just found out that it has to do with the type of hardware that’s in the computer. It’s not really a Mac thing, it’s any computer based upon ARM hardware. Of which all new Macs are based on that. And some windows computers are.

#6

I could also just buy a Mac that’s a few years old and run the emulation software on it. Lol

#7

Try downloading the latest drivers from here,

https://www.himsa.com/himsa_download/noahlink-wireless-downloads/

As a side note, I’m not having issues with ARM on one of my windows laptop.

#8

I was not able to get this to work with my M1 MacBook Air. Went down a big rabbit hole (having fun trying) by using an emulator that allows installation of a regular windows (x64). It runs very slow and eventually gave up and purchased a really nice small pc for 200 US$. GEEKOM MiniAir 11: Cheap Intel 11th Gen Celeron Mini PC

Comes with windows 11. I just use Remote Desktop from the Mac and good to go. Also bought a simple patch cable to be able to power it with a usb c adapter vs the rather large power brick it came with

All in all just a bit more than buying parallels and a license for windows

E.T.A.
Oh and the issue with Noahlink wireless is that they don’t have drivers that support running on ARM architecture. ARM-based Windows not supported for Noah or Noahlink Wireless – HIMSA

1 Like
#9

Thanks for that. I thought I would restate the problem for Apple computer users.

So I looked up the Apple M1 and M2 processors. Both are ARM architecture! So forget about emulation on these Apple system-on-chip (SoC) processors. It’s not the fault of the emulation software (Parallels/Boot Camp/VirtualBox/VMWare Fusion/Wine/etc). You can still use emulation.

However, as @drcrandon and @narenkona said, there is no working driver for our industry standard wireless hearing aid programming device, namely Noahlink Wireless! The inability to use Noahlink Wireless means that you cannot connect to many/most? modern wireless hearing aids for self-fitting and programming.

Bummer.

Jabra Pro 10 (or the new Pro 20) M&RIE (3rd mic)?
Using windows on a macbook pro (Intel) to program with Compass 4.4
#10

Yes, total bummer.

I had to purchase a cheap Windows computer just for this.

It’s also worth noting that it’s not just a Mac running Parallels emulation software for Windows, it also affects some Windows computers running ARM as well. My friend with a few years old Microsoft Surface Duo can’t use the Noahlink driver either.

On a related note…can anybody tell me how to get my new (annoying) Windows computer to just start up without asking me to “log in” or put in a password or send me a code via email?

And two, how to turn off whatever the setting is that will cause the computer to “press a button for me” whenever I hover the mouse pointer over a button for a few seconds, even though I have no intention of pressing that button?

Thanks!

#11

I don’t recall exactly all the tricks with Microsoft installation, But don’t ever open or create a Microsoft account. You don’t need it for anything useful whatsoever.

1 Like
#12

The computers on this list use ARM processors and therefore cannot use the industry standard Noahlink Wireless programming device because there is no ARM driver for Noahlink Wireless.

I don’t know if this list is complete? But at least it’s a starting point.

  • MacBook Air (M2, 2022)
  • MacBook Pro (13-inch, M2, 2022)
  • Mac Studio (2022)
  • MacBook Pro (14-inch, 2021)
  • MacBook Pro (16-inch, 2021)
  • iMac (24-inch, M1, 2021)
  • Mac mini (M1, 2020)
  • MacBook Air (M1, 2020)
  • MacBook Pro (13-inch, M1, 2020)
  • Lenovo ThinkPad X13s, Lenovo Flex 5G
  • HP Elite Folio
  • Acer Spin 7
  • Surface Pro X
  • Samsung Galaxy Book Go
  • Lenovo 10w

ETA: I updated the DIY School PDF file named
(04 Noahlink Wireless - Instructions For Use)
to include information about ARM processors.

Thanks to the Trail Blazers for this information.

2 Likes
Using windows on a macbook pro (Intel) to program with Compass 4.4
#14

Hello folks, long time no see :slight_smile:

I recently switched to macos after 20 years of linux, and today I’ve started reading on the topic of ‘how to install win and phonak target and noahlink wireless’ and if it’s even possible.

Based on what I’m seeing here, and what I’ve read so far, it seems that I’d need emulation, and not virtualization. So something like UTM, I’ve tried searching on forum but didn’t find if anyone used it @tenkan do you know more (I see pvc is again suspended :frowning: )

Also, if someone knows about other DIY hearing aid forums, let me know.

This article gave me a bit of hope that maybe fitting my aids (still paradises) could be somehow possible on mac?
https://nomadic-dmitry.medium.com/apple-silicon-m1-how-to-run-x86-and-arm-virtual-machines-on-it-cdd9d9054483

I didn’t tried yet, first I’m reading. Also, I have to find where is my NLW device at all, still haven’t unpacked fully from the move ca 2 years ago :rofl:

#15

Yes it’s possible with a number of members stating they have set this using “bootcamp” and others, but unfortunately that’s not available on later Mac OS
(M1 from 2020 by the looks of it)
So “Parallels” is supposedly the easiest way (but it comes at a cost!)
What’s free I don’t know if you have the latest Mac?
Another big problem is Noahlink wireless can’t be used with “ARM” based chips.
@Blacky possibly a cheap windows PC just for your HAs may be a solution.

#17

Hi Blacky. I tried using UTM last September - see my post above. My MacBook Air M1 wasn’t powerful enough for me to get an x86 Windows up and running. And at least back then, UTM had trouble with windows 10 and 11, so I had to resort to windows 7…. Which then I couldn’t get the HA so to run on.

As I wrote in my post above, I ended up buying a really small pc. It’s on sale right now for US $129. It’s small enough I take it w me on vacations in case I want to tweak my aids. If you end up going this route I can add here the couple of extra items I bought to make it all work seamlessly .

Naren

1 Like
#18

@tenkan , I agree if using an M1 or M2 Mac, the easiest (only?) way is to get a mini pc….

#19

I nagged husband to finally buy himself a gaming win machine, so now I have win in the house. I still didn’t do tweaks despite machine being in the house since New Year :woman_facepalming: I guess annoyances I’d like to tweak aren’t THAT annoying :rofl:

1 Like
#20

Congrats! I used to do a ton of customizing on windows…. Now, not so much anymore