Philips Hearlink first Impressions

Hearing Aids
#85

@piques46 That’s disappointing that the volume control on your DAC does very little to reduce the volume output of the RCA out. It’s supposed to be able to turn down the volume completely off if that’s what you want. What’s the point of having it if it doesn’t do its job? I’d reach out to the manufacture of that device and ask them what’s up with that, and mention that you want to return the unit and give them a bad review on Amazon. When I did the same thing with my HDMI splitter (it doesn’t do something as claimed as part of a functionality), the customer support people refunded me the cost of the device and told me I could just keep it because it wasn’t worth the cost for Amazon (and eventually the mfg) to pay for the return shipping.

I also want to clarify that if you turn down the Mic Relative to TV Adapter setting down by -3 dB, it will turn the HAs’ mics volume down but keep the TV Adapter streaming volume the same. If your issue is that by turning down the overall volume of your iPhone down because the TV Adapter is too loud, resulting in the mic volume being turned down as well and making it harder to hear people talking around you, then you’d actually want to turn up the Mic Relative to TV Adapter setting so you can hear people talking better instead.

Also, I thought that you can separate out the mic volume and the streaming volume on the smart phone app or the MFI control window of your iPhone. So you can temporarily make the adjustment there until you get your HCP to make the permanent adjustment for you on the Philiops HearSuite.

#86

I tried to use the analog audio out signal on my TV to feed into the RCA jacks on the streamer, but I could not make that work at all - no sound coming through to the hearing aids. The TV adapter didn’t seem to be “connecting” with my hearing aids - the green light on the streamer never came on when I pressed the right side hearing aid button.

So I then tried a digital-to-analog converter (which has no volume control) and used it to convert the digital TOS from the TV into the analog RCA jacks into the streamer. The streamer’s green light DID come on and fed the sound into my hearing aids. However the default volume is the same as it was before with just digital input from the TV into the streamer - still just a bit too loud.

#87

With regard to the DAC, it was hard to find one that was Dolby-compatible and had a volume control–which turned out to be a teeny-tiny button on each side to be pressed in for volume up or (on the other side) for volume down of the analog output. A joke, really, since I heard no change either way. I had been hoping for a volume dial with calibrations, but no such luck. The unit was purchased “used” from Amazon Warehouse, so I could try to return it or at least complain but not sure even a replacement would be any better since it was such a cheesy control.

As far as the adapter controls for ‘streaming’ and ‘surroundings’ I understand what you are saying; however, it is absolutely true that the ‘surroundings’ volume affects the ‘streaming’ volume, making it louder or softer with clicks either way, even though it’s only supposed to affect the microphone, not the electronic signal from the streamer. So that’s why I’d like to have my fitter try turning down the surroundings threshold by -3db. I don’t understand the audio physics of why this is happening, but it is happening nonetheless. I realize adjusting the surroundings setting down might make conversation in the room harder to hear, but it doesn’t seem to when I turn it down slightly by hand.

Finally, with regard to the MFI control on my iPhone, I have tried to adjust the settings for microphone and streamer and, guess what? The Philips app defaults the streamer volume to the ear-splitting 84db setting on the streamer. Adjusting the mic volume there would probably revert to the default for that, which at 64db, seems okay anyway. I suspect the mic/streamer (surroundings) volume on the Philips app is really some sort of hybrid, and that’s why the streaming volume is affected by changing it.

#88

Hm, I think maybe the Philips phone app is buggy. When using either the Oticon ON app or the iPhone MFI menu, I don’t recall having any issue of the mic sliders and the TV Adapter sliders operating and giving independent results accordingly.

#89

I need to backtrack a little bit and announce some better news: I tried again to use the DAC volume buttons, which require repeated clicks on one side of the unit for ‘up’ and the other side for ‘down’. I didn’t think they were working, but after repeated clicks for down I actually muted the output, and then one or two clicks up from that produced a very comfortable volume for the streamer, even as the default on the app was still in effect. Long story short, I think the DAC will now work with the Philips streamer and control the too-loud default setting, even without further adjustments to the HearSuite settings. Here is the link to that DAC on Amazon if @Jack_F or anyone else wishes to order one:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07PGCZT45/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

#90

That’s good to hear. I guess you were assuming that holding down on the “-” volume button would continuously reduce the volume to 0, but it sounds like it requires incremental clicks with each click corresponding to a set amount of reduction. I would prefer the incremental clicks in this case to help me know where I’m at because there’s no visual indication to let you know.

#91

I’d suggest you try this DAC with volume control and press the volume down button repeatedly till it mutes, then come up one or two clicks till it’s comfortable: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07PGCZT45/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

One problem I had is that this unit comes with no power supply so you’ll need a 5-V USB plug plus an older style USB 2 cable. If you look closely at the DAC image on Amazon you can see the shape of the “mini B” connection the cable end will have to fit. Inconvenient, but I had one lying around. All in all, still worth it to control that too-loud streamer volume.

#92

Well, I had figured it took clicks, but nothing perceptible had happened with half a dozen or more so I thought it wasn’t working. Really glad I tried again and hit paydirt.

The other problem with this DAC is that it came with no power supply so I had to find a 5V USB plug and older USB-2 style cable, which arrangement I will just leave plugged in since it draws little current. That way too I shouldn’t have to reset the volume control.

#93

New wrinkle: The TV Adapter was working better with the analog signal, but after being on for 10-15 minutes that signal cuts out and I get no audio unless I reconnect the DAC power supply (also tried a different adapter), and then the same thing happens 10-15 minutes later. So I’ve gone back to the Toslink digital audio and just try to deal with the volume spikes by turning down the adapter streaming volume while waiting to speak to my HAS at Costco and hopefully getting an appointment to try further tweaks to the Hear Suite streamer settings. At this point I am ready to return the DAC.

BTW, Philips advertises remote adjustments through the HearLink Connect app, which I downloaded weeks ago, but last I heard the fitter said they are still working through problems with that and he’s unable to use it to adjust my HAs. I am rapidly getting fed up with Philips.

#94

I think I tried to warn you in the other thread Oticon OPN 1 and TV Streamer the following:

I suspect that this is what you’re experiencing. You analog audio in to the TV Adapter from your DAC is set too low, below a threshold level that the TV Adapter deems to have an active analog audio going on. So after several minutes, the TV Adapter will go into standby to save energy. By recycling the DAC’s power supply, you probably started an initial large enough spike that wakes up the TV Adapter from standby again.

So the trick is to find a hot enough level of input from the analog audio going into the TV Adapter from the DAC that will keep the TV Adapter from going into standby and continue to be awake, but not too hot like the Toslink that would blow your ear drums off. I don’t know what this hot analog level needs to be, but hopefully by experimenting with it, you’ll find a working hot enough level and it’d still be acceptable to you and not too hot like your Toslink level.

#95

That could indeed be the case! But if so, then the problem becomes whether it’s worth it to be constantly adjusting the DAC volume to keep it from becoming undetectably low yet having it at a comfortable level that beats using the digital Toslink signal directly. The default RCA is nearly as loud as the default Toslink. After all, I turned it down low for a reason. The other question is whether it will wake up from standby from the low setting that’s most comfortable if I just raise the volume up a few clicks rather than having to unplug/replug each time it goes off. Anyway, I got permission to return the item to Amazon for a refund but will still try to get it working in the middle ground you suggest before I give up on it.

#96

The hope is that once you find a mid-ground “warm” enough level to keep the TV Adapter from falling to standby, but not too hot, then you wouldn’t need to keep adjusting that volume level anymore.

If that “warm” level is still too hot for your liking, then you can return it at that point and you won’t regret returning it too soon and didn’t try it first. So you’re doing the right thing to give it another try first before returning.

#97

I’m still really hoping that Philips will modify their program to allow for a lower default volume on the TV adapter. I’ll ask about this when I have my next appointment later this month. For now, I continue to turn the volume down 2 clicks every time a switch to the TV Adapter.

#98

I was able to get the digital-to-analog converter set at a volume that did decrease the tv adapter’s blast at the default volume (without going into standby), but it’s not a perfect solution inasmuch as there is now a bit of latency that makes it difficult to have the TV speaker on for my partner while I listen through the transmitter. And there are annoying Bluetooth issues sometimes when I use the adapter. Meanwhile there is only silence from Philips despite my vigorous complaints. Not only is there not yet an updated HearLink app to address the default volumes, there also appears to be no movement toward making the HearLink Connect app work so my Costco fitter can make remote adjustments. I had wanted to try having him lower the surroundings setting for the TV adapter. If the frustration continues, I am thinking more and more of returning the Philips products to Costco and trying another brand. The TV adapter in particular seems much more primitive than ReSound or KS10 (Phonak), And the lack of being able to keep user volume settings or adjust defaults is simply intolerable. Very disappointing!

#99

Would this be the same for your hearing aids, as in a firmware update to help the issue with the TV box?

#100

As I understand it, my Philips HearLink 9030 (made by Demant) TV Adapter would be affected by an update to the hearing aid firmware, but I haven’t been notified of any such update. Maybe a DIYer such as @Volusiano could answer the question. The adapter hardware is similar if not identical to the one used by Oticon More. It would be great if the Philips adapter would keep the user volume settings instead of defaulting to the ear-splitting 16.

#101

I don’t know how the Philips HearSuite software manages the TV Adapter firmware update. On the Oticon Genie 2, I don’t get any notification when I open up Genie 2 because my TV Adapter is not connected to the laptop’s USB. But if I want, I can connect my TV Adapter to the laptop, open up Genie 2, then run the Accessories Updater to find the TV Adapter, then after it’s connected, it’ll tell me if there’s a new firmware to update for it or not. Bottom line is that I have to check and update manually if I want. No notification.

#102

Thanks! Though it sounds from @Zebras post like the firmware update wasn’t to the TV Adapter as an accessory but to the Mores themselves. Maybe it’s all the same if your audi/HAS adjusts your devices.

Sounds like a trip to Costco is in my near future since I don’t use Genie. Guess i can just call first and find out if Philips has updated its firmware as Oticon did.

#103

That’s correct. The most recent 2021.2 Genie 2 update contains a firmware update to the More HAs themselves. I do have a TV Adapter but I never had any issue with it so I only checked for the TV Adapter firmware once before and never checked again so far. It’s very unlikely that the Oticon TV Adapter has a recent firmware update anyway.

#104

You could check this yourself within HearSuit, just plug the TV adaptor in by USB.

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