The only way I can get my aids to connect with Bluetooth is to take one out, open the battery compartment, close it while clicking what I want to hear.
Is this normal? I thought once you clicked “Streaming” on (Mac) Bluetooth, it would start automatically
There’s been a lot of complaints about streaming to computers / laptops.
Recommend to get a TV Connector instead.
There are many posts on this topic.
I did not know, thank you Zebras. I will devote time this afternoon to check into this further.
I refuse to have to buy anything that will help the HA’s to work as they should. A TV Connector is £200 - insane.
Some times another Bluetooth dongle can work.
That has been reported as well but I can’t think off hand, which ones.
EDIT - I’m sure how they’ve managed it but some people also have no issue what so ever.
In some cases, problems streaming from computers to hearing aids is the buggy and/or incomplete Bluetooth implementation in the computer (including some expensive or high-end desktops). At times, updates to the OS or driver/firmware for the bluetooth chipset may fix things. Other times, a USB bluetooth “dongle” such as the Sennheiser/EPOS BTD 800 or another with known good implementation of Bluetooth and the profiles needed by the aids is a fix. Sometimes the original firmware in the hearing aids needs to be updated to fix problems on that end (I’ve had both HA firmware and computer Bluetooth issues over the years I’ve used aids).
Note that the typical TV streamer from many hearing aid manufacturers uses somewhat different protocols in the same frequency band as Bluetooth but has better control of latency and, in some cases, longer range. They may use Bluetooth for pairing and the additional protocols for actual streaming.
I have the Marvel had have a slightly different BT issue so I guess your problem might not be unique. In my case the TV connector works perfectly but I occasionally lose BT with my phone. First clue is when the phone rings and I can barely hear it. BT or the Phone has decided to switch off. I switch it on and it works fine. I have yet to find the cause.
I am trialling the Phonak Paradise P90 - I have the issue with Bluetooth to Mac.
It disconnects pretty much every time and as you say the only way is to open the battery lid and close it while clicking on connect.
However, this morning I came down to my office and the aids had re-connected automatically to the Mac bluetooth. This made me wonder if there is a specific set of circumstances that will maintain the connection or is it just random?
My Kirkland KS10.0 aids (“white-label” P90RT) reconnect automatically to my Samsung tablet and my Lenovo ThinkPad laptop, but to get them to reconnect to the BT transmitter connected to the TV I often have to re-pair them.
Thank you. My Mac is all up-to-date but not my Phonak’s. I made an appt to have the firmware done tomorrow, so I hope this will help.
In my case, having my iMac Pro (Bluetooth 5.0) up-to-date didn’t help so I use a Sennheiser BTD 800 with my Oticon ConnectClip and then streaming “just works”. Oddly, my older MacBook Pro with Bluetooth 4.2 works just fine without the BTD 800. My provider and I spoke to Oticon Tech Support when I was having issues - they suggested that the BTD 800 be used whenever there were streaming issues and that many desktop Bluetooth implementations were buggy/incomplete and the BTD 800 fixed that.
At your appointment I suggest you ask your provider to check with Phonak to see what workarounds they might suggest. I saw something in another thread about Phonak recommending a particular Bluetooth dongle for problem computers but I don’t remember the exact device.
Good luck.
Phonak does recommend the Sennheiser BTD 800 if one is having Bluetooth issues.
Jim
Thanks, but when I saw him he said he does not really sell a lot of Phonaks because he does not like using them personally which means he does not offer them to clients in my opinion. He had no interest in my situation and when I said it is a known problem, he told me none of his patients have complained. I wonder how many he is talking about?
By the way, I have a problem with my OH’s HP Windows laptop too, so it is not just my Mac
Also make sure that you have selected “fixed bandwidth” in the app - not sure if this applies to your hearing aids, but it helped with my Paradise P90-R and P90-RT hearing aids.
But overall, I have had a lot of problems with the Bluetooth connection on this generation of Phonaks and would not recommend them if that kind of connectivity is important. Can the TV streamer be used to connect to computers or phones?
Yes it can. I have done both it works great on the computer. On a phone it is a bit cumbersome as you need a splitter wire and a lapel so you talk to people. On the computer your voice is transmitted via the built in microphone.
Jim
That sounds really promising! I have a lapel mic. What kind of splitter do you use? One like this “Headset Adapter Y Splitter 3.5mm Jack Cable with Separate Mic and Audio”?
Yes, that is exactly what I used.
Jim
