I’m a new poster and getting used to this forum so please help me if I haven’t done this right…this is kind of a mix between a streamer problem and a battery problem so I picked this section.
I have Resound Alera 9 hearing aids and bought the TV streamer since I watch a lot of TV. I’ve noticed that when I watch a lot of TV I have to replace batteries every 3-4 days instead of once a week (what I was used to with my last aids). I talked about this with my audiologist about this and she suggested I buy batteries from her because they were better than the ones I was buying on the internet. I noticed a little bit better battery life - consistently 4 days - but I’m still seeing much shorter battery life.
Is this normal? The cost of the batteries is one thing, espeically if I have to buy them from my audiologist, but it’s the unpredictable low battery that I hate the most. Is there some other adjustment I can make? Does it matter how far I sit from the TV streamer?
What type of battery does your Alera use? My audi was smart enough to exclude the volume control and telecoil to make room in my half-shell ITE for larger size 13 battery, which has a much longer life than 312. I’ve used my TV streamer and phone clip + extensively, and my batteries usually last about 10 to 14 days.
By the way, the Unite TV streamer as well as Phone Clip+ connects to the aids via 2.4 gHZ Wi-Fi (just like cordless phones) – not Bluetooth. The Phone Clip + uses Bluetooth connection with media devices, powered by the Phone Clip + own rechargeable battery. The old phone clip has a weaker connection to the aids and does consumer more power in the aids.
having the BT in your aids working is going to burn more power… just like any phone the charge will last longer without BT or WiFi enabled or like a car the faster you go the more gasoline you burn. brand of battery makes little difference get the 40 pack at Costco.
I get 4 days on my Resound Future (Alera 9) whether I stream a lot or not. I can’t say that streaming uses more energy than microphones (when streaming the mics are off). My guess would be that the RF receiver in the hearing aids would use less power than the mics, but it might be driving more overall sound through the (output) receivers when streaming.
Resound and Starkey use FM technology for their wireless streaming. One of the disadvantages of FM technology is the excessive battery drain. I believe that Widex, Siemens, Phonak and Oticon all use the competing technology - NFMI. That technology drains at a lower rate. Hopefully, your hearing healthcare provider mentioned this to you when you purchased the Resound wireless system.
The main advantage of Wi-Fi signal over NFMI is the higher fidelity sound, since Wi-Fi connects at much higher frequency, enabling greater capacity to transmit more data (higher sample rate). It’s a trade-off with greater power consumption, although my experience is the higher power consumtion has not been “excessive.” As I posted above, I’m able to get about 10-14 days from my half-shell ITE, with extensive use of streamer to watch TV or listen music with my PC. I also think the HA’s antenna being located in the cord of the remote microphone for more direct connection helps.
I have the steamer for my phonak Naidas, and when I use it a lot I have noticed a severe decrease in battery life. I think it’s this way with all Bluetooth enabled devices!
The amplification circuits in HA uses power. If the aid has Bluetooth function, it’s another circuit requiring it’s own power. So the battery drain will certain increase if you use any Bluetooth (or Wi-Fi) streaming on your aids. The specs on a 312 battery is 150 mAh and would last approximately 170 hrs, whereas the 13 battery is rated 290 mAh and lasts about 330 hrs. So I would say that if you intend to stream a lot, go for the bigger HA that uses the 13 battery.
The Bluetooth standard is now 4.0/4.1 and that’s where the hope is. Most streamers nowadays are using version 2.x which is not energy efficient. The latest version is called Bluetooth low energy (BLE) and it’s supposed to reduce energy consumption considerably. We just going to have to wait until these HA manufacturers come out with newer streamers using version 4.1.
OK, we better start lobbying Resound (and Costco) for a hearing aid software update that is compatible with both Bluetooth standards. That way those of us with KS5 hearing aids will be able to upgrade to BLE (4.1) streamers without having to buy new HAs.
Using a BLE streamer won’t improve the battery life of your KS5 at all. ReSound uses their own proprietary low-power protocol to communicate with the streamer. It’s not Bluetooth.
