I think the mini has a program button that cycles through the programs, instead of one button for each program.
I would have purchased a MiniTek, but I decided to get new Phonak hearing aids due to a problem with the Pure300. Besides returning the Pure 300 twice during 18 months for warranty service, It would not connect with the MiniTek–I was poised to buy a Pure301 for my right ear (the 300 was in my left ear) and the MiniTek for bluetooth connectivity with my phone. Instead I bought a Phonak ICom, which is a different animal.
The ICom is strictly bluetooth connectivity and mine came with a TV transmitter (It works GREAT) but you cannot controll hearing aid volume or switch between hearing aid programs with the ICom. For that you have to buy Another device from Phonak.
I was dissapointed that the PUre 300 wouldn’t connect because I like the fact that the MiniTek pretty much does it all!
I assume you meant Phonak iCom.
According to your description, you actually have their iCom TVLink.
Thanks for the correction! I edited it in the document. Sorry for the confusion!
In a previous post I had gotten the ICom but not the Pilot One. Well, my audiologist decided to throw in a Pilot One remote at no cost since I had so much trouble with the PUre 300 and had ordered Phonak Solanas and an Icom. So now I have the best of both worlds: Connectivity with my aids via ICom and Remote control with the Pilot One.
I had the miniTek since May now, in replacement for the Tek. It’s a great tool, better and more reliable than the larger Tek. You ‘loose’ the tone adjustment and the display - but that’s no great loss. There are 3 listening programs, Normal, Loud environment and music. I one want to utilize pick-up coil functionality, one program will have to be sacrificed - I chose the music, as the normal mode does this good enough. It can handle 2 streamers, I reused the one that followed the Tek… Nice to have 2 avalable. Connectivity to phone is painless (htc Desire Z).
Recomended over Tek.
/regards
Number of programs depends on the hearing aid, not the mini-tek. The Pure 700/701 has up to 5 programs.
Takes too long to switch between programs and connect to transmitter.
Must be in same room with transmitter for TV/Radio.
Must hang Minitek around your neck and center of chest (about 12 inches max distance fro hearing aids) to get true bi-aural reception: it cuts out if you move side to side.
Good Bluetooth for mobile phone but I can’t get Tcoil to work for home phone.
I paid $550 at Hearx, they can be bought for $400 online but it still has to be programmed.
I’d rate it a 5 out of 10, lots of room for improvement.
Tcoil in MiniTek is not for phone use. It is for external looped systems like auditoriums, churches, etc. According to Siemens on audiologyonline.com. the quality of speech using bluetooth streaming between aids and phone is much better than tcoils use for phones.
Just got Minitek: Like it so far, would have preferred wider / flatter (so fit flat in shirt pocket). Audi programmed it for Buetooth phone, see in sales blurb that that can add more Buetooth devices, but can’t find actually how to connect / pair with second Bluetooth device anywhere in manual. Manual talks about prgramming through Connexx software. Does it mean have to take back to audi, or download Connexx software, do it myself?
Hay
Siemens mini TEK,this was a new thing for me and until and unless me thoroughly studied then me can give some comments about the siemens.Need for more sharing.
How about in Church, shows, and auditorium functions? Does it improve landline phone use as well as cell phones? I’m a little hesitant where it costs so much.
I’ve had my Siemens Motion 701 for both ears for about two weeks, and I’m very pleased. I bought it at HearUSA with a 20% AARP discount. It has five programs: universal, bluetooth phone, T-coil, noisy environment, and Tek. I got the miniTek a week ago for $300. I used the T-coil program to access the hearing loop during a movie at the Coolidge Corner Theater in Brookline (the only theater with a hearing loop in Massachusetts) and was impressed by the clarity. However, I am a little disappointed with the miniTek. The sound quality when accessing music on my iPod via Bluetooth is somewhat narrow and tinny, like cheap earphones, and the volume is low. I’ve tried to increase the volume on the miniTek but it doesn’t go very high. Is there some other way to increase the volume?
The volume setting can be adjusted via the audi (by programming the miniTek).
In most situations the audi takes defaults.
I connect to iPad and the sound is better via BT wireless using my 701 Pure Carat as wireless headset rather than listing via the tiny loudspeakers in the iPad and the 2 microphones in each HA.
In the “Connect Quick FirstFit”, and in the “minTek Guide to features, benefits and fitting” you will find more details.
program 2 is reserved for BT Cellular phone connection. you can pair 2 cell phones and connect with either. the miniTek takes 1 of the 5 positions. it will feed either of up to 2 TVLinks or 1 TVLink or 1 VoiceLink. These BT MACs have to be added via Connexx. You can also connect almost any device that is BT 4.0 as the devices will pair the miniTek. the sound and volume can be adjusted for eact of the 5 programs. I like the program with the mini to have more bass and less high end.
Been fooling with my new Minitek that came with the 5 micons. First the program set with the 5mi is:
1.normal
2. BT
3. noisy environment
4 TV transmitter
5. music
6. outdoor sport
The minitek pairs up easily. I was a little disappointed with the sound quality in pairing with my Itouch sounds like a little louder than Itouch with the tiny speaker in the back playing louder. Going soon to a local audi for some adjustment and assistance. All in all its a great addition to the HA’s though.
I’m confused are you asking something or telling us something.
you might start here for the miniTek and then go to downloads a couple of choices down for a miniTek user guide. http://hearing.siemens.com/Global/en/products/wireless/minitek/minitek.html
here’s exactly what works great for me… (siemens pure carat 701 RICs)
1 - normal/auto handles 99% of situations.
2 - BT phones
3 - miniTek, 1 TVLink and 1 VoiceLink (bt macs have to be added in connexx. (bumped up the bass and cuts some off the top)
4 - speech focus, long story but will pickup voice from beside or behind and cut noise from the other directions. great for driving or sitting in a booth eating. http://hearing.siemens.com/Global/en/professional-area/knowledge-base/faq/faq.html?slotName=Speech+Focus#faqCotegory_Speech Focus
5 - open, I tried a bunch of the other programs and none of them did much better then letting program 1 handle everything.
I don’t have SoundBrilliance enabled, not recommended for HP receivers. tried it and they were right.
if you go to the FAQS on the professional side of the seimen site there is a bunch of information.
Wim44
Sorry it is participating, specifically for me in golf. I wanted wind and rear noise reduction. I could hear a pin drop behind me using my Centra Actives and drove me crazy. Actually stopped using them playing. Hope the weather warms enough to try it out soon.
@jrr : thanks for clarification.
I will ask for Outdoor Sports too.
@ Uncle Larry:
I gave describtion of my current HA’s and the issues (denoted by ? and mentioned below: not functioning).
Thanks for your add. comments.
Found this site out of frustration on the Mini-Tek. I have had it for about a month paired with Siemens . The Mini-Tek pairs to my phone about 50% of the time and I have used it on 2 phones Droid and Iphone. When it does pair the conversation will bounce from ear to ear connecting and disconnecting. I have the remote within 12” of the hearing aids and about 2 feet from the phone. If it have the remote 3 feet from the hearing aid it does not work. I had a cheap Bluetooth I used for my phone which sounded 100 times better than this does. I am to the point of calling it quits with this. I have sent it back once and just today got a replacement and this one disconnects even worse that the other