I am trialing Starkey Genesis RIC HAs. So far they work very well with my iPhone.
I am pondering if there is a way to stream the output of my MacBook (running macOS Ventura) to the hearing aids. The hearing aids do not show up as a bluetooth option for paring. I see in another post that macOS Sonoma will support integration with MFI hearing aids. Is there any way to pair macOS with a Starkey hearing aid for streaming until then via bluetooth?
This will only work on certain newer macs. It isn’t generally going to work across all machines that can run the new os.
WH
For connecting Starkey Genesis AI ( Starkey Evolve AI and Starkey Livio / Livio AI) hearing aids to Laptop or PC you need a intermediary device " Starkey 2.4 GHz TV Streamer " or alternatively use " Starkey Remote Microphone + "
With Starkey 2.4 GHz TV Streamer - or the Starkey Remote Microphone + - you can stream audio from your TV or other electronic audio source directly to Starkey: Genesis AI, Evolv AI, Livio Edge AI, Livio AI and Livio hearing aids.
The difference between these two accessories devices is:
The 2.4 GHz TV Streamer connects only via audio cable to any audio device (TV, Laptop, PC, Stereo-System etc…) and streams the audio to your Starkey hearing aids.
Connect the TV Streamer to the audio output port of your laptop , PC, TV , or audio system.
See Starkey TV Streamer user manual
If your Mac Book does not have an audio out port then you can not use the TV Streamer and you need to get the Remote Microphone +
The Starkey Remote Microphone + can be paired wireless with any Bluetooh device (like your Mac Book , and then stream the audio to your Starkey hearing aids
See Starkey Remote Microphone + user manual (page 13)
macOS Sonoma with the latest beta and m1 pro/max/ultra and m2 family is able to stream directly to your hearing aid
How did the trial go ? How was the speech in noise and just the general performance of the hearing aid for you ?
I’m looking to get a pair when they are released in the UK in October
Starkey Genesis/24 RIC is phenomenal - I will post a detailed review at another time about my trials of Phonak Lyric vs. Starkey Genesis. But short version is - Starkey Genesis is phenomenal particularly with regard to speech in noise, battery life, wind reduction, and overall performance- plus battery life of the Starkey Genesis is stunning even with streaming.
The only (minor) disappointment of the Starkey Genesis is something the company acknowledged as an issue - while bluetooth streaming works fine indoors its performance is challenging outdoors due to the bluetooth LE signal which needs some surface to bounce off of. So while I can for example stream music while walking on the treadmill in the gym, reception is weak if I try to stream the same music walking outside; the workaround is to carry the phone above my waist or get an armband iPhone holder or get an iPhone holder that goes around my neck. (Or just use a regular headphone when listening to music outside.)
Other than that issue with the bluetooth performance the usability of Starkey Genesis in day-to-day situations is lightyears ahead of what I experienced with Phonak Lyric. And while I bought a Noah programmer to tweak the Starkey Genesis, I really have not needed to use it. The standard programs are fine most of the time - and a tap on the ear to activate Edge Mode is usually all it takes to select the proper program when I have a major shift in noise environment.
I am eagerly anticipating MacOS Sonoma to see if it can stream to my Mac as well as it does to my iPhone.
That leads to multipath distortion. Not sure this is correct.
Most likely the position of the phone in relation to the HAs suffers signal attenuation due to the wearer’s body. Easy enough to test out. Try different pockets/positions on your body. Then put the phone on a selfie stick, check various positions at full extension.
Line of sight works best.
I have to say that the bounce theory works pretty well for me. I generally wear my HAs and phone, sometimes with Roger on, sometimes without, in the same way both in the house or other buildings, and then outside. I find the lack of surfaces for bounce when outdoors means I get a lot of need to adjust the gear to be closer/more line of sight to the HAs to prevent dropouts in the audio, while in the house I can pretty much not worry about the back pocket deal for the phone that usually doesn’t work so well outside. I can even put the phone down and not worry about it in the same room, sometimes even the next room.
WH
The “bounce” explanation comes from a lead engineer at Starkey.
I was surprised too - but indeed the distance at which Bluetooth LE with Genesis works is notably longer indoors, whether or not there is a direct line of sight.
Outdoors the Bluetooth streaming quality is poor if I simply hold the phone below my waist; the side opposite my hand almost entirely cuts out.
But indoors the streaming works fine even if the phone is in my office two rooms away - thus totally out of line of sight. This is very similar to what @WhiteHat reports.
It’s the same with my Signias Stylettos AX. I can move freely in my apartment and it won’t ever break, even if there’s a brick wall inbetween.
But when I’m on a bike I can’t have it below my waist on one side because it will lose connection on the opposite one. I put it in my backpack in the topmost pocket instead.
That’s not bounce.
Your body is in the way. The body is much more effective at blocking RF, than walls in your office.
If I walk indoors on a treadmill and hold the phone below my waist it works fine. If I instead go outside and walk while holding the phone in the same position then it cuts out on the opposite side.
I am also on trial for my genesis A24. I have been frustrated with the bluetooth performance when I go for a walk. Even moving the phone or turning my head was a problem for peaceful listening. My audiologist told me that this was not normal and offered to return it. Then something hit me. I downloaded all the music before leaving the house. With few exceptions (when I was walking into a thick wooded area) the Bluetooth is pretty stable. I leave the phone in a deep winter coat pocket and there is no static or loss of sound in one or both HA. I have open dome (I understand soft sounds can escape in an open dome set up) so the quality of the sound is not always good outside and the wind can be a problem. Solution. I wear a hat which has ear flaps. This is ok in winter but I assume one can use ear plugs in warm climate. Try this trick, if the loss of rich sound is a concern to you. I assume that by downloading the music, I have cut two variables (cell signals and Bluetooth) into one. I am still searching for the answer as to why this works because live streaming process must download the music as well. Let me know if you get the same results. I have never worn HA and have mild to severe loss. Overall I am satisfied with genesis but I have no way to compare them. The biggest benefit for me is to get clarity of dialogues while watching movies and TV series. Also, my wife has stopped nagging me. Not sure as yet whether I should try other brands?