The TRUTH about Hearing Aid Bluetooth Issues
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- Опубліковано 15 гру 2022
- The TRUTH about Hearing Aid Bluetooth Issues. Dr. Cliff Olson, Audiologist and founder of Applied Hearing Solutions in Phoenix Arizona, discusses the reasons behind why Hearing Aids seem to ALWAYS have Bluetooth Wireless Connectivity issues with your Bluetooth Devices.
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I've had BT issues in the past, but I've never had a problem between my Phonak Virto P90 and my iPhone 13 Pro Max. As a matter of fact, I've been REALLY enjoying MUSIC for the first time in years. Following a severe mountain biking accident that destroyed my shoulder, I've been going to our local Therapy Pool every day for an hour's heavy water therapy, wearing my Virtos, and BOOGYING for an hour while "running in place" in the warm water. The music from my iPhone comes to me from a metal locker about 80 metres distant, with no dropouts. I couldn't be happier! My previous hearing aids (Phonak P90 BTE's) had Bluetooth issues, but not the Virto's! In case you're wondering, my Virto's did NOT fly out of my ears when I flew off the cliff that destroyed my shoulder (and other injuries). The Virtos stayed in my ears and all I had to do was clean off the blood when I took them out. de KØUNX, Jim, in Jefferson County Colorado.
THANK YOU for this video!!! My latest iOS update is all I could think of as to why I was suddenly having intermittent phone call connectivity issues. Starkey just came out with a firmware update so I didn't think it was my aids, and I KNEW I wasn't going crazy! Love how you break things down and explain them for us!
I'm listening to this video via BT on my Oticon Mores. Lifesaver!
Yes, this is what I've found. I've used hearing aids nearly 60 years and could tell stories about the box on the chest aids I wore as a kid and what I have now. As an engineer and fairly proficient with technology, I have been absolutely delighted with what I have available to me through my aids. At times I feel sorry for those without all this tech as I am able to get some related bionic benefits as a result even though I can't normally hear anything quieter than 60-70db in the vocal range. A recent Android update gargled the connectivity and Starkey walked me through various options and we determined that an available firmware update might resolve the issue. After meeting with my HCP and having the firmware updated all was resolved...."and at the end of the day it is still totally worth it!"
When i was a little girl the first thing they tried on me was a body aid hearing aid (your box on the chest although this one clipped to a pocket as it wasn't a permanent device for me, it was sort of a "trial" to see if HA's would work for me - this was back in the 70s) it worked, then i had my first HA but only one due to costs and the goal was to see how it would work for me then down the line - my parents would buy a second one, for the other ear. They were pretty much just giant (yes, they were huge LOL) amplification devices so while i could hear a lot of things... loud sounds (a fire truck siren for example) were so loud it was painful. I never got the second aid. In 2003 i decided to give HAs another try but due to cost concerns still got analogue devices but for both ears this time - it was largely successful but then in 2013 i went back to the same audiologist and he fitted me with the Phonak hearing aids i still have today - digital this time. Middle of the road HAs (not the most expensive but not the cheapest either) these were a game changer. The quality of life i obtained as off the charts. For the first time in my entire life i had near "normal" hearing. Because of this i vowed that i would never skimp on HAs - ever. I would do whatever it took to obtain devices that maintained this level of quality. I am never going back. So needless to say i am excited to get my next pair in January. Anyhow, i identified with so much of your post here Tom that i had to comment.
I, too, wore a hearing aid 60 years ago. A box strapped to the chest. Ugh. My mischievous friends, knowing where the mike was, would yell to my chest.
@@benqurayza7872I don't recall that one; but did snip the cord off accidentally when using scissors while cutting in kindergarten.
Didn't the hair clip work as a E facing down lamp shade? To catch something to come out the sea? 😂
@@benqurayza7872 I am a HA user but with sufficient hearing that I was able to get by about 50%, kidding myself that I was fooling people that I could hear, with all the embarrassing consequences. Something that changed me was seeing a young woman with two boxes strapped on her chest; she obviously didn't give a fig what other people though of her. I took her example, manned up and submitted to visiting an audiologist. I thank her nearly every day.
This makes sense. I don't think the firmware in my hearing aids have changed. But the firmware in my smart phone changes frequently. Often resulting is Bluetooth issues.
Great video as always.
Last Spring I had a Samsung Galaxy S10+ running Android 10 and bluetooth streaming reliability to my Resound Linx Quattro hearing aids was terrible.
Now I have a Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra running Android 13 and Bluetooth connection reliability and quality to my Resound hearing aids is vastly improved.
I'd recommend that everyone update to the latest version of their preferred phone and operating system, if they can, for improved performance.
such a great video as always Dr. Cliff!
I’m having awful Bluetooth connectivity issues with my heating aids. My provider is working on resolving. Why is this only with hearing aids?? I’ve used multiple Bluetooth devices from several brands and never had an issue. Until I started using hearing aids. Seems like they aren’t technologically sound to me.
My current and previous HAs both are MFI (made for iPhone) Bluetooth compatible. My experience over the 5 years I’ve used them is that the connection is reliable if I only connect my HAs to my iPhone. But if I try to take advantage of Apple’s Handoff feature that’s supposed to let me also connect my two iPads and automatically switch the HA connection between all three devices, that’s a mess; about 1/3 of the time something goes wrong. The most common problems are the connection won’t switch, or playback will freeze or stutter, or audio will only stream to one ear. This is not a new issue and it’s persisted over several years of major Apple software updates up to the current one (iOS 16). I’ve emailed Apple accessibility support several times over the years to report the problem; they always reply sympathetically, suggest the usual useless un-pair/re-pairing, and sometimes promise a fix is coming, but nothing changes. I’ve also contacted the HA manufacturer a few times about this issue and they blame Apple and recommend not using Handoff at all.
I have a pair of Signia Pure Charge & Go 5AX devices. Recently on a checkup visit my Audiologist performed a firmware upgrade on the devices. Shortly after the upgrade, I started noticing Bluetooth disconnecting one side or the other...and the sound was horrible. Sometimes a reboot of the devices would resolve the issue for an hour or two; other times it required me to go into my phones settings, uninstall the devices and reinstall them. After a week of this I took them back and my Audiologist re-flashed them with the original firmware. Issue solved...they haven't lost signal in 2 weeks since.
You explained what was happening with my hearing aids BlueTooth. It was very helpful. Thank you.
Very helpful vid, ty for sharing
Thank you! Great description of common Bluetooth issues!
Thanks Cliff, I just turned my AUTO update button OFF! I used to rely on the IT department where I worked to give me the green light on the software update for our iPhones, but now that I'm retired he's no longer available! Having trouble this week with connectivity once again, and with the microphones on top of my PHONAK 50, it's impossible to talk on the phone unless you use speaker phone (and that's worse in most cases)! Thanks for sharing
Thanks Dr. Cliif. I'm one of those people who has been blaming my HAs for the problem and not Verizon or Apple...
I can confirm these issues with my Oticon and my IPad, but no problems with my IPhone (both only a year old). Submitted a bug report and spent hours on the phone with Apple. That was a year ago and no fix in the updates over the past year. The issues is garbled connectivity every 90 Seconds like clockwork. But it only happens with the IPad, and most noticeable with audio books. I have the latest Oticon firmware.
Thanks Cliff. I went to Samsung with my device running A12, as I had been having constant issues just as you describe.
They swapped my phone over to one running A13, pleased to say the issues are 95% gone.
All those running A12, see if you can get an update to A13, it's a gamechanger.
I have Rexton m-core aids from Specsavers and they work perfectly well with my iPhone SE original which is 5 years old, I wouldn’t be without Bluetooth.
Great video.
Thanks for making a concise video to help substantiate what I've been telling our patients after every major mobile operating system update! Of course, nobody has pin-pointed the exact cause of all these problems. I've theorized some of the intermittency issues could be directly related to Bluetooth LE (low-energy) being pushed that otherwise helps improve battery efficiency with mobile devices, but perhaps some of the protocols that help it be more stringent on power usage also compromises consistent re-connecting to paired hearing aids.
The story is always the same, they initially pair up nicely in office, which makes sense because you're essentially forcing them to acknowledge each other with a strong handshake. The problem is every time they reconnect on their own, it doesn't always complete like it should. I've further been suspicious this may ultimately be a simple time-out issue that neither an end-user nor an app developer has the ability to adjust. Often one side will repeatedly be the one that doesn't connect, although the system may claim that it is. The usual successful trouble-shooting method is to close all open apps then toggle the Bluetooth off and on. This clears out anything in the background that could be sapping performance, then toggling the Bluetooth forces the phone to re-attempt to connect to the hearing aids while the phone is focused on just doing that. The fact that this usually works, tells me that phones are literally "giving up" on connecting to the second side because reduced performance is causing it to take too long relative to a pre-programmed timer for that operation.
Catch is, every other Bluetooth pairing is only a single device to reconnect to. Even if they're stereo true wireless earbuds, you connect to one ear that acts as the master that broadcasts to the opposite side. Hearing aids however are unique as they use a Bluetooth signal to communicate, but the operating system acknowledges them as specifically being hearing devices as opposed to any other Bluetooth device and subsequently connects to both sides individually in the "Bluetooth Devices" list while yet still addressing them as a single paired entity in the "Hearing Devices" list. Which leads me to think there's a tiny oversight in the protocol for connecting to them in that they're still being treated like they're a traditional Bluetooth device, and the phone is only really allotting the reasonable amount of time to connect to ONE device (again possibly a result of trying to be more power efficient, it won't keep churning on attempting to connect to a single paired device if there's an issue). Upon timing out on the second, no further attempts are made to retry connecting to the other side, as the phone detects that yes, it did successfully connect to a Bluetooth device! It fails to acknowledge there's another half of the set that isn't connected as that's not usually the case for Bluetooth devices and apparently it's missing a provision to check for that. You can see this confusion particularly on an iPhone when you check the hearing aid status in the Settings/Accessibility/Hearing Device menu, you'll see it shows both sides "connected" but one of them will just be a spinning circle for the battery percentage estimate. That's because it's falsely reporting a complete connection for the pair again due to having success with the one side, but in reality it is not hooked up to the other.
Frustrating, because regardless what the core issue is, it's very difficult for hearing aids manufacturers to compensate for things an operating system is doing at such a base level, they cannot touch patching how the system connects to a Bluetooth device with an update to their app or the firmware of their hearing aids. While, of course, hearing aid connectivity is just an auxiliary feature to the phone manufacturers and no doubt is not a top priority to develop software/firmware fixes for, certainly not redeveloping a protocol that overall was a benefit to the phone otherwise. They'll get it figured out eventually... when they get around to it, and with no reassurance it won't inadvertently be reversed when trying to push future updates! Meanwhile it's advertised that phones work with hearing aids because they've technically made a provision for it, and of course hearing aid manufacturers advertise they're compatible with select phones because they really are doing everything they can to be, the goal-post just keeps moving arbitrarily. Only natural that patients see the hearing aids as the issue as they're typically the newest thing added to the mix unfortunately, and the phone was being a phone just fine prior to these confounded hearing aids the fitter has attempted to connect to it.
Hey Josh, thanks for your very thorough discussion of the BT connectivity/SW update problem. Very helpful!
As Josh and Cliff pointed out oftentimes software updates can solve and create issues. Josh added some great insights and theorizes Bluetooth LE and the phone software to possibly be the issue. Prior to BTLE my Oticon Epoq's, Alta's and Opn's relied on Connectline or Clip streamers and the connection to both hearing aids was solid and reliable. My trial with Phonak Lumity and currently useing Oticon Real both with BTLE and somewhat buggy apps I've consistently had to reconnect one side or the other due to dropped BT connection with or without the app connected. I've experimented with the Reals on my older Galaxy S9+ and my wife's older IPhone 10. I found the IPhone connection to be much more stable. Both phones were tested and approved by Oticon but of course not guaranteed to work. I'm currently shopping for a new phone and have no manufacturer preference. Can you suggest what phone might play well with the Reals?
Tony
I love your shirt! Where’d you get it?
Thank you. This explanation makes sense! The cyclic nature of the Bluetooth connection problems has not been adequately answered my my hearing professional. How do I check if my HAs have the latest update? Phonak P90. Is this something my hearing professional needs to check for or am I able to check?
Hey Cliff, thanks for this great description of the BT connectivity problem! Just over a month ago, I bought my first HA's - Widex Sheer 440s to address my tinnitus and hearing loss as a musician. I just experienced my first connectivity issue when my iPhone updated to 17.1.1 yesterday. The Widex update was nearly instantaneous, and it was successful.
On a related issue, I've wanted to connect my windows 10 laptop to my HA's with BT. Just ordered the new Widex SoundConnect device. Have you reviewed it yet? I'd be interested in your thoughts.
I agree. As much as Bluetooth can be a real pain sometimes, there's no way I would go back to pre-BT hearing aids. I have had very few issues though (Google Pixel 4a, and now 6), most of the time if I have a problem I just turn the BT off and on, on the phone and on the hearing aid, then all works well again. Still, I can't wait for the next generation (LE?) so I won't need the Connect Clip anymore.
Yes, having Bluetooth connectivity is a live saver for me too. However, I am so disappointed at the lack of advances between this set and the last set of Widex aids. I am missing the ability to control the volume of the 'room mic'!
life not live
I have Oticon Real Hearing Aids. My Apple iPhone 8 Plus and iPad 8 Tablet have almost always worked. I can switch Apple devices with almost no problems. My Win11 PC has never worked with the connect clip. 10 seconds with sound and then 4 seconds without sound. Never. Worked. But my five year old $80 headphones have always worked. Always. Worked.
So we tried the Oticon TV Adaptor. That works. Now My wife can listen via the speakers and I can hear via my hearing aids. BUT! The TV Adaptor does not maintain a 'persistent' connection. I walk away and poof!. I have to go back into the app and reconnect. I must add that the Oticon TV Adaptor has a better range than Bluetooth.
There are problems with Bluetooth, but the problem is NOT Bluetooth. Bluetooth was not my problem until my Oticon hearing aids made it my problem by blaming Bluetooth. Wasted many hours of my time and was quite frustrating. Just like you are.
How to solve that problem
Lower-end cell phones do not get regular system software updates so it is hard to blame these intermittent but recurring connectivity issues on phone software updates. My mother experiences severe problems with bluetooth connectivity and even after the audio folk update the hearing aids to the "latest version" the problem will return shortly after leaving their office.
Thank you for the easy to understand information. I've had hearing aids for about 8 months. As you probably know not all android brands are compatible AT ALL. Motorola does not support ASHA in any of their phones. If you look at a compatibility list, you'll see this. A few other brands are totally out too. I don't like changing phones willy nilly. I've previously only been interested in one thing - battery life, and two years ago when I got this, it had about the best. Often 2 days. I normally keep my phones for about 5 years. Sometimes, repurchasing the same phone refurbished. So I've not had Bluetooth with my aids. I've been making sure I was going to keep these aids. I think, thanks to my audiologist's willingness to work with me, and me just getting accustomed to having hearing things again that I haven't heard in 40 years, I'm happy. My daughter has a Google Pixel and she is getting a new one soon. She's willing up give me her old one. It's perfectly compatible with ASHA and these aids. I'll finally get streaming and phone calls through my aids. But it's just one more thing to learn. 😉 But it's all good!
Excellent video! I love the streaming that I can do with my Oticon more 1 hearing aids which I use constantly with my iPhone, iPad, and ConnectClip. I am very much disappointed that my hearing care professional which I have used for over 20 years wants to charge me $250 for the latest firmware upgrade. This private hearing aid company was recently sold to a nationwide company, and many of the personal attention that I used to receive has changed which is sad.
mine didn't charge for the firmware upgrade even though we had to wait 20 minutes for the upgrade to get loaded into my aid. I guess this is one of those things that a HCP with the lowest price might not provide - so am feeling a little better at spending a little extra at the beginning.
What's company new name?
@@velmamilagros Hearing Life. I guess that I could understand that I might have to pay an office call, but I was told that I had to pay both an office call plus $125 per hearing aid for the latest firmware update. For my Oticon more 1's the latest firmware update allows total handsfree streaming of phone calls. I just can't justify the cost at this time.
I go to University of TN Audiologist and they do not charge me for that.
I still have a phonak com pilot Air streamer so no neck loop it just clips on. Never had any connection issues with iPad or iPhone.
I use Android and since they were late to the game with direct BT connectivity, I believe the issues are embedded with the OS. I don't notice any difference with security updates or anything else. I used to think it was the app for my hearing aids but I no longer believe that. Google still needs to up their game.
I too have Oticon More 1 hearing aids but my cell phone is an Apple 12 Pro Max and if been fortunate to have no issues with connections.
I agree that the issues are caused by the Smartphone manufacturer. I disagree that older technology was unreliable. My Widex COM-DEX is still rock solid reliable. I used it to this day with my Moment aids with Bluetooth. It's sound quality is as good or better than direct from my iPhone. Perhaps other manufacturers device were different. I'm a Widex gal. Always have been. Always will be.
You mentioned that these issues are quite often resolved with a firmware update to the hearing aid. How are these updates made? Is it over the air or do I have to go back to my hearing aid audiologist? If it helps I have hearing aids by Phonak. Thanks!
I adore and worship my Phonak hearing aids. (I like exaggeration). The couple times I seemed to lose connectivity with my Samsung A13 phone, I simply rebooted the connection from the phone to the aids and everything was hunky dory again. When I upgraded to the Samsung S20, I never had a connectivity problem again. I have had problems with my 3 year old Dell desk top computer, in that if I get up and leave, then return, the connection is lost and I have to reboot constantly to reestablish it. So I just gave up on using bluetooth to direct audio from the PC to my aids. But this is a very minor issue for me, since I live my life with gusto (there used to be beer commercials that taught me that word).
whats a good transmitter to use for the zoom podtrak p8, i want to broadcast the headphone output to bluetooth hearing aids for my podcast channel where i interview the elderly about their stories of yesteryear
I have one (Widex) hearing aid. Streaming and phone call sound is distorted. Might this be because I only have one hearing aid? Would the sound be better if I had two?
Is Bluetooth LE Audio going to improve the situation for hearing aids?
I went from Phonak Virto marvel to to Resound one custom, hands down Phonak is far superior than Resound for BT and connectivity.I only made it 3 weeks with the Resound custom. Picked up my Phonak Lumity Life today, fantastic hearing aid
Omg i just picked up my Resound one custom hearing aids and i have been struggling for the past few hours to get it to connect to my samsung galaxy A71 phone (the app does link to them as long as i take off the hearing aids and put them flat on my phone screen). I was thinking that the problem was from my phone bluetooth range or smth but now i am so worried my hearing aids are to blame 😢
I really doubt this is why mine are having Bluetooth issues. I have Beltone Amaze, less than 1 year old. I had my left hearing aid adjusted several times to increase loudness. The last time they found that the mic filter was clogged and then it was real loud. I also think they said there was a firmware update they applied. Anyway, they adjusted it (lowered its volume) and all seemed well. Note: they have the music mode set as my default. Now when I try to stream anything in that mode like phone calls or music, Roku etc the balance is WAY OFF. It’s loud in the right ear and quiet in the left. I have to use the iOS settings to move the balance to the left A LOT. I’ve NEVER had to do this before and never had to do this with 2 sets of Resound owned. I’ve been back to my audiologist 3 times and they still do this. I’m also getting different results in different modes, it’s like it works correctly in a couple modes but incorrect in 2 modes. Lately my right hearing aid seems to not be loud enough in regular hearing mode (non streaming) I have to increase it somewhat. These worked fine when I hit them.
I have Resound One HA, and Android 12 phone. I would loose connection to one side or the other multiple times a day. I had to restart aides, turn off/on BT all the time. I went to Android 13 this weekend on my phone. My problems have almost totally gone away. So Android updated something in the BT protocols with version 13.
Yes I am waiting for the expected update to 13, but it is not coming till next year.... Sadly. But thanks for letting me know it's fixed your issue!
Hi Cliff, I don't think that's the whole story. I have Pixel 7 android 13, previous Pixel 6a same android. My KS-10 (Phonak) app disconnects several times a day. Have to reboot & re-pair both to get it going. So I am pretty sure Pixel/android does not update several times daily. So "if" some phone FUNCTION is breaking the connection, that's not an "update". Froggy. :) Also another issue same as another commenter. When my phone gets a notification (say my security cameras go "on" to record) the hearing aid sound amplification is dead for 3-4 seconds, then comes back on it's own. Obviously shutting off notification fixes it BUT I want the notification (in my ear).
(An old joke from a veteran with a technical background)
A telecommunications specialist was sent to the firing range to qualify with a new rifle. He shot 10 rounds at the target but the instructor said he missed the target completely. With one more bullet in the rifle, he put his handkerchief over the muzzle, pulled the trigger, and showed the hole to the instructor. "You see that hole, my bullets left here good, the problem is on your end"
Sadly my phone is managed by device management and down and whatever they did to Bluetooth my widex moments keep disconnecting and I have to reboot to get reconnected. I would like to know what settings I could tell the device management team or my audiologist to change. I wonder if this happens to all MFI hearing aids or just Widex.
I have never had problems with my KS9s and KS10s using an iPhone and Google Pixel devices, both of which receive regular updates.
I have an IMac computer that I would like to connect to my Resound bluetooth enabled hearing aids. I haven't been able to direct connect and I'm wondering if there is a plugin adapter that will allow me to hear the sound on my computer via bluetooth to my hearing aids.
I never throw my hearing aids on the ground, bouncing them off the wall is much more stress reliving!
If this is true that it isn't related to the ha's, then why are all my other Bluetooth devices, including earbuds that are smaller than my ha's , able to function flawlessly, even after updates and even from another room? Also, they were less than 100$ while my oticon own's were thousands? I don't get it.
Exactly what I’ve been wondering too! Can’t wait for the explanation..
i had that problem but it seems to be when I'm home whenever i'm outside my home the problem goes away so for a long time I was thinking it has to do with something in my home maybe I'm wrong now can you tell me if I'm wrong with it being my home
I couldn't pair my Resound Ones with my LGTracfone/Resound app, because the phone had a previous version of Android than Resound app was compatible with. Hoping my newer Galaxy A03s will be compatible with Resound app.
I am trying to connect my hearing aids to airplane entertainment or other devices that have 3.5 jacks. My Oticon 2 More Minirite hearing aids. I have tried Airfly and Aluratek ASl01F. I tried using a Connectclip as interface. Airfly worked once, but couldn’t connect on return flight. Hearing aids connected to iPhone. ASl01F loaded to iPhone, ConnectClip also connected to iPhone. Can you provide any guidance or alternative devices?
Thanks Dr. Cliff. Do you have any tips for bluetooth @ work using landlines? I am a geek, but have ran out of luck trying to pair my Phonak (latest/greatest) Audeo with my phone system. It seams that the compatibility has dried up. My phone system is Nortel non-VOIP. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
I didn't know pairing a landline was even a possibility.
Hello! I'm looking for a NON OTC, Audiologist approved, ITE hearing aids w/BT connectivity and rechargeable for 2024. Any recommendations?
Android 13 is causing me issues with my KS10s. Every time I open or close something Android wants to do a vibration or sound.
- which cuts out the aids for up to 5 seconds or so. I had it all turned off all sounds/notifications before due to this. I re-checked my phone settings but can't locate a source. Hopefully Phonak has come up with an update for this.
My oticon More HA's worked with Bluetoogh great until 6 months ago. I used the Connect Clip to stream BT from my iMac. Now it doesn't work. Have treid thrid party Bluetooth transmitter thinking maybe one of Apples updates did the damage, but that didn't work either. Audiologist said at last HA firmware update the Oticon was having BT probs with Connect Clip and was working on it. Appt next week with audiologist will try updating More firmware again and see if there is another solution. When it was working it was the best way I had to listen to music, better than with headphones wearing hearing aides. Hope to be able to get back to that.
Have they sent them back to Oticon for a potential repair of the wireless antennas inside of the hearing aids?
Audiologist called Oticon and described my problem with both led's flashing bright red, Oticon said hardware issues, out of warranty so buying a new connect clip. Hopefully that will work properly.@@DrCliffAuD
I wore an old analog hearing aid years ago. Until it didn't work anymore. My mother died over a year o and I was just going to use her hearing aids. But I thought maybe I should step it up a notch and get a Bluetooth Hearing Aid. However two hearing aids are useless to me. I was born with little to no hearing in my left ear. I had two ear operations he last one about 55 years ago. It is inner ear and that ear just does not work. So I am really just be going to use my right hearing aid if the model I choose only comes as a pair. What I find most difficult now is hearing directions in my car. If I am on an less busy road I can hear the directions well. If it is a busy road I have problems.
I am on Medicare. Would it work best that I go through an Audiologist first before trying to choose my hearing aid?
I've had pretty good luck with connectivity between my Miracle Ear and Iphone, but I can't connect to my Imac. Is it possible?
We have 8 BT devices in our home (and car). My wife's Phonak hearing aids is the only device we have had problems with.
This!! All of my other bluetooth earbuds and headphones work from a room or 2 away and no connection issue and no chane after phone updates ever! And they're all less than 100$ while my ha's are many thousands! If it is really a phone or provider issue, wouldn't all of the devices have problems? Dr Cliff, why is this?
I looking for a bluetooth tv gadget for hearing aid 2 people , for all hearing ?
I have Oticon More 1 hearing aids that constantly disconnect from my Samsung Android phone. And volume is very low. Do you find this common with Oticon hearing aids when used Android devices?
Yes, I have the same hearing aid, phone, and problem. I have to switch off Bluetooth when using the phone for voice communication.
I also have Oticon hearing aids- brand new ones. Significant BT problems connecting and maintaining a connection with my iPhone 12 Pro Max. It doesn’t help that my husband is using my previous hearing aids, also Oticon . If he connects, mine disconnect. Everyone is working on a solution. For now, my husband only connects with Bluetooth when he is out and about. It’s a heck of a thing. But before Bluetooth connectivity, I had a lot of hearing challenges so I’ll take what I can get. Between Apple and my audiologist, I’m hoping we come up with a better solution. I hope you find one too.
Can I use a typical bluetooth headset as a hearing aid to enhance my hearing? I'm expecting to buy a hearing aid which is specially made for the people having with hearing issues. But that's cost is very high. And as the research I did, I could see that the typical bluetooth earphone can be purchased for less price in the local market.
If I choose this option, is it ok?
Thank you!
My dad has some Oticon Xceeds (regular or Play, I'm not sure), and the Bluetooth doesn't connect to a simple Bluetooth transmitter (TX) I have connected to the TV. But it plays wonderfully with my iPad in Hearing Aid mode (but that's not what we want to do). So is it my imagination or is it for Apple products only? I thought he could use the hearing aids as simple headphones, but I guess not. It has to be some sort of special hearing aid connection through Bluetooth. And on iPhone/iPad only?
❓Anyone using hearing aids where Bluetooth DOESN'T drop or cycle when streaming?
My hearing aids ARE the culprit: Rexton BICORE C R-Li (Costco) alternate between left and right instruments when streaming from iPhone 13, iOS 16.2; same issue in 15.x and 16.x versions.
Why do I think the hardware (instruments) are to blame, not smartphone software? The behavior is similar to an underpowered real-time processor dropping data. During testing, iPhone was in my pants pocket. Costco replaced instruments once; same issue.
(I've tested Overcast, Apple Podcasts, UA-cam, live radio streams; all exhibit same issue.)
Thanks for the great video!
All bets are off when you're using Costco hearing aids.
I have a kenwood car stereo and it is bluetooth which my oticon hearing aids are paired with. But yet I hear no music from myvradio.what am I doing wrong?
Used a provided neck loop at a Broadway show last week. Was awful.
I found a bag full of hearing equipment at the thrift store for 30 dollars. I've never seen a doctor for a prescription. But I think I saved a few dollars.
PS: R.I.P., the previous owner.
Can you recommend insurance coverage for hearing aids and not the over the counter types either. Most insurance carriers do not provide coverage in this area. I would greatly appreciate your feedback and maybe this could be a good subject to cover.
Thank you, Frank
If you have home and contents, insure it as a specially item on it. I'm covered anywhere in Aus and Nz for $15 a month as a specialty item on the home and contents
@@whoknows1631
Thanks for your reply Who Knows. I wasn't looking for coverage for missing, damaged or repairs as this is readily available already. I was referring to a supplemental or primary insurance that provides hearing aids coverage when you purchase them. Some policies in some states provide you USD $1000 coverage per hearing aids purchase but not in all states. So I am looking for which insurance would provide something of this nature throughout the USA.
Thank you again for your reply.
Super cool 😎
As a potential user of the Oticon Real1 in the near future, I am somewhat perplexed about Bluetooth pairing with a PC. Why is a manufactures 3rd party device required to pair my hearing aids to a PC? Is this just marketing to extract more money from patients or are there security protection protocols in play? If I can pair my hearing aids with my Apple phone/tablet, why can’t I pair them with a Bluetooth capable PC with matching Bluetooth version 5.0+?
So, i'm still using that old bluetooth tech (with neckloop) i'm (FINALLY) going in January to get new HAs but because i do literally all my tv watching via my computer bluetooth is a concern of mine, i made sure to buy a computer that has Bluetooth capabilities and had a good rating as far as that goes but i'm curious at to how well it works. IOW: do computers have the same issues as cell phones? i don't need to be connected to my cell phone but i absolutely need to be connected to my computer. I'm also concerned about how much HA battery drain occurs while streaming/bluetooth connectivity. I mean if they're rechargeable, can i watch lets say (on a lazy day) i watch 6-7 hours of streaming content, how much battery drain will that cause? Would i still be able to use my HAs? I know this is slightly off topic but bluetooth in HAs is important to me and i want to be sure i'm going the right route when purchasing my HAs. BTW my compilot is barely alive (it's 9 years old) - it no longer pairs with anything i have to use the aux jack. I'm really looking forward to ditching it LOL.
Be sure don't buy Starkey. They need adotional accesorie to connet with lapto, or pc.
Tha's the problem that i have 😡
I try Phonak 70(for a trial) They connect with everything, but up an down. When I cobbeted to pc, and received a notification, the audio was slow, like back connectity.
@@velmamilagros My current HAs are phonak and i've loved them, Phonak is already the route i believe i am going but will talk with my Audiologists on what's the best one for me (and yeah, i trust my aud. he's great!). I will absolutely find the aids that let me hear the best as well as have the best bluetooth options. Thanks for the heads up re: Starkey.
I can confirm that every time my phone has updated to a new version of Android I have problems with Bluetooth devices. Now on ver12 it's gotton so bad that I have to restart the phone, app and Bluetooth since I can only rarely connect to both of aids. This means that I can't control them from the app, and streaming only works with one or the other. This has been a problem for about 2 years now. So I am likely going to have to reset my phone, which is a royal PITA!
I had a problem recently when the new Pixel 7 by Google came out. I could not keep my HAs (Kirkland KS9s) reliably paired to the phone so the Bluetooth would drop out randomly requiring me to repair my hearing aids often multiple times per day. I tried working with the device engineers at Google to try to figure out what was going on without much luck. They had me reinitialize the phone multiple times, try pairing to a different phone (Samsung) and basically everything in between. Eventually they declared that the problem was my hearing aids and that I would simply have to buy new ones. That was NOT a solution that was going to work and I told them I would not be investing a couple of thousand dollars to work with their $700 phone. I sent the phone back, bought a new Samsung and life has been good again.
If there are already such massive problems with standard Bluetooth, then it is foreseeable that these Bluetooth problems will increase with Auracast, especially since Auracast is a completely new Bluetooth system with a completely new hardware chip from version 5.2 upwards?And what about firmware updates for hearing aids? My Bluetooth hearing aids are now 3 years old and there has never been a firmware update and never will be.
1:23 me doing exactly that at the moment
The bluetooth connectivity with my S21 Ultra has always been spotty and unrealiable. Better now that they updated their Philips hearlink app but still bad. It's been like this for years. I don't know if I'll ever get sound without the skips and waves.
I dont understand why my new laptop shows LMP 12 which I believe is BT 5.3, and should support LE Bluetooth, so why can't my laptop (Win 11) connect directly to my oticons real 1 r same way my iPhone does. If all the hardware is there like my phone it must be the OS doesn't support it natively I guess? Even if OS doesn't support natively I would assume Oricon should be able to make an app to work with the BT manufacturer (Intel).
My resound hearing aid paired perfectly with mu iphone 11 until an update in iOS 15.
My phone , Apple Watch and iPad all drained the battery overnight.
I was losing 10% or more an hour. I could see the devices were showing my hearing aids in real time adjusting to the microphone input like a vu meter! Apple replaced my watch did diagnostics and never solved the problem! iOS 16 came out and everything was back to normal, ALWAYS A SOFTWARE ISSUE😢😢
Fun fact: My microwave, which is an inverter, will interrupt the bluetooth connectivity between my hearing aid and my phone. I have to be away from that thing. Same with being hear something similar like that machine like a UV Light Cure - from work.
Me too. I also loose wifi connections when aeroplanes from the nearby airport fly overhead.
@@David-Field.Stuff01UFO's have the same effect. They also stop car electrical systems. Wish I was just kidding.
Ban microwaves, I feel healthy!
I have had bluetooth enabled hearing aids for 14 months I have a Phonak device attached to the TV. Using bluetooth drains the rechargable batteries much more quickly. Batter powered hearing aids and bluetooth might not play together well.
When I use the bluetooth with TV. I can hear well, even dialogue with foreign accents, but I cannot hear anything else. I wish the bluetooth device had a remote mute button for commercials.
My Phonaks have tap control- tap ear twice to turn off sound and again to turn on
I find the Signia app absolutely sucks, too.
I have Oticon More 1 hearing aids with iPhone 13 Pro. Left hearing aid has never lost connection it's always been the right. Has anyone else had this happen to them? I did see a response from Oticon on Bluetooth issues in my research that suggested shutting off Control Nearby Devices and Audio Handoff in iPhone settings. Has anyone found that helpful?
My Oticons often restart when connected to my iPhone 12. One earpiece will restart, and then sometimes the other one will do it too. If my iPhone is relatively close to the hearing aids, this never happens. I've had the Oticons replaced once, but the problem didn't resolve. Since I often leave my iPhone in another room (25' away) this is a pain, but the solution is just to keep the phone close by. Anyone else notice this with Oticons?
@@sillydg I always keep my phone near me. I sometimes (almost daily) have either left or right and sometimes both hearing aids that don’t stream from my phone requiring them to be restarted.
My problem is 100% the hearing aid company software. My phone can stream and everything perfectly fine, it repairs automatically immediately when I turn on my hearing aids. The Phonak app refuses to find the hearing aids. Even when I am at that moment listening to my phone using the haring aids without issue, it still cannot find them. I can't change volume, programs, etc with the app because it never recognizes the aids. The only thing I have found makes it work briefly is to forcibly depair the aids from the phone, then without repairing them to the phone open the app and then it will find them ONE TIME (after usually power cycling the aids to put them in discoverable mode 4-5 times and having to take them off and hold them right up to the screen for the software to find them). But the next time it's right back to the same thing again.
Biggest fail is the automatic headphone mode from apple, it can’t get switched off. Everytime i open a multimedia or game app, it switched from speakers to my hearing aids.
My connect hearing franchise owner is looking so bad the more I find out about issues I'm having, research your hearing aid provider as most are
Are not qualified .
Now here’s my question I have perfect sound from Bluetooth connected to my phone and yet when I connect to my computer it’s the most spotty connection possible I have the phonak marvel have you heard of any Bluetooth adapters that greatly improve connectivity to computers to the phonak marvels
Also linux does Bluetooth perfectly
Recently purchased Apple Watch 8 and just found out -from Oticon - that my More1 aids cannot connect to Apple Watches. They do connect through my I phone for playing music but will not function independent of the phone for playing music. Apparently a software issues. Is this an issue with other hearing aid brands?
No hearing aids connect "directly" to an Apple Watch. However, Oticon, Signia, and ReSound all connect to the Apple Watch through your iPhone.
Blutooth connection is fine on my new phone and aids. The PROBLEM is the app. The app for Phonak sucks.
Please don’t blame the problem on the phone. There was no problem with the old app. This new one is a big pain, will not stay connected. You just need to go back to the old app, it worked fine.
This doesn't address the low quality bluetooth antennas that hearing aids use to extend battery life.
Informative but not helpful. I am due for new hearing aids (old Starkey ones just stopped working) and NEED ones that will connect with my COMPUTER (Dell Desktop/Laptop) as well as my Motorola Cell phone (moto g stylus 5G). I am a health/wellness counselor and need this connectivity so I am not encumbered talking to clients. So far NO LUCK AT ALL. But thanks anyway!
Bluetooth and the Tragedy of the Commons: The overuse of a shared resource will result in its demise. For me, at least, Bluetooth used to be useful and convenient, but now it's painful and no longer convenient. Initially it was designed for a one-to-one connection, say a headset and a phone, when most people owned 3 BT devices: 1 headset. 1 phone, and 1 car. But now we're in a sea of BT -- phone, hearing aids, car, headset, PC, TV, smart speaker, and even the darn parking meter! Now it's endless fiddling to get it to do anything useful! Ugh! Rant over...🤨
Hi Dr. Cliff! Thank you for your videos!!! I want to connect my Signia hearing aids to my Windows 11 PC. The bluetooth connections are not visible on either device? Thank you! Best wishes, Steve
Oh so my post got deleted. Ok.
What was it?
Not helpful
Please get to the point
My Phonac bluetooth has a range of about 6 inches. Waste of space even on a clean phone with no apps or updates.
Yeah, that's not right. Get your hearing aids repaired or replaced by Phonak.
I can confirm these issues with my Oticon and my IPad, but no problems with my IPhone (both only a year old). Submitted a bug report and spent hours on the phone with Apple. That was a year ago and no fix in the updates over the past year. The issues is garbled connectivity every 90 Seconds like clockwork. But it only happens with the IPad, and most noticeable with audio books. I have the latest Oticon firmware.
Hey Cliff, thanks for this great description of the BT connectivity problem! Just over a month ago, I bought my first HA's - Widex Sheer 440s to address my tinnitus and hearing loss as a musician. I just experienced my first connectivity issue when my iPhone updated to 17.1.1 yesterday. The Widex update was nearly instantaneous, and it was successful.
On a related issue, I've wanted to connect my windows 10 laptop to my HA's with BT. Just ordered the new Widex SoundConnect device. Have you reviewed it yet? I'd be interested in your thoughts.
I really doubt this is why mine are having Bluetooth issues. I have Beltone Amaze, less than 1 year old. I had my left hearing aid adjusted several times to increase loudness. The last time they found that the mic filter was clogged and then it was real loud. I also think they said there was a firmware update they applied. Anyway, they adjusted it (lowered its volume) and all seemed well. Note: they have the music mode set as my default. Now when I try to stream anything in that mode like phone calls or music, Roku etc the balance is WAY OFF. It’s loud in the right ear and quiet in the left. I have to use the iOS settings to move the balance to the left A LOT. I’ve NEVER had to do this before and never had to do this with 2 sets of Resound owned. I’ve been back to my audiologist 3 times and they still do this. I’m also getting different results in different modes, it’s like it works correctly in a couple modes but incorrect in 2 modes. Lately my right hearing aid seems to not be loud enough in regular hearing mode (non streaming) I have to increase it somewhat. These worked fine when I hit them.
Sounds like you have bad audiologists
Hey Cliff, thanks for this great description of the BT connectivity problem! Just over a month ago, I bought my first HA's - Widex Sheer 440s to address my tinnitus and hearing loss as a musician. I just experienced my first connectivity issue when my iPhone updated to 17.1.1 yesterday. The Widex update was nearly instantaneous, and it was successful.
On a related issue, I've wanted to connect my windows 10 laptop to my HA's with BT. Just ordered the new Widex SoundConnect device. Have you reviewed it yet? I'd be interested in your thoughts.