buzzing noise using a BT inductive loop
rlz
situations. Recently, I purchased a Maxit Pulse inductive loopset to
utilze Bluetooth with my Blackberry. My audiologist has tried to get
it to work, but when I talk using the Maxit, the person receiving my
call just hears alot of buzzing. It sounds like a swarm of
mosquitos. We have sent the maxit and my hearing aide back to Widex
for service and they just sent me back a new maxit. The problem still
exist. I have paired the hearing aide and Maxit to another cell
phone, with the same results.
I've emailed Maxit for support, but no response. Has anyone seen or
heardabout this issue?
Robin
dsi1
You could try holding the unit and speaking into the microphone. If the
party you're calling can hear you, it's likely that you need to talk
louder. OTOH, different bluetooth systems have different performances.
Sometimes you just have to find one that works for you.
Nobody
Hello-
Just a quick note which is probably unrelated to your
problem. In my limited experience, inductive loops have a tendency to
pick up the electric field generated by electric wiring indoors, and
transmission lines outdoors. The low frequency of the AC power(50 or
60hz.) can create the buzzing sound you describe. Try different
locations to see if it has any effect.
Good luck-
Marc
Ken
One way to test this theory would be to use the following site to
generate a 50 or 60 hz tone to compare with the buzz.
http://www.phys.unsw.edu.au/jw/hearing.html
Ike
Perfection! For me it was a life-changing event, made even better with
the gift of the remote control.
There's a big difference between the two radio links.
The Phone<=>iCom link is via Bluetooth. That system operates over 79
different frequency bands each 1MHz wide, in the 2.4 GHz (2,400MHz)
range. Frequency hopping - invented by (really!) Hedy Lamarr, the
actress - is part of every cell system.
The iCom=>aids link is via FM, which is probably either 72-76MHz or
216-217MHz, allocated by the U.S. FCC.
The Voice=>iCom link is via air. There's a mic in the iCom. FM has
nothing to do with it, and Bluetooth is easily checked.
If the phone is working and is paired with the iCom, call someone and
speak directly into the iCom's mic. Experiment with distance from an
inch to a foot. If there's a problem at the other end, it's definitely
the iCom.
As for reception, the iCom receives the audio from the phone via
Bluetooth in the 2.4GHz band, then retransmits via an FM signal and the
neckloop (which is an antenna). The aids have FM receivers, and that's
that. But there is often a reception problem, because at the 72-76 and
216-217MHz range, even with the neckloop only a few inches away from the
aids, reception can be sporadic because the antenna in the aid is a 1/4"
bit of printed circuit. The radio signal is highly directional, so
turning the head or changing its position can make a difference.
FM is sometimes susceptible to noise induced by electric motors, etc.,
as mentioned. But such interference has *nothing* to do with the clarity
of your voice heard at the other end. That's true on my system, at
least, and I rather expect it's the same on yours.
Hope that helps
Ike
dsi1
> I use Phonak aids and the Phonak iCom, with an Android phone.
> Perfection! For me it was a life-changing event, made even better with
> the gift of the remote control.
I'm glad that it works well for you. Do you have an open fitting BTE? I
don't understand how the Bluetooth works with an open fit aid. Wouldn't
that be missing most of the frequency response of a cell call? Thanks.
Ike
> On 5/9/2011 6:16 PM, Ike wrote:
>> I use Phonak aids and the Phonak iCom, with an Android phone.
>> Perfection! For me it was a life-changing event, made even better with
>> the gift of the remote control.
>
> I'm glad that it works well for you. Do you have an open fitting BTE? I
> don't understand how the Bluetooth works with an open fit aid. Wouldn't
> that be missing most of the frequency response of a cell call? Thanks.
No, my BTEs use conventional earmolds. But Bluetooth has nothing to do
with the aids. Some aids might have Bluetooth, but not mine.
The cellphone (and my television set) are connected to the iCom via
Bluetooth.
On the iCom there's a port into which I can plug a common audio cable
(3.5mm), eliminating Bluetooth from the equation. The other end goes to
whatever audio device I wish to hear. Works fine.
The iCom then connects to the hearing aids via FM, through that loop -
which acts as a transmitting (not receiving) antenna.
Today I used a magnetic coil with an AC supply to ensure that there is
no induction effect (despite the subject of this thread). If it were
inductive, I would have heard the buzzing.
So, it's really FM, and Bluetooth is involved only some of the time.
Ike
dsi1
> On 5/10/2011 2:16 PM, dsi1 wrote:
>> On 5/9/2011 6:16 PM, Ike wrote:
>>> I use Phonak aids and the Phonak iCom, with an Android phone.
>>> Perfection! For me it was a life-changing event, made even better with
>>> the gift of the remote control.
>>
>> I'm glad that it works well for you. Do you have an open fitting BTE? I
>> don't understand how the Bluetooth works with an open fit aid. Wouldn't
>> that be missing most of the frequency response of a cell call? Thanks.
>
>
> No, my BTEs use conventional earmolds. But Bluetooth has nothing to do
> with the aids. Some aids might have Bluetooth, but not mine.
>
> The cellphone (and my television set) are connected to the iCom via
> Bluetooth.
>
> On the iCom there's a port into which I can plug a common audio cable
> (3.5mm), eliminating Bluetooth from the equation. The other end goes to
> whatever audio device I wish to hear. Works fine.
>
> The iCom then connects to the hearing aids via FM, through that loop -
> which acts as a transmitting (not receiving) antenna.
Thanks for the info. Wireless is all the rage these days. You're going
an alternate route and it sounds like a good setup.
I don't know of any aid that has direct Bluetooth connectivity at this
time. I'm hoping that one day there will be. I'm not sure why they don't
use the aid's microphone for the 2-way communication. My guess is that
someday they will.
Ike
> On 5/10/2011 12:15 PM, Ike wrote:
>> On 5/10/2011 2:16 PM, dsi1 wrote:
>>> On 5/9/2011 6:16 PM, Ike wrote:
>>>> I use Phonak aids and the Phonak iCom, with an Android phone.
>>>> Perfection! For me it was a life-changing event, made even better with
>>>> the gift of the remote control.
>>>
>>> I'm glad that it works well for you. Do you have an open fitting BTE? I
>>> don't understand how the Bluetooth works with an open fit aid. Wouldn't
>>> that be missing most of the frequency response of a cell call? Thanks.
>>
>>
>> No, my BTEs use conventional earmolds. But Bluetooth has nothing to do
>> with the aids. Some aids might have Bluetooth, but not mine.
>>
>> The cellphone (and my television set) are connected to the iCom via
>> Bluetooth.
>>
>> On the iCom there's a port into which I can plug a common audio cable
>> (3.5mm), eliminating Bluetooth from the equation. The other end goes to
>> whatever audio device I wish to hear. Works fine.
>>
>> The iCom then connects to the hearing aids via FM, through that loop -
>> which acts as a transmitting (not receiving) antenna.
>
> Thanks for the info. Wireless is all the rage these days. You're going
> an alternate route and it sounds like a good setup.
NOT REALLY "ALTERNATE" - THIS IS VIRTUALLY MAINSTREAM NOW. WIRELESS IS
POPULAR AND GROWING, WITH MASSIVE INVESTMENTS IN EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES,
FOR GOOD REASONS. MY NEW SYSTEM, FOR EXAMPLE, IS ALMOST A LIFE-CHANGER
FOR ME.
>
> I don't know of any aid that has direct Bluetooth connectivity at this
> time. I'm hoping that one day there will be. I'm not sure why they don't
> use the aid's microphone for the 2-way communication. My guess is that
> someday they will.
MAYBE, BUT BLUETOOTH REQUIRES CONSIDERABLE POWER. MY PHONAK AMBRA AIDS
USE "NEAR FIELD COMMUNICATION" (NFC) RADIOS, SUITABLE FOR TRANSMITTING
LESS THAN A FOOT ACROSS MY HEAD - AND IT'S TERRIFIC. BLUETOOTH IS A 10
METER (33 FOOT) TECHNOLOGY. IF THE AID MICROPHONES AND THE AIDS HAD TO
TRANSMIT MY VOICE SOMEHOW, THERE WOULD HAVE TO BE AN FM RECEIVER VERY
CLOSE, THEN AN FM-TO-BLUETOOTH INTERFACE, THEN A BLUETOOTH TRANSMITTER.
NOT TRIVIAL. AS-IS, THE NECKLOOP AND DONGLE ARE A MINOR ANNOYANCE THAT'S
OVERWHELMED BY THE BENEFIT.
WHAT'S COMING? WELL, THE AMOUNT OF TECHNOLOGY THAT CAN BE CRAMMED ONTO A
CHIP ONLY 2-3 SQUARE MILLIMETERS IS GROWING EVERY YEAR, AS REQUIRED
POWER IS SHRINKING. A MODERN HEARING AID HAS THE INTELLIGENCE OF A FULL
COMPUTER FROM A FEW DECADES AGO, AND THE TECHNOLOGY IS EVOLVING RAPIDLY.
THE AIDS ARE GETTING MORE AND MORE "INTELLIGENT" AND ADAPTIVE.
EVEN MORE IMPORTANT IS THAT THE FITTING SOFTWARE IS BECOMING MORE
INTUITIVE AND EFFICIENT, REDUCING THE SKILL REQUIRED ON THE PART OF THE
AUDIOLOGIST. I'M ABSOLUTELY CERTAIN THAT THE VAST MAJORITY OF HIGH-TECH
DIGITAL AIDS ARE POORLY FITTED TO THE NEEDS OF THE USER - IT'S A
CRAPSHOOT, WITH EMPHASIS UPON "CRAP". NO OFFENSE, AUDIOLOGISTS, BUT I
CALLS 'EM LIKE I HEARS 'EM.
IKE
dsi1
I think a lot of people don't like wearing that thing around their neck
and they'll get rid of it sooner or later. My guess is that it's gonna
be sooner.
>
> WHAT'S COMING? WELL, THE AMOUNT OF TECHNOLOGY THAT CAN BE CRAMMED ONTO A
> CHIP ONLY 2-3 SQUARE MILLIMETERS IS GROWING EVERY YEAR, AS REQUIRED
> POWER IS SHRINKING. A MODERN HEARING AID HAS THE INTELLIGENCE OF A FULL
> COMPUTER FROM A FEW DECADES AGO, AND THE TECHNOLOGY IS EVOLVING RAPIDLY.
> THE AIDS ARE GETTING MORE AND MORE "INTELLIGENT" AND ADAPTIVE.
I fit a woman this morning without an audiogram using pure tones
generated by the aids to find her threshold levels. Modern hearing aids
are software driven devices that offer a lot of advantages in
manufacturing and fitting. The mind-blower is that soon, the hardware is
not going to matter much. Packaging, software, and marketing will be the
only thing that counts.
>
> EVEN MORE IMPORTANT IS THAT THE FITTING SOFTWARE IS BECOMING MORE
> INTUITIVE AND EFFICIENT, REDUCING THE SKILL REQUIRED ON THE PART OF THE
> AUDIOLOGIST. I'M ABSOLUTELY CERTAIN THAT THE VAST MAJORITY OF HIGH-TECH
> DIGITAL AIDS ARE POORLY FITTED TO THE NEEDS OF THE USER - IT'S A
> CRAPSHOOT, WITH EMPHASIS UPON "CRAP". NO OFFENSE, AUDIOLOGISTS, BUT I
> CALLS 'EM LIKE I HEARS 'EM.
We agree about this.