Hearing aids are a great help in communicating but many people need more assistance than they provide to enjoy the company of others. If you are visiting this site for the first time I recommend you go to the April 2010 posting before reading further. If you are thinking of buying any of the devices I have written about remember the caveats. Try it out before purchasing and be prepared to send it back if it does not meet the requirments. Good luck.
I was recently lent the FMGenie by Connevans. This is my report.
Report on the FM Genie June 2011
The instructions
These were good. On first looking at the book which runs to over 100 pages including 7 appendices I formed the impression that the Genie was very complicated. However having familiarized myself with the basics I found the instructions very good and the instrument is simple to use. The detail outlined in all the appendices deal with particular problems which one might encounter in different circumstances.
The equipment
This consist of a transmitter and a receiver. The receiver is normally attached to a neck loop (T position needed on the hearing aid), though one can use a ‘direct input lead’ which connects the receiver directly to a shoe on the hearing aid or aids. This would have to be separately purchased. The receiver has a socket for an external microphone. It has no internal microphone.
The transmitter is normally worn or carried by the person with whom one is communicating. I found the transmitting distance to be normally about 20-30 metres and even more than this under ideal circumstances. The transmitter has an external microphone socket. The microphone is attached to the lapel of the person carrying the transmitter. There is also an internal microphone on the transmitter. Only when this is used a short aerial lead is required connected to the transmitter.
There are rechargeable batteries and a battery charger. There is a conference microphone. This connects with the transmitter.
The accessories are numerous and allow convenience for the Genie to be used in all sorts of circumstances. Shoulder straps, belts, cases for the transmitter and receiver etc.
A version of the Genie is now available with a 'direct input' shoe on the hearing aid. This obviates the need of a receiver as the sound signal from the transmitter goes direct to the hearing aid. It is more expensive but without the receiver would be more convenient in use. I say this but have not tried it out myself.
How does it perform?
I used the Genie with my hearing aid (neck loop of the Genie, HA set in T position).
Used for watching the TV – The Genie connects with either with a scart lead or via audio leads or using the internal microphone on the transmitter. Quality of sound is best when using the scart lead or audio leads. The sound quality was excellent. But bear in mind the slight drawback of there being no microphone on the receiver (mentioned later).
Used in the car – Using the lapel microphone with the transmitter the sound quality received was very good. Having the microphone close to the speaker means the engine noise is not so intrusive. By clipping the microphone close to the radio speaker on can enjoy radio programmes and at the same time cut down on the engine’s background noise.
Used for a walk – The sound quality was again very good. One is able to keep in touch with the person with whom one is walking even when they are at some distance. The batteries had good reserves of energy and can be used for a prolonged time even when showing some battery depletion.
Used in a conference – The conference microphone was placed on the table in the middle. Hearing was good. My impression was that it was probably better than other listeners in a similar situation.
Assessment
Sound quality was very good in all situations. Transmitting distance was also good. In general the Genie is very good in situations when one is communicating with one single person. The lapel microphone is small and easily worn and is more convenient than some of the transmitters which can be difficult to attach to clothing. The transmitter and receiver are both small enough to fit in the pocket easily but there are accessories like pouches, shoulder straps and belts for convenience. Both the transmitter and receiver were slightly bigger than some of the other listeners but I formed the impression that the Genie was a robust and highly reliable listener with very good battery reserves and well worth the slight additional bulk.
In this respect the Genie is designed for communicating with one single person – on a guided tour of a public building – in a lecture in a hall or theatre with the lecturer or guide wearing the transmitter. It is also invaluable when walking or dining with a single companion who would of course wear the transmitter.
It is also very good in for a group meeting like a coffee morning or a conference with up to 8 to 10 people in a single room – provided of course there is a convenient table on which to put the conference microphone.
The battery capacity of the Genie was remarkable. Connevans boast that it can be regularly topped up and does not have the drawback of capacity loss if topped frequently. Even when the battery signal was getting low I used the Genie on a 3 hour walk and there appeared to be still plenty of power left when I got back.
There is no directional microphone on the transmitter and this is a slight drawback in certain situations when one is in company with two or three people or even at a meeting when there are speakers in different parts of the room. Nor is there an internal microphone on the receiver. This means that one listens to one source at all times. To hear someone sitting close to the person with the receiver the switch on the hearing aid would need changing from T to normal hearing.
The Genie was simple to use and would therefore be suitable for elderly users who need a simple instrument which is reliable in use. I had one instance of failure of communication between the transmitter and the receiver. I was flummoxed at the time. I tried to resolve it with the manual but failed and I resorted to a phone call to Connevans who dealt with it easily.
Summary
I thoroughly recommend the Genie as a highly reliable and life enhancing instrument for listening particularly in those circumstances I have described. It is very adaptable to different listening scenes, from watching the television, hearing while driving the car, attending coffee mornings, attending guided tours or lectures.
The Genie is more expensive than some other devices. Only go ahead if you feel there is the need. Milder hearing loss may not justify the expenditure although Connevans are a very good firm and provide a reliable and good product in the FM Genie.
Sunday 22 May 2011
Wednesday 23 February 2011
Thoughts about listening to the television
Thoughts about listening to the television
The welcome-to-the-website posting is dated 12 April 2010. If you are new perhaps go there first and then explore other areas (including this if it interests you) later. This posting brings some thoughts about listening to the television. This is argueably one of the most contentious topics for those who are deaf (and for those who are not deaf!). The too loud/not loud enough battle can enrage and divide households. It would be inappropriate for me to list all the various mehods for improving the ability to hear the television. There are many. My advice is to go to the latest Action on Hearing Loss Solutions Catalogue. On page 54 the field is displayed.
In the June/July edition of the RNID magazine - now called Action on Hearing Loss has an article called 'Better Sounding TV'. In this article the various methods for improved hearing of the TV are described and discussed and this includes some user feedback. This is useful but I note that the Panasonic headphones which are recommended are now 'discontinued'. The other comment I have at present is a word of caution in that Chris Bowden says that headphones are unsuitable for those who like or have to wear hearing aids. I am in that position and have been using headphones for some time without problems. Its a personal view but I much prefer to use headphones rather than a stethoset.
From a personal point of view I watch TV and listen with subtitles and with listeners. The one I favour most is Sennheiser headphones. They are very easy to use and the quality of sound is very good indeed. All the listeners described in this blog can be used for TV. I find the contego (with loop) excellent and the smart phonak (with my link loop) is also very good. It is hard to choose between them for listening to the TV. The best advice I can give is to try them out for several weeks before deciding. One other piece of advice is to regularly drain the battery of charge rather than keeping it constantly charged. They last a lot longer that way.
Another thought which I confess I have not yet tried is to use blue tooth. There is an article about it in the August/September issue of Action on Hearing Loss magazine.
I have been able to borrow a Conversor TV Pro from the makers with a view to writing a report about it. This is appended below. In recent weeks I have also been borrowing a Conversor Pro by kind permission of the makers. I thank them for the opportunity to report on this quality 'elite' listener. My report appears after the report on the Conversor TV Pro.
Conversor TV Pro Tested in Jan 2011 1) Instructions for use. They are very good, concise and helpful. 2) Transmitter. This plugs into the mains and into the TV by an audio lead, receiver (rechargeable battery) with neck loop, case. 3) Battery recharge time 2.5 hours, transmitting time 8 hours. Low battery warning. Charge complete indicator. In practice I found the fully charged battery did not last a full 8 hours, but recharging was simple. 4) Quality of sound signal – T switch is needed on hearing aid. Signal is good, volume is independently controllable by a switch on the receiver. The signal was reliable for listening to the television. There is a microphone of the receiver so that you can hear your neighbour talking. This very useful though the microphone is permanently switched on. This means that if there is some local background noise one cannot eliminate it. Some TVs (especially older units) cut sound from the speakers when the audio lead is used. This might need checking. Loop systems sometimes result in interference if other electrical equipment is close by (strip lighting, computers, other radio equipment etc). 5) Length of warranty – 2 years 6) In comparison with other products does it offer good value for money? The TV Pro is small, convenient and simple to use. It was good to have the transmitter permanently available and not needing a battery. The hearing range was good. It is a good method for someone who is hard of hearing or mild to moderately hearing loss for hearing the TV without having the volume on the set increased to the discomfort of others. At £199 (ex VAT) It offers good value. However if you don’t like neck loops or do not have a T setting on your hearing aid you might think about the Sennheiser headphones as an alternative. They are wireless, rechargeable and slightly cheaper at £145. They could be perhaps better for those who have more serious hearing loss. In my experience the sound quality with the Sennheiser headphones was also slightly better. There is the disadvantage that the headphones are a bit cumbersome and therefore not very good for ladies hairstyles. They also exclude sound other than from the TV so that one has to take the headphones off to hear a neighbour who is talking. On the other hand the Conversor TV Pro has a microphone on the receiver which allows nearby conversation to be heard – though as I said earlier if there is much background noise in the room in which you are sitting this can intrude on the ability to hear the TV clearly.
Report on the Conversor Pro I borrowed a Conversor Pro from the manufacturers in March 2011. This is my report. 1) The instructions for use were good and clear. 2) Equipment - Wireless microphone transmitter – the microphone has a zoom and omni directional switch. It also has a ‘boost’ setting for quiet situations –this is complementary to the volume control on the receiver. There is also an on/off switch. When the transmitter is switched off the microphone on the receiver is automatically activated. Otherwise the receiver microphone remains inactive. Neck loop receiver (T setting is needed on the hearing aid) – There is an on/off switch and volume controls. There are lights on the transmitter and receiver which indicate the battery state and indicate satisfactory pairing of the radio signal by showing green on both units. Power supply unit for recharging batteries – both can be recharged at the same time. Neck cord for the transmitter – so that it may be hung around the neck of the speaker. Connecting leads for audio and scart connection. Case (with zip). 3) Length of warranty 2 years
Use of the Conversor Pro 1) Listening to the television. I used the audio lead connection. TV sound quality was improved by use of the Conversor. I personally found the sound relatively quiet, but this was no doubt an indication of the severity of my hearing loss. I used the high volume settings. The quality of sound was a little better when used with the audio lead rather than simply using the microphone of the transmitter. Sometimes the signal was intermittent. There did not appear to be any reason for this and with a little patience the sound returned. On one occasion it might have been related to a low battery (despite the low battery warning not showing) 2) In the car. Two cars tested. There was a slight T setting electronic hum in one car. This is related to the T – coil use and is present with all T coil devices. It did not interfere with satisfactory reception of sound. The Conversor worked well in the car. Sometimes the signal was intermittent. Again the volume was quiet (despite the activating the boost control). 3) At a lecture in a hall. This was a typical village hall with no microphone available. About 50 people were present. The lecturer wore the transmitter hanging it around her neck using the neck strap. I sat well back and could hear well. It is useful in this setting. The neck strap was relatively long and allowed the transmitter to move about as she spoke. When she bent forward it tended to bang against the table. It might have be better had she been able to clip it to clothing. Any movement of the microphone against clothing causes interference. 4) In a pub and restaurant. I went for a drink with a friend and he wore the Conversor around his neck. There was an improvement in the ability to hear though this was limited and subject to the amount of background noise. I found the Conversor helpful, but too much background noise can drown the benefit. 5) At a committee meeting. About 12 people gathered around a table in a large unfurnished room. Useful assistance in hearing with the transmitter placed on the committee table. Should there be a need to hear someone speaking near one would need to switch out of telecoil (on the hearing aid) to hear them. This is not quite as convenient as other listeners in which the receiver microphone can be used for this purpose. (The Conversor receiver microphone can only be switched on by switching off the transmitter) 6) Transmitting range This depends on the obstructions between transmitter and receiver but at best is about 25 metres. At full range the received sound can be intermittent.
In summary The Conversor is a quality and useful listening instrument. It is adaptable for several settings. It is light and easy to carry around and is simple to operate with few controls. I would recommend it for someone with a mild to moderate hearing loss who wants a simple and neat instrument without complicated controls. Within its price range it is good value for money.
The welcome-to-the-website posting is dated 12 April 2010. If you are new perhaps go there first and then explore other areas (including this if it interests you) later. This posting brings some thoughts about listening to the television. This is argueably one of the most contentious topics for those who are deaf (and for those who are not deaf!). The too loud/not loud enough battle can enrage and divide households. It would be inappropriate for me to list all the various mehods for improving the ability to hear the television. There are many. My advice is to go to the latest Action on Hearing Loss Solutions Catalogue. On page 54 the field is displayed.
In the June/July edition of the RNID magazine - now called Action on Hearing Loss has an article called 'Better Sounding TV'. In this article the various methods for improved hearing of the TV are described and discussed and this includes some user feedback. This is useful but I note that the Panasonic headphones which are recommended are now 'discontinued'. The other comment I have at present is a word of caution in that Chris Bowden says that headphones are unsuitable for those who like or have to wear hearing aids. I am in that position and have been using headphones for some time without problems. Its a personal view but I much prefer to use headphones rather than a stethoset.
From a personal point of view I watch TV and listen with subtitles and with listeners. The one I favour most is Sennheiser headphones. They are very easy to use and the quality of sound is very good indeed. All the listeners described in this blog can be used for TV. I find the contego (with loop) excellent and the smart phonak (with my link loop) is also very good. It is hard to choose between them for listening to the TV. The best advice I can give is to try them out for several weeks before deciding. One other piece of advice is to regularly drain the battery of charge rather than keeping it constantly charged. They last a lot longer that way.
Another thought which I confess I have not yet tried is to use blue tooth. There is an article about it in the August/September issue of Action on Hearing Loss magazine.
I have been able to borrow a Conversor TV Pro from the makers with a view to writing a report about it. This is appended below. In recent weeks I have also been borrowing a Conversor Pro by kind permission of the makers. I thank them for the opportunity to report on this quality 'elite' listener. My report appears after the report on the Conversor TV Pro.
Conversor TV Pro Tested in Jan 2011 1) Instructions for use. They are very good, concise and helpful. 2) Transmitter. This plugs into the mains and into the TV by an audio lead, receiver (rechargeable battery) with neck loop, case. 3) Battery recharge time 2.5 hours, transmitting time 8 hours. Low battery warning. Charge complete indicator. In practice I found the fully charged battery did not last a full 8 hours, but recharging was simple. 4) Quality of sound signal – T switch is needed on hearing aid. Signal is good, volume is independently controllable by a switch on the receiver. The signal was reliable for listening to the television. There is a microphone of the receiver so that you can hear your neighbour talking. This very useful though the microphone is permanently switched on. This means that if there is some local background noise one cannot eliminate it. Some TVs (especially older units) cut sound from the speakers when the audio lead is used. This might need checking. Loop systems sometimes result in interference if other electrical equipment is close by (strip lighting, computers, other radio equipment etc). 5) Length of warranty – 2 years 6) In comparison with other products does it offer good value for money? The TV Pro is small, convenient and simple to use. It was good to have the transmitter permanently available and not needing a battery. The hearing range was good. It is a good method for someone who is hard of hearing or mild to moderately hearing loss for hearing the TV without having the volume on the set increased to the discomfort of others. At £199 (ex VAT) It offers good value. However if you don’t like neck loops or do not have a T setting on your hearing aid you might think about the Sennheiser headphones as an alternative. They are wireless, rechargeable and slightly cheaper at £145. They could be perhaps better for those who have more serious hearing loss. In my experience the sound quality with the Sennheiser headphones was also slightly better. There is the disadvantage that the headphones are a bit cumbersome and therefore not very good for ladies hairstyles. They also exclude sound other than from the TV so that one has to take the headphones off to hear a neighbour who is talking. On the other hand the Conversor TV Pro has a microphone on the receiver which allows nearby conversation to be heard – though as I said earlier if there is much background noise in the room in which you are sitting this can intrude on the ability to hear the TV clearly.
Report on the Conversor Pro I borrowed a Conversor Pro from the manufacturers in March 2011. This is my report. 1) The instructions for use were good and clear. 2) Equipment - Wireless microphone transmitter – the microphone has a zoom and omni directional switch. It also has a ‘boost’ setting for quiet situations –this is complementary to the volume control on the receiver. There is also an on/off switch. When the transmitter is switched off the microphone on the receiver is automatically activated. Otherwise the receiver microphone remains inactive. Neck loop receiver (T setting is needed on the hearing aid) – There is an on/off switch and volume controls. There are lights on the transmitter and receiver which indicate the battery state and indicate satisfactory pairing of the radio signal by showing green on both units. Power supply unit for recharging batteries – both can be recharged at the same time. Neck cord for the transmitter – so that it may be hung around the neck of the speaker. Connecting leads for audio and scart connection. Case (with zip). 3) Length of warranty 2 years
Use of the Conversor Pro 1) Listening to the television. I used the audio lead connection. TV sound quality was improved by use of the Conversor. I personally found the sound relatively quiet, but this was no doubt an indication of the severity of my hearing loss. I used the high volume settings. The quality of sound was a little better when used with the audio lead rather than simply using the microphone of the transmitter. Sometimes the signal was intermittent. There did not appear to be any reason for this and with a little patience the sound returned. On one occasion it might have been related to a low battery (despite the low battery warning not showing) 2) In the car. Two cars tested. There was a slight T setting electronic hum in one car. This is related to the T – coil use and is present with all T coil devices. It did not interfere with satisfactory reception of sound. The Conversor worked well in the car. Sometimes the signal was intermittent. Again the volume was quiet (despite the activating the boost control). 3) At a lecture in a hall. This was a typical village hall with no microphone available. About 50 people were present. The lecturer wore the transmitter hanging it around her neck using the neck strap. I sat well back and could hear well. It is useful in this setting. The neck strap was relatively long and allowed the transmitter to move about as she spoke. When she bent forward it tended to bang against the table. It might have be better had she been able to clip it to clothing. Any movement of the microphone against clothing causes interference. 4) In a pub and restaurant. I went for a drink with a friend and he wore the Conversor around his neck. There was an improvement in the ability to hear though this was limited and subject to the amount of background noise. I found the Conversor helpful, but too much background noise can drown the benefit. 5) At a committee meeting. About 12 people gathered around a table in a large unfurnished room. Useful assistance in hearing with the transmitter placed on the committee table. Should there be a need to hear someone speaking near one would need to switch out of telecoil (on the hearing aid) to hear them. This is not quite as convenient as other listeners in which the receiver microphone can be used for this purpose. (The Conversor receiver microphone can only be switched on by switching off the transmitter) 6) Transmitting range This depends on the obstructions between transmitter and receiver but at best is about 25 metres. At full range the received sound can be intermittent.
In summary The Conversor is a quality and useful listening instrument. It is adaptable for several settings. It is light and easy to carry around and is simple to operate with few controls. I would recommend it for someone with a mild to moderate hearing loss who wants a simple and neat instrument without complicated controls. Within its price range it is good value for money.
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