Re: Recent FM postings

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 5/29/2004 4:47:19 PM Pacific Standard Time,

rlclark77@... writes:

I am not at all familiar enough with all the potential applications

for FM systems to know if one system can do it all.

Unfortunately, it doesn't, like TV and radio stations, each FM has it own

frequency settings. That my concern, to me, the build in T-coil is good enuf

for

me.

Lee

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 5/29/2004 4:50:22 PM Pacific Standard Time,

justagram@... writes:

In particular, I can see it as a benefit to young children who are in

mainstreamed classroom situations.

Good point but for us, adult,,,,, we aren't in school...... so we are faced

with " zillion " wireless FM makes.

lee

[Guest guest]

Lee,

I have not personally seen the need to purchase this but there are instances

when people gain an advantage from the use of the Microlink. In particular, I

can see it as a benefit to young children who are in mainstreamed classroom

situations.

I believe that it is a matter of choice.

Alice

[Guest guest]

Lee,

We are not limited to Phonak. The marriage between Phonak and

Nucleus does give us a slight advantage. The adapter we have been

speaking of allows you to mix FM and mic.

Where there is no loop, then a portable FM system is needed. But

I am not at all familiar enough with all the potential applications

for FM systems to know if one system can do it all.

*---* *---* *---* *---* *---*

Give your child mental blocks for Christmas.

& Gimlet (Guide Dawggie)

Portland, Oregon

N24C 3G 8/2000 Hookup

rlclark77@...

http://home.comcast.net/~rlclark77/

[Guest guest]

Folks, I have been using a Phonak Supero hearing aid with the

Handymic for the last few years, so let me explain what it does.

You need a boot that fits onto the bottom end of your hearing aid

and a receiver that plugs into the boot. Together these two items

are a little bigger than a pencil eraser or a little smaller than

the tip of your little finger. You also need a handymic, which is a

wireless microphone smaller than a TV remote. You put the handymic

near a sound source and it transmits that sound directly to the

receiver in your hearing aid up to about 10 feet away. You can use

this when sitting around a table having a conversation.

The device comes with a wire antenna about 18 " long that plugs into

the handymic and increases its range up to about 50' (although in

the right conditions I've noticed it will go much further). You can

put this on the podium in a meeting room and, so long as you sit

with in range, you can hear the speaker trough the handymic. I have

been in meeting rooms with induction loops and was able to compare

the handymic with the t-coil and the handymic did seem louder and

clearer.

The device will transmit directly through walls and closed doors.

You can go to the restroom during a meeting and hear what's going on

in the meeting room as clearly as if you were still in the room (no

lip reading though, of course) and you can spy on family members by

secretly placing the device in a room and then leaving the room.

This is why they call it the " handy " mic. I've changed my will three

times.

There is also a patch cord that allows you to plug the handymic

directly into the output jack of a sound system and transmit the

sound directly to the hearing aid. This has all kinds of uses. For

example, you can plug the handymic into a radio set up in the corner

of the gym and listen to the radio while you use the treadmill up to

50' away.

This device has been essential to me in court. The court system in

which I work has failed utterly to accomodate hearing impaired

lawyers. They grudgingly attempt to accomodate hearing impaired

parties, witnesses and the like, but have taken the position that it

is the lawyer's employer's responsibility to accomodate a hearing

impaired lawyer in court. That means I had to have an ALD I could

carry with me from one court room to the next and set up on my own

in seconds. The Phonak system did that for me.

The handymic was pretty expensive, but I just don't remember the

price. I actually have two of them. One my employer bought for me to

use at work and one I bought for myself.

The handymic is not the only wireless FM option from Phonak. Check

out their website for other options:

http://www.phonak.com/consumer/products/fmsystemsp/transmitters.htm

Take particular note of the SmartLink SX. This is a souped up

handymic and I had a chance to discuss it with a Phonak factory rep

back in March. He said at that point it was not yet actually

available, but would be by April. So it should be out now. This

devices will have a number of advantages over the handymic, but the

main one will be full integration with any Bluetooth enabled cell

phone. (Be careful here. There aren't very many Bluetooth enabled

cell phones yet available.) Essentially, as I understand it, you

hang the SmartLink on a loop around your neck. It connects directly

and wirelessly with your cell phone. You use your phone to dial, but

then you can put it away and talk and listen hands free via the

SmartLink. This will cost around $1000, but the really neat thing

about it is that it's existence will probably push down the price of

the handymic.

It is likely I'll get the adapter so I can use the handymic with my

CI. Would be a waste of the handymic not to do so. But I'm really

hoping I eventually won't need them.

I could be wrong about this, but I thought the reference to

compatability of the 3G with wireless FM on the Cochlear site was

referring to something different. I believe their are wireless FM

systems for meeting rooms that allow the user to wear a neckloop

that picks up the FM signal and transmits it to a t-coil. Seems like

I read that somewhere, although I've never encountered such a thing

in real life. I thought that is what they were referring to as being

built into the 3G. You clearly need an attached FM receiver to use

the handymic and other FM transmitter devices.

Wayne Kraft