AB's HiRes strategy vs. Cochlears program strategy

[Guest guest]

Ok, before I post this, I ask that everyone please refrain from biased

opinions/statements based on one's preference of one make over the other.

After reviewing the offerings from Advanced Bionics and Cochlear I am still

unclear as to the differences of AB's HiRes compared to the programming strategy

of Cochlears current program. Could anyone please shed some light on this and

give facts that show the differences if any? Thanks!

-Bill

---------------------------------

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[Guest guest]

Bill,

It is really impossible to be unbiased. If I can hear well with my implant, it

is the best. That is all that matters.

If I had a Nuke in one ear and an AB in the other and I heard better with one of

them, it still wouldn't give me an objective answer because there are so many

other factors involved....... was one ear better than the other to begin

with.... was one surgically implanted with more expertise than the other.....

are there any other physical factors within me involved, which make me be able

to hear better with one than the other.

You want a company with good quality control. You want battery life that meets

your lifestyle. AND, you want to hear. That is the bottom line.

Happy Hearing!

Carol

Boca Raton, FL

N24C left ear -12/11/01

N Freedom- right ear- implanted 3/01/06 activated 4/6/06

AB's HiRes strategy vs. Cochlears program strategy

Ok, before I post this, I ask that everyone please refrain from biased

opinions/statements based on one's preference of one make over the other.

After reviewing the offerings from Advanced Bionics and Cochlear I am still

unclear as to the differences of AB's HiRes compared to the programming strategy

of Cochlears current program. Could anyone please shed some light on this and

give facts that show the differences if any? Thanks!

-Bill

---------------------------------

gets better. Check out the new email design. Plus there's much

more to come.

[Guest guest]

Hi Kim,

Thanks so much for the information, I certianly do not mind one bit I

encouraged anyone to correct me or add information. I have been

trying to find out details on the AB stratagies for a long time.

I was told by an AB rep and my Audi that HiRes was a modified version

of CIS although from your explaination that does not sound right to

me now, I would say if it was in anyway based on the original CIS it

was totally reinvented!

I am curious what is the difference between HiRes P & HiRes S?

I know I have said it before I find much of the stuff put out about

the stratagies is far to technical for the average user. I mean most

of us have no idea what it will mean to have electrodes fire in

groups, or in sequence. It would be great if we could figure out a

way to explain how these factors effect the sound a user will hear -

no simple task!

I am learning allot from this thread and I hope we can all keep it

positive and not bash anyone or anything.

Thanks again Kim for that info on AB stratigies it helps me, I will

be saving this post in my growing folder of CI information.

Regards

Mike " Ears Hopin " P

Nucleus Freedom

> >

> > Hi Bill, & Every1,

> >

> > This is a very difficult question and one I have tried to answer

> for

> > myself for over a year and to be honest I have read all about the

> > various differences (and there are lots) but I can/will not say I

> see

> > one as better or superiour to another. Quite frankly much of the

> > information published by the manufacturers is so technical it

does

> > not explain things very plainly. Truthfully I find it extremely

> hard

> > to compare AB and Cochlear and I believe it is impossible to

> compare

> > them fairly they both acomplish what they are designed to do, but

> > they do it very differently. I understand Cochlear better because

> > that is what I use and have written a few posts attempting to

> explain

> > the programs speeds & options in plain english - I will be happy

> to

> > send those to you seperately if you would like.

> >

> > I know this is not really much help but as I state I don't

beleive

> > fair comparison is truly possible, I will list a few things -

> > keep in mind I am not saying better or worse here just different.

> >

> > Cochlear;

> > 4 programing stratagies CIS, Speak, ACE, Hi ACE.

> > Speeds from 250hz to 3500hz (capabile of faster speeds however

> > testing showed no benefit with higher rates for majority of users

> and

> > generally speaking slower rates are prefered by most users of

> > Cochlear brand implants/processors)

> >

> > Advanced Bionics;

> > ***My Understanding ONLY*** 2 programing Stratagies. Hi Res, SAS.

> > Hi Res is a modified version of the original CIS strategy AB has

> done

> > some wonderful things with this particularly in improving speed

> and

> > music perception as reported by many users. I have read that SAS

> is

> > not used much any longer and was not as popular with users (I do

> > not know how accurate that is but I never see it mentioned in any

> of

> > the forums or message boards so it leads me to believe Hi Res is

> the

> > prefered strategy). AB will soon release their new 120 Channel

> > strategy which Kim mentioned, this does sound very exciting and

> from

> > what I have read is a big advance but I do not know much about it

> yet.

> >

> > Speeds with the AB Strategies are up to 90khz (I am not sure what

> the

> > lowest speed is but I suspect it is comparable to Cochlear)

> >

> > Just to illistrate my point about the difficulty comparing I was

> > discussing speeds with my Audi one day and she did a somewhat

> > informal check of her patients and determined almost without

> > exception AB users prefer Higher speeds and Cochlear users like

> > slower speeds, her conclusion the brands are different not beter

> > best - just different! The only comparison she would make is the

> > results between the 2 brands are almost equal (she will never say

> > exactally equal or if one is slightly better just " Almost "

> > equal...lol)

> >

> > I guess it is much easier to compare the physical features and

> > options, and for me that was what it came down to. I guess this

is

> > somewhat easier for me to understand but even though there are

> > differences both are good, and overall neither are bad. I think

> like

> > Carol stated for these it is a life style choice, if you need to

> rate

> > the features compare them to your life style - what is perfect

for

> me

> > may be awful for you. Batteries are the most often compared, for

> me

> > the convenience and avaliability of 675 button cells is what I

> want,

> > for anyone with kids or who might have problems with the small

> > batteries (arthritis etc) the AB rechargable is a good choice.

> >

> > I guess the last thing I will add is you often hear people speak

> > about future enhancements and upgrades, well both AB & Cochlear

> score

> > very well in that dept, as a matter of fact the internal implants

> are

> > built with great capacity than is needed to allow for upgrades as

> has

> > been shown in the past. Examples are easy to look at the orignal

> N22

> > Implant users were upgraded to the 3g BTE processor from the

older

> > Body worn, the Original N24 Implant users will sonn be able to

use

> > the newest Freedom (which will also be released for the older N22

> > after that). The story is simular for AB although I can't quote

> you

> > models but I know they have built in extra capacity to the

> internal

> > implants and upgraded older implant users to new processors as

> they

> > became available.

> >

> > I am sorry for the longggg post and I do hope there is some

useful

> > information in all this, but it is a difficult topic and I feel

> there

> > is not " Right " or " Wrong " answer just personal or life style

> > preferences, and if anyone see anything I inaccurate in the above

> > please tell me I will be happy to edit the content.

> >

> > Regards,

> > Mike " Ears Hopin " P

> > Nucleus Freedom

> > Implanted June 3rd/05

> > Activated July 6th/05

> >

>

[Guest guest]

I wish to thank everyone for thier input on this difficult and touchy question.

I have learned alot from your responses! Thanks again!

-BillJ.

---------------------------------

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[Guest guest]

Please let us know which choice you make and why, Bill.

Ted F.

>

> I wish to thank everyone for thier input on this difficult and touchy

> question. I have learned alot from your responses! Thanks again!

>

> -BillJ.

>