RoseRodent
01-26-2010, 04:41 AM
I have an old FM system which is a British brand, Connevans CRM-220. It's a traditional box and wires system with one channel, though there is potential to add a second transmitter and a conversion module on the receiver to allow for reception from either transmitter at a flick of a switch, but you'd have to know somehow there was input to be received on the second channel.
This system is now considered to be a "personal listener" rather than a radio hearing aid as it was when I bought it, but even at that I find it a far more effective pick-up even for general environmental sound than my fancy new BTE digital aids!
The time is coming to decide if I want to spend more money on expanding the CRM 220 or move forward to a new system. I can't really go onto things like a Siemens Tek or anything as I get hearing aids issued from the health service, they give me what they choose to give me. If I bought a Tek and the health trust then renegotiated to supply only Oticon aids next year it would be redundant and I have no input in that decision.
Obvious advantage of the new Phonak systems is less wire, making it vastly more practical to wear it all the time so I can switch in whenever necessary, plus it's versatile without having to get yet more wire for it! To connect the existing system to a phone I need a second transmitter, a phone connection kit and a receiver channel module, which is not expensive compared to a new system, but is throwing new money after an old product. If the old product broke it is not legal for me to replace it as is because the law has changed on frequencies and that frequency is only for use by existing legacy equipment, new purchases cannot transmit on that band.
I'd be interested in people's real life experiences and comments on changing from a box and wire system to an ear-level system, and also if there is any really noticable difference in the quality of sound transmission from an older model.
Next question is are there any adults out there who own the Inspiro transmitter? I know it's sold as a paediatric product mostly, but I do work in a classroom myself, and am also a student, so some of the advantages make a lot of sense to me, especially the team-teaching system. I am a little worried that it seems not to allow you to pick the importance of sounds, though, the brochure says there will be no need to switch from FM/M to FM only because the transmitter somehow knows what input you want - how? I cannot hear my own voice if I am on FM and the mic is with a lecturer, so how do I speak to anyone else? I'm used to having a mic input on my receiver, and I think I will really miss this local environmental input. I suppose equally with the Smartlink+ how do you hear yourself and those around you, do you just keep asking people to give you the mic back? What if you are watching the TV through the transmitter and you want to pause and have a quick chat to your family, how do you get your local input, just change back to the M setting on your hearing aid?
Sorry if this sounds really daft, I think we quickly get used to what we have, and the idea of having no speech mic pinned on my front is scary!
This system is now considered to be a "personal listener" rather than a radio hearing aid as it was when I bought it, but even at that I find it a far more effective pick-up even for general environmental sound than my fancy new BTE digital aids!
The time is coming to decide if I want to spend more money on expanding the CRM 220 or move forward to a new system. I can't really go onto things like a Siemens Tek or anything as I get hearing aids issued from the health service, they give me what they choose to give me. If I bought a Tek and the health trust then renegotiated to supply only Oticon aids next year it would be redundant and I have no input in that decision.
Obvious advantage of the new Phonak systems is less wire, making it vastly more practical to wear it all the time so I can switch in whenever necessary, plus it's versatile without having to get yet more wire for it! To connect the existing system to a phone I need a second transmitter, a phone connection kit and a receiver channel module, which is not expensive compared to a new system, but is throwing new money after an old product. If the old product broke it is not legal for me to replace it as is because the law has changed on frequencies and that frequency is only for use by existing legacy equipment, new purchases cannot transmit on that band.
I'd be interested in people's real life experiences and comments on changing from a box and wire system to an ear-level system, and also if there is any really noticable difference in the quality of sound transmission from an older model.
Next question is are there any adults out there who own the Inspiro transmitter? I know it's sold as a paediatric product mostly, but I do work in a classroom myself, and am also a student, so some of the advantages make a lot of sense to me, especially the team-teaching system. I am a little worried that it seems not to allow you to pick the importance of sounds, though, the brochure says there will be no need to switch from FM/M to FM only because the transmitter somehow knows what input you want - how? I cannot hear my own voice if I am on FM and the mic is with a lecturer, so how do I speak to anyone else? I'm used to having a mic input on my receiver, and I think I will really miss this local environmental input. I suppose equally with the Smartlink+ how do you hear yourself and those around you, do you just keep asking people to give you the mic back? What if you are watching the TV through the transmitter and you want to pause and have a quick chat to your family, how do you get your local input, just change back to the M setting on your hearing aid?
Sorry if this sounds really daft, I think we quickly get used to what we have, and the idea of having no speech mic pinned on my front is scary!