Bluetooth Neck loop

Lardy

Does any one here use one of these? Was looking at getting one for the mobile phone/ TV etc. I've been looking around, and they seem to be pretty difficult to get here in Ireland. I'm also looking to get the Bluetooth transmitter for the TV that pares with the neck loop. This is also hard enough to find in Ireland.

So, if anyone here uses these, where did you get them from? And how much roughly would i be needing to spend?

Thanks, Matt

ongarboy

I got one from an audiologist last year that was included as part of the model aids I selected so I don't know if they can be retailed seperately. FYI the aids were €3000 (2 ears) before PRSI and tax relief deductions so not cheap!

Ann Kelly Upr Leeson Street, Dublin (01-6684438) is the audiologist I used - lovely helpful lady. I suggest you give her a call

Lardy

As it happens, i just ordered the neck loop and bluetooth transmitter from the UK. Cost €90 all in including postage to Ireland.

Ordered from here: http://hearingaidaccessory.co.uk/

alanajane

What are these about Lardy??? I have aids do they need to be compatible to work?? Would it help me hear the telly a bit clearer?

Lardy

Hi AlanaJane,

All you need for it to work with your hearing aids is a T switch. The neck loop connects to your aids telecoil, and acts like a hands free phone kit when you pare it with your phone via the bluetooth connection.
You can also get a bluetooth transmitter, that connects to your TV/ PC/ MP3 player via the headphone jack. The transmitter pares with the neck loop, and sends the sound directly to your hearing aids.
Its basically just like wearing a set of wireless headphones, but without haveing to take your hearing aids out.

Hope this helps, Matt.

alanajane

That sounds great Lardy, I will definately investigate, although I not sure if it would work with my aids, I dont have the T position on mine!

Lardy

How old are you hearing aids? Do they have a telecoil at all? Mine don't have the T switch, but have the telecoil function. My aids have a touch sensitive panel on the back of them that changes the program on them.
If the neck loop is something you are interested in, i would deffo speak to your Audiologist about checking if your current aids are compatible.

alanajane

Only a few months old Lardy, got them in July from Hidden Hearing. I would have faith in this particular audiologist so I will certainly be asking him if this is an option for me, there is a button on my aids for changing programmes but I dont use it!
What about the Oticon Connectline Tv Adaptor? It mentioned in the booklet accompanying my aids? Has anyone any experience of it? Or of the cost! I havent finished paying for my aids yet.

Lardy

I know hidden hearing do supply one, but i couldn't tell you what brand or how much. Just from personal experience, hidden hearing wouldn't be the cheapest. I would speak to the audiologist, and then shop around for the accessories that you want. Like i said, i only paid €90 for both the loop and transmitter, and that was including shipping to Ireland.

Zab

Lardy,

Considering something along these lines for my grandparents. I'm interested in your thoughts after you've used it for a bit for tv/phone/whatever use you find for it. I hadn't seen these personal sized loops until this thread but I couldn't see anybody relating their experiences with living room loops when I checked before.

They both have the T switch anyway.

Lardy

No worries, I'll post back as soon as i have tested it. Just waiting for An Post to reopen and deliver it!

the_syco

Zab & Lardry: check out [url="https://www.deafhear.ie/DeafHear/home.html]deafhear.ie[/url] - they have a shop on North Frederick Street in Dublin. Have gotten a deaf alarm clock there, and they sell the T-switch thing there as well, but I'm not sure if €125 is good or bad: https://www.deafhear.ie/DeafHear/product.html?who=157

Lardy

I visit DeafHear frequently, as they are my hearing aid supplier. The problem the Artone loop that they sell is, they can't get the TVB to go with it unfortunately.

Helmet

A quick question,

I'm looking for an option for listening to the TV that won't affect the volume for other people in the room.
Would I be right in thinking that the Bluetooth option would mean the volume would be knocked off at source so nobody else in the room could listen to it?
Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

Zab

Are you talking about a TV with an internal Bluetooth transmitter?

If not then the volume being knocked off at the source will depend on how you plug the transmitter into the TV. If you do it via the headphone jack it will generally knock off the speakers on the TV. If you do it via the phono connection the speakers usually stay on.

If you're talking about TV with native bluetooth support then I don't have a clue, I'd say it'd give you both options but you'd have to check your particular TV.

Helmet

No, it's not that fancy of a telly.

So, would people generally recommend the bluetooth option over the home loop option?

Zab

Ah ha, so far I haven't found anybody relating their experiences with either, let alone a comparative review of the two.

If you get the bluetooth one then you'd need something to take the phono from the TV and transmit it via bluetooth. The homeloop option would include the equivalent of this as it doesn't make sense without it. Bluetooth could also connect directly to your phone or computer or other bluetooth source, and could let two users using two loops hear different things in the same room. All of this is theoretical on my part though.

Helmet

Thanks for the help Zab!

Lardy

When i connect the Bluetooth transmitter to the headphone jack on the TV, it doesn't knock off the sound for everyone else. But i'd say it is TV dependant. As Zab said, the advantage of having the neck loop over the fixed home loop is, you can connect the neck loop and transmitter to anything that has a headphone jack. You don't need the transmitter to connect the neck loop to your phone, though. I'll do a full review once i have tested it for a bit longer as i've only had it since Yesterday.

Zab

Hi Lardy, any thoughts on this now that you've had it a while?

Lardy

Hi, sorry its taken so long to come back to this...
The system that i bought had to be sent back, as it was not fit for purpose. I do believe that it was cheap for a reason. However, the more up market versions, Artone for example, are superb! The cheap unit that i got was only good for watching the TV or listening to music. It was actually very good that. However, it wouldn't connect to my phone properly, which is more or less what i really wanted it for.
So, if this is something that you are looking for, i would recommend spending a little more, and getting one from a more reputable brand.