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eMiniTec

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I have the KS7’s and will eventually go about tinkering with self-programming. I searched hearingaidforums and found a few posts mentioning the product but nothing a diy’er would be interested in. So I’m putting this thing I found on the map here.

Has anyone had any success using the eMiniTec with major-manufacturer hearing aids? It looks like it has all the same connectors.

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Long time ago I had a similar device from http://lovehearing.com/12 with a satisfaction guaranteed warranty.

I could get them on the phone in China and they would take charge of adjusting my hearing aids remotely from their office in China. I could watch their fitting adjustments on my computer screen in the USA while at the same time talking on the phone with them. The device worked great, the remote fitting was great too (of course I did image backup of my computer first and restore after). The problem was the hearing aids were not so good. They were junk compared to a major brand so I returned them despite their pleading and begging. AFAIK the programming device worked only with their fitting software.

The eMiniTec used three wire to programming .The programmer communicates with the HA via a SDA protocol.
You can use it with Intricon’s Fitting software only for the InTune, Ethos,Audion 8,Audion 16 amplifiers.

Edited

If someone opens up one of these boxes we could see what’s controlling it and how many of the “ps/2” connector leads are actually connected. Maybe it’s really just USB but the data being sent from the fitting software is the SDA you mention. But what if different data were sent through it from different fitting software?

z10user2:The eMiniTec 1 programmer contact to the PC used VCP/Virual COM Port/driver from FTDI .The eMiniTec 2 programmer is HID default device.This is a USB programmer.
On Windows 7, no drivers need to be manually installed for the eMiniTec 2 to function.
From the"ps/2"(Female) connector are used 3 pins: Pin 4 = SDA; PIN 2 = GND and PIN 1 = +BAT.
The motherboard is covered with a black epoxy resin​!
You can not use the eMiniTec with different Fitting software from the IntriCon’s software.
P.S. At least I don’t know!

Edited

That’s a great update horia. Thank you. I guess I should have been more clear on the use of the USB term. Of course the thing connects using USB. :slight_smile: So you have one?! You seem to have some technical knowledge. Do you mind if I go into some rough, mostly layman detail and run this past you? I get the tl;dr factor. :slight_smile:

My basic understanding of data flow in this case would be: starting with the fitting software sending data out the USB to the programmer. There are a total of 5 contacts available for USB (counting the ground so really 4 “signal contacts”). Then I guess some basic magic happens in some chip and the signal gets split for the left and right ports depending on what data came into the chip. The software says this data is for the left and so the chip dutifully sends the data out to the left port. Now the data is at the port.
Here is where it would be good to know how many actual connected contacts (or indeed pins) are ending up at the port and of course which ones are actively used from the chip. So we have some pins at the port getting some kind of signal. From what I can gather it ought not to matter what the signal is. It just matters that there’s some kind of data. It’s all just digital binary data. What pins are active? What pins are active in the hi-pro or mini pro? Is the chip massaging the data or is it just passing forward the data from the software to the different port as requested?
If the chip is only sending data out to three of the pins and if the hi-pro or mini pro use 4 pins then this would be a problem. But if data is being sent to four pins but the cable only really uses three then that’s fine for that variation. But if data is being sent to four pins and the cs44 for example is connected and if it uses four pins then we might be getting somewhere. As long as each pin is getting what the aid is expecting to see. If the aid wants to see +BAT on pin 1 and GND on pin 2 and its preferred data signal on pin 4 then we have a match. If a fourth pin is needed then we could only hope that it’s the right data. So who knows if something could be re-arranged at the port to send the proper data out the proper pin.
Or this thread5 seems to have pin outs and it seems to suggest that only three pins are active for the cs44 cable. And it looks like 1 and 2 are reversed from what you show above. A simple swap around as further shown on that same thread and badabing…eMiniTec operating major brand hearing aids.

Sorry for the long winded post. I’m just exploring the possibility of this other option. And you’re showing some technical knowledge in your writing so I wondered what you might think of my ramblings.

z10user2:OK.I will try to answer your questions. Yes,I have a eMiniTec 1 programmer.This programmer works very well, but it supports only one communication protocol/SDA/.
The programmer uses a usb cable, but it can not use a USB 2.0 Full Speed/12Mbps/,because it uses FT245BL chip.
The FT245BL allows for Transfer Data rate to 1M Byte / Sec - D2XX Driver and
Transfer Data rate to 300 Kilobyte / Sec - VCP Driver. The IntriCon`s amplifiers used SDA protocol only until recently.
Now they are used and Wireless comuniatinen protocol by Bg-Ble programmer.
By default in the Fitting software is selected a Left Ear.
Each programmer has two channels that are used for the programming .Each software has an option to
select left or right ear.The software sends a command to the programmer to select a left or right channel.
You know that cs44 has four pins :SDA /for Data/,SCL /Clock/ +Bat and GND.Hearing aids use a different
communication protocols to communicate with the programmer.For example, if your hearing aid uses the I2C protocol, then
it will use 4 pins from the cs44 cable ->(pin 3 = SCK (I2C only)).
In some cases, the functions of pin 3 and pin 4 are changed.If you use an original Hi-Pro instrument to program
the HA, then this problem is automatically solved by the Hi-Pro programmer.Otherwise, you can to make or
buy a suitable cable.

Yeah I thought I gathered that you were technically inclined. :slight_smile: Great stuff. Thanks for the reply.
So if I understand you correctly…the eminitec1 is maybe slower USB like the older hi-pro.
I didn’t know the cs44 used all of it’s 4 pins. The post I linked to seemed to suggest it might just use 3.
If you might have a meter then you could if you’re interested check for whatever electrical activity is coming out of each pin on the unit. ie. suss out the pin-outs. If only to see what activity is on each pin. It would be easy to check for ground. And then just check for some level of voltage on each other pin and see which ones have voltage. That would tell us what pins on the unit are active.
Perhaps a dead easy giveaway for functionality would be to download something like the Rexton software and see if it can “see” the unit. If the software might say “yeah we’re good to here” (or be wondering hey where’s the programming unit) and if working then left wondering where the aids are still then that would also be good to find out the results.

Your last line leaves some bit of hope for a maybe :slight_smile:

Thanks

z10user2:The eMiniTec 1 works slowly like Hi-Pro Usb,but eMiniTec 2 works faster than Hi-Pro 2.The rest of the questions will answer to you later or tomorrow.
Cheers:)

z10user2:The Rexton Fitting software does not support a eMIniTec programmer.This programmer only works with IntriCon fitting software.
At this point I advise you to use Hi-po or miniHi-Pro USB boxes.
If you have any other questions do not worry about asking.

Edited

Ah well then there it is. So you installed the Rexton software and tried to see if it would “see” the eminitec and it didn’t?
If so then thanks for trying that out.
The eminitec appears to be around the same cost as the known working units other than when the ali site puts one up at a cheaper price. I was just trying to figure out if it was another option.
Thanks

In reply to @horia

@horia said:

The Rexton Fitting software does not support a eMIniTec programmer.This programmer only works with IntriCon fitting software. At this point I advise you to use Hi-po or miniHi-Pro USB boxes.-<snip>-

Good advice! Use mini Pro or Hi Pro.

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