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Phonak Marvel 90R not connecting to my Lenovo laptop

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Hi folks, Maybe someone can answer this for me. I have the Phonak marvel 90Rs and I’m trying to connect the to my Lenovo computer. I can get them to pair but no option to connect. I think I read some where that the marvels will work on bluetooth 4.2 and up. My computer’s bluetooth is bluetooth 4.0 I’m guessing that’s the problem but wondering if anyone is able to connect with bluetooth 4.0

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Bluetooth 4.2 was released in late 2014. It was probably built into computers starting sometime in 2015 or later.

You might check with Lenovo to see if there is a firmware/software updated for the Bluetooth device in your laptop. (Apple provided a software update for my older iPhone 6 that updated the Bluetooth from 4.0 to 4.2 without a hardware change but I don’t know if that is possible with the Lenovo hardware/software in your laptop). Lenovo has a System Update utility that we use at work to find and install relevant updates (software and BIOS) for some Lenovo W series laptops we use.

You might also be able to replace the Bluetooth hardware in the laptop with a newer version that is 4.2 or later. Some Windows notebooks have the radios on small replaceable cards but that again depends on the model. Some BIOS implementations allow for changing the radios but others prevent it - in the old days before Lenovo purchased the IBM ThinkPad line/name, that was true for some I used.

Another possibility would be to use a USB connected Bluetooth adapter (you might have to disable the built-in one). Oticon provided a Sennheisser BTD 800 USB dongle with my ConnectClip for connecting to computers with problematic Bluetooth implementations. I use it with my fairly new desktop iMac Pro at home - it works well where the built-in bluetooth 5.0 does not. The Bluetooth 5.0 in my work MacBook Pro works fine without the BTD 800. Go figure …

What happens when you go to the Bluetooth window? Do you see the hearing aid listed as a paired device? What happens if you right click on the hearing aid device, on the screen?

Thanks Biggar I’ll check with Lenovo. Don I can get them to pair but no matter what I do I can’t get them to connect. that’s after I turn off the Bluetooth on my phone and put my aids in discovery mode

I have the same situation, but an HP ZBook G2, purchased late 2014, with only 4.0 in it, doubt anything can be changed internally.
Can anyone suggest a good generic USB dongle/device that could provide 4.2 or 5.0 BT upon being plugged into one of the laptop’s USB ports??
I don’t have the option of replacing the notebook.
Thank you, Tom

Tom,

According to the maintenance manual for the HP 15 Zbook G2, the Bluetooth 4 is on a module that also has the WiFi radio. There are several different part numbers depending on the version of WiFi. If you search on one (710663-001) you can see it is on a removable card. That said, probably only HP Tech support could tell you if a more modern card of the same form factor with Bluetooth 5 would work with your laptop and BIOS. There are similar looking Intel parts, (9260NGW for example) that might work and have Bluetooth 5.0. Looks like the small module is secured by a single screw and has two antenna connectors.

Some notebooks are relatively easy to disassemble and others are difficult and require special tools. An engineer at work purchased a special set of tools to open up a more recent Zbook tablet to add a larger M.2 . In the difficult/special tools scenario, purchasing a USB Bluetooth adapter would probably be much easier. I have no suggestions for a generic one - my only experience is with the Sennheiser BTD 800 with my Oticon ConnectClip and OPN aids. It works for streaming audio for me where the built-in bluetooth 5.0 in an iMac Pro did not.

However, it is much more expensive than generic ones even on Amazon. I’ve been burned by “generic” USB to serial adapters - they would not work with high end HP instruments where brand name adapters had no issues.

Bluetooth 4.2 is only required for app connectivity on smartphones and so this is irrelevant in this scenario.

Theoretically some devices with Bluetooth 2.1 could work as that is when Bluetooth classic profile support was added.

If you cannot connect it may be a driver related problem or even that your Marvel’s are still connected to your hearing aids - only one active Bluetooth device can be connected although the Marvel’s will remember two pairings.

I believe Windows 10 has a Bluetooth troubleshooting wizard - have a look for this as well and try running it. Updating Bluetooth drivers may also help.

Al

@Biggar, I looked up that Sennheiser device. It’s about $60. Does it enable pairing a Marvel hearing to a notebook computer?? I imagine one has to disable the onboard Bluetooth??
Thank you, Tom

Tom,

I have no experience with Marvel aids so I cannot answer you question about the Marvel. Looking the Phonak site, it appears that the Marvels can pair with 2 Bluetooth devices as long as they have the current Marvel firmware.

My Oticon OPN hearing aids are MFI so they directly connect only to Apple devices that are MFI (iPhone and iPad for example). They do not connect directly to the Bluetooth in computers and my work VOIP phone. I have to use the ConnectClip as an intermediary device between the hearing aids and the computer/work phone. I have only used the BTD 800 with my Oticon ConnectClip. With my iMac Pro running macOS 10.15 I do not disable the built-in Bluetooth 5 as it connects my mouse and keyboard. I pair the ConnectClip to the 800, not with the built-in Bluetooth. I have not tried the BTD 800 with a Windows notebook and I do not need it with my work MacBook Pro notebook as the ConnectClip pairs and works correctly with the built in Bluetooth 5.

I was suggesting that a BTD 800 MIGHT be a useful replacement for an incompatible bluetooth implementation in a computer. In my experience, there are lots of communication devices that claim to meet standards that do not. Sometimes that can be fixed by new software or a new driver in the case of a computer but other times the hardware has a problem that cannot be worked around with software and it needs to be replaced with something that actually meets the standard and works as it should. I spoke to Oticon technical support about how the ConnectClip did not work correctly with my iMac Pro (desktop) - they said that many desktop and some notebook Bluetooth implementations were not up to standard and the BTD 800 (provided with my ConnectClip) was a reliable way to overcome that. They strongly suggested that the BTD 800 always be used with any desktop to connect to the ConnectClip. They said it was less likely to be needed with an Apple notebook - I did not ask about Windows notebooks.

@Petbug said:

I have the Phonak marvel 90Rs and I’m trying to connect the to my Lenovo computer. I can get them to pair but no option to connect.

Not sure if my experience might give you a clue. I just tried pairing my Marvels with a USB bluetooth adaptor on my PC. They paired quickly but wouldn’t connect. A more careful look revealed that the PC had paired with Phonak LE (low energy bt) aid. Putzed around a bit and got it to pair with Phonak R (right side, classic bt) aid. All good after that.

So now I know it’s my computer itself the Phonak won’t pair with, seemingly. I’ll set another thread to ask why it has two pairs: L-Phonak and LE-Phonak…

L-Phonak = Bluetooth Classic used for streaming audio.
LE-Phonak = Bluetooth Light used for myPhonak app connection.

You might try turning off your ’s when you pair to your computer. Also, be sure your pairing shows connectivity to the R-Phonak hearing aid.

Turning the aid OFF and ON again puts it in pairing mode for 2 minutes. You can’t pair until it is in pairing mode.

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