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PHONAK APP's FRUSTRATING FAULTS

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I think it’s stay connected to the app, not to a device. Should help you avoid the blue overlay. I have stay connected activated and I don’t get connection problems with the app.

I don’t understand this. An app is a soft device. What does connection mean in that context? An app can for example, connect to a device INSTEAD of another device, like when I install a new smarthome device, I first have to log onto that device to transfer credentials, so I am disconnected from the router. But then once I am reconnected to the router, I am automatically dropped from any other connection. The software app, as far as I understand it is merely a GUI - a graphic user interface to allow comfortable communication with a device that has it’s own language I don’t know. As someone who has been using tech devices all my life… this is how I understand it.

The phone is connected to the hearing aids. The app is accessing that connection to communicate via the GUI changes and provide visual feedback to the user.

I’ve used the APP for 3+ years. it’s improved a lot.

I used the app in the beginning, now almost never, having the fully programmed to my liking (using Target myself). Always found that app pretty clumsy and extremely limited in functionality.

When streaming from my phone (mostly podcasts) I control the volume using the phone’s buttons, and I control the TV streamer with a cheap volume dial that is mounted next to my armchair (the streamer gets its audio from a Bluetooth receiver).

In reply to @Teewens

Please clarify - is this the screen you refer to, because as you can see that is the setting it is on, when I keep getting either the blue or the red banner. The red banner is even worse as it blocks the balance controls. I find that sometimes, clicking another mode - results in connection being achieved.

Phonak Connecting Screen1

@IGZO said:

the app often will say “connecting, this may take a while”

What phone (maker & model) are you using?

How many bluetooth devices have you connected & used with the hearing aids.

The following Tip is valid or all Phonak hearing aids (Paradise, Lumity, Infinio):

Lumity 90 and bluetooth
Lumity can be paired with 8 devices but can only be actively connected to 2 devices at a time. If you want to avoid issues, turn Bluetooth off on devices when you are finished using them. Almost all Bluetooth issues are caused by accidentally leaving Bluetooth active on more than 2 devices and some other device has grabbed the 2nd Bluetooth connection somewhere else in your house and you now can’t connect to the device you want to listen to. This includes the Phonak TV connector. Jordan

In reply to @IGZO

I went thru the app and responded to the company’s request for feedback - after the yes/questions - there is an opportunity to write some comments. This is what I wrote:

Why does app unmute the mics when I make a volume adjustment to any streaming source ?
Why is the icon for the HA mics not mics (could show two mics)? Why is it a speaker?
Why does the speaker/slashed speaker display the opposite of the current status?
Is the streaming volume control properly set in relation to the BALANCE between stream and environment? Why would I expect stream volume to rise if mics are off to begin with when I slide the balance. With mics off there is no balance. It should be 100% the stream source.

In reply to @firenzel

THANK YOU!
I had read and seen that spec several times. Possibly forgot it.
Not sure if that might be the problem.
We have countless devices but most are not powered on, or are surveillance cameras and smart home lights, heater air cleaner etc.
Stuff that has NEVER been Paired with the hearing aids.
Some other pairings have been “forgotten”.

I appreciate that you may have a good point, in that I have two computers, and the TV Adapter, and sure I might have those three all on at the same time. Possibly the connection banner is referring to the computer that I am not connected to, and not interested in at the moment anyway. Not clear in my mind (its 5 AM and still asleep here) the difference between being paired but not connected, and being connected but not currently opting not to stream from that source. SO if I have paired with three devices, and want to select from among those three as needed, then possibly I should un-toggle the auto connection - even though it will mean that when I first turn on the , and the TV is playing… I will have to manually connect to that.
Going back to sleep to sort it all out now… but wanted to thank you!

In reply to @firenzel

This is true, but the app uses the LE pairings, not the classic pairing. Use of the two shouldn’t interfere with each other. You could be connected to a tv and a tablet, using the app to control the from a third device. The tv connector doesn’t use BT, it uses a proprietary protocol in the same frequencies.

WH

Edited

In reply to @IGZO

The Phonak hearing aids using two types of Bluetooth Connections and after proper pairing you should see the following in the Bluetooth settings on your phone:

R-Phonak hearing aid (this is only for audio streaming from Phone to both hearing aids (connects via Bluetooth Classic).

LE_L-Phonak hearing aid (Left side Bluetooth LE connection to the myPhonak app)
LE_R-Phonak hearing aid (Right side Bluetooth LE connection to the myPhonak app)

The first one is the connection for the audio stream.

The LE_L and LE_R are just for the MyPhonak App for changing settings on the left and right device.

Note: The TV Adapter do NOT connect neither via Bluetooth Classic nor via Bluetooth LE. So the TV adapter will not influence the connection to the phone.

Since there are two Bluetooth types for connections

  • Classic BT for audio stream (connect only to the master hearing aid and the master routes the signal to the slave device)
  • Bluetooth LE for the App ( connect the left and to the right device)

The Stay Connected setting in the App ist setting fixed connection for the two Bluetooth LE connections for constant connection with the MyPhonak app.

Stay Connected setting have NO influence to the classic bluetooth connection

We should find out, what type of bluetooth connection is corresponding to the blue labled message and what bluetooth connection is releated to the red labled message.

PC/Notebook/Tablet should only be paired to the classic bluetooth device
Only (one) Phone (with the MyPhonak App) should be paired with all three bluetooth devices.

iPhone 12Pro
Only one phone
No tablets

Understand the types
Forgot that TV Adapter is 2.4 but not BT
Where is the failing connection listed? Phones’BT lists both ears and the classic.

I started this topic about the icons and inverted behavior…but lost connection is another serious frustration. Below is a link citing Phonak’s response to Petbug about disconnection. I will recheck and report if better.

Phonak Spheres 90 Bluetooth disconnect and reconnect
I contacted Phonak and this is what they said: Hello, Thank you for contacting Phonak. We apologize for the Bluetooth disconnect and reconnect issues you’re experiencing with your hearing aids. To address the connectivity issue you’re facing and to re-establish a connection between your hearing aids, please follow these general steps: Please make sure your phone software is up to date and reboot your phone before beginning. Unpairing Phone Call Connection: Navigate to your phone’s setting…

On the rare occasions when I want to make an adjustment via the myPhonak app and encounter the blue lost connection “this may take a while” situation, I find that just turning the app off and then on again reconnects much faster than waiting “a while”.

For TV streaming, I solved this by putting a cheap Digital Analog Converter between the TOSLINK output of my TV and the Phonak TV streamer. I can mute, unmute and change volume WITHOUT that blessed Phonak app. I use it as little as possble. I don’t want to hear my phone bleep and bloop while I’m watching TV. I got my DAC from Amazon for less than $40. It comes with a remote. And the sound quality is excellent. Far batter than using the analog headphone output of my Sony TV.

Sorry for a dumb question (I’m not a technical person) but I’ll ask it anyway. can you tell me which converter did you buy and how do I install it. Also, when you use the streamer, does your battery really go down ( and/or phone). I tried the streamer but when I use it the battery in my HAs seem to run out quickly so I have to revert to headphones for TV and can’t hear otherwise because I have to put the HAs into the charger. Is there a solution for this?

This is the DAC converter that I bought from Amazon:
DAC converter23

I plug a TOSLINK cable from my TV into the DAC, then use the pinjack cable that came with Phonak TV coverter, and run it to the DAC. So the DAC is plugged in between the TV and the Phonak converter.

I stream three or four hours of TV every day. I have the new Audeo iSpheres. I use my hearing aids from 7 am to 11 pm. I can usually go two days without charging my . I don’t use my phone all that much and I don’t use it at all when I’m streaming TV.

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