Phonak Programming the TV Streaming to Automatic, Manual or Manual with Beep

I posted the DIY instructions for changing TV streaming from Automatic to Manual or Manual with Beep. The first time I looked for the settting changes, I thought Target made the process a bit obtuse. This method definitely works with the Phonak, Unitron, KS, or Sennheiser HAs using a TV Connector 2, but it may work sometimes if your TV streams sound to your HAs directly using Bluetooth. I didn’t test a direct stream without a TV Connector 2 because my TV doesn’t stream to my hearing aids. There is an easy way to check, which I will explain.

For the TV Connector 2

Open a session.

Select Instruments in the top tab

Then select Accessories in the middle tab

On the right of the screen, it should show TV connector Select Device Options

You should then have a picture of the TV connector. Under the picture in the fine print, there’s another Device Options at the end of the sentence. Click on it.

On the right side of the screen, there should be four options: Automatic next to media streaming options, then Automatic, Manual with Beep, and Manual across from TV connector. Leave the media streaming set to automatic.

In the TV connect list, Automatic should have a check because it’s the default. You have three options: Automatic, Manual, and Manual with beep.

Manual with beep means your HA’s beep when they are in Bluetooth range. That’s not necessary for i90s since they are almost always in Bluetooth range. Manual means you have to long press the lower button to turn on TV streaming. It automatically adds that option when you are within range. It then shows up in your app.

Mine are set for pausing with a double tap. That’s good for skipping commercials and stopping streaming when my wife wants to talk to me. I’m trying to find a way that just the look on her face would pause streaming without the double tap. It would be faster, which would work for her.

If you don’t have a TV Connector 2, but your TV uses Bluetooth to stream sound to your HAs, you can also program for that. If your TV starts streaming sound to your HAs as soon as you turn it on, then Automatic is the default. When the streaming starts, check MyApp to see what it says. If it says TV Connector then you can change to Manual in Target.

If it says Bluetooth Streaming, then you can’t use Target. Sometimes the TV has an option, Auto Connect, that can be changed, and sometimes it doesn’t. In that case, you’ll have to buy a TV Connector 2. If you have a set of Costco KS HAs or Sennheiser, Costco sells TV connectors for $100. It doesn’t matter if you only use your KS HAs for backup; you can buy a TV connector. They’re also available on eBay used. I bought a couple of used ones on eBay back when Costco couldn’t keep the Connector 2 in stock.

My Sphere i90s by default were set to Automatic for TV streaming, so anytime anyone turned on the TV, the sound would stream to my HAs. Because of the connection distance in the Sphere i90s, the TV would stream when I was in my workshop, in the basement, or out in the yard. That was annoying because I don’t like TV shows on Lifetime or the Hallmark channel. I fixed that right away!

If you don’t DIY, then your audi can make the changes.

Hope this explanation helps someone.