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Do you know about Telecoils & Hearing Loops in Public Spaces?
Hearing Loss | Last Active: Dec 21, 2023 | Replies (107)Comment receiving replies
Hi Joyce, First of all, the information sent you above explains that t-coils receive signal from an induction loop (hearing loop). Those loops can be in several forms. One is a room, or area, loop. That will pick up sound from an audio input like a microphone, TV, or movie and transmit that sound through a loop driver to the loop itself. If you are in the loop you can hear the sound IF your t-coils are activated and switched on by you. The second form of a hearing loop is the "counter top" type designed to allow you to hear a clerk or teller at a service window. The clerks voice is picked up by a mic and transmitted to a small wire loop. That loop may be in the mat your are standing on or otherwise concealed. Again your t-coil must be switched on for you to hear. Then there are some "neck loops" worn by a user that receive a bluetooth signal and transmit that signal to your t-coil by induction loop. And to make things even more confusing there are some products advertised as "neck loops" that are really a microphone worn around your neck which transmits to your hearing aids by bluetooth. These kind are NOT an induction loop. If you can't hear the hearing loop signal your t-coil may not have been activated by your audiologist. You should have a program labeled as "t-coil.
Then for your phone to work in you office you need to be connected to your office modem through a router which is a bluetooth connection. Your phone must be paired to the router which is usually password protected. Someone in you office should be able to help you.
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Arrowshooter, thank you! I understand about loops, although I haven't yet found one anywhere in our very rural county. I have t-coil in my aid and used it with the IPhone (before I switched to an android to use Live Transcribe). I had hoped that I could use my cell phone in my home office, by connecting to the modem and router with the password, but the signal isn't strong enough--another Charter failure, no doubt. I'm more than disgusted with them, as it took us three months and four phone numbers to get phone service, and then another three months (seven service calls) to get reliable internet. We didn't even try to use the TV for almost a year after we moved to this house full time, and it still pixilates and blanks out, usually just at the very moment the mystery's solved or the most important part of the interview happens. Each person who comes out claims the previous person "did it all wrong." The last time a service person came out, he tried to turn around after backing most of the way down our very long drive and high-centered his one-tone van crosswise on the gravel with the front wheels hanging over our creek. Lesson learned: do not ever call Charter! I'm now looking at a Williams Pocketalker with a neck loop for meetings...if it works, it'll be less than $200. Can't be nearly as useless as the $200 mini-clip mic that pairs with my aid. There's simply no easy way to have each person in a group of a dozen clip the mic to their clothing before they say a sentence or two, and that's the only way that the mic picks up a voice.
If nothing works, I'll go back for another test to see if I qualify for a CI. Last time, I was 5% over the threshold (could understand 55% of words in simple sentences), but my hearing is far worse now, even on a "good" day. The CI would be for my long-useless ear, leaving the one I've relied on for over 30 years as is. There's nothing to lose, but I haven't heard any real assurances that the distortion and recruitment of Meniere's wouldn't make the CI unbearable at least part of the time. Yeah, the doc (who wants the $$$) gave me a glib bit about how great CIs are, but I don't believe that hearing center has much (if any) experience with Menierians, aka wackos. Most days, I can hear enough to know that people are speaking, but there are no discernible words, just raspy noise.
This group has a lot of experience and knowledge. Fortunately, the gal I see at Costco is aware of Meniere's and knows quite a bit about it--unlike either of the two audis at the CI hearing center. I have zero complaints about the price/service/care I've received at Costco. Yes, I know that's not only the case, but I drew a great person who really works hard to help.
Thanks again!