starkey halo

Thank you for the good thoughts but I've been down that track. I went to the Apple Store on Monday and they actually gave me a new phone. Even when set up as a new phone (iOS 8.3) with none of my apps on it, I could not connect to the Resound ones. Later at my audiologist we tried the Starkeys again but no joy. She is getting the Starkey rep in to see if they have any ideas but I am giving up on any HAs with iPhone connectivity. I've never got either to pair with my iPad Air either so my conclusion is the technology is too flaky to be commercial yet.

I think you will find from the folks around here that, barring an occasional problem, our experiences with the Halos pairing with Apple products is and has been pretty positive. That you are unable to make the connection is unusual and something that I believe can be fixed. This thread is lengthy and contains numerous suggestions for pairing and using Halos with Apple devices. As the Halos and iOS have gotten more mature, the devices have worked better together.

I realize you feel that the technology is flaky, but I think there are many participants in this thread who feel otherwise. I know I do. I would also make the recommendation to get to the bottom of the problem, rather than writing off the technology at this point.

However, choose the path you desire.

I concur with OldGnome for the most part. I have my frustrations with the HA's but I hear better. Yesterday my Audi did what he called speech mapping which is a new process that he said was expensive to obtain but he thinks helps immeasurably. I have no probs with connectivity except that having an ipad with Bluetooth on causes a problem with streaming, and despite telling it regularly to forget the HA's it still tries to connect with them. I find trying to go from one device to the other simply frustrating.

When the last firmware came out, Starkey added Stream boost after my Audi and I had gotten the previous streaming program to work very well. Because Starkey made it impossible to disable stream boost, my audi reprogramed the sound on Stream Boost.

I also see no reason Starkey can't make firmware updates available to users so when we get the updte we do not have to sit around the Audi's office for 15 minutes waiting for it to happen. Instead we just go in and get him/her to tweak the things.

WOuld I give them up? Not on your life. I can actually hear for the most part now in many environments that with my old ones it was nearly impossible.

That's my take and I am sorry that anyone is having not so good experiences let alnone one that would make him/her give up.

I don't know if my experiences will generalize, but I wanted to post it. Since purchase the Starkey Halos connected to my IPhone by Bluetooth fitfully, and eventually they would not connect at all. They also would no longer connect to my IPad. The audiologist sent me to an Apple Store, where I obligingly was given a new IPhone 6, which connected in the store but no longer would connect once I synced it with my computer. The hearing aids connected without difficulty to other IPhones or IPads! A helpful tech support person at Starkey suggested I erase setting and contents from my phone. Tested multiple times, the phone connected without difficulty if I booted up without my Apple ID or even with a newly created Apple ID, but would not connect if booted up with my Apple ID. Another Apple store genius suggested I boot up without any ID but then go to Settings/ITunes & App Store and put in my ID. Since trying that work around, the phone quickly and easily Bluetooth connects to the Halos. Go figure! Hope this is the long term solution! Hope my experience helps others!

Doug, I'm going to intersperse my answers with your questions for continuity below.

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A word of praise to this thread for information about the Halos! I have gotten more and better information here than anywhere else even copying several posts for my audi to see. It has helped me troubleshoot several issues. I have severe/profound hearing loss. I have had the Halo i110 for about a month. I have the ear molds with the embedded 70 - which is the most powerful ITE device you can get. These might be replacing my current Oticon ITE aids with bluetooth streamer. I have several issues that have been discussed on this forum, so I would like some more wisdom from this group.
1. I have an iWatch. When I answer a phone call from the watch, it does not transfer to the Halos. That does not seem to be a problem with others in this forum.

Your iPhone has to make a decision whether to send the sound TO THE Apple WATCH or TO THE AIDS or TO THE CAR RADIO or TO THE iPhone itself. So what you are finding is "an urban interchange" with various exit points. I don't have the Apple Watch, so I can't see your SETTINGS. You might play with the settings to see if there's a way to disable taking phone calls on the watch. I had to turn off BlueTooth on my car radio for just that reason.

2. My main issue is hearing quality with the streaming - phone and other. The sound quality is poor (tinny sound and distortion). The ear molds have made it tolerable but the distortion - especially with louder sound, is difficult.

STREAMING is just that: tinny. It will take some time for this to be perfected. For phone calls, I find it to be far better than other solutions simply because you hear in BOTH ears. Yes, tinny, but quite understandable. I also listen to VOICE podcasts, but wouldn't want to listen to music.

3. Using Trulink to adjust the phone streaming is very awkward. The app crashes often, sometimes takes 10-15 seconds to answer call and get app up for adjustments. I have also found that one size fits all does not work with phone calls with different callers - men, women, loud, soft, etc.

I agree. I almost never use Trulink. I just use the "triple tap" on the Home Button to adjust volume. Very fast, very easy. Note that you have to tap ONCE to wake the phone before you can triple-tap, so it is "Tap...TapTapTap".

4. I do not use Stream Boost in the Setting portion of Trulink - but when the app crashes with streaming, it always brings Stream Boost up (by default?). I really do not have a single Trulink setting that is usable. I have found the Trulink adjustments very limiting.

On the rare occasion when I use Trulink, it doesn't crash for me, so I'm not familiar with that.

5. The NORMAL (Basic) Halo setting for general hearing is fine (my word recognition almost doubles) and the CAR setting is wonderful! But my Oticons can give me that. However, my main problem is phone calls.

Yes. You're using the MICROPHONES, which are EXCELLENT. I love 'em!!!

6. I find the inability to adjust volume without iWatch or iPhone is problematic. If I get into an unexpected loud situation (elevator, groups of people, etc), the sound becomes very distorted and unpleasant. The 5-10 seconds to activate iphone or iwatch to adjust volume is too long.

Thats where Triple-Tap became my best friend. Fast! Easy!

My Audi wants me to try a Seimens Hearing aid with a streamer. I am going to give it a shot. I know that my hearing loss is bad, but wonder if I am approaching the point where aids cannot help me much. If I had to make a decision today, I would most likely stay with my Oticons and look again next year. The Halos and Trulink offer great promise. I am not sure they can help me yet. My ENT says that I will be a candidate for Cochlear in my lifetime. I am in my early 60's.

You were "born too soon." Like the rest of us, we're guinea pigs to sort this out for those who follow us down this path. Think of yourself as a PIONEER!!!

Jim Flannery

unixman@mac.com

Littleton, Colorado

" I almost never use Trulink. I just use the "triple tap" on the Home Button to adjust volume. Very fast, very easy. Note that you have to tap ONCE to wake the phone before you can triple-tap, so it is "Tap...TapTapTap"."

What about the TruLink widget? That'd be Tap...SwipeDown...🙂

I'll be darned! I never saw that!

THANK YOU, ED!

An update on my situation. We had no joy with the new iPhone 5S so eventually Starkey offered brand new Halos to see if it could be resolved, but after 90 minutes with the audiologist last night and him on the phone to Starkey for a lot of it, we still could not see the Halos on my phone. So we have now tried brand new phone and brand new HAs with no joy. Only suggestion now is a rogue app. Does anyone know if its possible to find out the date I downloaded various apps? this might help me track down the culprit.

Failing this Audio suggests I try and hit Apple up for a iPhone 6!

I'm not sure you can get a full listing of apps when they were loaded, but if you launch theApp Store and tap Updates, you can see this history of when apps were updated.

When you started with a brand-new phone, did you load any apps before trying to pair the Halos?

Yes. While still in the Apple store, we tested the new phone and it paired OK. Later, after I had restored from a backup, it didn't. This is what makes me suspect a rogue app, although I did later do a full erase of all content and settings and then set up as a new phone with no apps on it but it would not pair. If it is an app, it's one that leaves a footprint on an erased phone. Does anyone know of a way to do a deeper erase?

No, not a deeper erase, BUT I have had a pairing problem in THE PAST that was solved by "heading for the hills" -at least FAR from any active Wi-Fi signals. Then it worked just fine, and after successfully pairing, it would CONNECT just fine back home, surrounded by Wi-Fi.

I should tell you that BlueTooth and Wi-Fi (B&G&N) are on the same band. AND I have some very long range BlueTooth devices at my house. Yes, common BlueTooth devices are supposed to be limited to 10 metres (33 feet) but there are (and I have) some BlueTooth devices with a range of several kilometres (a mile or two, depending on terrain. Those devices were preventing my Halos from PAIRING with my iPhone. But once PAIRED (in the woods) the Halos connected just fine.

Here is a link to ONE of the long range devices I use:

http://www.aircable.net/online/index.php?route=product/category&path=20

Addendum.

IOS 8.4 WAS RELEASED THIS MORNING, AND I UPGRADED IMMEDIATELY. ALL IS GOOD. I DIDN'T NEED TO RE-PAIR MY HALOS, AND EVERYTHING WORKS JUST AS IT DID BEFORE.

Jim

Try this, if you haven't already: erase all content and settings. Then reboot as a new phone without your Apple ID. If your experience mirrors mine, the phone will then pair. Now, go to Settings/Itunes and put in your Apple ID. Mine still paired. To my surprise, when I restored from a computer backup, the phone still paired. Somehow, booting with my Apple ID prevented Bluetooth pairing.

Hello,

The good news is you know the phone and Halos paired. If you do a Factory restore, everything should be erased. The keyword is should.

Connect your phone to your Mac or PC then using iTunes, do a factory restore. Disconnect your phone from the PC and run the setup. Don’t setup the wifi, Apple ID, etc. Keep it as plain Vanilla as possible. Once at the main screen, turn off cellular then turn on Bluetooth. Say a prayer, do a little funky chicken dance then pair your Halos. If it pairs, turn on cellular, see if the Halos are still paired. Open and closed the Halo battery door and see if they pair up again automatically. If they pair, next turn on your wifi and see if the Halos are still Paired. Open and close the battery door and see if the Halos auto connect with the phone. Install an app and do the drill of checking the Halos, opening and closing the door. A lot of work but in the end, worth it since you figured out the problem.

Most BT, wifi and cordless phones are on 2.4GHz so the possibility of interference exist.

HTH and good luck.

You, sir, are a legend. This has worked, and if you happen to live in Melbourne, I'll buy you a beer.

I Think it's the factory reset that was the key, in the past I had just tried erase all settings which did not work. I am now connected for the first time in six weeks, and can adjust my volume.

For interest, I have not restored from a back up, I am just adding apps one by one and checking that things still work. So far so good.