Hearing aids that don’t auto connect to whatever my neighbors are playing on Bluetooth. Also hearing aids with a Bluetooth block list
Seriously I’m fucking losing my mind over this. 3 times in under 10 minutes last night my hearing aids stopped playing the tv I was listening to to play the Bluetooth that my neighbors or their kids were listening to. Suddenly mid conversation with my wife about it, bam, music.
If you live in the US that sounds like something the FDA should be notified about. It’s probably not legal to sell a hearing aid that can so easily be hijacked by another party, or if it is, it really shouldn’t be. Either way, FDA regulates hearing aids so they are the ones to complain to.
The problem is inherent to Bluetooth, The only way to make it not be like this would be to make things dramatically more difficult to connect to things over Bluetooth.
No, my audiologist gave it to me. And it’s not like my neighbors are using one. It switches to Bluetooth streaming for their stuff according to my hearing aid app
It’s just weird that it switches to someone’s Bluetooth. Usually there is some sort of combination of basic authentication required and confirmation. Have you tried something like a “factory reset” on the device?
Bluetooth connectivity is a feature. And tbh I love it, it’s headphones specifically set to compensate for my hearing loss, that I can connect to my phone and theoretically my computer. I can listen to audiobooks without taking out my hearing aids (though switching to dome molds means earbuds fit in without taking them out) and I can make phone calls beam into my ears. Even beyond that, it connects to my phone via Bluetooth and gives me the ability to control settings on them. These settings include different sound settings for situations like meetings as well as muting which I need sometimes because of things like loud coworkers and the stress of always hearing.
Until this inconvenience it managed to take an assistive device from “ugh I have to wear these even though they’re uncomfortable (the discomfort isn’t just the fit, it’s also being able to hear everything) to having enough convenient features that I sometimes wear them at home.
And yeah these nice features do matter because one of the most difficult things about hearing aids is getting people to power through the initial discomfort when they first get them. Also there’s just the nice to have factor. Why shouldn’t medical devices have nice features that can be easily implemented. Like transition lenses or putting a cup holder on a wheelchair.
They have Bluetooth for convenience to help you listen to regular audio sources, but they should definitely have better controls available. Sounds like theirs are permanently in pairing mode
Are these OTC hearing aids? Or prescription ones from a reputable audiologist and brand? Every brand I have worked with require the devices to be in pairing mode to do that (the first 30 to 60 seconds of when the devices turn on)
They’re unitron, and expensive enough they better not be otc, Especially since I got them with a hearing test and everything. And maybe my neighbor accidentally turned their device on as I turned my hearing aids on. I do give them and myself a little break when I get home from work many days
Hearing aids that don’t auto connect to whatever my neighbors are playing on Bluetooth. Also hearing aids with a Bluetooth block list
Seriously I’m fucking losing my mind over this. 3 times in under 10 minutes last night my hearing aids stopped playing the tv I was listening to to play the Bluetooth that my neighbors or their kids were listening to. Suddenly mid conversation with my wife about it, bam, music.
If you live in the US that sounds like something the FDA should be notified about. It’s probably not legal to sell a hearing aid that can so easily be hijacked by another party, or if it is, it really shouldn’t be. Either way, FDA regulates hearing aids so they are the ones to complain to.
The problem is inherent to Bluetooth, The only way to make it not be like this would be to make things dramatically more difficult to connect to things over Bluetooth.
??
I’m no expert on the technical side of the protocol, but my BT devices only ever connect to sources they’ve been paired with.
Why would this be more difficult for hearing aids than for headphones?
Not at all, those ones are permanently in pairing mode with no interaction required and instead it should require manual pairing
That’s horrible!
Do you have a tv connector for your hearing aides to connect to or is it connecting straight to the television?
Work in retirement home where lots of people use hearing aides with their televisions. Have not come across this issue.
Most connect via an external device paired to their hearing aide specifically.
I have a tv beam device
You don’t mean the “As Seen on TV” device do you?
No, my audiologist gave it to me. And it’s not like my neighbors are using one. It switches to Bluetooth streaming for their stuff according to my hearing aid app
It’s just weird that it switches to someone’s Bluetooth. Usually there is some sort of combination of basic authentication required and confirmation. Have you tried something like a “factory reset” on the device?
Yes. I would expect the Bluetooth receiving device to have to be paired with the transmitter
Why are medical devices operating on the same band as consumer devices??
Bluetooth connectivity is a feature. And tbh I love it, it’s headphones specifically set to compensate for my hearing loss, that I can connect to my phone and theoretically my computer. I can listen to audiobooks without taking out my hearing aids (though switching to dome molds means earbuds fit in without taking them out) and I can make phone calls beam into my ears. Even beyond that, it connects to my phone via Bluetooth and gives me the ability to control settings on them. These settings include different sound settings for situations like meetings as well as muting which I need sometimes because of things like loud coworkers and the stress of always hearing.
Until this inconvenience it managed to take an assistive device from “ugh I have to wear these even though they’re uncomfortable (the discomfort isn’t just the fit, it’s also being able to hear everything) to having enough convenient features that I sometimes wear them at home.
And yeah these nice features do matter because one of the most difficult things about hearing aids is getting people to power through the initial discomfort when they first get them. Also there’s just the nice to have factor. Why shouldn’t medical devices have nice features that can be easily implemented. Like transition lenses or putting a cup holder on a wheelchair.
They have Bluetooth for convenience to help you listen to regular audio sources, but they should definitely have better controls available. Sounds like theirs are permanently in pairing mode
Because hearing impaired people want to connect it to their normal devices, like TVs and Phones?
Are these OTC hearing aids? Or prescription ones from a reputable audiologist and brand? Every brand I have worked with require the devices to be in pairing mode to do that (the first 30 to 60 seconds of when the devices turn on)
They’re unitron, and expensive enough they better not be otc, Especially since I got them with a hearing test and everything. And maybe my neighbor accidentally turned their device on as I turned my hearing aids on. I do give them and myself a little break when I get home from work many days