Rondo 3, Fine Tuner Echo & Telecoil

[Andrew42]

Yesterday for a concert I connected my Telecoil for the first time in anger. I had a faint ticking sound so I put the Rondo in Flight mode. With that I lost the ability to control my Rondo via AudioKey 2 on my iPhone. Does the Fine Tuner Echo still work when the telecoil is connected?

I have never used my fine Tuner, it has stayed with all my other Medel Kit. I looked at it today and found a low battery signal. Hardly surprising when I learned by looking in the main Rondo 3 manual that there is no on-off switch, (a weird design decision) and users should remove the battery if not using the fine tuner for long periods. Why that information is not in the Med-El fine tuner document is something only Med-El can explain. FineTuner Echo | Remote Control for MED-EL Cochlear Implants (medel.com) or Support and help for the FineTuner Echo (medel.com). As a result, my fine tuner has been activated for over a year without my knowing or using it; whence the flat battery!

My questions are basic:

1. Can the Fine Tuner Echo be used in parallel with the AudioKey 2 app?

2. Is Fine Tuner Echo able to control a Rondo 3 in Flight Mode?

Thank you for any help you can give me.

I trust my revolutionary cousins had a great Thanksgiving. Here in Europe, we don't have Thanksgiving as such, but we have instituted Black Friday.

[Mary Beth]

@Andrew42

We can use either the AudioKey2 remote app or the FineTuner Echo remote and switch between them at will.  
 

This comment in the Rondo3 user manual makes it seem like Flight Mode disables the FineTuner Echo.

 

[Andrew42]

Thanks @Mary Beth. My issue is that when I attach my Telecoil without Flight mode engaged I can control volume, sensitivity etc from my iPhone: see my first

screen shot. but when I activate Flight mode all I can see is battery strength see Screen shot 2

In writing this the files have reversed so Screen shot 2 is showing first.

Is this normal and is it the same when using Fine Tuner Echo?

[Mary Beth]

@Andrew42

Here is how I understand it.

Flight mode turns off the internal 2.4 receivers so they do not cause interference on flights.  This also makes the Rondo3 unable to communicate with the Med-El accessories that use that feature like AudioLink, AudioKey2 and the FineTuner Echo.

 

The telecoil adapter with Rondo 3 seems to have an interference issue with the built in 2.4 receivers which causes a ticking sound for many.  The way to avoid the ticking sound is to put the Rondo3 into flight mode.  This solves the ticking issue but unfortunately prevents the Rondo3 from using the remotes.

 

Best suggestion is to be sure you are in the program, volume and sensitivity you desire before entering flight mode.

[Andrew42]

My apologies @Mary Bethfor not responding. Thank you for the info. It confirms to me that Med-El need seriously to up their game in connectivity and quickly. My concern is that they are doing nothing about it, else they would say something. I do not expect them to announce a specific date in the future but just to admit that they have understood the problem and are doing something about it. In a previous post I have suggested that their competition is not too proud to sub-contract: Cochlear uses Resound.

[Mary Beth]

@Andrew42

Due to FDA and other regulatory agency rules, Med-El does not comment on anything under development that has not passed the CE Mark or FDA process.

Most definitely things are in development for connectivity.  We just will not hear about them until they are released.

It’s the new BTLE and AuraCast that is exciting many users about future connectivity options.  Fingers crossed.

[Hila]

Thank you for this open discussion