Product Reviews

Read Hearing Times reviews about some of the newest products available on the market

Telephones

BT Converse 2200 Corded Telephone
Geemarc Screenphone

Assisted Listening Devices

BT Converse 2200 Corded Telephone

BT have recently upgraded their Converse range of telephones so we thought we would review the mid range model for Hearing Times. The Converse 2200 is a basic phone which can be used with an office telephone exchange or a domestic telephone line.
The Converse 2200 has a maximum handset volume of 109dB, a maximum ringer volume of 61dB and two features which make it suitable for the hard of hearing. The handset has an induction coupler making it suitable for telecoil fitted hearing aids and there is an amplify button which can be used to increase the volume during a call. Both the handset volume control and the amplify button alter the inductive output from the handset.
First impressions are that the packaging is informative making up part of the instruction manual and covers some of the key features and functions of the phone.
Once open, we were pleased to see the handset and the telephone line already connected to the base station, which helped eliminate the potential of an error when plugging in the handset and telephone line into incorrect ports.
The instruction manual is basic, although confusing at times as it seems to describe the functions and features in no particular order.
The design and layout of the buttons is good and they have a positive action feel to them. There are up to 10 memory buttons so the user can easily store numbers of friends and family for simple dialling. There is also an ‘M1’ button, designed for storing your most important number or ICE (in case of emergency).
The Converse 2200 has most of the features expected on a home or small business phone. The handset volume is fine in most circumstances, however, the ringer volume is not particularly loud and we struggled to hear when using the hands free setting. We also had some difficulty operating the amplify button - to switch off the amplify function the user needs to press the volume down button - rather than, more logically, pressing the amplify button again. Hearing Times has mentioned this to BT.
Pricewise, the Converse 2200 retails at £34.99, its bigger brother the Converse 2300 at £49.99 including VAT. Compared to some of the higher priced amplified telephones it is good value.
The overall impression of the telephone is that, as a standard home or small business telephone for use with hearing aids, it is reasonable but not outstanding.

Geemarc Screenphone

The Screenphone, which has been available for three years, is produced by Geemarc in association with RNID, and around 1,000 of them are sold every year. You can speak your part of the call as usual, but by pressing a button you can receive your caller's words on a screen using a telephone call to an operator from Text Relay, BT’s free national 24-hour telephone relay service. If you use a keyboard, you can also transmit your own words as text.

The Screenphone works by adding 18001 before each phone call, and asking people to dial 18002 before ringing you. By pushing a button, you can alternate between the ‘text’ and ‘voice’ parts of your call. You can also use the phone without Text Relay, and a setting allows you to amplify incoming sound. The messaging system means you can either listen to your messages, or receive them as text. If you have BT’s 1571 Voice Messaging service, and want to keep it, you won’t also be able to use the Screephone’s own messaging system. Priced at around £200, this product is pretty user-friendly, and comes with clear instructions.

There are large keys and a red button providing a direct link to the emergency services, making the phone suitable for older or other vulnerable users. The screen and text are large enough to make reading comfortable, and font size can be increased.

Not everyone I’ve spoken to with my Screenphone has enjoyed the experience, and it does take some getting used to. Some people don’t feel happy having someone else listening to their conversation, however discreet and professional the operators are. Equally, calls can take a little longer.

Conversor Pocket Listenor

The Pocket Listenor is a hands-free assistive listening device for use with Telecoil-equipped hearing instruments. It provides users with amplification of nearby sound sources and can also be connected directly to a CD player, iPod, stereo/hi-fi, TV, computer, telephone or other sound source with the jack to jack cable provided. It is ideal for one to one conversations. The Pocket Listenor is worn around the neck of the user and has easy to use on/off switch and volume controls. The Pocket Listenor has a rechargeable battery and provides up to eight hours of continuous use and comes with a one year manufacturer’s guarantee. Recommended Retail Price is £79.95 plus VAT.

Special offer If you subscribe to Hearing Times (£15 for ten issues) you have the option of purchasing a Pocket Listenor for an additional £20 (RRP £79.95), total price £35.

Review The Pocket Listenor is really useful in one to one conversations and can be used up to a range of up to 10 metres, depending on the environment. The speaker or sound source needs to be broadly in front of the user to ensure the best sound capture. It is ideal for users on the move where it can be connected to an Ipod or personal stereo system. We found that different devices have different volume outputs and some worked better with the Pocket Listenor than others.
It is easy to use although the user has to ensure that they put the charger into the correct socket on the side of the unit. The 3.5mm jack socket on the top of the unit is used for connecting to an audio source. It has an excellent signal to noise ratio of around 40dB and distortion of less than 5% which means there is good sound quality. The frequency range captured by the device is between 100Hz and 8,000 kHz which is a broad enough spectrum for most users. It does amplify the user’s own voice as well as the sound source, however it will allow greater amplification without incurring feedback from the hearing aid. There is no tone control, however the manufacturer has set a relatively neutral tone which is comfortable to listen to.

Overall assessment This is a functional and practical device which is lightweight and easy to carry and use and represents value for money

For more information email info@hearingtimes.co.uk or call 0845 2930688

Hearing Times Limited, The Lansbury Estate, 102 Lower Guildford Road, Woking, Surrey GU21 2EP