Product Reviews
Hearing Times reviews some of the newest products available on the market.
Telephones
BT Converse 2200 Corded Telephone
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.
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Conversor Pro
The newly designed Conversor Pro is a listening device for a variety of different situations, used with hearing aids and cochlear implants on a T setting.
The first impressions you have of this product are that it’s nice and lightweight, and it comes in a carry case. Like anything else, it takes a bit of getting used to and some setting up, but the instruction booklet is handy enough.
Essentially there are two main parts to this device – the transmitter/microphone and the pendant receiver. The Conversor can be charged at the mains, while the receiver and the microphone also take lithium batteries.
You can also hook up to a TV or stereo equipment, and the accessories to allow you to do this are supplied with the package. I especially enjoyed the way you can use the Conversor Pro to keep an ear on the TV from up to 25 metres away, which you can do if you want to, say, follow the news or football while popping into the kitchen.
If you want to keep tabs on your partner at home, get them to wear the microphone in a different room on the neck cord, and you’ll be able to hear them from another room.
The Pro can be used in many different situations – at home watching TV on your own, or chatting to someone else, in a café with one other person, or at a family meal. It can be used out shopping, in a classroom situation or hearing someone give a lecture.
You wear the receiver around your neck at all times, either outside your clothes or tucked inside them if you prefer to be more discreet. Then you either point the microphone transmitter towards the sound you want to hear, or put it near the source of whatever you want to listen to.
Get the speaker to wear the microphone, or place it on the lectern. Again, the range is 25 metres.
I am sure many people would find the Pro useful in the car, a notoriously tricky environment. I tried this device at a small gathering and found I could hear more clearly. And, while I rarely attend meetings these days, I have no doubt that this gadget is a potential godsend for these as well. For group discussions, just put the microphone on the table and choose its Omni-Directional mode. For one to one chats, just do the same thing but choosing the Zoom mode.
What I found most helpful was the way background noise was so effectively cut out.
So, all in all an extremely useful and versatile device – well worth overcoming any initial qualms you may have if it seems fiddly at first. Conversor has been marketing them for two years.
For more information about the Conversor Pro visit www.conversorproducts.com
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
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