Using FM with Dynamic SoundField System

Question

I work in a school that is getting Dynamic SoundField systems for its classrooms. One of the students there already uses a Phonak FM system. Can her FM system be used with the Dynamic SoundField system?

Answer

Yes. The majority of the FM transmitters in use today are Phonak inspiro transmitters, and they are Dynamic FM transmitters. Inspiro transmitters operate in the 216-217 MHz frequency band. We've taken the existing inspiro transmitter, made some significant enhancements to the firmware, and enabled it to become a dual analog/digital device via a simple upgrade. Now, the existing inspiro can transmit to students that are using FM in the 216-217 MHz frequency band, and also to the Dynamic SoundField system that is operating digitally in 2.4 gigahertz frequency band in a frequency-hopping technology.

Existing Phonak inspiro transmitters can be upgraded to include full Dynamic SoundField functionality for free using FM SuccessWare 4.5. It's a firmware upgrade that turns the inspiro FM transmitter into a Dynamic SoundField transmitter as well. The beauty is that once the inspiro has the Dynamic FM firmware upgrade, it can operate in FM only, in Dynamic SoundField only, and it can operate in both FM and SoundField modes simultaneously.

For more information about Phonak's Dynamic SoundField please visit www.dynamicsoundfield.com or www.phonak.com

Editor's note: Pat Henry and AudiologyOnline's Editor-in-Chief Carolyn Smaka recently got together to discuss Phonak's Dynamic SoundField. You can view their discussion here

Pat Henry is Director, Government Services, Wireless, and Pediatrics at Phonak.