ListenTech Assistive Listening Packs

[emathews]

Hi there,
We are a new space in a high school, and I'm the part time TD. As part of the design spec for the proscenium we got all sorts of goodies, NIP. It's a beautiful thing. The one---and ONLY---thing not in the package was the 40 ListenTech ADA approved audio packs for our hard of hearing audience members. I thought it strange at the time but didn't ask questions in May.
Fast forward to last night when I needed them for the first time. Everything was set up, and by the a/v company told simply to use fresh batteries, turn them on, and viola! they receive the signal from the system and it is sent either to the headphones that are plugged in to the pack or the loop that transmits to the listener's hearing aid.
I made sure to have enough time to test every one of them, and resulted in a variety of issues, with only 11 of them functioning. Some, they don't turn on at all (yes I changed batteries). The majority, however, just provide loud white noise or a squeaky squelchy sound. Things that are available to me to effect a change: fresh batteries, switching a switch from alkaline batteries to NIMH (I have NIMH), turning squelch on/off, throwing it on the ground and stomping on it (kidding!). When they are in the squelchy channel I can get sound coming through the headset, but it sounds like the person talking is in the upside down, or inside the tv, which is cool, but not really useful.
Before I go to a/c company and manufacturer, am I missing something?

Also: 300 people showed up last night for the town meeting and not a single pack was signed out... sigh...

Thanks, everyone!

 

[venuetech]

I had an ADA assistive system for 20 years, and could count on one hand the times it was requested.

 

[emathews]

I had an ADA assistive system for 20 years, and could count on one hand the times it was requested.

I am totally aware of the reality that things things may never get used, but town meeting brings out the curmudgeons and they make requests that, when not fulfilled, go onto social media and slam the new space, tax payer's money wasted, blah blah blah. Not that I care a lot, but I do care enough that I put out what worked. More concerning is whether I've received faulty equipment or not, or is it this user's error.

 

[MNicolai]

Which transmitter and receivers do you have?

If RF, is it 72MHz or 216MHz?

The receivers have internal switches for NiMH or Alkaline. Are all of these set to NiMH if you're using rechargeables?

Where is the transmit antenna located? (Is it mounted within a metal rack or behind a bunch of metallic surfaces?

Are both the transmitter and all of the receivers set to either SQ On or SQ Off?

If you have receivers without a display, have you performed a SEEK operation on each receiver to lock it into the correct channel?

If you have receivers with a display, are they all configured for the same channel as the transmitter?

--

It's common for the packs not to get signed out. You're required* to have them but many people are uncomfortable using them. They are insistent their hearing is fine, don't want to be singled-out to everyone else that they are different, or are unaware they are experiencing any hearing loss at all. For the dignity of everyone involved, an inductive hearing loop is more ideal because it requires nothing of the users, but it can be a costly addition and you still have to provide beltpacks for those without T-coil hearing aids.

*required meaning ADA says you should have them but enforcement is strictly complaint-driven. If you're supposed to have 40 but you only have 6, and nobody asks for a 7th, you're safe. I've seen a lot of people buy a handful to begin with and then expand to meet demand. Or if they have compatible assistive listening systems elsewhere on campus, you're allowed to meet that minimum required number of receivers by sharing them between the spaces.

 

[FMEng]

It would help to know the model of the receivers, because Listen Technologies makes several types. If these are 72 MHz radio receivers, my guess is the dead batteries have caused some of them to lose their channel setting, and are tuned to the wrong channel. Consult the manual on how to change channels.

 

[Van]

I wish I had a dollar, Hell, a penny for every time someone bitched about the Assisted listening Devices. And I LOVED the company that supplied ours, Listen Technologies out of SLC. I could walked the auditorium with every pack; shaking it, rolling it around, turning it this way and that and they all sounded fine. First time a pack would get used I'd get BO reports saying "Assisted listening device didn't work, Patron XYZ was extremely angry."

Something about old people sucks up Radio waves.

The best I can suggest, is to double check the channel settings on the packs and the base unit, then reorient your antenna, or add another to it.

 

[emathews]

Which transmitter and receivers do you have?
Great questions. I don't know on the transmitter. We have the LR-300 receivers.

If RF, is it 72MHz or 216MHz?
72MHz

The receivers have internal switches for NiMH or Alkaline. Are all of these set to NiMH if you're using rechargeables?
set to NiMh b/c I'm using the rechargeables that came with the packs.

Where is the transmit antenna located? (Is it mounted within a metal rack or behind a bunch of metallic surfaces?
According to the a/v installer it is "up in the air" above the catwalk and sound clouds. I haven't seen them yet.

Are both the transmitter and all of the receivers set to either SQ On or SQ Off?
They are all set to SQ off, they seemed to behave better.

If you have receivers without a display, have you performed a SEEK operation on each receiver to lock it into the correct channel?
It appears I only have 2 distinctive channels, I determined this based on hitting seek and going back and forth between white noise and squeaky/squelchy. So neither seems correct, but I get some vocals through the squelchy channel.

If you have receivers with a display, are they all configured for the same channel as the transmitter?
Nope. no displays.

Thanks for the lesson into the psychology of why people choose to not use them. We have a great system, and I've learned that many people who do not have hearing aids are satisfied with the sound in our space, so maybe between the stigma factor and that we have a lot of amplification in the space people are ok with it.
Great idea sharing between spaces. The auditorium holds 750. If at 300 we didn't need 1, I could handle 750 needing 6.

I am meeting with a/v installer again soon. I can push them harder on this. I just wanted to come to you all first, because of your experience level. I appreciate all of this info.

 

[teqniqal]

I had an ADA assistive system for 20 years, and could count on one hand the times it was requested.

One of the things that drives the 'non-use' of the receivers is the lack of advertising that they are available. The ADA requires that the 'Assistive Listening Devices are available" signs must be posted adjacent to every auditorium entrance, and (optional, but logically) should also be posted at the ticket booth(s) and maybe the main entrance doors, too. Note that the minimum / maximum elevation of the signs is defined, as is the illumination cast upon the signs. It can also be informative to include the icon on brochures, programs, tickets, and pre-show advertising. Be aware that there are different variants of the signage graphics depending upon the type of ALS equipment installed (Loop, IR, RF). The addition of text below the signs that informs the reader where the ALS equipment can be check-out is also very helpful.

If you are a venue that also uses the system to transmit alternative languages (Simultaneous Interpreting and/or Descriptive Narrative for the sight impaired), then text in the alternative language(s) and/or braille are helpful for those users. Seek-out professional native language translators for these wordings so as to not make a cultural faux pas with the signage.

Another 'non-use' factor is training the staff that issue these devices to be extremely courteous to those requesting the devices. This means both technology training to be able to explain the use and interpersonal skills training to be sensitive to the person's needs and patient with them if they have questions. Having a small hand-out that has pictograms (and multi-lingual text and braille, if necessary) on the use of the device can be helpful so the person does not have to be verbally instructed and be self-conscious about the attention it may draw. It is also important that the user be offered a telecoil neck-loop option in lieu of only an ear-speaker / earphone / headset. This allows them to use the telecoil receiver in their hearing aids, which is a much less visible and possibly embarrassing. Many people do not know that these are available, so they will not ask for them. There is a minimum number of the telecoil adapters required to be available, just like the minimum number of receivers.

People are very aware / suspicious that the ear-speaker / earphone / headset may not have been cleaned after the prior use, so having a well-documented training program to clean (change-out foam ear-bud covers, wipe-down with wet alcohol wipes, etc.) the devices upon recovery from the user is important. Bagging them individually in a zip-lock (or even better: heat-sealed baggie) with a 'This device has been sanitized for your protection.' note in each one can also reinforce the facilities' concern for the patrons.

Test your receivers with common 3.5mm earbud products like the customers may already be used to using with their personal mobile phone; if your receivers work OK with these without damaging the microphone or the receiver, then advise the customer that they have the option of using their own earphones. The use of an adapter to convert a TRRS (Tip-Ring-Ring-Sleeve) 4-circuit 'telephone' earbud set to a TRS (Tip-Ring-Sleeve) 3-circuit 'stereo headphone' earbud set may be a good option to offer, too.

 

[teqniqal]

Where is the transmit antenna located? (Is it mounted within a metal rack or behind a bunch of metallic surfaces?
According to the a/v installer it is "up in the air" above the catwalk and sound clouds. I haven't seen them yet.

Get 'eyes-on' with the antenna. I've seen these installed in all sorts of crazy, non-functional, ways. If it is a dipole antenna and it is high over the center of the room, and vertically oriented, then the null axis of the dipole lobes may be pointed right at the main seating area. You have to understand the radiation pattern of the installed antenna (or IR emitters) so you can see that they are directed towards the intended audience.

Also, if a mono-pole or dipole whip is installed parallel to, and in close proximity to, a conduit, pipe, air duct, rebar (inside concrete), metal wall stud, bar-joist, steel beam, ceiling tile rib, catwalk hanger, wire rope, solid wire ceiling hanger, metal roof deck, window frame, door frame, etc., then it may have the coverage area affected. Yeah, I know that doesn't leave a lot of options as to where you can install the antenna, but that is the nature of RF to reflect and/or null off of other metal.

You said 'them' in reference to the ALS antenna. Typically, there is only one, unless there is both a 72MHz and a 216MHz system in place. This is not like a wireless mic diversity receiver system that requires two physically separated antennas.

Also look to see what cable is connected between the transmitter and the antenna. The cable should match the impedance specified by the ALS transmitter manufacturer (50 Ohms or 75 Ohms), and, depending on how long the cable run is, be the appropriate size (RG-58/59 small diameter for short distances, or RG-6/8 large diameter for longer cable runs). Sadly, some contractors just grab whatever is lying around and don't check to see if it is the recommended type of cable for the installation conditions.

 

[RonHebbard]

I am totally aware of the reality that things things may never get used, but town meeting brings out the curmudgeons and they make requests that, when not fulfilled, go onto social media and slam the new space, tax payer's money wasted, blah blah blah. Not that I care a lot, but I do care enough that I put out what worked. More concerning is whether I've received faulty equipment or not, or is it this user's error.

@emathews Another thing to watch out for is patrons signing out an ALD and walking into a secondary space NOT covered by the ALD system. One theater in my home town has a large lobby available to all patrons with a smaller, secondary lobby and coat check off to one side servicing a smaller performing space. The first evening they installed their ALD system in the main hall, they included all of the required signage and courteous staff to hand out and instruct users. They explained all equipment was free and requested only the filling out of a brief questionnaire upon return of the devices at evening's end. Typical queries were: Did it work well? Were there any problems?? If there were problems, where were you seated? Several people walked in via the main doors from the underground car park, saw the ADL kiosks and signed out devices. At the end of the evening, quite a few users had complaints of hearing nothing but noise. Surprise, surprise. Most of the complainants had signed out devices then passed through the main lobby into the small secondary space which WAS NOT covered by the system. Apparently the system didn't work in the secondary space. Go figure?
Toodleoo!
Ron Hebbard.

 

[emathews]

@teqniqal Thank you. I've got some investigating to do on the actual antenna location and the cabling used. I appreciate you walking me through that.
@RonHebbard that's fascinating...and I could absolutely see happening if the right oversight isn't there!