Years ago, we at Frye Electronics put out an irregularly published newsletter for our customers. For various reasons, we dropped the newsletter and concentrated on other ways to bring news to our customers. Now, however, we've decided to bring it back.
In these pages, we will include information about our latest product releases, any current special offers, conventions we'll be attending, and just about anything else we feel that you might like to know.
Direct all questions and comments about the newsletter to: kris@fryebox.com. Or you can call (800) 547-8209 or fax (503) 639-0128.
Now Shipping: FP35
The Fonix FP35 is the latest model in our line of portable hearing aid analyzers. We designed the FP35 to be attractive, light weight, and affordable. It has taken us longer to come out with production units than we originally anticipated, but we are finally shipping units to customers now.
What are the FP35's virtues? For one thing, it's an extremely accurate instrument. We have written special calibration software that is used on every unit that goes out the door. This software takes into account any and all manufacturing deviations and compensates for them, making all tests extremely accurate.
For another, it's the lightest weight analyzer on the market, weighing under 15 lbs. (6.8 kg) including the optional briefcase. We wanted you to be able to carry your analyzer around with you without feeling like you were lifting weights in the process.
Next, we believe the FP35 to be the least expensive analyzer on the market. The base unit without the real ear or composite options is currently going for $3995. It is so important for everyone that fits a hearing aid to be able to test that aid accurately. We wanted all of our customers to be able to afford a "Fryebox," consistently the best analyzers on the market.
Also, for those of you that hate reading the manual, the FP35 was designed to be extremely easy to use with many simple menus and pull down help messages to guide you through the testing procedures.
Finally, it's easy to upgrade. Using a serial port on the back of the instrument, you can hook your analyzer up to your PC and download the latest software. No more messing with PROMs.
What are the FP35's faults? Well, at the moment, the FP35 is a very capable but basic instrument. It comes with three types of puretone sweep tests and with multi-curve capabilities. The composite signal is available as an add-on, as is the real-ear option which includes the popular SPL software. But we have not yet added many of the popular automated test sequences available on other FONIX analyzers.
Not to worry! Our programmers are working hard, and everyone who purchases an FP35 will have a choice of the ANSI, IEC, or JIS automated test sequence as they come available. Users will receive free software upgrades for a year after purchase. We are expecting this software to include a digital speech program similar to the popular program currently available on the 6500-CX. This program allows for all digital aids to be tested accurately and effectively. So, although it's not all there yet, we expect it to catch up to the rest of the FONIX analyzer family shortly.
6500-CX Software 4.52
We have added a new update to the 6500-CX software.. Version 4.52 corrects a few minor problems encountered in version 4.50. The I/O curves in the ANSI 96 test sequence are now labeled with numbers, making them easier to tell apart after they are printed onto thermal paper. A new measurement has been added to the popular Profiler option. And it is now possible to create an SPL target taking into account a measured unaided response instead of using the fixed "average" unaided response measured from a KEMAR manikin.
We are offering free upgrades to all customers with software versions 4.50 or 4.51. We've sent letters to most of you with those software versions, but if you didn't receive our letter, here is your chance to take advantage of our special offer.
Profiler:
The Profiler is a new program available for the 6500-CX designed to help you sell more hearing aids. It was suggested by Susan Jelonek, one of our representatives in California. Susan's family has been in the hearing aid industry for many years. She has worked as a consultant for hearing aid manufacturers, she is very knowledgeable about hearing aids, and she has sold FONIX products to hearing aid dispensors for a long time. Basically, she is a great source of information for our company.
In 45 seconds, it tells you all the important information about an aid on one screen. It provides great documentation in an easy to understand format. It allows you to easily identify "problem" aids in need of repair or replacement. And it's a great way to show your customer what's going on with his/her aid.
Available for units with the Star Option and the latest CPU board, it gives you 10 important tests on one screen including: SPL90 curve, maximum output, harmonic distortion, equivalent input noise, battery drain, three composite curves at soft, medium, and loud speech levels, the RMS of the medium speech curve, use gain, and the reserve gain curve.
ANSI S3.22-1996:
The ANSI S3.22 entitled Specification of Hearing Aid Characteristics is the standard by which all aids are labeled in the United States. The version of the standard currently being used by manufacturers was published by ANSI in 1987. The FDA just approved the 1996 version of the standard. At this point, it is a little unclear when exactly manufacturers will be required to start testing to this latest version of the standard, but we do know that it should be within approximately six months.
The FONIX 6500-CX is currently the only analyzer on the market that has an automated test for the 1996 standard. Call us today and keep up-to-date with the latest in regulations!
Changes between the old and the new version of the standard include:
AGC aids are now tested at a reduced reference test position instead of at full-on gain.
The procedure for the attack and release measurements for AGC aids has been altered.
Instead of only one I/O curve measured at a 2000 Hz, you are now allowed to specify up to five I/O curves measured at a choice of 250, 500, 1000, 2000, or 4000 Hz.
The telecoil measurement has been severely altered. Among other alterations, it now uses a telephone simulator in the test.
If you would like more information about the new standard, contact us for more information.
Introducing: WinCHAP
We are preparing to ship our latest FONIX product, WinCHAP the Computer Hearing Aid Program for Windows. WinCHAP is a database program that runs on your personal computer. Using the RS232 option available on the FP40 and 6500-CX analyzers and the FA10 audio-meter, you can hook your FONIX product up to your computer and run nearly all tests right from your PC.
WinCHAP has extensive database cap-abilities, allowing you to organize patient information, keep track of your inventory, keep contact information in one place, organize your personal files, and permanently save all curves generated by your FONIX instruments.
We have been working very hard on this database program, and we think that you will be pleased with the outcome. We displayed the WinCHAP program at the AAA convention last May and got a lot of positive feedback and interest. Order now and receive a 15% discount. Offer good until August 31st, 1999.
Tempus-3DTM:
Tempus-3DTM has been the pet project of our President, George Frye. It is a Windows program that takes sound .wav files and analyzes them for their time, frequency, and amplitude characteristics.
This is a new direction for FONIX products, but we feel that our expertise in the audiological world will also be welcomed in the more general acoustical world. For more information about Tempus-3DTM (or any of our products for that matter), see our website www.fryebox.com. See our ad for Tempus-3DTM in the August, 1999 edition of Scientific American!
Our Website:
For many years, we have had the domain name frye.com. We have been very proud of our domain name and have kept up an extensive website of our products at www.frye.com. However, The Frye Company which sells Frye boots has coveted our domain name. The matter is a sticky one because both of our companies have a claim to the trademark of Frye. To make a long story short, they have taken us to court over the matter, and both of our companies have paid a lot of money in lawyers' fees to get the matter settled.
Although we would dearly love to keep our domain name, we are tired of the time, expense, and stress of the drawn-out legal fight for something that really isn't that important in the big picture. So, we have decided to sell our domain name to this other company. This hasn't happened yet, but we've already prepared for the eventuality. Our new domain name is fryebox.com. You can still use frye.com for now, and there will be a period of transistion, but https://www.fryebox.com/ is our future.
Training Sessions:
Recently, Sallie Frye and Kris Frye went to Jones Audiology & Hearing Aid Center in Fort Worth, Texas to give a 4-hour training session/demonstration of the FONIX 6500-CX and all its latest features. We felt that the session was a success, and we are interested in doing more such sessions in the future. Please contact us if you are interested in attending such a session. If there is enough interest in your area, we can arrange to fly to you. Otherwise, we can make arrangements for you to fly to us and attend a session at our plant outside of Portland, OR. Email sfrye@fryebox.com or kris@fryebox.com for more details.
Conventions:
Look for us at the following conventions in October, 1999:
IHS in Philadelphia
ADA in Bermuda
German Congress in Nuremberg, GERMANY
Contact Us:
If you have any questions, concerns, gossip, orders, information, corrections, com-plaints, or comments, please feel free to call us at: (800) 547-8209, FAX us at (503) 639-0128 or email us at sales@fryebox.com.
Frye Electronics, Inc.
P.O. Box 23391 Tigard, OR 97281-3391
https://www.frye.com
general@frye.com
Fonix Facts: A Newsletter From Frye Electronics, Inc.
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