Tips on replacing a computer
Melissa Villaseñor, Robert Laurence Martin · The Hearing Journal · 2008
Buying a replacement computer for a hearing care practice is not as easy as you may think. We recently purchased a new computer, and it took us about 3 months before we figured out all the glitches and got it up and running. This article offers some tips we hope will make your life a little easier the next time you purchase a new office computer. You will, of course, have to decide what brand to purchase. Dell and Hewlett Packard are two of the most popular, though there are others. From our experience, we would recommend a Dell, which can be easily ordered over the phone or online. We-found the Dell technical staff very helpful. Prices range from as low as $300 up to $1000 or more. While it may be tempting to get the least expensive, we don't recommend it. A good computer for fitting hearing aids normally costs about $700 without the monitor. Our recommendation and that of the experts we consulted is a Dell OptiPlex, which is ideal for fitting hearing aids and should last for a few years. It has a built-in serial port, which is needed for your Hi-Pro box. HOW MUCH MEMORY? Perhaps the most important consideration is how much RAM (random access memory) to get. We suggest at least 2 GB, which costs about $50 more than the standard 1 GB. Extra RAM boosts your computer's performance and speed. Remember, you need enough memory for the operating system (Windows XP Pro), NOAH system 3, separate hearing aid fitting programs, and extensive databases for client files and for scanned files associated with your impression-scanning unit. If you've been frustrated with how slow your old computer is, consider an Intel Core 2 Duo Processor, a very fast processor that reduces waiting time. Next, consider the amount of memory for the hard drive. We recommend at least 160 GB, and preferably 200. We recommend Windows XP Professional for the operating system. It is compatible with a wide range of hearing aid software and has been around for a long time, so the “bugs” have been worked out. Vista is Microsoft's newest operating system, but a lot of the programming software is not compatible with it. Don't install Windows XP Home because it's not compatible with NOAH 3. The Integrated Graphics (Basic Solution) video card in the OptiPlex System will be sufficient for hearing aid programming needs. High-end graphics cards are available, but they are used mostly for advanced photo and video editing, graphic design, and games. Be sure your monitor settings are correct. For a PC (not a Mac) right-click on your desktop, select properties, then settings, and adjust the pixel settings to 1072x768. You need a serial port to connect the computer to the Hi-Pro box, so if you get a computer without one you'll have to purchase a cable max USB to serial adapter. GN Otometrics recommends the USB 2.0 Serial RS-232 DB-9 MIiniAdapter with a detachable extension cable. You also need to consider monitor size. An extra-large monitor will impress patients and let those who are interested watch what you're doing on the computer. A 20-inch or 22-inch flat screen is suggested. Upgrade to an optical mouse from the old-fashioned ball type. It works well on any surface, and will last longer. When transferring files from your old computer to your new one, take care not to transfer any unneeded programs, which will slow down your computer and could cause it to freeze or even crash. Transfer files using a flash drive; floppy drives are a thing of the past. Having easy access to a USB port on the front of the unit makes transferring files a lot easier. You can also use a flash drive to back up your computer very quickly and save all your files in case you have any problems. Back up only data files, not your program files. INSTALLING NOAH You'll want to install NOAH System 3, which is available as a stand-alone package for about $1000. If you already have Noah 2 you can upgrade for a little over $500, but you'll need your serial number from NOAH 2. If, as we strongly recommend, you use Windows XP Pro, you'll need NOAH 3.5.2, which includes patch C. If you want the newer operating system, Windows Vista, you'll need NOAH 3.6.1, which includes patch B. To install NOAH 3 you'll need Internet access to get your license. If the computer you use for hearing aid programming is not connected to the Internet, you can get an instructional CD with an activation file from your NOAH distributor. Acknowledgments We would like to thank the technical staff from Siemens Hearing Instruments of Chicago for their assistance with this article.