Boya mini 2 microphone NEEDS internet to turn on each time??

[William Gould]

So I made an account here in part since reddit literally censored this post multiple times on multiple boards totally unseen and I can't figure out why.  Trying to figure things out before a return period expires.

 

So over xmas I ordered the Boya mini 2 wireless microphones hoping to have an inexpensive digital wireless mic for film student audio.  Actually ordered two of them because somewhere online it said there's some A/B mode and it's possible to run two mics on each channel for four active microphones in the same area.

So far i've had nothing but problems, including the headline.
#1 it didn't say anything about needing "an app" to use the microphone, nothing would see the microphone and the instructions said NOTHING about download a stupid app.
#2 there's no A/B switch anywhere I can find in the software menu so far so only one pair of microphones is being seen
#3 worst of all the microphones refuse to turn on UNLESS you have internet access enabled!  I dont mean one time like to online register this or that or something, I mean each time you try to turn the microphones on, if you dont have internet data on your phone it REFUSES to turn on and gives some error about "network is abnormal" each time which I assume means it's not able to call home to china to decide whether or not they want to spy on you this time or not since I can think of no other justification.

I've never seen these problems mentioned in any of the (admittedly only a few) reviews I read of the Boya originally, not thinking anyone would design with this mentality, but is there someone more familiar with these than me who understands whats going on or if I can get around this nonsense?

I needed these for recording in some deep rural areas as my immediate next project and there's not even guaranteed internet access meaning the microphone wouldn't even turn on if I tried to use it there.  Is this all known behavior?

[Aristeidis Tyropolis]

This is a typical IoT style device cloud-connected  problem but with mikes?!?? Who knew...

iI the firmware of the device is designed in such way to phone "home" there's little you can do outside looking for people who have reversed engineered it (unlikely).

As far as I know none of the reputable manufacturers like Rode have this issue, including DJI.

Sucks overall....Best best is to cut your losses and try to sell it if possible.