TELECOM Digest OnLine - Sorted: Re: Headset Hack

Re: Headset Hack

BrianEWilliams (sorry_no_email@yahoo.com)
27 Sep 2006 13:42:02 -0700

W Howard wrote:

> In article <telecom25.342.5@telecom-digest.org>,
> BrianEWilliams <sorry_no_email@yahoo.com> wrote:

>> I am addicted to my telephone headset, and I like using a corded phone
>> for the sound quality and privacy. Caller ID is a must, and phones
>> that have all these features (headsets, wired, and Caller ID) tend to
>> be more expensive business models.

>> This is the hack I thought of to let me use a cheap Wal*Mart wired
>> phone with a headset. Simply wire a connection between the coiled
>> handset cord and my headset. There are 4 connectors on the coiled
>> handset cord, one for talking, one for listening, and a ground each.

> That "ground" is a return current path, but may not be at ground
> potential. There is a reason, at least sometimes, why the mike and
> speaker do not share their "ground" wire.

>> My headset has a 1/8" male stereo jack at the end. The part
>> furthest from the tip would take both the ground wires, and then I
>> just have to find which is the mike, and which is the earpiece.

> Is there a reason why you don't want to remove the stereo jack and
> replace it with a 4P4C modular plug like the telephone handset uses?

That seems like a good idea. I'll try it when I have some time.

>> Then I have to find out what the 4 wires in the coiled handset cord
>> are and connect them correctly. Is there any reason this won't work?

> The speaker part will probably work fine. The microphone part may be
> more troublesome if the mike in the headset is a different type than
> the one in the original handset. You could wind up losing all the
> voice quality that was one of your original objectives.

The speaker did work fine, but I wasn't able to get the mic to work.
Also, connecting it decreased the sound quality of the speaker,
possibly due to combining the "grounds".

Thanks for the reply.

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