[OT] Seeking headset to plug into phone base unit (via 4P4C)

[John]

I want to use a regular headset (earphones & mic) with my landline phone. The headset would plug into the socket on the phone instead of the curly lead.

I'm in the UK and the cost of ready-made telephone headsets are about £30 or £40 which is a bit steep for me.

So I guess it should be possible to modify an ordinary headset to terminate with a 4P4C plug which would then go into the curly lead socket on the phone. I'm hoping it's almost as simple as:

(a) replace the mic in the original handpiece by the mic in the new headset

(b) replace the earphone in the original handpiece by the earphone in the new headset.

What special considerations are there about headphone/mic impedance or about any additional components which may be needed?

Is there any constructor info or a simple circuit diagram for this?

[Owain]

unfortunately there is no standard for telephone microphones and the mic could be dynamic, electret, or even carbon (or electret pretending to be carbon)

likewise, but you also have the consideration of accoustic shock from clicks and tones from the telephone system.

You can get adapters and headsets quite cheaply on ebay or even a complete telephone base unit and headset eg item no 150340312038 (no connection with the seller)

Owain

[jkn]

I've never tried it (though I keep meaning to...) but the wikipedia entry for '4p4c'

has a diagram which shows the 'usual' connections.

As Owain says, there is no guarantee about this. I have a Retell Recorders box for recording via the headset lead; it has a six-way switch to allow you to select the right wiring combination! From talking to Retell some years ago I learned than 95% of telephones correspond to their 'setting 1' or 'setting 2'. I haven't got my notes on this to hand but suspect the wikipedia diagram is 'setting 1' and might be worth a try.

HTH J^n

[Stephen Howard]

There was a similar thread on UK DIY about this a short while back - but to precis my earlier comments you'd be better off with a Bluetooth-enabled landline phone and a matching headset. I've got a BT Glide and a Sony Akono headset. The phone's a bit cheap and plasticky ( Siemens do a nicer one ) but the setup works a treat - and the range is impressive. It's been weeks since I picked up the old handset.

Regards,

[Matt H R]

The bluetooth solution sounds great but it would blow my budget to pieces.

I wanted to save on the £30 or £40 for a plug-in headset but the BT Glide is over £150 and you would still need to get a bluetooth headset ontop of that!

[geoff]

I think that was me - the requirement was for wireless - and needs a DECT phone

When the OP thinks £30-40 is a bit steep, I don't think its a solution

[Stephen Howard]

I got my Glide for £1.50 on ebay! OK, so it was listed as knackered ( no earpiece sound ) - but I figured it probably still worked via a headset, which it did. I took it apart and stuffed in the earpiece speaker out of an old Ericsson...works fine now. No way I'd pay £150 for the Glide.

If you can find a shabby one cheap and just use it as a 'headset engine' you might come in on budget. I don't know why the landline Bluetooth phones are so expensive - you can get a Bluetooth enabled mobile for a very great deal less.

Regards,

[Nelson]

On Wed, 22 Apr 2009 10:26:38 -0400, John wrote (in article ):

I'm not in the UK so I don't know what the curly lead socket is but one of the considerations of simply replacing the handset with a headset is on-hook/off-hook signaling. This is usually accomplished by lifting the handset and can be tricky depending on the design of the base of the telephone.

[Neil]

Did you find a solution to your request?

Take a look at

Yes it's expensive! But I've got one here unused - the box is a bit tatty but all the bits and manuals are present. You can have it for £45 including carriage.

Neil

Reply here in first instance.

(Reply via group please)

[J G Miller]

Generosity abounds on UseNet News, eh?

[geoff]

I bought a Photonics one new for £65 a couple of months ago

[Allodoxaphobia]

And, I've purchased good-as-new AT&T units (and others) at 2nd-hand stores from 4 to 9 USD.

They are a godsend for the times you have to deal with any government agency, insurance company, bank or credit card company, some reservation processes, and when you need to work a problem with most any pin-head bureaucracy.

Jonesy

[Frank Erskine]

On Wed, 20 May 2009 20:28:56 +0100, geoff had this to say:

But I thought the OP found £30 a bit steep...

Traditional headsets/handsets were fairly conventional in the days of rocking armature receivers and carbon transmitters (and even the early electret transmitters), and one could swap readily from handset to headset. Modern 'technology' seems to outlaw all this and demands that you buy a 'high-tech' substitute...

[geoff]

In message , Frank Erskine writes

My point being that £45 is a bit steep for 2nd hand goods