barefoot@hobbes.catt.ncsu.edu (Heath Roberts) (02/03/91)
I bought an telephone-type headset at a garage sale, and haven't been able to get it to work. I suspect that I'm not connecting something correctly. There's an over-the-ear mic boom, and an in-the-ear receiver, connected via a connectorized cord to an electronics box. The box says "UNEX Controlonics Corp., Westford, MA" and then what looks like a model, "Ventel II, Operator" It also has an FCC reg. number and a REN of 0. There's an RJ plug (same as normal handset cords) on the other end of the box. The box came with a coil cord and a twin-phone plug. Connecting it to a phone doesn't do anything. Since it's not a line-type connector, I haven't tried plugging it into an active line. I understand that the tip connetors on the twin plug is receive, and ring is transmit (or vice versa) so the device is pretty clearly not intended to plug into a normal two-wire circuit. My best guess to what's happening is that the box expects some power supply that a normal phone isn't going to provide. It's a nice headset and I'd like to be able to use it. Anyone have any helpful information? I've tried calling Westford, MA directory assistance, but they don't have a Urex Corp. listed. Heath Roberts barefoot@catt.ncsu.edu NCSU Computer and Technologies Theme Program
elliott@uunet.uu.net (Paul Elliott x225) (02/06/91)
In article <16649@accuvax.nwu.edu>, barefoot@hobbes.catt.ncsu.edu (Heath Roberts) writes: > I bought an telephone-type headset at a garage sale, and haven't been > able to get it to work. I suspect that I'm not connecting something > correctly. > There's an over-the-ear mic boom, and an in-the-ear receiver, > connected via a connectorized cord to an electronics box. The box says > "UNEX Controlonics Corp., Westford, MA" and then what looks like a > model, "Ventel II, Operator" It also has an FCC reg. number and a REN > of 0. If memory serves, Ventel is a manufacturer or distributer of phone paraphernalia > There's an RJ plug (same as normal handset cords) on the other end of > the box. The box came with a coil cord and a twin-phone plug. > Connecting it to a phone doesn't do anything. Well, Try it again! Actually, if it is similar to the ones I've designed, it should plug right into the phone in place of the handset cord. Make sure you lift the handset off the hook buttons (this is kinda like asking "Did you plug it in?", but just thought I'd mention it). > Since it's not a > line-type connector, I haven't tried plugging it into an active line. Definitely don't do that. > I understand that the tip connetors on the twin plug is receive, and > ring is transmit (or vice versa) so the device is pretty clearly not > intended to plug into a normal two-wire circuit. The headset amp uses the hybrid inside the phone to do the two-to-four wire conversion. > My best guess to what's happening is that the box expects some power > supply that a normal phone isn't going to provide. It's a nice headset > and I'd like to be able to use it. Anyone have any helpful > information? The phone actually will provide about five volts (depends on the current drawn) across the transmitter (microphone) connections, and this is the power that the headset box uses to power the boom microphone (probably an electret). It may also steal some power to amplify the receiver (earphone). At least mine did. Of course, you said it didn't work when you plugged it into the phone, so maybe I don't know what I'm talking about. Or it's broken. They are usually fairly simple inside, you might be able to fix it. [A personal note: I regularly annoy my wife and kids by excitedly pointing it out when I see one of "my" headsets on T.V. (Miami Vice liked them a lot). Also got to see one in use in orbit on the Space Shuttle; NASA was trying out a few different types of communications headsets. I guess I have to take my glory where I find it ;-) ] Paul M. Elliott Optilink Corporation (707) 795-9444 {uunet, pyramid, pixar, tekbspa}!optilink!elliott
dam@mtqua.att.com (Daniel A Margolis) (02/09/91)
In article <16649@accuvax.nwu.edu> Heath Roberts <barefoot@hobbes. catt.ncsu.edu writes: >I bought an telephone-type headset at a garage sale, and haven't been >able to get it to work. I suspect that I'm not connecting something >correctly. I have a Plantronics headset on which the battery cover is so well hidden that it's almost impossible to tell that batteries are required. Maybe your headset also has hidden batteries. Also, not all phones are compatable with all headsets. I've seen "headsets for standard phones," "headsets for electronic phones," and "headsets for multi-line phones." I don't know what the difference is. Why don't you try your headset on different types of phones. They usually are connected to the handset port. Dan Margolis
john@zygot.ati.com (John Higdon) (02/10/91)
Daniel A. Margolis <dam@mtqua.att.com> writes: > Also, not all phones are compatable with all headsets. I've seen "headsets > for standard phones," "headsets for electronic phones," and "headsets for > multi-line phones." I don't know what the difference is. One of the major differences concerns how the transmitter (mouthpiece) is handled. In an ordinary telephone with a carbon transmitter, a small amount of the loop voltage is used to "polarize" the microphone button. A carbon unit is simply a voice activated variable resistor that modulates a current flow at an audio rate. The result is fed down the phone line as a representation of your speech. Some newer (electronic) phones do not use a carbon mic but employ a "dynamic" microphone (similar in construction to the earpiece) that does not require a polarizing voltage. Instead the signal is amplified using a line-powered amp in the instrument and that signal represents your speech. Obviously, the two types of transmitters are incompatible. Plantronics solves the problem by providing a special interface for use with "dynamic mic"-type phones. A cube transformer plugs into the wall and provides the polarizing voltage (which is missing in the electronic phone) for the headset. John Higdon | P. O. Box 7648 | +1 408 723 1395 john@zygot.ati.com | San Jose, CA 95150 | M o o !
julian%bongo.UUCP@nosc.mil (Julian Macassey) (02/10/91)
In article <16719@accuvax.nwu.edu>, optilink!elliott@uunet.uu.net (Paul Elliott) writes: > [A personal note: I regularly annoy my wife and kids by excitedly > pointing it out when I see one of "my" headsets on T.V. (Miami Vice > liked them a lot). Also got to see one in use in orbit on the Space > Shuttle; NASA was trying out a few different types of communications > headsets. Ah, but you haven't suffered the embarassment of having your friends call to let you know that the phone you designed is being used as a dildo in the centerfold of Hustler magazine. I suppose I deserved it, novelty phones may end up being used in novel ways. Julian Macassey, n6are julian@bongo.info.com ucla-an!denwa!bongo!julian N6ARE@N6YN (Packet Radio) n6are.ampr.org [44.16.0.81] voice (213) 653-4495 [Moderator's Note: I've seen reference a couple times to telephones as phallic symbols, but have yet to see an illustrated example of same. PAT]