Make you own Hands Free car system for your phone.

Do you have an older car that does not have those fancy hands free systems, that let you talk on your phone and have it play through your stereo system while driving? Or do you have one that for some reason does not seem to work with your phone no matter how many times you take it to the dealer and your cell phone company? Well with this simple and very cost effective hack, those problems are problems of the past.

Let me introduce myself, I am a tinkerer and have been for as long as I can remember. Growing up we weren’t the richest family on the block, so when I would think of things to make I had to find ways to get the parts for free or next to it. I have kept that way of thinking, so all of my inventions have as little of cost as possible. I like to share my ideas, and like it when everyone can enjoy and even improve on them.

I would also invite anyone who can improve on them please feel free to do so. I know not everyone has access to the exact supplies that I have so please feel free to improvise as long as the end result works the way you wanted it to you succeeded.  I like for my ideas to be a base. I invite, no encourage people to improve on them and make them better. After all we are all makers here, if I can make my idea good for you I know someone else cal make them great for the next maker.  

Ok enough talk let’s get to making your life a little bit easier.

Step 1: Materials Needed

I have an older car “05” and I wanted one of those hands free devices for the car that let you talk on the phone and have the sound go through the car speakers. I don’t like the Bluetooth ones that you put on the visor.  Listening to my friends that have a newer model car that has that system built in, they have to find a phone that is compatible with the blue tooth, or plug it into the pre installed USB. Most of them had nothing but complaints that they had a hard time finding a cell phone that was compatible with the Bluetooth of their car, or said that the USB was far from being completely useful. Os I began to try to think of a solution that would benefit me and help out my now very annoyed friends. This is what I came up with; it’s a simple hack of an IPhone headset.

You need a couple of pre-requisites first though:

1.       Cell phone compatibility- You need a cell phone that is capable with a wired headset that has a microphone (such as IPhone).

2.       Car compatibility- you either need a radio with an auxiliary 3.5mm headphone jack or a car that comes with one installed somewhere else on the car.

3.       The next pre-requisite is a very easy one for every one- little to no money (assuming you already have the tools)

All of us have number three, but the first two you kind of already need to have although the radio with the jack needed are very reasonable( if you’re in the market)

Complete materials needed:

1.       A radio with a aux. 3.5mm jack or one installed on the car somewhere

2.       A IPhone headset with a microphone (I am using the newer one with the volume controls on the headset if yours doesn’t have the volume controls then you are using the older model headset)

3.       A audio jack( I got mine off old computer speakers)

4.       Small gauge wire(I’m using the microphone from the same computer just taking the wire and discarding the jack)

Tools needed:

1.       Wire cutters ( I just used scissors)

2.       Wire stripper (my teeth)

3.       Soldering iron

4.       Solder

5.       Electrical tape

 

Comments

[jpnagle59]

No audio jack on the car radio, use a wireless FM transmitter. Second, a question...if a radio has a audio jack, mine does not, if you plug a jack in there, does it cut off the speakers automatically in the car? I would assume the jack is for a MP3 player or such. If you plug an MP3 player in, does it not just cut the radio off , and just play the MP3? And my thinking is if you plug the iPhone into that jack does it not cut the sound off from the radio. Or, does it just cut off when a signal is input to the jack??? I assume you are leaving the audio jack mod in all the time. Any info would be nice, thanks!!!

[ab03]

This would work even if you didn't have an Aux jack, right? I am thinking that you could get away with a tape deck and a tape to 3.5mm converter like this one: http://www.amazon.com/Stereo-Audio-Cassette-Adapter-Touch/dp/B003YFG12E

And then all you would need to do is use the cassette adapter wires where the instructable says to use "audio jack" wires.

Anybody seen an issue with this?

[maka]

i haven't done the modification to add the microphone, but i listen to audiobooks during my commute to and from school. They're stored on my (Android) phone and i use a cassette adapter to play them through the car stereo. If my phone rings, the ringtone and the caller's voice come through my car's speakers. (TIP: Turn down your phone's ringer volume before plugging in. Otherwise the ringtones are unbearably loud.) i'd like to try adding a microphone to that setup...

Thanks for an inspiring 'ible, scion6tc!

[scion6tc]

Ya in theory that sounds like it would work but the only way to know for sure is to try it out. I would first try it on some older headsets just to make sure.

[kburesh]

To clarify, you cut the iPhone headset right below where the mic module part was located? Also the iPhone plug goes into your phone, and the black plug goes into the aux? While all the electrical stuff is hidden behind the dash? Could you post a picture where I can see how it looks to see how well it's hidden? Thank you for posting this tutorial I found it very interesting and hoping I'm going to be able to do it!
My main concern that is preventing me from starting this today, is how loud my exhaust came when I bought my truck and that this mic will not be able to pick my voice up over the exhaust.

[scion6tc]

I to have a loud exhaust and was worrried that this would not work. The best way that I found to check the levels was to plug a headset into your phone,grab some tape, and place the mic roughly where you want it just be careful not to cover the mic opening. Drive around and make some calls, but I would also turn on your ac or heater full blast or roll down the windows to check the addes noise of the air. Whatever you normally do while driving. If the person cant hear you on the other end dont worry just move the mic around the car. Dont be afraid to get creative of where you place it the mic, it is surprisingly sensitive. Which reminds me keep in mind if you are going to take the casing off the mic it will pick up more residual noise but it will also be able to pick up your voice better. I will try to post some better pictures for you within the next couple of days.

[BOFH_2]

You can test the exhaust question by finding a way to attach your phone to the steering wheel and driving around and calling friends to check on the noise level.

On my truck I have a level surface behind the steering wheel so I could attach mine there but I do not have a very loud exhaust.

[sdevnani]

i faced the same issue with the coated strands of wire. a quick google gave me the solution to flame it. take a match or a lighter light the tip. in a few seconds the flame will travel backwards. just blow it off when how much exposed is required is burnt. rub with sand paper or even with hand and removed the oxidised part of it. here u now have exposed wires exactly the length u wanted. the rest remains insulated with the coating