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Music on Hold Phone System

I was inspired by the Automated Answering System Instructable (www.instructables.com/id/Automated_Answering_System_v10/) to create my own call on hold system. This is a very simple hack, and allows me to make people listen to music before I talk to them.

To make my hold system, I opened the phone, removed the jack that connected the base to the handset, and replaced the input and output lines with two mono jacks. I also rewired the ringer switch to turn the set on and off so I wouldn't have to continue to use the handset for this purpose. To use the system I just answer my regular phone, tell the person they will be put on hold, and turn the hacked phone on. Then I turn on the hold music from my iPod, hang up the phone I used to answer the call, and go about my business until I'm ready to talk to people.

I originally meant this to be an Instructable, but I didn't document it because of camera troubles. If you are going to attempt to build this yourself, feel free to ask me any questions.

7 comments

Jun 7, 2010. 3:46 AMsimdude2u says:

I did that and it burned out my ipod.

Jul 8, 2010. 11:02 PMData_Man says:

It is not advisable to connect an ipod to the direct telco line(the one that plugs into the wall) because that line can cary high voltage, the base of the phone contains circuitry that converts the telco line in to (audio) line voltage, your most likely senario is that the iPod was connected to the telco line, and when the phone rang, your iPod got hit with 90 Volts AC, (which is not good) WARNING: Phones that have the keypad and hook button on the handset CANNOT BE used for this intractable in this method. one method to confirm that your phone can be used for this project is to dissasemble the handset and confirm that the only thing that the wires connect to are the speaker and mic. NOTE: the phone used in the photos above did have a keypad on the handset, but the phone's internals were still in the base. ANOTHER WARNING: Do NOT Do this if you are not sure where your phone's internals are.

Jan 17, 2010. 4:37 PMstephenniall says:

Great i will use this ! Ill wire the Audio jack to the microphone port so its always listening to The mic Till i press a rocker switch which will cut the audio to the mic and make the ipod the main System!

Jan 16, 2010. 5:50 PMerikals says:

Can you please give me the full manual?

Jan 16, 2010. 5:50 PMerikals says:

Sweet. When my mum's cheating boyfriend rings, as long as the iPod has enough power, he'll have to listen to 'Sugarland Run' and 'Shucking the Corn' indefinitely until he hangs up (or is driven insane).
Great stuff.