Quick and Easy Bluetooth Skype Handset

Bought one of the Motorola HS820 headsets as suggested in another instructable and planted it in a traditional phone handset

This is really a prototype until I find a nice 'classic' handset. Just some friday afternoon nonsense in the office.

Step 1: Dismantle

Traditional handset: We have tons of these lying around the office. Open it up and remove the jack & mic. Keep the earpiece.

Moto headset: First make sure it works, from here on in your warrantly is awol. Open it up as per the related instructable. Desolder the earpiece, its weak. Tweak out the mic with a plastic tool, dont damage it.

Step 2: Wire & Setup

I took the call button (plate switch) off the moto pcb and soldered two wires to a large button which I hung out the bottom of the handset.

I soldered in the earpeice, polarity is not an issue. If you do change the mic bear in mind you'll have to match it with similar characteristics & polarity.

I dremeled a hole for the charge and hot gluded the pcb in place.

I also put a light pipe in for the blue status LED.

Step 3: Put Together and Test

Do a skype test or skype out to someone to test it. Its kinda hard to go wrong with this, I havent put much effort in to documenting it. As I said this is just a bit of fun but I certainly prefer the feel of a tradtional handset versus messing around with getting a headset on.

Any questions, put them in the comments and I'll answer them - thanks.

Comments

[TNThieding]

Very amazing! I think this device you "invented" would be safer than using your cell phone by itself due to "radiation concerns".

[TechDante]

hi i just hacked my old sony erricson headset into a handset but was unsure how the button worked so i just made a bug enough hole on teh back of teh handset to get to it. how easy it it to replace the button for one of my own choosing

[JeStInJaMeS]

COOL dUdE!! cAN tHIS wORK?

[psp guy]

cool dude

[patrickSMC]

This thing is pretty cool. You can use your iPhone headset to talk on skype. I bet you could make one of these without too much trouble.

http://www.showmecables.com/viewItem.asp?idProduct=8183

[sergiuung]

i had the exact same idea :D good job

[jmcgarey]

Get one of those big foam rubber wedge shoulder pads and you're all set with the hands free laws... (check your local regulations...)

[casey321b]

really this phone isn't for the car its for skype calls... you need a laptop with broadband if you want to call on the go... i would just bring a mic with the laptop if you were going to talk anywhere else because its just a hastle with a big bulky phone.

[mileageman]

Awesome mod. I would like to do a similar transplant, but into a NES controller or old brick cell phone. I have an old motorola hs500 headset and I tore it apart and while it looks similar to the inside of an hs820 headset it has quite a few more parts. How hard is it to remove/replace the on/off function button on the middle of the circuit board? thanks John

[marksatterfield]

This is a cute instructable! So in my opinion I'd rather have the handsfree opportunity of my Moto H7xx series (or like yours, the HS), but I know older people that like to hold the handset. It would have been great for my mom.

Thanks for the writeup!
--Mark

http://www.marksatterfield.com

[schetleft]

can you do this without the original bluetooth. i don't want to buy one so i thought maybe i could use my usb bluetooth dongle and a handset. can i wire in a battery pack with the same voltage and mA that a usb needs? i want to be able to change the batteries and remove the dongle.

[manismellrubber]

im trying to make one out of a nes controller. and im having a hard time trying to 1. find the blue tooth and 2. trying to figure out how to soder it with out wasting 50$. any help. thx for the idea.

[uberchoob]

Check woot.com. Periodically they have cheap bluetooth headsets for $20 for two, or one for 17, or some other insanely cheap price. Hack all you want, and only waste a few bucks if you screw up.

[e1337]

hey i built it and the only problem i found was that i couldn't tell when someone is calling me. Any ideas in how to make it ring or something?

[e1337]

that is cool. But dont the headsets cost like $50? But im sure ill buy one on ebay for $10. Other than that im gonna try it.... Great job

[nix69]

i have a motorolla blutooth headset, and cant get it to work with other brands of cell phones can you unlock that feature, and is it possible to take the components in one of these bluetooth headsets, and convert it into a bluetooth car kit, that uses ur car speakers!

[ronny]

i m really amused with your work can you send me some more details to my id "[e-mail]"

[jonface]

Shouldn't you be working? ;)

[radiorental]

hey.. I'll be damned if only googlers can have their '20% time'. Actually a few folks around the office really like the idea. I might have started another project (o;

[trebuchet03]

Can you still control volume and such? Or is it enclosed within the case?