Tutorial: Replace Hermes headset connector with 3.5mm socket

[waveydavey]

Tutorial: Replace Hermes headset connector with 3.5mm socket

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So you chose HTC, you chose the TyTn or you chose the, TMobile Vario 2, Orange 9100 or Voda v1605. Whatever you chose, we've all got the same poor headset with the same uncomfortable buds that ping out of your ears at the most awkward times. Being HTC, and being infamous for producing their own proprietary connectors, someone at HQ decided in their infinite wisdom that we didn't need headphone sockets anymore. This wouldn't be so bad if the supplied headset was any good. Yes we've got BT stereo headphones and it's cool when it works, but sometimes you don't want a £100 piece of hardware stuck to the sides of your face. So, I've decided not to choose HTC, I've decided to choose something else. Something else starts with a pair of wire cutters and ends with a soldering iron. I've put together a brief (it was brief until I started rambling on about choosing life anyway....) tutorial to show you how, should you wish, to convert your pants HTC headphones so you can take a regular headphone socket.

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[img=left:18e18f651f]http://www.4winmobile.com/reviewer/waveydavey/Reviews/TytnHpHack/finished_sm.jpg[/img:18e18f651f]

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NOTE: The more detailed photos can be clicked on to get larger versions.

At this point I'd like to apologise for my "neat" soldering. No, I wasn't using the force, I did have my eyes open. But it was late.....

"What about a backout plan?" you ask? Well, there isn't one. Worst case scenario, it's off to Expansys with 10 notes for a new one.

"That all sounds expensive Wavey", I hear you say. Well it's not. It'll cost 30 minutes of your time and 89p is all. This is what you'll need:-

1 Slightly rubbish TyTn headset.
1 Soldering iron,
1 Tin/pen of flux,
1 Coil of solder,
1 set wire cutters,
1 sharp blade,
1 3.5mm female inline jack. (Maplin code:- RK51F)


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[img=left:18e18f651f]http://www.4winmobile.com/reviewer/waveydavey/Reviews/TytnHpHack/jack.jpg[/img:18e18f651f][img=left:18e18f651f]http://www.4winmobile.com/reviewer/waveydavey/Reviews/TytnHpHack/phones_sm.jpg[/img:18e18f651f][img]http://www.4winmobile.com/reviewer/waveydavey/Reviews/TytnHpHack/helping_hands_sm.jpg" style="margin:0px 5px 0px 5px; border-width: 0px; float:left:18e18f651f;" alt="Image" />


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Ok, firstly, unscrew the plastic cover from the metal body of the female inline jack.

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[img=left:18e18f651f]http://www.4winmobile.com/reviewer/waveydavey/Reviews/TytnHpHack/jack_apart_sm.jpg[/img:18e18f651f]

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Next, (and there's no turning back after this.....) use the wire cutters to snip off the headphones about 1 inch past the small square piece of plastic that divides the headphones and strip the plastic cover back about a centimetre.

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[img=left:18e18f651f]http://www.4winmobile.com/reviewer/waveydavey/Reviews/TytnHpHack/cut_strip_sm.jpg[/img:18e18f651f]

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Take the plastic cover of the jack and thread the prepared wires through it.

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[img=left:18e18f651f]http://www.4winmobile.com/reviewer/waveydavey/Reviews/TytnHpHack/sheath_on.jpg[/img:18e18f651f]

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Now, put the metal body of the jack in the helping hands to keep it steady. What you have to do now is join the two gold cables together. These will be the last wires to solder and will both go into the hole on the longest terminal of the jack, the one furthest away from the socket hole. You can either twist them together or preferably use a small piece of solder. Next take the red and green wires and insert one into each of the holes in the shorter terminal.

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[img=left:18e18f651f]http://www.4winmobile.com/reviewer/waveydavey/Reviews/TytnHpHack/solder_1_sm.jpg[/img:18e18f651f]

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Now fix both the red and green wires to their respective terminals with a small amount of solder. Take care to NOT connect the terminal to the main case of the jack (see pic) or the longest terminal as this will create a short circuit.

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[img=left:18e18f651f]http://www.4winmobile.com/reviewer/waveydavey/Reviews/TytnHpHack/solder_2_sm.jpg[/img:18e18f651f]

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Finally, solder the gold wires to the longest terminal and arrange the wires inside the crimp. It's worth looking over your work now and making sure you've got no short circuits, and then carefully testing it. Once it passes, crimp the wires into place.

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[img=left:18e18f651f]http://www.4winmobile.com/reviewer/waveydavey/Reviews/TytnHpHack/solder_3_sm.jpg[/img:18e18f651f]

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Now, pull the plastic cover over your smashing soldering work and screw into place. Voila! done.

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[img=left:18e18f651f]http://www.4winmobile.com/reviewer/waveydavey/Reviews/TytnHpHack/finished_sm.jpg[/img:18e18f651f]

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[fowljr]

Nice one Dave, I'm not sure I'm that brave though!!

Excellent Tutorial....

Jim

[bydandie]

Not too shabby soldering there!

Good tute!

[tonybro]

Well done, Davey. Stole my idea though

[cyclist]

OK, who's for sending their headphones to Dave for him to do the upgrade? Definitely comes under the heading of something I'd rather pay someone else to do. But then I'm not going to buy one of these devices anyway.

[waveydavey]

It's not really very tricky, and as I said, using the helping hands probably turns it from a difficulty rating of 4 stars to a difficulty rating of 2 stars. Glad to be able to get my Sennheisers going again though!

Any of you guys want me to do the process for you? As long as you pay postage plus 89p for the connector I'd be glad to do it for you.

[pgamble]

That's excellent ....

Quick question .. my quality reference is the 2750 or 5G ipod.

As you say the supplied phones are awful - very quiet ...and quiet hissy even when there is no playback. I was concerned some of this could be nothing to do with the earphones themselves ... i.e. the odd interface and the wiring generally.

How loud and crisp / bassy are your decent headphones using your modified adaptor ... is the sound produced as good and loud as an ipod ?

Cheers

Paul

[waveydavey]

I've not had a huge amount of time to play with them to be honest. I'll have a go with them later. I've not got an IPod to reference it against though. I can compare against my Creative Zen, let you know how it compares to that. The Zen is supposed to be much better quality wise than the IPods so it should be a decent comparison.

[waveydavey]

Ok, I tried it with my Sennheisers, using TCPMP as a music player. I have to say, comparing it with my Zen and using the same track and flipping the Sennheisers between devices there was not a noticeable difference. Sounded soooo sweet. Oh, and the only sound between tracks, was silence. No hiss what so ever.

Nice one Dave

Not done any soldering since my CB days, seeing the helping hands had me reaching for the Maplin catalogue