David Adams' MobileStartup.com: How to use iPod earbuds with a Nokia phone

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June 11, 2005

How to use iPod earbuds with a Nokia phone

So Ryan came up with a simple procedure for converting MP3 files into AAC and loading them onto a Nokia Series 60 phone. No chance I'm using my Nokia 3230 for a music player though because it can't hold a candle to my iPod. However I don't always have my iPod with me and it would be nice to kill time listening to a podcast once in a while. The problem is that the headset that comes with the Nokia 3230 sucks. I mean it really sucks. The ear buds fall out and the wires are rubberized and get tangled very easily. What I really would like to do is use my iPod earbuds. However you can't plug third party headsets into a Nokia 3230 because the only jack is the Pop Port.

Nokia headset

Nokia Pop Port connector

Solution: Modify a crappy Nokia headset with a jack to take my iPod ear buds.

First step: Take a look at the Nokia headset. The heaset has a little hub in the middle that contains a microphone and a mute button. This is where the ear bud wires are connected to the whole headset. Luckily this hub is held together with 4 philips screws. Make that 4 TINY philips screws.

Hub

The mute button is hidden behind the rubber button cover. It is held in with two rubber flanges and pops right out.

This is what the board looks like inside. It has a condensor microphone, a small microswitch, a surface mounted IC, and connector pads. Hey the wire connector pads are labeled. Sweet that is going to make wiring MUCH easier.

Well there is no way the board, and the new mini headphone jack are going to fit in the hub. Unfortunately getting rid of the board makes the headset unusable. The phone needs to talk to that IC to know to switch to headset mode. So some trimming is in order. I took my dremel and cut off everything I didn't need. Got rid of the condensor microphone and the switch. I never use the headset to make calls and I am planning on buying a bluetooth earpiece so this will be strictly for listening to podcasts.

Cut down the board quite a bit.

When I cut the board down, I cut a few ground traces so I had to wire the IC to ground with a length of wire wrap wire.

Next I wired the micro phono jack to the headset cable wires. Since the board was labeled I was able to get the connections right the first time.

Next I wired the board in with some wire wrap wires so I would have long enough length to move the board around. It is going to be a tight fit.

I was able to fit everythin into the hub. I had to take a dremel and cut out a lot of structural material from the hub. Also had to cut the flanges off the rubber button cover.

After some creative positioning (and more time with the Dremel) I was able to get everything lined up and fit into the hub.