Why Is it So Hard to Find a DECT Telephone with a Headphone Jack?
I need a new telephone for my home office, and I really like using headphones when I talk, so I can type while talking with clients, and so I don’t have to hold the phone in my hand and keep my arm raised at other times. I live in France, and there are essentially two brands of telephones available: Siemens (Gigaset) and Philips. (There are many other brands, but they only sell the most basic telephones.)
After doing some research, the only phone I could find that has the ability to connect a headset is the Gigaset SL400. It has a mini USB jack, which you can use to transfer data, and which also allows you to connect a headset. I bought this phone, and bought a mini USB > 3.5 mm adapter, but I get no sound out of my headphones. (I’ve contacted Siemens’ support, which is supposed to get back to me, but the call-center person I talked to didn’t even understand what I wanted to do.) The SL400 does have Bluetooth, but I hate Bluetooth earpieces, and the connection takes several seconds, which is annoying.
I like this phone a lot, but I want a DECT phone that allows me to connect headphones, period. I’m surprised that this seems to be rare, at least in Europe. One friend in the US has an older Motorola phone with a headphone jack, but Motorola sells very few phones here.
It’s odd that you are expected to hold a phone like this in your hand, while all mobile phones come with hands-free kits. This is especially the case for people who use these phones in offices, and may need to use their hands while talking, as I often do when working with clients on the phone.
So, any suggestions? Has anyone found a phone like this?
Posted: 8/2/2012 by kirk | Filed under: Tools & Techniques | Tags: gadgets, headphones, telephone | 14 Comments »
My old Alcatel DECT phone had a headphone jack, I liked it a lot. I don’t know why this feature tends to disappear, probably people don’t use it?
Found this one: http://www.onedirect.fr/produits/alcatel-lucent/alcatel-mobile-500-dect
Now I have a Gigaset SL400 too, very nice (but I never tried to use it with a headset)
Ouch, that’s expensive!
Yes, I do like the SL400, but I really want to use it with a headset. Siemens’ support is horrendous, and they can’t answer this question.
What is your internet service provider? In France with Free, you could use your iPhone and a heaset with the SIP service provided with the Freebox, see http://www.tuto-iphone.fr/tuto/telephoner-en-illimite-sur-les-fixe-avec-votre-iphone-sip
I’ve never been able to get the SIP to work with my Freebox. And, in any case, I want this on my fixed phone, which I use for work. I could make all my calls from my iPhone, but I prefer not to.
Kirk, the ondirect site lists a few including one from Plantronics. It might serve to find alternatives. Here’s the Spanish version:
http://www.onedirect.es/fr/auriculares/auriculares-inalambricos/para-telefonos-inalambricos-dect
BTW, I have no references whatsoever as to onedirect, don’t know if they’re reliable or not.
Ok, Then I think the easiest solution is to get a DECT phone with GAP, then you could use this headset for example : http://www.plantronics.com/fr/product/c65
It’s not Bluetooth.
The Gigaset SL780 has GAP : http://www.amazon.fr/Gigaset-Téléphone-numérique-Bluetooth-Répertoire/dp/B001XCWMNM/ref=pd_cp_ce_1
That would be pretty much the same as a Bluetooth earpiece. I really want to use a standard stereo headset with mic; I much prefer having the sound come in both ears instead of one. Also, I don’t want yet another device that has to charge. Picky? Yes, I am. :-)
I understand, I’m picky too, that’s why I like you blog! Anyway, I subscribed to this thread because I’d like to know if there’s a solution, this is a problem for me too.
Hum, on second thought you hate “Bluetooth earpieces” and the Plantronics headset looks very cheap, so…
Yes, I actually had (and maybe still have somewhere) a similar Plantronics Bluetooth earpiece that I got when reviewing a speech recognition program. The sound was horrid, and the earpiece was uncomfortable. Plantronics makes a lot of good stuff – in fact, one of my favorite mics for dictation is a Plantronics – but those dinky ones aren’t great. (The mic I use for dictation is wireless, but not BT, and I only use it to speak, not listen.)
BTW, the Plantronics I refer to above is DECT; however, it only works with a USB dongle connected to a computer. You can’t add it to a DECT telephone network.
http://www.plantronics.com/us/product/savi-440
The “Panasonic KX-TG6445T DECT 6.0 Cordless Phone” set I have has a headphone jack:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B001P80EQG/ref=nosim/appleink/
Most of the discussion has centered around how to attach the headset to the DECT handset. Why not go back a half step in the chain and attach headset to the cradle via the PSTN connection. That would bring the entire line of Plantronics SAVIi office and Jawbone desktop headsets in to play. The headset could work with the PSTN line to your DECT phone, with Skype or Other Mac based apps or your mobile using a BT connection (but for some just in the office). Then base station to headset is DECT so good quality and battery life. The connection from the small base station to the phone is analog PSTN, to the PC with USB and to your mobile via BT. Works very well.