How can I use a PC headset with a phone?

[M J]

So I would be able to get the phone conversation on my PC headset, or would I have to use some kind of phone headset and all the audio would be running through the phone?

[eweruk]

How about just using RogerWilco or something?

[alanjenney]

I came across this discussion when looking for how to use just a PC headset with a regular telephone. Things to note about this question:

The telephone system is subject to all sorts of interference and spikes. Desk telephones don't filter any of this from their RJ11 headset socket (keeps cost down).

The THAT-1 product has supressors and spike removing electronics in it. That is why it is pricey - it allows you to safely connect regular audio equipment (including a PC's line-in and line-out) to the telephone network.

Professional telephone headsets are also designed to remove problems caused by interference. This is a requirement to prevent hearing damage due to accoustic shock (and the ensuing litigation). So telephone headsets that are to be connected to RJ11 sockets are expensive, too.

A PC headset doesn't have any of this technology, so it's cheaper. There's no CHEAP simple adapter or converter for a PC headset (2x3.5mm) to a telephone port (RJ11). You'd risk damage to the headset (and your ears), or any other audio equipment that you elected to connect directly.

There are commercial solutions that allow your telephone headset to switch between between telephone use and a PC soundcard. But that's expensive too and what you want to do is MIX the two.

[alanjenney]

Originally Posted by eweruk

How about just using RogerWilco or something?

Absolutely. Likewise, the audio call options on skype out, microsoft messenger or similar: plus that doesn't tie up your phone line.

There are some issues with which application gets to use the audio device drivers. Because the game has audio, it's possible that it sets up exclusive access to the microphone. Even if you've got the right inputs (recording) and outputs (playback) set on any mixer that comes with your soundcard, the game may change the settings to suit itself. So what you say into the headset microphone is only sent to the game environment, not out onto the telephone line via your soundcard.

[alanjenney]

Going back to the original proposed solution, to convert "2x 3.5mm" to "1x 2.5mm" you said that the microphones must be working in the same way.

Unfortunately, they're not electrically the same. Impedence matching means that you can not get the microphone of a PC headset to work with the 2.5mm DECT socket or a headset port on a desktop phone. >Sigh<

However, the RJ11 socket on a desktop phone IS compatible with the 2.5mm DECT handset socket and commercial adapters are available.

[alanjenney]

Finally, aren't headset ports RJ-9 anyway?