Headphones problems
 

Hello all. I received my N900 on monday, but yesterday i discovered an issue with headphones.

- Using Nokia Headphones (WH-205) on N900, the phone simply doesn't recognize them.
- Using iPhone headphones on N900, I can hear phones sound but with really heavy and noisy distortion.
- Using a standard headphone on N900, it works ok.
- Using Nokia Headphones (WH-205) on iPhone, it works ok. --- NOT VALID ANYMORE, SEE POST #3
- Using Nokia A/V cable on N900, it works ok.

So... what are your suggestion? I really can't find who's to blame...

Re: Headphones problems
 

Nokia's 4-pole jack is wired up differently to the iPhone's - the ground and mic connections are reversed. For details see:

• Nokia connector details
• iPhone connector details

Hope this explains at least one of your issues.

Re: Headphones problems
 

Yes, this is perfectly reasonable.

However i'd like to add a detail:

If I plug in the Nokia headphones and then execute a dmesg, I can see:

headphone (GPIO 177) is now connected.

So the kernel does recognize them as headphones. Since i'm new to the maemo platform is there some other diagnostic I can do?

Ok, I have another news...
I really can't figure out why, but it seems that Nokia headphones doesn't work so well on iPhone or other devices, too. I hear a somewhat distant sound. So... maybe we have a winner?

Re: Headphones problems
 

Can't help here - my pre-order hasn't arrived yet!

It's the same issue as using the iPhone headphones on the N900 - the mic and ground lines are reversed in the headphone jack with repect to the device socket.

Re: Headphones problems
 

Ok, some little news. Today I tried a N95 headset with my N900 and vice-versa. Both headset were working flawlessly with the "non-respective" device (except for the "headset" icon on N900 -- to get i have to plug in the headset and then turn on the device; a further unplug & replug doesn't make the icon come back), with working headphones AND microphone. Could it be a software issue, at this point?

Re: Headphones problems
 

Can anyone please tell me how to monitor system for headset plugging/unplugging, and how they're recognized, apart from dmesg?

Re: Headphones problems
 

so my bose in ear mobile headset won't work with the n900 :(

Re: Headphones problems
 

i'm sorry, is this a question or a sentence?

Re: Headphones problems
 

sorry it's a question.
since the bose in ear mobile headset works with the iphone, and the iphone headphones don't work with the n900, i figured it wouldn't work.
can you use the iphone headphones as a normal 3.5mm ear phone just for music at least.
i really really really love my bose ear phones

Re: Headphones problems
 

if it's a simple headphone with no microphone it will work. problems are with headsets (headphones+microphone).

Re: Headphones problems
 

does the iphone headphone work for just listening to music only on the n900?

Re: Headphones problems
 

Adding another problem I have.

Music being played through the speakers will jump up in volume when receiving messages or emails. It´s quite strange.

Music being played on bluetooth headphones will stutter, play slow or superfast while messages and emails are being received (NOkia BH-905 headsets). It´s the kind of effect you can do with a tape player and holding fwd or play-and-stop down just a little bit.

Re: Headphones problems
 

again: if it has microphone you'll hear a very loud noise. if it hasn't, it will be ok.

Re: Headphones problems
 

Is this the same issue / related to https://bugs.maemo.org/show_bug.cgi?id=6360 ?

Re: Headphones problems
 

exactly, I am the reporter (Claudio Mezzasalma)

Re: Headphones problems
 

Since so few people is having this problem, it seems unlikely to me that it's a purely software problem. I decided to ask Nokia for a replace.

Re: Headphones problems
 

there will probably be an adapter coming out somewhere that will reverse the pins for apple compatible headsets to work with the n900 sooner or later. that, or make your own. Unless they can be switched using software...

Re: Headphones problems
 

Can anyone advise if there's a workaround or a fix to this problem. My bundled Nokia headset no longer works on my 900 either.



I can't exchange it because it's been longer than 14 days since I bought the phone. The store claims 7 days which this time of year means at least 2 weeks with no phone. No can do.

Is there another phone headset that will work with the N900?

Re: Headphones problems
 

i have similar problrm. headphones works but command buttons on them doesnt and unless i reboot the phone with heasdphones, icon doesnt come on either. command buttons doesnt work when icon is on

Re: Headphones problems
 

My headset works okay, but I have to plug the headset 3.5mm jack in quickly to get the status icon to appear. If I plug the headset in slowly, they work, but I don't get the status icon.

If you plug the headset in quickly does the icon now appear?

Rich

Re: Headphones problems
 

unless i reboot with headphones, i don't get icon. if i boot headset plugged it i get the icon but once i remove them i don't get any icon regardless the way i plug them. sound always routed to headset but buttons on head set never works.

if i insert any other 3.5 headset, i get headset icon on each time.

i hope headset i have is faulty

Re: Headphones problems
 

i ordered every adapter that i thought would work with my bose inear headset(same as iphone headset), but it didn't work:(
can this be fixed through software?

Re: Headphones problems
 

help! i tried several wired headphones with the n900 but it failed to detect. but they are working fine if i plug them into my n95 8gb.

Re: Headphones problems
 

Does sound get routed to headphones?

Re: Headphones problems
 

Not at all, the sound is played via phone speakers.

Re: Headphones problems
 

I keep repeating but it looks like there are couple of separate issues.

On mine if i plug supplied head phones in, sound gets routed regardless phone recognizes headphones.

My main problem is command buttons on remote of headphones. They don't work at all.

Re: Headphones problems
 

Indeed. I was expecting to be able to use my N95 headphones with the N900, but its remote controls (volume, pause, etc.) don't work at all. Does anybody know whether it is a software issue or a hardware limitation?

Re: Headphones problems
 

i'm no expert but it feels like a software issue when combined with not detecting headphones (I hope it is)

Re: Headphones problems
 

This happened to me today. I was playing music fine on my headphones (the nokia stock ones) and i unplugged them for about 15mins and came back and then it wouldnt play through the headphones only through the speakers.

I tried reflashing the firmware but same issue. I'm wondering if i should send it back and try and get a new one (a royal pain).

Re: Headphones problems
 

i have the same problem. now i need to use another headphones (without mic) to listen to the music :confused:

Re: Headphones problems
 

I am having the same problem my Nokia WH-205 headset is working (tested on my n810). my n900 does not recognize it.

searched on the bugzilla and found this problem: https://bugs.maemo.org/show_bug.cgi?id=6360

I plugged in and removed my WH-205 headset that cam with the device twice,
I plugged in and removed a stereo headset twice.
I then ran "dmesg | tail" in x terminal and got this response.

~ $ dmesg | tail
[ 971.960632] headphone (GPIO 177) is now connected
[ 973.812164] headphone (GPIO 177) is now disconnected
[ 975.960632] headphone (GPIO 177) is now connected
[ 977.804290] headphone (GPIO 177) is now disconnected
[ 980.077697] headphone (GPIO 177) is now connected
[ 981.671600] headphone (GPIO 177) is now disconnected
[ 982.968200] headphone (GPIO 177) is now connected
[ 985.218383] headphone (GPIO 177) is now disconnected
~ $

The WH-205 headset did not display an icon nor would it play sound.

would love to get my n900 working again any help welcome
thanks,
Tim

Re: Headphones problems
 

Damn, was on a plane today and was using my stock nokia n900 headphones. They got bent and the end snapped off, so now I need to pick up some others. But the only ones I can seem to find that have the mic when looking online are iPhone headphones. Even nokia USA's site does not have any that are aimed at the n900 directly (although their others may work, so I just want to be sure).

Anyone have any suggestions?

Re: Headphones problems
 

doesn't the n900 have a extra pin for video out, which would mean the headphone jack would need to be longer?

when i use the n900 headphone on my laptop i cant push it all the way in otherwise it wont work.

i havn't compared it yet but it looks like the n900 headphones might be a few mm longer then normal ones

Re: Headphones problems
 

Today I have been trying to create my own headset adapter cable. As already mentioned in this thread, the Bose mobile headset doesn't work on the N900. The pins 3 and 4 are swapped compared to nokia headsets.
Simply swapping the pins doesn't work! I suspect that more is needed, like a capacitor of some size or maybe more electronics. I have now created an adapter which only makes use of the audio (using a 3-pins 3.5" jack).
I hope that some manufacturer is going to create a working headset adapter. But for now, I'm satisfied with good audio only! :D

Some other (useful?) information:
- My WH-205 (N900) headset works fine, is always recognized
- And another headset HS-48, isn't recognized by the N900. No headset/headphone symbol is shown, but audio is routed to the headset!

Re: Headphones problems
 

@lurthirk

Thanks for the bug report, I hope though that you conclusion is incorrect as I cant send mine back due to it being imported from out of country. I have the same issue with no recognition of headphones, Nokia stock or any other I also get no recognition from TV out (is anyone else getting this also?) my question is has any of the software/development team gotten back to you with any other possible outcomes?

Cheers.

Re: Headphones problems
 

strange, never experienced anything described in previous posts neither on my pre-production N900 or the retail one.

Tried with multiple head phones, nokia stock ones. sennheister cx 300 II. sennheister cx500, sony v700dj, shure E2c, Klipsch Image S4(i)
No problem what so ever luckily enough.

Tv-out jack sticks out a bit and dont go all the way in, but make sure if you got problem to have correct tv-out setting.

One of the best in-ear phones i ever tried (atleast in the "normal" price range) are the Klipsch Image S4 and the (i) version works excellent as a headset with the N900.

Sounds strange that the phone dont find the ear-phones if you unplugged them and then reconnect them at a later point.

Any chance anyone of you installed any other media player then the original one that might cause this problem?

Re: Headphones problems
 

@Model900

I have only added stock apps only media one is Decoder support.

Re: Headphones problems
 

If this is hardware can it be fixed eg taken to a nokia repair centre and fixed?

Re: Headphones problems
 

i don't think it is hardware i too have "Decoder support" installed along with FM radio and Ogg support i will try and uninstall at home and follow up with comments.

Re: Headphones problems
 

@timwatt great I have none of these apps loaded any more and no headphone support.

My scenario seems different as I don't get any recognition whatsoever even when I open x term and do dmesg | tail

Another poster had flashed and said the problem was still there so this still points to hardware maybe in my case. Would be very interested to see your results, as my next step will be taking this thing apart.