Hello,

I have been buying some products over the years called mic lock. they used to be priced fairer than they are today. Actually there rather absorbanetly priced at this point. I could simply snip an old pair of headphones for a third of what they are charging. I am going to just turn to mouser or digikey at this stage and buy some jacks. There basically just dead headed 3.5's that pull the audio and mic pin high.


AmazonSmile: Mic-Lock Microphone Blocker – Audio Input Blocking Device (3.5mm) for Laptops, Smartphones, Tablets, and Desktop Computers - Data Security, Privacy Protection (3 Pack, Metallic) : Everything Else

Just to pick the brains of the knowledge base here there are a few terms I do not understand. One is position and the other they refer to is conductor. I think these terms are inter changeable. Before I flop down some cash if some one can set me straight on what this means. Believe it or not I have bought these from other provayors and they don't work!

 

OK, and welcome with an interesting question.
Position, in this instance, is referring to the four conductive segments of that plug shown in the amazon ad. What has been added to the normal stereo plug, which only has one tip, one ring, and one sleeve, is a change so that on these plugs there is a tip, and then three rings, or conductive bands, in the body of the connector.
In normal stereo earphone connectors the tip on the end is the left channel signal, the ring, next towards the body is the right channel, and the sleeve is the common.
To add a microphone connection, the sleeve connection was reduced, and a fourth connection, all the way back toward the plastic body, was added. The sleeve connection, now the third band, is still the common for both earphone channels and the microphone.
The cheap trick to stop any microphone signal is to use a short stereo extension, that does not include the microphone connection.
And some advice: Never trust an amazon description to be accurate about anything except the price, and possibly the shipping weight.

 

What has been added to the normal stereo plug, which only has one tip, one ring, and one sleeve, is a change so that on these plugs there is a tip, and then three rings, or conductive bands, in the body of the connector.

Just a small clarification; the connector is called a 3,5mm TRRS (Tip, Ring, Ring, Sleeve), that is, two not three rings.

@Teljkon if you have some cheap earphones you can sacrifice, try cutting off the earphones from the connector. Depending on your device this might be sufficient but it won't work for every device. Some devices check for a microphone signal from the connector and if none is present they revert to the built-in microphone.

The patent for the Mic-Lock suggests that a MOSFET is used as a constant current source powered but the normal electret bias provided by the device. This is a "microphone emulator" as they refer to it. It looks like a silent electret microphone to the device's firmware and so mutes the microphone input electrically.

I am not convinced of the utility of such a device, it seems you could make your own.

 

Just a small clarification; the connector is called a 3,5mm TRRS (Tip, Ring, Ring, Sleeve), that is, two not three rings.

@Teljkon if you have some cheap earphones you can sacrifice, try cutting off the earphones from the connector. Depending on your device this might be sufficient but it won't work for every device. Some devices check for a microphone signal from the connector and if none is present they revert to the built-in microphone.

The patent for the Mic-Lock suggests that a MOSFET is used as a constant current source powered but the normal electret bias provided by the device. This is a "microphone emulator" as they refer to it. It looks like a silent electret microphone to the device's firmware and so mutes the microphone input electrically.

I am not convinced of the utility of such a device, it seems you could make your own.

Thank you for the input. Honestly I don't think the Mosfet is the only way to skin this cat either. I thinking a simple led might do the job just as well. Taking the power from the audio outs seems obvious. Not a master of circuitry but nice to know I am on the right track and I selected the right jack from mouser.

As far as its utility goes I am certain if a software wizard knew what I was doing the job of tricking the device to act properly and still leave the passive microphone on is easy enough. However that is allot of time and effort for all devices across all platforms. Frankly I do notice a difference in the hey we were just talking about that and an add popped up since I started using the device a few years ago.

it sounds like a circuit that is chaotic would do the best job of tricking the passive listening?

I don't know much about looking up patents BTW is there a search function at the USTPO.

 

Just a small clarification; the connector is called a 3,5mm TRRS (Tip, Ring, Ring, Sleeve), that is, two not three rings.

@Teljkon if you have some cheap earphones you can sacrifice, try cutting off the earphones from the connector. Depending on your device this might be sufficient but it won't work for every device. Some devices check for a microphone signal from the connector and if none is present they revert to the built-in microphone.

The patent for the Mic-Lock suggests that a MOSFET is used as a constant current source powered but the normal electret bias provided by the device. This is a "microphone emulator" as they refer to it. It looks like a silent electret microphone to the device's firmware and so mutes the microphone input electrically.

I am not convinced of the utility of such a device, it seems you could make your own.

OK, Yaakov, To me the sleeve looked like a ring.

 

OK, Yaakov, To me the sleeve looked like a ring.

Yes, dimensionally they look similar, but the sleeve function is served by the last “ring”.

 

Thank you for the input. Honestly I don't think the Mosfet is the only way to skin this cat either. I thinking a simple led might do the job just as well. Taking the power from the audio outs seems obvious. Not a master of circuitry but nice to know I am on the right track and I selected the right jack from mouser.

As far as its utility goes I am certain if a software wizard knew what I was doing the job of tricking the device to act properly and still leave the passive microphone on is easy enough. However that is allot of time and effort for all devices across all platforms. Frankly I do notice a difference in the hey we were just talking about that and an add popped up since I started using the device a few years ago.

it sounds like a circuit that is chaotic would do the best job of tricking the passive listening?

I don't know much about looking up patents BTW is there a search function at the USTPO.

Yes, USPTO has a search. Google does as well: https://patents.google.com/

 

I would suggest a bit of tape over the internal microphone,except then actual phone conversations would be impaired. That is one of the things that I really appreciated about my non-smart phone, is that it was much harder for outsiders to hack. Unfortunately the nasty folks at T-mo decided to no longer support the older generation of phones. The fools actually believe that I want all of the functions of a desktop computer inside an oversized package with a fragile screen and a much shorter battery life. It does seem like the world is well into the era of "big brother" (ref "1984") , with the concept of constant connectedness being marketed as though it was fresh air. The phone is to be my slave, not even the status of a servant, but much more a tool. When I want the internet I will switch on the computer, with a big enough screen to easily read and a keyboard with keys almost big enough for my fingers.
(sorry to bore folks with my tirade, but the omnipresent intrusion of smartphones on so many people I meet does on occasion provoke a hostile response. Also the arbitrary denial of service to my paid for and paid-up older phone was rather an irritation, to suddenly lose both voice and text communications after several weeks of increasingly spotty service, while the T-Mo folks were loudly touting their wonderful new services.)

To trick the circuit into believing that an external microphone is present and active it is only needed to have a resistor that would simulate the resistance of the mosfet and it's load resistor. Probably a 2K chip would be adequate, a 4.7K chip also should work. If the phone could be opened, then the resistor could be installed inside , and the system would still work with an external mic.

 

Unfortunately the nasty folks at T-mo decided to no longer support the older generation of phones.

The folks at T-Mobile are not “nasty”, the 2G and 3G systems those phones used are no longer operational and the phone manufacturers are not interested in making 4G and 5G versions.

 

I would suggest a bit of tape over the internal microphone,except then actual phone conversations would be impaired. That is one of the things that I really appreciated about my non-smart phone, is that it was much harder for outsiders to hack. Unfortunately the nasty folks at T-mo decided to no longer support the older generation of phones. The fools actually believe that I want all of the functions of a desktop computer inside an oversized package with a fragile screen and a much shorter battery life. It does seem like the world is well into the era of "big brother" (ref "1984") , with the concept of constant connectedness being marketed as though it was fresh air. The phone is to be my slave, not even the status of a servant, but much more a tool. When I want the internet I will switch on the computer, with a big enough screen to easily read and a keyboard with keys almost big enough for my fingers.
(sorry to bore folks with my tirade, but the omnipresent intrusion of smartphones on so many people I meet does on occasion provoke a hostile response. Also the arbitrary denial of service to my paid for and paid-up older phone was rather an irritation, to suddenly lose both voice and text communications after several weeks of increasingly spotty service, while the T-Mo folks were loudly touting their wonderful new services.)

To trick the circuit into believing that an external microphone is present and active it is only needed to have a resistor that would simulate the resistance of the mosfet and it's load resistor. Probably a 2K chip would be adequate, a 4.7K chip also should work. If the phone could be opened, then the resistor could be installed inside , and the system would still work with an external mic.

Actually your both wrong they still make a couple of these there are companies the make "phones for seniors" basically the Same old phones. You can also get a retro Nokia remake and there is also a hackers box that was a phone. IDK if they updated that thought for 5g. The most promising lead though is pine 64 100% linux phone. I am hoping in 2 to three years that will be perfected for everyday use. As for now its not viable for most users.

 

My "Hey Google" assistant is listening all the time and might be recording everything in my home. But it does not bother me.

 

Actually your both wrong they still make a couple of these there are companies the make "phones for seniors" basically the Same old phones. You can also get a retro Nokia remake and there is also a hackers box that was a phone. IDK if they updated that thought for 5g. The most promising lead though is pine 64 100% linux phone. I am hoping in 2 to three years that will be perfected for everyday use. As for now its not viable for most users.

I’m not wrong. T-Mobile has only the Alcatel Go Flip 4 left as a choice for a non-smartphone. My comment was about what was compatible with T-Mobile, not what you might be able to buy.

They likely wouldn’t have recommended the Go Flip, I don’t even know if they have them in the stores.

Phones like the Cricket, which targets seniors, is only operational on a particular MVNO.

 

My "Hey Google" assistant is listening all the time and might be recording everything in my home. But it does not bother me.

Sure not an issue for some I know. For those of us that have participated in any type of political dissonance. It is not tenable. Google is not going to refuse any government access to your data. Collected passivly or not. Enjoy the future those of us fighting tyranny in our system have been locked out of.

 

I’m not wrong. T-Mobile has only the Alcatel Go Flip 4 left as a choice for a non-smartphone. My comment was about what was compatible with T-Mobile, not what you might be able to buy.

They likely wouldn’t have recommended the Go Flip, I don’t even know if they have them in the stores.

Phones like the Cricket, which targets seniors, is only operational on a particular MVNO.

You did something wrong this week admit it. LoL

My point is there are flip options out there still and when they take them all away there will be some one or some thing that will replace that because allot of people my self included don't need all the bells and whistles. Here is a article about 5 years old about just that.

Like I said with this crowd you could probably hack together your own.

https://www.gizmochina.com/2018/03/03/8-vintage-nokia-phones-that-hmd-global-could-bring-back/

 

To trick the circuit into believing that an external microphone is present and active it is only needed to have a resistor that would simulate the resistance of the mosfet and it's load resistor. Probably a 2K chip would be adequate, a 4.7K chip also should work. If the phone could be opened, then the resistor could be installed inside , and the system would still work with an external mic.

Could you tell them how you chose those resistances. In the interest of learning? I don't struggle with the physical tasks of soldering things up as much as why?

 

To trick the circuit into believing that an external microphone is present and active it is only needed to have a resistor that would simulate the resistance of the mosfet and it's load resistor. Probably a 2K chip would be adequate, a 4.7K chip also should work. If the phone could be opened, then the resistor could be installed inside , and the system would still work with an external mic.

I cracked open the cheap ones that stopped working on new devices. All they had done is solder across the Grnd and Right audio jack. I guess this must have worked on old I-phones. Any way putting a 4.7k resistor on the existing solder and connecting it to the last mic worked. Thanks for the advice.

Not to be redundant but I still wish I knew how you picked the resistance level.