Electrical – Make audio jack detect headphone without actually putting headphones plug in

audioheadphonesplugsocket

I am making a solution where I want to control headphone detection by PC externally as I have no control over the PC to do it through software. Below are my attempted solutions.

  1. My first try was to make solenoid push and pull the headphone jack in and out of the PC but don't know whether it will have enough force correctly push/pull. Also mechanical solution will increase cost and make system unstable.

  2. I wanted to insert headphone plug only(like in below figure)and control the circuit open/close to make head phone detection. I inserted the plug like in image and my showed that the headphone connected even though its just a plug because headphone sockets have switches which get activated and show headphone connected so this also is not possible.

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The second solution seems the correct way. so Please let me know whether there is another way like directly controlling headphone socket electrically.

Best Answer

A solenoid or motor is pretty-much the only way unless you want to modify the PC hardware

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for a PC with HD Audio connector you just need to interrupt pin 10 and fit a relay switching it to pin 7. That will mimic the switch that's internal to the headphone socket. When the relay contact is closed the PC will sense headphones present.

You can either cut the wires inside your PC solder in the relay or used a cable able with a 5X2 plug one end and a 5x2 socket on the other and the relay in the middle. Or even use individual "duPont"* jumper wires.

(*)Makers call them that, but I don't think it's the correct name.

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