Music on hold question

[stin26]

We have an avaya partner system with the jack for music on hold and we are trying to use an ipod shuffle on a speaker dock for the music. We have a cable from the headphone jack on the ipod dock to the avaya cabinet. While the cable fits into the headphone jack OK, it cannot be pushed in all the way and it also has to be pushed to the side to actually work (some of the time).

Does anyone know of a specialty cable or adapter that will work between a headphone jack and the partner jack that will work properly? I'm guessing I just don't have the right cable. Any insight would be greatly appreciated.

 

[s80keys]

Can you describe the cable you're using to plug into the Avaya side? I'm guessing you're using a 1/8" stereo plug. If so, you'll need a 1/8" to RCA (or "phono") adapter, available at most electronics stores for a couple bucks.

Or you could possibly get a cable with RCA plug on one end (for the phone sys), and whatever type jack you need for the ipod dock on the other end.

 

[Dexman]

One workaround would be to (assuming that the RCA plug has a plastic jacket) strip off some of the jacket until the plug fits into the jack

Check out Radio Shack to see if any of their RCA plugs or cable assemblies will work better than what you have.

A quick side note: If the iPod is going to play music that is covered by copywrites (ASCAP, BMI and so forth) it would be well worth to secure licenses from those organizations.

If it ain't broke, I haven't fixed it yet.

 

[stin26]

I'm not sure whether the jack going into the phone sytem is RCA or phono but it does fit OK. The problem seems to mainly come from the IPOD side which has a standard headphone jack.

But from what you guys are saying, it appears that this is something that radio shack or another electronics store should carry. There is nothing special that I have to get somewhere else, correct?

 

[s80keys]

Radioshack will almost certainly have it.. I put music on hold on both of my Avaya systems with parts from Radioshack and they hold up well.

Just take your ipod setup and the cable you're using now with you, and the salesmen should be able to make it work for you. You may need an adapter or an entirely new cable. Try to get something without excessive plastic/rubber coating around the jack area. Mine is brass plated and fits nicely.

 

[Dexman]

I use "RCA" and "phono" interchangeably. But the jack on the processor is exactly that (no matter which term you like to use)

If it ain't broke, I haven't fixed it yet.

 

[mforrence]

We've had this trouble many times. It truly is simply the plastic jacket around the metal RCA plug on the Partner end. Very carefully, use a utility knife and cut 1/2'' of the plastic - essentially making the "uninsulated" metal 1/2'' longer. It will fix the trouble.
Mike