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Voting closed: February 18, 2008, 04:53:08 PM

[s0urc3f0ur]

Wouldn't it be great if we did not have to worry about mic and speaker placement when setting up voice control? I've thought so . So I came up with a way that you can mod an intercom to be a two way interface using speaker jacks and not loose the functionality of the intercom!
After a few months trying different configurations  I've finally found a way to make this work. This  project was a fun learning experience for me as I got to hone my soldering skills, learn about electronics and make my wife happy!  I would like to add that special thanks goes to the gang over at  the home automated chatroom for their input and great ideas on troubleshooting this mod. (Bill, Dave, Knightrider, and agent99)  Also sorry that some of the pics are a bit blurry my camera is not all that great. Ok Let's get modding!



*Note this mod will only work with a voice activated intercom and  2 separate sound cards.  The pc motherboard sound card for the “line in” and an external plug and play sound card for the “line out”


Materials list:
·   Intercom ( I used the Westinghouse Vox intercom model# WHI-4CUPG)
 
[

·   One 1/8” Stereo closed circuit phono jack ( Radio Shack Part # 274-246)
·    One 1/8” Stereo phono jack ( Radio Shack Part # 274-249)
·   Hook up wire
·   Soldering Iron
·   Solder
·   De-soldering vacuum bulb
·   Small Phillips screwdriver
·   Drill
·   Patience
·   A taste for Papaya’s

Step 1: Open it up

 Make sure the power is unplugged and remove the volume knob and turn the Icom over.  There are 4 screws on the bottom of the Icom . Unscrew them.


 

There are also 2 screws holding the power transformer in place unscrew them as well.







Step 2: Drill the holes
Take your drill and drill two holes in the back of the base of the icom.



 


Step 3: Connecting the “Mic In” Jack
Locate the microphone on the icom


 

Carefully turn the board over and locate the pins of the microphone and solder a wire to each pin (black wire to the left pin and red to the right)





Next connect the other ends of the wires to the jack ( Radio Shack Part # 274-249). The black wire should go to the tip of the jack and the red wire should go to the ground.



 


 Now turn the circuit board back over and feed the jack towards the back of the icom.

Step 4: Connecting the “Line Out” Jack
Take your soldering iron and De-soldering vacuum bulb and remove the wires connecting to the speaker



 

Next take your hook up wire and solder the black wire to the positive side of the speaker and the red wire to the negative side.






Now we are going to solder in the line out jack (Radio Shack Part # 274-246). This will cut the speaker of the intercom off when you plug in the cable to the jack so that there is no feedback. Take the positive lead from the Icom circuit board(it should be marked on the circuit board)and solder it to pin 2 of the Jack. Take the positive lead from the speaker and solder it to pin 3. Take the negative lead from the Icom circuit board and solder it to pin 5. Take the negative lead from the speaker and solder it to pin 4.


       



 


Step 5: Put it together
Place the new jacks in the holes and screw them on with the nuts provided with the jacks







   


Now Screw back in the power transformer and  replace the case and return the four screws to their homes and you are Almost done!.

Step 6: Connect it to the computer
Plug the “ line out” jack from your icom to the “line in” of your motherboard soundcard (Be sure to set your line in on the motherboard  soundcard for your default sound devce).
Plug the “Mic in” Jack of your Icom to the “ line out” of your external PCI soundcard(Be sure to set your line out on your PCI soundcard for the external sound device). Now press the autotalk button on your intercom and set it to the desired channel and that’s it. Enjoy total 2 way voice control without the hassle of speaker  or mic placement!


Another thing to note is that because the line out jack from the Icom is not properly grounded you may have to use a Direct Box (<--Link) between the line out of the Intercom and line in of the computer to filter out noise that may be coming from the Icom.
This is by no means an exact way to do this . It's just how I got it to work.  Suggestions and Questions are always welcome! Thanks and HAve fun!

Jeff

[Puck]

Nice write up and mod.

Thanks for sharing it s0urc3f0ur.

[steven r]

WOW!I gave you a helpful for that.
Want to make me one?   

[HA Dave]

VERY IMPRESSIVE!!!!

I am sure will be linking to this many times in the future.

[-Bill- (of wgjohns.com)]

Very cool! 

Gave you a helpful too!   

[s0urc3f0ur]

Thanks for the kind words.. but were it not for the ability to bounce ideas and trouble shoot in the home automated chatroom this mod would have taken me months and months to figure out. I should also note that the intercoms that I chose to use send their FM signals via powerline. Though I have not experianced any x10 interference as of yet I have found that the Icoms do not work on different phases and am trying to figure out a solution to this problem as we speak.

[Agent99]

Nice write up Source4,

I might of missed it but I just want to add that the whole purpose of this Intercom Mod was to use them with Bills Voice Commander. All the gang over at KDR's Online Chat have been very happy to follow along with you and your persistence has paid off. Great Job and I am sure many will be following your lead.

[Oldtimer]

 I should also note that the intercoms that I chose to use send their FM signals via powerline. Though I have not experianced any x10 interference as of yet I have found that the Icoms do not work on different phases and am trying to figure out a solution to this problem as we speak.

Nice piece of work.  I couldn't tell from your write up and the pictures what brand and model of powerline intercom youi're using.  Sorry if I missed it.  Please tell us what it is.  Traditionally these have alway produced X10 interference and you may have found a way around the problem.

Thanks for your hard work.

[s0urc3f0ur]

I might of missed it but I just want to add that the whole purpose of this Intercom Mod was to use them with Bills Voice Commander. All the gang over at KDR's Online Chat have been very happy to follow along with you and your persistence has paid off. Great Job and I am sure many will be following your lead.

Yeah I guess I left the part of using with BVC out. I figured that With the extreme popularity and use of BVC here at the forum that it would just be understood

[s0urc3f0ur]

 I couldn't tell from your write up and the pictures what brand and model of powerline intercom youi're using.  Sorry if I missed it.  Please tell us what it is.  Traditionally these have alway produced X10 interference and you may have found a way around the problem.

Thanks for your hard work.

I used the Westinghouse Vox intercom model# WHI-4CUPG. These intercoms send FM signals across the PL. I do have the Freq at which they are transmitted on each channel at home from the owners manual. I will post them when I get a chance.

[s0urc3f0ur]

Ok here are the Specs from my Icom:

Carrier Frequency:

Channel 1: 230KHz

Channel 2: 260 KHz

Channel 3: 290KHz

Channel 4: 200KHz

RF Output Power: 35mV avereage into a 5-OHM load

Audio Output Power: 500 mW

Modulation Method: Frequency Modulation(FM)

Transmission and Reception:  Phase Locked Loop

I am currently using the Icoms on Channel 1 and have not seen any X10 interference as of yet.... knock on wood!

[Alan V]

In terms of interference:  What about the opposite?  Do you hear anything from the intercom during an X10 transmission?

[s0urc3f0ur]

In terms of interference:  What about the opposite?  Do you hear anything from the intercom during an X10 transmission?

Only if I send an RF command from AHP then yes. It's that noise you would here if you had your desktop speakers on. Essentially The Icom works as an extended desktop speaker anyway. So any noise or sounds coming from the computer would be heard through Icom.

[Alan V]

Only if I send an RF command from AHP then yes. It's that noise you would here if you had your desktop speakers on. Essentially The Icom works as an extended desktop speaker anyway. So any noise or sounds coming from the computer would be heard through Icom.

I'm a little confused.  I thought that AHP only transmitted RF in order to control motorized wireless camera mounts like Ninja, etc.  I thought that the intercom might produce an audible output when there was an X10 power-line transmission .

[s0urc3f0ur]

I'm a little confused.  I thought that AHP only transmitted RF in order to control motorized wireless camera mounts like Ninja, etc.  I thought that the intercom might produce an audible output when there was an X10 power-line transmission .

It is possible to have the CM15A transmit an RF command to any transiever to control modules ( this can be used to get around phase issues). But to answer your question no there is no audible output from the intercom during an x10 PLT Hope that helps