Plantronics S12 Corded Telephone Headset System

Wednesday, February 22nd, 2012 at 4:59 pm

Plantronics S12 Corded Telephone Headset System @ Amazon.com

Bluetooth

For those of you not intimate with the term, Bluetooth refers to a wireless protocol (or set of rules) designed for short range electronic apps (usually less than 30 feet in distance). Although the technology has been around for assorted years, Bluetooth help for PC users has been fixed due to hardware manufacturers focusing on the more conventional 802.11 wireless network protocols (wifi). In reality, Bluetooth and wifi achieve dissimilar purposes and each has it is masters and cons.

Cellular Telephone Bluetooth Headsets

The cellular telephone community has long embraced Bluetooth technology, devising and refining a great deal of wireless devices. One of the more standard Bluetooth apps for cellular telephones has been cordless headsets which enable users to leave their telephone in their bag or pocket while still being capable to make and receive calls. Bluetooth headsets are in general very lightweight, worn over one ear and achieve talk times from 1-4 hours before necessitating a recharge.

Bluetooth PC Headset?

So if cellular telephone users have warmly embraced Bluetooth headsets, why not the PC community? At the time of writing, this author knows of no PC hardware manufacturer who has designed a Bluetooth Headset primarily for use with a PC. However, there is not one thing to prevent a PC user from using a cellular phone Bluetooth Headset with their PC. Keep in mind though, these headsets were in the first place prevised for cellular phone use and may need a bit of ‘tweaking’ before they’ll carry out as well as ‘corded’ headsets on your computer.

USB Bluetooth Adapter

Unless you own a comparatively pricey notebook PC, odds are that your computer doesn’t natively aid the Bluetooth protocol. If this is the case, you’ll need an ‘Adapter’ or ‘Dongle’ in order to make your computer ‘Bluetooth enabled’. Bluetooth adapters are in general very little (a few inches long) and insert into a vacant USB port on your computer. When purchasing an adapter it’s critical that you buy one that supports the ‘headset protocol’. The headset protocol is plainly a set of rules which enables your Bluetooth adapter to commune with and make use of Bluetooth headsets in it is vicinity. If your adapter does not support the headset protocol, no amount of ‘tweaking’ will get your headset working with your PC. Adapters in general run amongst $20 – $80 USD and may be purchased at most PC retailers.

Buying a Bluetooth Headset

Bluetooth headsets for cellular phones are in general very highpriced when equated with established ‘corded’ PC headsets. Depending on where you buy your headset, you could spend anyplace from $20 to $200+ USD. If you’re looking for a comparatively inexpensive headset that’ll merely enable you to make wireless VoIP calls using your PC, I commend looking on Ebay. Although prices vary substantially on Ebay amongst merchants for similar products, overall they are substantially less pricey than purchasing the same headset from a telephone store. A word of caution with regards to Ebay though; ascertain that you read the fine print related with shipping costs. Some Ebay merchants promote Bluetooth Headsets for $5 USD notwithstanding the real cost speedily rises to $35+ when you account for their ofttimes exorbitant shipping charges.

‘Pairing’ the Headset with your PC

Once your computer is ‘Bluetooth enabled’ and you’ve received a Bluetooth headset, you’ll need to ‘pair’ the headset with your computer in order to use it for VoIP applications. This is commonly just a matter of setting your headset in ‘discovery mode’ and permitting your PC to ‘search’ or ‘discover’ Bluetooth devices. The steps necessitated to enable invention mode on your headset and adapter will vary among gadgets and must be without doubt or question explained in the documentation accompanying your devices.

Adjusting your Audio Settings

Depending on your hardware and operating system, you may need to make adjustments to your audio settings after the headset is ‘paired’ with your PC. In the Windows operating system, this will implicate accessing ‘Audio Properties’ through the ‘Control Panel’ and setting the audio and voice widgets to your newly paired Bluetooth headset. Again, adjusting these settings will have to be covered in the documentation accompanying both your headset and Bluetooth adapter.

Once you’re up and running, you’ll wonder why you didn’t adopt this wireless headset solution sooner. The freedom to wander away from your computer whilst sustaining voice over Internet conversations is something you’ll come to be grateful for and love.

Plantronics S12 Telephone Headset System 65145-01 Headsets & Earsets

Product Details

Size: 9 x 5.6 x 4.3 inches
Color: GRAY
Brand: Plantronics
Model: 65145-01
Platform: Windows
Format: CD
Original language: English
Number of items: 1
Dimensions: 4.30″ h x 5.60″ w x 9.00″ l, .0 pounds

Features

Over-the-head and over-the-ear configurations
Volume and mute controls
Noise-canceling microphone, call clarity technology
Convenient headset stand
Compatible with single and multi-line phones

Reviews

111 of 112 people found the following review helpful.
Works Flawlessly
By Mark Taylor
Honestly, I bought the Plantronics S12 for the looks and for the price. Now that I am using it, I have discovered that it is much better than the higher priced units that are being used around my office.

On the left hand side of the unit there is a sliding switch so that you can modulate the headset to your telephone. This worked for me out of the box. Depending on your telephone, you may have some hiss on the line, but I have none.

On the right hand side there is a switch to set the microphone between high and low gain, and there is a dial to fine tune it within each of the settings. Out of the box, I sounded very loud in the ear piece and people could hear me typing. I set it to low gain, and moved the dial to the lowest setting. People can still hear me fine, I cannot hear myself in the speaker, and no one can hear me typing. This is fantastic! My previous headset could not turn down the gain this low, now I can use the mute button less!

The headset flashes a red light when you are on the phone. People will now know that they can interrupt even if you have your headset on, they just need to check for the flashing light. There will be a learning curve for this in my office, but it is a great idea.

And finally, the amplifier bas has a holder for the headset, a simple but wonderful idea that does not work so well with the over the head configuration, but it still works.

The only problem is that the Plantronics S12 has no battery backup. But if the power is out at the office, there is only so much you can do on the phone anyway and you don’t need a headset then since you cannot type on your computer anyway.

62 of 63 people found the following review helpful.
THIS is the one
By Jesse Liberty
This is the one; the best head set for corded phones on the market. Plug into (virtually) any one or two line phone. It plugs into the phone where the head set goes (and the head set plugs into it).

Your choice of over the ear or over the head and the microphone is the best I’ve used, in either case. A 3 minute test call to a friend, and your out going volume is perfected and stays right for every call. You have volume control for listening (boost those quiet talkers) and noise suppression) with two very big buttons: one to switch from headset to phone, and one to mute. There is a well-done holder for the headset, and good indicator lights (on headset, power on, and mute).

Plus it is Plantronics, so it is built right (and you pay for it, but not as much as you might).

I am told repeatedly that the quality *improves* when i use the headset than when I go back to the phone itself.

In short, nothing else comes close. HIGHLY recommended.

52 of 53 people found the following review helpful.
not sure why you’d need anything else
By Mel K
this headset system is perfect. works like a charm in the office. I’m in sales, so i need to have a phone system that presents professionalism not just in words but also in sound quality. Crisp sounds is what I get from the other end …and from my end, listeners get clear communication throughout.

save yourself the $200 it’d cost to get the hardcore separate models and get this all in one package. it’s worked wonders here for me..

See all 203 customer reviews…