Embedded Ericofon modification to work via Bluetooth

[sqnewton]

Hello all!

I am new to this group and was looking for feedback/comments about my open source project. I am designing a Bluetooth interface (gateway) embedded inside an Ericofon (Cobra phone from Ericsson) without having any external boxes, batteries or cables. The interface allows to connect to a cellphone and make and receive phone calls. Please check the blog site  http://btericofon.blogspot.com  and let me know your comments and feedback on how to improve the project.

Thanks and happy holidays!

Santiago

P.S.: Sorry for repeating the post under Collector's Corner. After I posted it I though that this was a more appropriate place to post it.

[McHeath]

Welcome sqnewton!  And wow, I just went and read all your project blog on the Ericofon conversion to Bluetooth and all I can say is, wow.  You seem to be well on your way to pulling this feat off, though the tight spaces in the Ericofon certainly are going to be a challenge.  I have an Ericofon that came from Richard Rose last year for Christmas, it's a way cool design, and I will be following your project with great interest.

[bwanna]

welcome, santiago.   your project is way over my head   but i will be very interested in your finished product. sounds way fun

[HobieSport]

Way cool project Santiago, though also way beyond my meager electronic skills.
And Welcome! You're going t like this forum I can tell you. Lot's of great folks here. I too will be watching your project with interest. I don't have an Ericophone but they are a great modern design.

Bwanna, how could the project be over your head when your on top of a telephone pole?

-Matt

[bwanna]

LOL, matt ....glad you're back

[Phonesrfun]

Santiago:

I read your updated blog just now.  Congratulations on the success of getting it to work.  I think some others here on this forum had their eyes on a rather pricey Bluetooth enabled 500 that is being sold on the Internet.  Perhaps some here would be interested in building such a thing.  In your blog it sounds like you are customizing the code to ring the warbler in the Ericophone.  Do you have plans on making an attachement to the board to provide the 20 Hz, 75 volt ringing current that would ring an old "standard" ringer?

-Bill

[bellsystemproperty]

Hi Santiago. It's Kyle from the listserv. You're coming quite far on the Ericofon. It's similar to the project I'm  building, but before that I need to get the PBX, KSU, and solar panels I'm building working first. The Ericofon is a small phone, it must be very difficult to squeeze it all inside it. If you're looking for a cheap cell phone that supports Bluetooth, the Moto W385 works well. I got mine for $20 on eBay. It's what I use, but of course rotary phones are superior! Imagine all the looks you'll get when you walk down the street talking on the Ericofon! 

[HobieSport]

It's similar to the project I'm  building, but before that I need to get the PBX, KSU, and solar panels I'm building working first.

Kyle, what is the project that you are working on? I'm intrigued. Have you started a thread about it on the forum?

Curiously,
-Matt

[sqnewton]

Thanks to all for the encouraging words. I also believe that it is a fun project, and I may even offer it as a retrofit kit (the project is open source anyway). Matt, agree with you about finding nice people here. I was in a yahoo phone collector's group and somebody got totally mad at me because I misspelled his name. Anyway, I will add more to my blog site later this week when I get more accomplished. The project is not done yet. Thanks to all!

[HobieSport]

Matt, agree with you about finding nice people here. I was in a yahoo phone collector's group and somebody got totally mad at me because I misspelled his name.

Mad that you simply misspelled their name? Geeze...now that's just plain silly! Yahoo groups in general can be kind of weird it seems. I've joined a few on various subjects and ended up deleting my membership. I don't know why it is that some folks think that just because they can post anonymously that they can throw normal common civil communications out the window...

I'm enjoying watching your project on your blog. I don't use a cell phone, but if I did, it could be way cool to convert a WE302 to Bluetooth. I think I read about that being done somewhere on the interwebs.

[sqnewton]

Yeah, apparently that guy had upset other folks in the group, too, from what I heard... Anyway.

Would be something interesting to come up with an add-on for the WE302 to make it work with a BT cellphone. I just looked to a photo of a WE302 and there is plenty of room inside.

About something similar being done, there are BT gateways from XLink and Cell2Tel, and a WE500 from SparkFun (Port-o-rotary). However, the gateways are external boxes where you connect your phone, not embedded solutions.

Anyway, thanks to all for following my project. I expect to have it ready soon. More postings to come (although it is hard to focus now during the holidays)