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Does The Nexus 7 Tablet Support Headsets?

how's the bluetooth headsets nowadays? Still can't beat wired headsets?

Wired are probably still the best way to go.
I have a Jabra Wave I occasionally use for my phone, and I almost didn't buy it due to the lack of A2DP functionality, but I bought it for it's super nice style and great noise cancellation. I also have a pair of skullcandy 50/50s that I got for $25 with the inline mic that I use for my phone, and it works really well.

If you go with bluetooth, just makes sure it has A2DP.
 
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Can anyone with a Nexus 7 confirm that the external mic on a headset/mic actually works. I have received 2 Nexus 7 tablets and it did not work on either. I need one positive confirmation before I will know for sure that this ought to work. If you do test it, please remember to tap the external mic or speak directly into it as otherwise you may just be picking up audio from the internal mic. FWIW, the Quick Start doc that comes with the unit describes the port as a headset jack, not a headset/mic jack but of course that doesn't prove anything.
 
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Can anyone with a Nexus 7 confirm that the external mic on a headset/mic actually works. I have received 2 Nexus 7 tablets and it did not work on either. I need one positive confirmation before I will know for sure that this ought to work. If you do test it, please remember to tap the external mic or speak directly into it as otherwise you may just be picking up audio from the internal mic. FWIW, the Quick Start doc that comes with the unit describes the port as a headset jack, not a headset/mic jack but of course that doesn't prove anything.

Despite being the person to start this thread I hadn't tried using the microphone yet. On testing it appears that the in line mic does not work. Scratch test suggests that it's just the mic on the top that works. I have read that USB OTG will support certain audio devices, whether this will be only for speakers I don't know. Once my USB cable comes through I'll test with my Plantronics headset.

I'm a little disappointed that the in line mic is not supported but it's still a fantastic tablet.
 
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Can anyone with a Nexus 7 confirm that the external mic on a headset/mic actually works. I have received 2 Nexus 7 tablets and it did not work on either. I need one positive confirmation before I will know for sure that this ought to work. If you do test it, please remember to tap the external mic or speak directly into it as otherwise you may just be picking up audio from the internal mic. FWIW, the Quick Start doc that comes with the unit describes the port as a headset jack, not a headset/mic jack but of course that doesn't prove anything.


It does not support a microphone, I just got off the phone with Google Support to verify this, as all the documentation refers to a headset jack. This implies a microphone, it is merely a headphones jack.

This irritates me to no end, as I purchased the Nexus to use as a credit card terminal, because according to all the specs it would work.

As the specs are wrong it does not work.
 
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Bluetooth profiles supported by Nexus 7 - Nexus Help

lists the following as supported with the Nexus 7

Bluetooth profiles supported by Nexus 7
Nexus 7 supports Bluetooth 3.0 with the following profiles:
HFP1.5
A2DP 1.2
AVRCP 1.0
PAN 1.0
HID 1.0
OPP 1.0
PBAP 1.0
SPP (RFCOMM)
HDP 1.0

The HFP (Hands free profile) suggests that a BT headset should support. Has anyone had any experience with a working BT headset for voice calls with GrooveIP or Skype.
 
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Nope. I just tried the Motorola HK250, and although I can vaguely hear the call on the headset, it has so much static interference, it's not worth it. Music plays... okay. It bounces sometimes. This is when I made the call to Google, and they told me the same thing... Nexus 7 does not support headsets because it's not meant to be used as a phone. That's what he said. And the Nexus 10 is the same way.
 
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The N7's headset jack is made for a headset WITH a microphone. Iphone and Android cell phone headsets work fine.

I have a wired head set with an inline microphone and it works great on the N7 no problem. It's the same headset I use with my Galaxy S2 phone. I have Groove IP installed on my N7 and use the headset to make voice phone calls. My G/F says she hears me fine on it. And I hear her clearly. So I can verify that a standard cell phone headset with microphone will work.

BUT what won't work is a standard headset WITHOUT the microphone. You might not even be able to hear the sound. This is because even though the plug is 3.5mm, it is different from a 3.5mm plug WITH the microphone. It has three contacts (left, right, and ground) and the plug with a microphone has four contacts (left, right, microphone, and ground). So the plug on a standard headset without mic. will not match up with the contacts inside the jack of the N7 causing distorted or no sound.
 
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Groid, part of this thread's issue is differentiation between headPHONEs and headSETs. To me and "most" I know, a headset includes a microphone, headphones (in-ear, on ear, over ear, whatever) do not. Some headsets (I have one) are monophonic and have the TRS configuration, but most lately seem to be stereo with TRRS. I've not personally seen a headphone with TRRS but research shows they exist for special situations (no common between left and right).

I have found all TRS headphones to work, but have not had good luck with TRRS headsets ... only tried my Motorola and wife's iPhone models, though.
 
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So folks, basically the answer is, some say it does, some say it doesn't :)

I'm hoping it does because I'd like to use a headset (headphones with a mic) for the purposes of perhaps Skype and Google+ hangouts in public places/cafes etc without having to subject everyone else to my conversation.

I had my eye on and subsequently ordered a MEElectronics M6P headset but quickly cancelled it when I read on another forum that someone contacted ASUS and they replied that a headset wouldn't work as it's just a tablet.

I might see if I can find an old school headset at home from a previous phone and see if it works before rebuying it! :) Positive or negative, I'll return with my findings...
 
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I tested my Nokia 501 stereo BT mike headset and the microphone does not work but wow is the N7 built in microphone sensitive! Picked up my voice five feet away no problem talking softly.

Back so soon :)

I found a headset in the bottom of my drawer.

My take on it is, the mic on the headset does not work.

I tried a voice message app I use on the tablet called Heytell, plugged the headset in went to send a message and whispered into the headset mic, which was as far away from the tablet as I could get it, thinking that the internal mic on the N7 couldn't have been able to pick it up. I sent the message to my HTC Desire phone and it came through. Success, I thought! I then began to think "What if it was just the N7 mic picking it up though" and tried the same test, from the same distance, same voice volume but no headset. Upon sending the message, it come through to my HTC at the same volume level. Conclusion: on both tries, it was just the N7 mic picking it up.

Although a little disappointed I began to think, really, so what? My goal would be to hold a VOIP conversation and all that I require is for the person at the other end to be able to hear my voice clearly and for no one else to be able to hear what the person I'm talking to is saying (much like a regular phone call!). Plug in a set of normal ear/head phones and job done. As Jan said above, the N7 mic seems to be incredibly sensitive so from the distance between the N7 and your head/mouth which is really only going to be (realistically) less than a metre, why would you care which mic is picking up your voice?

I guess what I'm trying to say is there's no need for a headset mic to work because the internal N7 mic is so good and picks up sounds from distance anyway.
 
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The N7's headset jack is made for a headset WITH a microphone. Iphone and Android cell phone headsets work fine.

I have a wired head set with an inline microphone and it works great on the N7 no problem. It's the same headset I use with my Galaxy S2 phone. I have Groove IP installed on my N7 and use the headset to make voice phone calls. My G/F says she hears me fine on it. And I hear her clearly. So I can verify that a standard cell phone headset with microphone will work.

BUT what won't work is a standard headset WITHOUT the microphone. You might not even be able to hear the sound. This is because even though the plug is 3.5mm, it is different from a 3.5mm plug WITH the microphone. It has three contacts (left, right, and ground) and the plug with a microphone has four contacts (left, right, microphone, and ground). So the plug on a standard headset without mic. will not match up with the contacts inside the jack of the N7 causing distorted or no sound.

I just read that someone verified on-phone that the N7 does not support audio in (ie a mic). I am using a Sony headphone set w/mic and the mic does not work with the N7.
 
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I just read that someone verified on-phone that the N7 does not support audio in (ie a mic). I am using a Sony headphone set w/mic and the mic does not work with the N7.

I'm so sorry for the mis-information. I didn't do a thorough test and I didn't see the part about tapping the mic. I was wrong about the headphones/headsets. The N7 does NOT support the line-in mic, and it seems to work fine with standard headphones without a mic.

When I was using my mono headSET with the N7, my g/f was hearing me from the N7's built in mic, not the headset's mic. I just asked her if she could hear me well and she said yes. I was testing Groove IP and I wasn't specifically testing the mic. MY BAD.
 
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