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One such product is the Doro Prosound hs1910 DECT device.  This is a wireless DECT headset.  It has been designed for those who seem to spend a great deal of their time either making or receiving phone calls.

While the various Doro phones that I have looked at, whether of the traditional, DECT or mobile variety, have prided themselves on their basic functionality and ease-of-set up, this wireless DECT headset attempts to be extremely flexible in how it can be used.  While not a bad thing in itself, it does raise the possibility that the user could become confused by the range of options that are available with this product and its optional Handset Lifter companion device.  This review will concentrate on the headset element which weighs just 27.5g.

Opening the box reveals the elongated main headset unit, battery compartment cover, rechargeable battery pack, base unit, power lead with exchangeable 2 and 3-pin plugs, ear hook, over the head band, behind the neck band, three different telephonic leads and two different styles of dual phone socket adapters.  You can see what I mean about the possibility of confusion in the minds of an unsuspecting user.  Each item is wrapped separately in copious amounts of tissue paper – hardly what you would call environmental friendly. 

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Setting up and choosing the appropriate items for your telephonic needs is laid out in the multi-language User Guide.  Basically you need to attach and insert the battery pack into the headset and charge it while mounted on the base unit.  Both the headset and base unit are coloured black and silver.  Depending upon your preferences you can choose which of three methods of wearing the headset will be your option.  I tended to veer towards the behind the neck method.  Due to the flexibility of the various items, you can attach the headset to your left or right ear.  Being right handed I opted for the left ear.

As with being able to select from the different options for wearing the headset, you are also given a choice of four set up options of which three involve the use of your landline phone.  Various connection sockets, each with its own specific function, are located across the front of the base unit.  The simplest method is to attach the base unit to the headset socket on your landline phone.  Most modern landline phones will have such a socket but those with older models might not be so lucky. 

A second method is to create a two-way link as the base unit is connected to the phone’s handset socket and the handset is then connected back to the base unit.  Method three involves the use of one of the two-way adapters supplied with this product.  You can then connect both the landline phone and the base unit to the same telephone wall socket.  Finally if you just want to receive incoming calls rather than make outgoing ones, you can make use of the fourth method.  You just connect the base unit to the wall socket without any intervention of the landline phone.  Annotated diagrams show how each of these set ups are arranged.

The Doro headset has its own answer button, volume control, mute call/waiting button and noise-cancelling microphone.  Depending upon the environment, such as outdoor, indoor, walls etc., the headset is capable of operating at a range of between 50 and 150 meters.  When fully charged, which takes around about 4 hours, the lithium polymer battery will give 100 hours on standby and 7 hours of actual talk time.  Recharging takes place automatically when the headset is placed on the base unit which is connected to a mains power source.

The Prosound hs1910 DECT headset is GAP (Generic Access Profile) prepared which means that it should be possible to use it with most other GAP compatible units irrespective of who manufactured the various elements.  I can not see too many home users, walking about in their homes wearing the Doro device but move the scenario to an office environment then this device should come into its own and free the user from remaining in close contact with their work desk.  The Doro Prosound hs1910 DECT headset is priced at £109.99.

http://www.doro.com//global/businessunit/dorobusiness/Product?c=10500&p=HS1910%20DECT