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Ask HN: Is there a good way to force headphone use on tablets?

5 points by andrewfromx ↗ HN
I want to superglue into all my kid's ipad's headphone jacks one of these:

https://www.amazon.com/JSAUX-Headphone-Splitter-Nylon-Braided-Playstation/dp/B088686SKJ/

https://www.amazon.com/Headphone-Splitter-Syncwire-Nylon-Braided-Stereo/dp/B07431YDWM/

"Headphone Splitter 3.5mm, Audio Splitter 2 Female to 1 Male, Dual Headphone Adapter"

But everytime I try the superglue doesn't hold up and the kids are able to unplug it and get volume coming out of their tablets. I'm looking for a way to make it absolutely impossible for them to use their device without headphones. Anyone achieve this with some special type of super glue?

27 comments

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layer8
Maybe superglue the iPad speakers shut?

The only other way I see is welding (for iPads with an aluminum back) or opening up the iPad to physically disconnect the speakers.

Terr_
> opening up the iPad to physically disconnect the speakers

I've certainly seen some laptops where that would be the easiest non-software option, where the leads can simply be unsnapped and wrapped in some non-conductive tape before closing it up again.

layer8
Yes, it should be fairly straightforward, though probably not reversible. The difficult part is disassembling the iPad.
[deleted]
(comment deleted)
KomoD
> The only other way I see is welding (for iPads with an aluminum back) or opening up the iPad to physically disconnect the speakers.

That is a good idea, as long as Apple doesn't have anything that prevents it from booting if you disconnect them, wouldn't surprise me.

pwg
Sigh...

Be the adult/parent here. Tell them they must, always, use headphones. And that if they do not comply they will lose the ipad for X hours (potentially increasing amounts of X for each subsequent infraction).

Then, actually apply the stated punishment when they test the boundaries.

andrewfromx
this requires both parents to enforce this. I could do it but my wife will fold every time.
1991g
Technical solutions to people problems are rarely effective.
flappyeagle
That’s a dependency you will need to solve first
phatskat
This is the answer. There were some alternatives that weren’t bad, but ultimately this will be the best thing.
joshxyz
personally i would smash the ipads too. solves a lot of problems.
brudgers
There's no good way to force anything on kids.

Because they are just as capable of free will as you and want to win at least as badly as you do.

If you can't figure out how to work through it together, that's on you as the adult. It's not on the child.

Good luck.

flappyeagle
If they manage to defeat the technical solution then it’s a good lesson. Still a win.
brudgers
And a lesson that the relationship with the parent is adversarial.
flappyeagle
Always has been
brudgers
I always looked at the world as if everyone's parent-child relationships were more or less like mine.

Now I think that was an error.

Corporal punishment is an example. Some parent-child relationships include it. Some don't. I don't assume one or the other.

My relationship with my child is nurturing, not competitive. I want my child to be better at everything than I am.

YMMV.

CaptainHardcore
I wouldn’t say it’s a good way… how about plugging in a broken headphone jack- long enough to disable the speakers, short enough that it cannot be removed. Access to sound would require bluetooth headphones.
jauntywundrkind
This should so obviously be a software option. I think of this regularly. Unbelievably trivial & obvious. On a Linux computer I could write a script for this in 15 minutes. I should.

If parents in general had the ability to manage their devices, that'd just makes busses restaurants flights and everything else full of so much less din.

samstave
Super glue it to your kids hand!

-

You could fold the cable to the back of the unti, and epoxy the middle of the cable (or get a 3M cable-tie-grommit) and secur the cable to the case of the unit, as opposed to gluing it INTO the port. -- Basically make the splitter connected to the case, so its always available to use.

But also follow the parenting advice below.

https://i.imgur.com/i5yJQVq.png

ApolloRising
I believe you can download an automation app that will zero the volume upon x event such as headphones removal. Good luck.