I'm the proud owner of a Motelona 158x, but she definately has her quirks. The unoverridable startup and shutdown "music" are some incomprehendable Chinese songs, the main language is Chinese and the ringtones suck. I've also seen one with 850Mhz, but this one, like most, doesn't have it.
It's an old Motorola underneath it all, just like a T710 I used to have, so it should be moddable, but it has no data port. Has anyone cracked one of these open to see if a standard Motorola data connector lies beneath?
I don't use the phone often, but every time I turn it on, text with it, get crappy signal and turn it off, I wish I could change the firmware.
I bought 2 of them off eBay (different sellers in China) and the first one has MASSIVE problems! It draws 152mA of current from the battery when turned OFF! The second works like a champ even with T-Zones. I plan on gutting the defective one to discover it's true identity, which according to my IMIE is a Motorola V180. I plan to hard-wire a USB data cable and modify a *.seem file to allow for 850Mhz so it will be a true QuadBand unit. As for that LOUD crappy ringer, I set all my ring styles to the regular Motorola tones, then DELETED all of the other sound files with Chinese characters. You may want to delete that PORN video named 666! Also BEWARE of that charger!!! It may COOK batteries. The wall wart shows 6.5 volts! That is WAY too much for lithium-ion batteries. For the meantime, I opened the charger base and hot wired a 5,5v usb charger I use for my hw6945 iPAQ. I plan on getting a MAHA MH-C777PLUS-II charger analyzer which is a great unit! However, 1st thing 1st, I have to order the right size TORX bit as my T6 is too small.
Hope you have pHuN with the phone as I know I will!
I bought 2 of them off eBay (different sellers in China) and the first one has MASSIVE problems! It draws 152mA of current from the battery when turned OFF! The second works like a champ even with T-Zones. I plan on gutting the defective one to discover it's true identity, which according to my IMIE is a Motorola V180. I plan to hard-wire a USB data cable and modify a *.seem file to allow for 850Mhz so it will be a true QuadBand unit. As for that LOUD crappy ringer, I set all my ring styles to the regular Motorola tones, then DELETED all of the other sound files with Chinese characters. You may want to delete that PORN video named 666! Also BEWARE of that charger!!! It may COOK batteries. The wall wart shows 6.5 volts! That is WAY too much for lithium-ion batteries. For the meantime, I opened the charger base and hot wired a 5,5v usb charger I use for my hw6945 iPAQ. I plan on getting a MAHA MH-C777PLUS-II charger analyzer which is a great unit! However, 1st thing 1st, I have to order the right size TORX bit as my T6 is too small.
Hope you have pHuN with the phone as I know I will!
-Pace
Mine's been a Cingular branded V220 for over a week now.
I got out my T7 and popped her open to find a Motorola V188 with it's miniUSB connector, so I flashed it. I also found that my antenna wire wasn't soldered to the board, so I fixed that too. Now I need to shield the earpiece/speaker wire since the antenna wire causes nasty RFI. It gets great reception now with the antenna hooked up and 850MHz working. I just need to seem edit-away the camera controls of the V220. I'd also like to find a claasic Motorola ringtone from the AMPS days as well as a pager beep tone for notifications, but I haven't had any luck.
I've only charged it a few times, but the first two times the battery life was horrible. The last time I charged it I just put the battery on the charger and it's on day 3 with a full battery. I'll take a look and see what my charger is putting out though.
There was porn on yours? Damn, I feel gypped!
As for fun, it's already been quite the attention magnet. I took it to Fry's Electronics a few hours after I worked on it and while checking out, the hottie behind the counter had all kinds of questions and was showing it to her co-workers. I've also gained a renewed appreciation for today's small, "wearable" phones as I have to carry this thing in my hand all the time and take up a cupholder while in the car.
Mine's been a Cingular branded V220 for over a week now.
I got out my T7 and popped her open to find a Motorola V188 with it's miniUSB connector, so I flashed it. I also found that my antenna wire wasn't soldered to the board, so I fixed that too. Now I need to shield the earpiece/speaker wire since the antenna wire causes nasty RFI. It gets great reception now with the antenna hooked up and 850MHz working. I just need to seem edit-away the camera controls of the V220. I'd also like to find a claasic Motorola ringtone from the AMPS days as well as a pager beep tone for notifications, but I haven't had any luck.
I've only charged it a few times, but the first two times the battery life was horrible. The last time I charged it I just put the battery on the charger and it's on day 3 with a full battery. I'll take a look and see what my charger is putting out though.
There was porn on yours? Damn, I feel gypped!
As for fun, it's already been quite the attention magnet. I took it to Fry's Electronics a few hours after I worked on it and while checking out, the hottie behind the counter had all kinds of questions and was showing it to her co-workers. I've also gained a renewed appreciation for today's small, "wearable" phones as I have to carry this thing in my hand all the time and take up a cupholder while in the car.
Oh, and here's my wallpaper:
Andrew
Thanks for the heads up on the Torx T7
So yours is a V188 and you flashed it with V220 firmware?? I also noticed that removing the antenna made NO loss of signal strength! It seems to be for show. I'd be curious to know if it is "cut" right for low SWR! Mini RG158 coax should knock out all that RFI. As for a ring tone, I just won a "true" Ultra Classic off eBay. When I get it I will try and record a good sound file and post it. I'd love to see some pics of the inside of the phone. I've done some SMT component soldering in the past, but I need cataract surgery at present. I'm still going to get that MAHA charger cause it RULES!
I can't post pics because I can't downsize the files enough for this forum. However, you can go here and find plenty! http://search.ebay.com/search/search...ick&category0=
Good find! Please let me know the precautions of using this charger. I've ordered a 158x and it's on the way. I read in an eBay posting elsewhere that the phone should be switched off while charging; do you think that'll make a difference?
I'm also looking at first SEEM editing it so that I can get the 850MHz band; V220 firmware is not the most important consideration at the moment. I've also read elsewhere that any ol' USB cable will work. Is that true?
Meanwhile, I can't wait for the arrival of this giant phone!
Good find! Please let me know the precautions of using this charger. I've ordered a 158x and it's on the way. I read in an eBay posting elsewhere that the phone should be switched off while charging; do you think that'll make a difference?
I'm also looking at first SEEM editing it so that I can get the 850MHz band; V220 firmware is not the most important consideration at the moment. I've also read elsewhere that any ol' USB cable will work. Is that true?
Meanwhile, I can't wait for the arrival of this giant phone!
I recommend NOT using the charger that comes with the 158x! I have 5 each of those 4800Mah batteries and may only be able to save 2 or 3 of them. The $22 Tenergy Smart Charger should be set to the 3.7V setting and allow 10 hours to charge. The Tenergy charger is designed for Lithium-Ion/Polymer cells where as the Motelona charger is just a battery cooker. A standard mini USB should work, but I bought one specific for the Vxxx of eBay for 94 cents The port in the 158x phone is located just below the vibrate motor with a piece of flex cable slightly in the way. I have also found a source of open face leather cases with belt clip and hand strap at MobilizeNow.com. The Ultra classic cases were too small, but the ones for the 8000 BRICK are just about right. Just about 1/4 large in the back, not enough to have to stuff it with filling. PN is ACL3116024 and their picture shows a different case with hand strap.
that phone looks pretty awesome - thanks for sharing pics.... i do wonder how they made these phones, they probably bought a lot of Motorola mainboards or phones perhaps? or did they have a deal with Motorola to supply them with mainboards or something i wonder... interesting how the screen connects to the mainboard.
that phone looks pretty awesome - thanks for sharing pics.... i do wonder how they made these phones, they probably bought a lot of Motorola mainboards or phones perhaps? or did they have a deal with Motorola to supply them with mainboards or something i wonder... interesting how the screen connects to the mainboard.
I'm sure it's just overproduction at the factory that builds the phones, extra internals to sell to someone besides Motorola. The case, keypad and battery are an original design, but the phone board, screen and software are right out of the V180. The SIM holder and antenna are universal. It's all quite cheap, but it works. I just with they would've used a bar phone as the basis so it would have a key guard.
Looks like your antenna isn't soldered on either. I wonder if they heard the RFI and left them unhooked on purpose?
Hi,
It IS soldered to the board, just not at the square pad (large and left of antenna trim pot).Both phones have them soldered at that same place, except the 1st phone that I opened up, the antenna wire came loose from where is was soldered and the 2 front escutcheons, one over the LCD and the lower one that says Motelona, they fell off and have to be re-glued.
So to sum it up. The antenna wire is indeed soldered, but just not to the V180's antenna contact pad (square tinned pad). Would you recommend I solder it back to that square pad? In what scenario did you hear RFI? There must be a reason they soldered it back toward the trim pot, but to find out would probably take a translator hours and hours while face to face with the 8 year old child who spends 18 hours every day putting then together I also noticed that there is a .3 ohm resistance (on 200 ohm scale) between the center pin of the antenna and the screw threads of the antenna and I get continuity beep from the solder contact to BOTH sides of the antenna terminal. I'm a HAM operator and this goes against everything I studied about antenna design. Then again, there is quite a bit of circuitry underneath and right of the square antenna contact pad. Here is a pic of where the antenna wire was soldered.
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That is WAY too much for lithium-ion batteries. For the meantime, I opened the charger base and hot wired a 5,5v usb charger I use for my hw6945 iPAQ. I plan on getting a MAHA MH-C777PLUS-II charger analyzer which is a great unit! However, 1st thing 1st, I have to order the right size TORX bit as my T6 is too small. 
Originally Posted by pace1960
I've also gained a renewed appreciation for today's small, "wearable" phones as I have to carry this thing in my hand all the time and take up a cupholder while in the car.
However, you can go here and find plenty! 
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