Samsung SPH-m540 All In One Guide (Aka: Slyde,Rant,Taag)

[ryan_vandal]

so... today is the day?!?!!!!

[SliceofVice]

Hi all, I know you are patiently waiting for this. I am trying to get this into my origional post, but I think that might be exceeding the character limits on this message board, so just in case, here is the excerpt of the meat and potatoes, good luck everyone!

IVc. Filesystem Access

Disclaimer:
Getting filesystem access on your phone requires 'hacking' it, which involves procedures that your phone provider (Telus) does not want you to undertake. Hacking your phone will void your warranty if a Telus employee discovers you have file system access when you take your phone in for something like repairs. Also, it is important to note that hacking your phone is a fairly involved process and if you do not clearly understand what you are doing, then it is far better to err on the side of caution and opt out of hacking your phone as you can quite likely cause permanent damage to your phone if you make a critical mistake. Howard Forums and the authour of this post do not take any responsibility for what YOU may do to your phone by attempting to follow this tutorial. YOU are making a conscious decision by reading/skipping this disclaimer to hack your phone and have been provided reasonable warning before hand that there is a possibility that things can go awry.

Also note this tutorial was written using a Windows XP Professional machine, your mileage may vary with Vista.

This tutorial is by far the hardest part of customizing your phone due to all the hardware work arounds that we must undertake. If you have problems with a section, let me know and I will try to get back to you when I can. If I find the same questions are frequently popping up then I will know to go over that section in more detail.

What you need (brackets indicate the version of the software that worked for me):
----------------
-Phone
-USB Data cable that came with phone
-Bitpim (1.0.7.x)
-Samsung USB Drivers (MCCI 4.34 WHQL v3.4)
-UniCDMA (1.095)
-QPST (2.7)


Our first order of business is that we have to get it so that our PHONE is recognized through USB. Right now if you plug in your phone through USB what actually gets recognized is the HARD DRIVE, your computer knows nothing about the phone itself, which is why programs like Bitpim and QPST will not work straight out of the box. To remedy this, you will need to install the Samsung USB Drivers mentioned above. It will need to be a recent version as the Slyde is a new model of phone. These drivers can be obtained from the Samsung website itself by searching under the downloads for other new models of phones. Installing the drivers can be a little tricky, as chances are you have already plugged your phone into the USB time and time again, so it's already set to recognize the hard drive, but not the phone itself. Install the setup file of the USB drivers, now either plug your phone into a USB port you haven't used it in before, or (Plug it into a USB port and) use your system device manager (Right Click on My Computer --> Properties...Hardware --> Device Manager) then go to View --> Devices By Connection and find the USB port your phone is listed under. It should be easy to find which USB port it is, as your hard drive for the phone should already be listed.

If you want to use QPST, continue reading, if you just want to use Bitpim to put on ringtones (simpler) skip down to the bitpim section.



You should see something like the above image. Right click on the unknown device and install the driver. Windows should be able to find it automatically and it may take some playing around to get it working (I think I had to install it manually my first time around.) It is hard to tell you what to do at this point if you cannot get it working as everyone's hardware setup will be a bit different. Try restarting before installing the drivers and playing around with it if it does not work initially.



You will know you have the drivers properly installed when your phone becomes listed as a modem as in the above image. At this point the computer knows our phone is actually phone and not just a hard drive when we connect it through USB.


Step 2 is fairly straight forward. Because we are using a CDMA phone we need to obtain our MSL number (this like a security code for our phone.) To do this we will use UniCDMA. Launch the program and under the 'setup' tab select the same COM port as listed under your USB device list. Set the mode to 'Qualcomm' and a bunch of information should fill in. If you get an error about not being able to read from the port either your hardware isn't setup correctly, you are using the wrong com port, or you have QPST server running. Under the main tab, you should see a 6 digit 'security code'. Write this down, this is the code we will need in a moment. Close this program.


We are very close now. Install QPST and open the QPST configuration. If your phone is not listed on here, manually add it. Go to Start Clients -> EFS Explorer, and be sure to enter your 6 digit code here before proceeding (where there are currently 6 zeros). From this point onwards be VERY careful what you do, also do not unplug your usb from your phone under any circumstance until you properly close QPST and ensure the virtual server it uses is properly shutdown. When you click on it, it will load, and you should see a directory tree. Congratulations, you are officially in your file system!



Bitpim

Bitpim is reallllllly easy if you made it this far, which is why it is put at the end here. Open bitpim, and click on 'Find Phone', it should automatically detect your phone as 'Other Phone'. Now click on 'Filesystem' and you should have access from here as well! So if this is so easy, why all the bother with QPST? Strangely enough each program seems to have different access rights, so I find that both tools are useful.

IVca. Custom Ringtones

First and foremost, for this to even be possible you have to 'hack' your file system using 'IVc. Filesystem Access'. This tutorial assumes you have already completed that other tutorial.

Ok, if you have filesystem access, ringtones are almost a breeze. Let's go over the types of ringtones that we can have (Italizized members are not confirmed yet):

Audio
--------
*.mp3
*.midi
*.ogg

Video
--------
*.3gp
*.3g2

Since I have currently only experimented with *.mp3 myself (and because it is the most common one) we will do that.

What you will need:
--------
-Your phone
-USB Cable (should have been supplied with phone)
-Filesystem Access (see 'IVc. Filesystem Access')
-Bitpim (see 'IVc. Filesystem Access')
-A text editor (Notepad will serve)
-Your source audio file
-Audacity (If your *.mp3 is not properly formated)
-Lame MP3 Encoder For exporting from Audacity to *.mp3

Ok, first off, we need to make sure our file is the correct format. I am assuming that the length limit for a ringtone is 30 seconds (though this is not confirmed.) What you need to do is open your desired sound file into Audacity, and crop it to 30 seconds or less. The easiest way to do this is to either select regions you don't want and delete them, or select the region you do want, Trim it (Ctrl+T), and then go Track -> Align Tracks -> Align with zero.

Now you need to save your file. So go to File -> Export...A save file dialog should popup, make sure you save as an mp3 and it is _very important_ that you click the options box before you save. In here make sure that the Bit Rate Mode is set to Constant, the Quality is 64kbps, and Channel Mode is Stereo. (I will be looking into other options in the future, but this is the most compatible one.) Now you may save your file.

If anything was unclear up to this point, you should be able to find some Audacity tutorials floating around, or are free to use another program. The bottom line is you need an mp3 file 30 seconds in length at 64kbps constant bitrate. Also make sure you name it something simple like 'MyRingtone.mp3' no fancy characters, spaces, and long file names.


That was the easy part, now you need to get the files into the phone.

For an audio ringtone there are 3 files we are interested in:
1. The ringtone itself
2. The indexing file
3. The xml indexing file

For #2 we have to construct a file which will tell the phone where our ringtone is, how big it is, etc. This file we will make/copy in the following directory (browse to it in Bitpim) '/brew/mod/obione/jas/index' In this folder you should see a few text files. Any content on your phone such as ringtones (or say java aps) are each indexed here as a separate text file saved incrementally. So if you have downloaded anything in the past, you should see some files: 1.txt, 2.txt, 3.txt,... and you can copy one of those (that was previously another ringtone, to do this, right click on the file and save it to your computer, open it up and see if it has FDMN set to Ringtones and Type set to audio/mp3 like the below) and work off that, or you will copy my example below and save it as 1.txt. So the important thing to note here is you will want to incrementally save your ringtones, and as such it is best you do them one at a time lest we make any crucial mistakes. To reilliterate, if you already have files up to say, 12.txt, you will want your custom ringtone to be saved as 13.txt. Easy enough? I thought so. Let's look at the file we have to save:

CONF: 1
COSH: 1
TYPE: audio/mp3
SIZE: 129076
FEXT:
ENCO:
TPID: 1
OWNR: 1
VRNG: 0
PATH: mmc1/jas/content/1.gc
FDNM: Ringtones
SUBD:
DOMA: 0
SGLE: 0

ROLE: 0

MMSK: 0000000064
CATE: 1
STAT: 2
COID:
DURL:
NAME: YourRingtoneName
VEND: YourVendorName
TIME: 1231595721
ICON:
ISIZ: 0
FLCK: 1



If you are starting with a new ringtone and don't have a downloaded one to work off of, copy everything in italics above to a new text file the CONF: 10 line should be on the very first line of the text file, and you will have to add a manual 'hard return' after FLCK: 1 so that there is a single blank space on the last line of your file. I am not sure if this is neccisary, but it's better safe than sorry.

The things we are concerned about changing here are the PATH to match the same number that you will be saving your index file to (so if you are saving to 13.txt, this will need to be changed to 'mmc1/jas/content/13.gc')

CONF and COSH should also be set to the number you use above.

SIZE Does not seem to matter, though it is the kb size of your ringtone (leave this as is)

NAME: You may change to a simple name that will show up as your ringtone name, keep it simple!

VEND: This name will show up as the vendor name, again keep it simple!

I will be exploring other parts of this file structure in the future so stay tuned! But for now, once you have made your changes, save the file to 1.txt (or your equivalent). Now we will put our index file on the phone.

Right click on the file listing area in bitpim and select from the popup menu 'new file' Browse to your index text file (ie: '1.txt') and 'open' it. Your file should be added to the list. Now we are getting somewhere!


Now we have to take care of #3 and #1, they both reside in the same directory, which is the one you specified for the PATH. So navigate to '/mmc1/jas/content/' and again, if you have already downloaded things you should see a list of files. Each file will have a pair, Java aps have *.jar and *.jad, ringtones will have *.gc and *.dd.

So now we will need to create #3, which is much easier than #2 thankfully.

<media xmlns="http://www.openmobilealliance.org/xmlns/dd">
<objectURI>http://www.google.ca/Whatever.dm</objectURI>
<size>128603</size>
<type>audio/mp3</type>
<type>application/vnd.oma.drm.message</type>
<vendor>YourVendorName</vendor>
<name>YourRingtoneName</name>
<installNotifyURI>http://www.google.ca/DummyUrl</installNotifyURI>
<NextURL>http://www.google.ca/next</NextURL>
</media>

Again, copy this to a new text file. The media line should be on the first line of the text file and once again, there should be a hard return after </media> meaning there is a blank space. All you have to change here is YourVendorName and YourRingtoneName to match what you put in #2 (the index file we made above.) Once that is done save this file as 1.dd (or the numerical equivalent you are working with.) You will then want to put this file as well as the ringtone (that will need to be renamed to 1.gc (or again, numerical equivalent) into this folder. (an interesting side note here is that QPST cannot seem to access this directory even with the MSL code.)

At this point, close Bitpim, unplug your USB cable, and reboot your phone (hold the end call button to turn it off, then turn it back on) If all went well, you should see your new ringtone listed under 'My Content' when you go to assign a ringtone (they will also show up on the 'Ringtones' section of 'My Files'.

If you had any problems up to this point, feel free to post, I certainly didn't get it working the first time around myself obviously, it took me a few weeks to get this far, but now that I have a method down, I can create new ones in a few minutes.

Credits go to some of the other Samsung phone threads out there and all the information contained within that gave me a basis for this information and a starting point as to where I could go to figuring all of this out.

[ryan_vandal]

yes! so stoked!

trying it right away!... hopefully i dont brick my phone lol

[Phonesnthings]

OK here are several problems I am noticing. When you said to save the 1.txt and the several other .txt files and check if the FDNM is set to ringtones, my notepad opens up something that is quite different from what you posted. There is no FDNM option all the is..is as follows: (I removed the information beside each thing, because I am a complete noob to this and I don't feel safe putting it on this forum)

JARF:
JADF:
MSIZ:
RSIZ:
DOMA:
PERM:
MISC:
RUNC:
SGLE:
(Some really strange awkward symbols here)
ROLE:
(Some more strange symbols here)
TRIA:
DLCK:
ALOW:
RMSP:
CATE:
STAT:
COID:
DURL:
NAME:
VEND:
TIME:
ICON:
ISIZ:
FLCK:

AHH!! And even when I create a new ringtone .txt file using the number 4, since 1,2 and 3 already exist but I am sure they aren't ringtones, my ringtone is not working! I put in the 4.dd file in the location you gave and I also put the .mp3 file in the location to gave. I editted the writing things as you taught and nothing has come. When I go to the 'My Content' option, it says "Please download first" or something.

I also noticed that the .mp3 once put in the folder did not get renamed to .gc and that when I plug in my phone to see if the 4.txt and 4.dd files are there..they just disappear. SOMETHING IS WRONG!!!

[koolin]

fixed the first post with your updated text. when I copy/pasted earlier and got the error message last time it must have reverted.

Let me know if everything is okay and any other updates.

[ryan_vandal]

i cant seem to get bit pim to read my phone....

or uniCDMA and i installed the samsung drivers and in device manager its there....

why is this...?


EDIT: I just saw you said "then go to View --> Devices By Connection and find the USB port your phone" i did that and my phone was not underneath there...


i also have another computer with XP on it and thought "lets try on there" and am getting the exact same results..... I used the EXACT same driver/bit pim as with vista so i think it might be the drivers or something (i put everything on a thumb drive)

if possible.... can you please e-mail me the correct drivers or something....

ryan_vandal@hotmail.com

or pm me a link?....

i have been trying to do this for the pass 4 hours....

im starting to think i might not be able to do this

[jay84h]

Hi, I am new to the Samsung Slyde. and I am having an issue I wanted to clear up. Whenever I turn on the phone, it automatically searches for a software update, WHICH I GET CHARGED the 5 cents because it's not apart of the 100 free websites. Anyone else getting this? Anyway of turning this off???

[SliceofVice]

@Phonesnthings
These text files are also used for java aps, I should have clarified that better. Chances are you are looking at an index file for your mp3 player or something. Work off the template I uploaded and try again. You should have more success.


@koolin
Thanks' Looking great now!

@ryan_vandal
I cannot garauntee that the phone drivers will work unless you use the same version I used because, obviously I haven't tested it myself. I personally found installing the drivers the most difficult part of the proccess. I may upload everything I used into a zip and upload it to Rapidshare or something, that will come up in a few days to get everyone started.

When you view devices by connection, it should look something like my first screenshot. If it does not, perhaps you could post your results and I could tell you more. You can also try manually installing the drivers if you know which USB port it is (easy enough to figure out if you plug something else in and see which port it is.)

@jay84h
I have pm'd you about this, but that shouldn't be happening. And you should contact Telus about that charge, that's pretty stupid in my books.

[Phonesnthings]

I repeat once again, I have tried making one off of the template you made and I tried it several times and nothing is coming up. What happens is I exit bitpim, unplug my phone, I turn my phone off and turn it on and once I try to check the 'My Content' thing, there are no ringtones. So, I try to check if the files I put in earlier are still there and when checking, the files are all gone except for the .mp3 file which is not even renamed to .gc

P.S I also wanted to know what Vendor meant, like what should I name the vendor? I got no idea so I just put something random there

UPDATE:
Ok now I got a few more questions after a few tries. When putting the number for the file, I have already 3 applications there, none of which are ringtones, but do I still have to name the files using the number 4 (4.dd, 4.txt)? Also, if so, when I put the 4.dd file in the location you gave, its name is written as 4.dd.txt, its not just 4.dd, is that how it should be? Same with the ringtone, do I rename the ringtone to 4.gc? And even when I tried that, the name of the ringtone became 4.gc.mp3. And once I unplug the phone and test it, and its not there and connect the phone again, the files I put in are gone.

[jcd74]

i cant believe the info here, i didnt expect so much. i would like to consider hardware upgrades for my phone. the rant is very easy to take apart(with out breaking things be careful). example the chipset used in this phone Qualcom QSC 6075 does not show on there web site (hoping they update soon) but their QSC 6065 shows that it can support a 3 megpix camera. changing the camera is easy its a small square platform connected with a ribbon and socket. a 3 meg could be found and the matching program from another phone. the phone memory shows samsung k5w1g12acf k-memory 5-??? w-?(gddr3 or sdram) 1-one g-gig. 12acff-package/temp? this info was taking from there website. im stuck with the on board memory unless any one has access to equipment to change it samsung provides larger capacities in the same package. i would like to push the 16g limit using the sd card slot samsungs nand technology is coming in the spring. any program change idea's ?

[greenxgoblin]

I can't get UniCDMA to connect to my phone.
My phone is on COM8, and the UniCDMA only goes up to Com 4..
I'm stuck there.

[Gajic]

Slice, I created an account just to thank you for this information. I was getting frustrated over the lack of custom ringtones on my Slyde, but I followed your info and I was able to get things to work within 3 or 4 hours of finaggling.

A couple of things I got hung up on and how I resolved them:

1) I couldnt figure out why I couldnt see my file system in BitPim, but then I realized I had to hit View -> File System. Silly mistake I know, but I got stuck there

2) I had the same problem as another poster with BitPim renaming my .GC file as .GC.MP3. What I found is you need to tell Audacity to export the file with a .GC extension. Don't export as a .MP3 and re-name as a .GC. The important thing about this is then Windows doesnt know its an MP3 file, and BitPim won't add that extension. If you double-click on the .GC and you get an error message popping up asking you what program you should use to open it, then you're good. I could be wrong but this is what finally got it working for me. Before that, I could see my ringtone in "My Content" but it wouldnt actually play.

[ryan_vandal]

I can't get UniCDMA to connect to my phone.
My phone is on COM8, and the UniCDMA only goes up to Com 4..
I'm stuck there.

Mine for some reason is Com 23... lol

gonna have to wait for the rapidshare link i guess!!!

[missilX]

Thanks Slice. I will be trying this tonight. Is there any way you can find a way to get this http://www.opera.com/mini/download/ on the phone? Or another browser? Because the default one is TERRRRRRRRRRIBLE.

[SliceofVice]

Hi everyone I will try to deal with everyone's outstanding issues.

@Phonesnthings
For vendor, I don't think it actually matters what you put it in there as it is just a text string. It could be 'TelusSucks' for all the phone cares.

Make sure you have file extensions turned on in your OS (http://www.fileinfo.net/help/windows...s.html)...from the sounds of things you don't have it on, so when you rename a file filename.gc it is still appending the .txt, .mp3, or whatever extension the program origionaly set. You will need to use the tutorial linked above so that you can see your file extensions and make sure that it is properly renamed. That sounds like your problem right there.

About the files disapearing. This seems to be normal behaviour of the phone when it finds things don't check out. I have had it erase my Java Aps the same way when I tried figuring those out.

@jcd74
I am new to modding phones and that went a bit over my head, but what you are suggesting sounds feasible, i'm not confident enough that we know enough about the phone to successfully pull off something like that, but if a few other people jumped on board and pitched in, we might come up with something..?

@greenxgoblin
I have had that issue as well, I resolved it by using a different USB port at the time :x HOWEVER I have figured out that you can manually set what COM port your device uses. Go to the device manager where your phone is listed (like in my 2nd screenshot of the tutorial) Right click on the device that lists your COM port number and select 'Properties' Go to the 'Port Settings' tab. Click 'Advanced' and changed the COM port number to one within the range of 1-4. If they are all in use, I would suggest unplugging as much hardware from your computer as you can and trying again (failing that you could find which device is using a used port and change THAT port to a higher number and swap it out)

@Gajic
Sweet! Good to see someone else got this working! I know the tutorial is pretty rough around the edges, but it's hard to write something and anticipate all the problems that come up and simple things that you are used to fixing. About the renaming thing, see my reply to Phonesnthings

@ryan_vandal
See my answer to greenxgoblin. My version of the program also only shows ports 1-4. Perhaps a higher version of the application shows more, I haven't tried it myself.

@missilX
Opera is at the top of my personal to do list on this phone. It would qualify as a Java ap, and I too hate the default browser. I hope to have a little time to poke around this weekend. Good luck with ringtones!