How to install custom ringtones on your A970 - WORKS!

[cody666]

Just follow these steps.

Samsung and BitPim

For this post, we're using BitPim. I use .0.8.01 however, other versions may work, be sure to go to View->Filesystem in order to get the filesystem tab. First we have to get your computer hooked up to your phone.

To do this, you'll need 3 things.

1) A USB Cable
2) Drivers
3) Bitpim

USB CABLE CONNECTION
With a cable, it's easy....
1. A Cable. I got mine from Yourwirelesssource.com for $7.88. They offer free shipping if you refer someone, so why not refer yourself from one email account to another? You'll get a coupon in an email. Use that
http://www.yourwirelesssource.com/sh...cessory/260993
2. Plug in cable
3. Plug in phone
4. Done..

SAMSUNG A970 DRIVER FOR WINDOWS
1) Download USB driver: http://org.downloadcenter.samsung.co...DMA_Driver.exe

Thanks to everyone at brewforums.qualcomm.com. We made it happen.
2) Install Driver

Note: no luck on finding a Macintosh driver so far...

BitPim
1) Download Bitpim:
http://www.bitpim.org/#download
Now, download BitPim. Install, then run it.

Configuring BitPim

Once BitPim starts....Don't bother trying to Detect Phone. A970's and A850 are unsupported. Bitpim won't detect them. You have to manually enter your phone's connection information

1. Click Edit ->Settings
2. Change Phone Type to CDMA-Other
3. Type in the COM Port for the phone. I've had success with the Test port. (for me it's COM7)
4. Click the FileSystem Tab, it looks says 'Filesystem' and is the 2nd to last one on the right. After loadign a bit you should see your phone's file structure.
5. All of your files are displayed in their wonderful Glory! If you can't see the File System tab, go to View > View filesystem to show it.

GENERAL INFO
Here are the locations for important files:
\mm\mvg\drm - ringtones go here. Sounds can be ringtones, Ringer IDs or alert sounds. Both .mid and .mp3 files work, as well as .mp3 renamed to .mid

\melodies\my\drm works for ringtones also, but it won't allow for alert tones. NOT SUGGESTED

Putting a Ringtone on the Phone.
Warning - Keep the file name Short, less than 32 Characters total, including .extension, or you'll never be able to erase it from the phone

1) From mm/mvg/drm select New File and then choose the file to upload to the phone. So far, everything seems to work. MP3s of any lenght, stereo or mono, VBR etc. MIDIs work to. Just put them in the right directory, which is mm/mvg/drm

2) Wait for the file to upload to the phone

3) Quit BitPim

4) IMPORTANT. Reboot the phone. ie. turn it on then off. Otherwise the files won't appear.

5) Go to Get it Now. Select Tunes & Tones and scroll down to the track you just uploaded. Select Options and Apply as Ringtone

6) Booyakasha!

TO DELETE A RINGTONE
Do it through GIN > Get Tunes & Tones > Left Softkey is 'Erase'. Do Not Delete Through BitPim

I found out how to set ringtones for alert tones on the a970. Write the 30 sec clip in bitpim to mm/mvg/drm and when you restart your phone they are on the top of the menu and they can be set from there as ringtones contact id or any of the alert sounds.!!

[Moderator HF 9]

Sticky added. Please PM me or one of the other moderators if you need to edit the original post to add more tutorial content.

[Western_Son]

With information in this Thread I have successfully added a midi file and an mp3 file to my 970 and have successfully set them as ringtones.

Here's how...

You need a compatible USB data cable, Bitpim 8.01, the drivers in the linked thread above and a file suitable for up loading as a ringtone. I have used midi and mp3 so far.

Install the drivers before you ever connect the phone. If you have already connected your phone before installing the drivers you are on your own but I think you can manually update the drivers via Device Manager.

Install Bitpim.

Connect the phone and let your computer recognize it. You will need to reboot the computer once the phone is finished installing itself.

Once rebooted run Bitpim.
Under settings I used "Other CDMA Phone"
For COM Port I browsed to SAMSUNG CDMA Diagnostic Serial Port
I did NOT check the READ ONLY check box.
Click OK
Select the VIEW menu and choose View File System.
Click the "+" in the upper left window and Bitpim should display the file system in tree format in a few moments.
Navigate down the the MELODIES directory and expand it to see a directory called DRM.
Right click this directory and select "New File..."
Browse to the file on your computer you wish to install on your phone as a ringtone.
Select Ok and it will be transferred to your phone.
Reboot the phone. (I used the reboot command in the bitpim rt click dropdown)
Bitpim will indicate that no phone is present when it starts rebooting. THis is normal.

Open the phone.
Press the right directional button to go to the GIN menu.
Select Get Tunes & Tones.
Scroll down to the file you loaded onto the phone.
You should see "Set as Ringtone" and "Set as Ringer ID" for the file.
Set your ringtones as you wish.

There you have it.

Thanks to Cody666 and PeterB who were the posters who collectively put all this stuff together. I simply combined all the steps in this post. Good luck.

[Moderator HF 9]

The moderator already stickied my thread. I guess we where doing the same thing. I'll merge this with the stickied thread: http://www.howardforums.com/showthread.php?t=772771.

Let's explore the file system and get the rest of the details worked out.

Done........

[Jakes]

This rocks! Thanks! Now I just need to order my USB cable

[mbaverizon]

mine did not work

[Jakes]

I can't find how to get the referal... I clicked your link and it took me to the main page.

[Western_Son]

mine did not work

More details please. What kind of file? How long is the file when you play it on your computer? Did you reboot the phone and look under the GIN menu with the right directional button? The newly loaded file will be in the GET TUNES & TONES menu after the phone reboots.

[cody666]

I can't find how to get the referal... I clicked your link and it took me to the main page.

It's under Current Promotions. Here's a direct link: http://www.yourwirelesssource.com/do...r%20a%20Friend

[Jakes]

Thanks Cody!!!

[snrsuave]

Just ordered my USB cable. Free ringtones.... here I come! I think this made up my mind on keeping this phone. I forsee being very happy with it as long as Samsung fixes a few problems with it (audio delay on video, default # for contacts, etc.)

[wtwieder]

Will this work with the a-950? I didn't realize that Bitpim was compatible with any of the newer Samsung models.

[mbaverizon]

More details please. What kind of file? How long is the file when you play it on your computer? Did you reboot the phone and look under the GIN menu with the right directional button? The newly loaded file will be in the GET TUNES & TONES menu after the phone reboots.

ok i did everything, its not recognising any com ports, when i look in the file system tab it has a box with a plus in it and this / next to it!! nothing shows up?????? so i dont know what iam doing wrong, when should i reboot the phone???

[Western_Son]

ok i did everything, its not recognising any com ports, when i look in the file system tab it has a box with a plus in it and this / next to it!! nothing shows up?????? so i dont know what iam doing wrong, when should i reboot the phone???

Look in device manager to see what you have showing in the PORTS area. Do you see a Samsung CDMA Moden Diagnostic Serial Port? If you don't then the phone drivers are not installed correctly. You will likely have to update the driver and point it manually at the folder with the correct drivers.

There is no reason I can think of that you shouldn''t see the file system if the drivers and ports are all correct.

No need to reboot until you actually get a file on the phone...

[cody666]

I had to reboot my OS after the driver install. It wouldn't connect. Could have been a one off thing.

Also, connect you phone to the cable before you launch BitPim. Give the OS a second to recognize the new device.