Ripping Data from cell phone?

[RedCroissant]

Hello to everyone!

I have an interesting idea(probably not an original one). I have a couple of older cell phones ad would like to take the default ringtones from them and rip them so that I can add them to iTunes and make them my current ringtones. Does anyone know of an application for PPC Macs that makes this happen?

The phones in question are an older LG Xpression and a Pantech Impact. I have a couple of other ones as well but just want to see if there is anything before I waste any more time with it.

Thanks in advance for any help!

 

[chabig]

Search the web and you'll probably find those ringtones.

 

[eyoungren]

When you say rip, do you mean get them off the phone (assuming they are already in a useable format) or do you mean getting them off the phone and then converting them to M4A?

 

[RedCroissant]

When you say rip, do you mean get them off the phone (assuming they are already in a useable format) or do you mean getting them off the phone and then converting them to M4A?

The default ringtones, which do now show up on the device when connected and are not transferable using the UI on the phone, are the ones that I want but can't seem to get. I considered just downloading the ringtones from somewhere but that makes me a bit nervous.

So yes I do mean getting them off the phone and then converting them to M4a.

I was hoping to use either RealPlayer or Handbrake to convert the files but it's getting them off of the phone that seems to be the tricky part.

 

[Dronecatcher]

Hello to everyone!

I have an interesting idea(probably not an original one). I have a couple of older cell phones ad would like to take the default ringtones from them and rip them so that I can add them to iTunes and make them my current ringtones. Does anyone know of an application for PPC Macs that makes this happen?

The phones in question are an older LG Xpression and a Pantech Impact. I have a couple of other ones as well but just want to see if there is anything before I waste any more time with it.

Thanks in advance for any help!

Can you share them to your Mac via bluetooth? Or send them from the phones attached to an email? If they're in a common audio format, Audacity can convert them to something more iTunes friendly. In fact they may already play perfectly well in iTunes.
If they are MIDI files, iTunes can import them and then you can convert them to AAC or MP3.

 

[RedCroissant]

Can you share them to your Mac via bluetooth? Or send them from the phones attached to an email? If they're in a common audio format, Audacity can convert them to something more iTunes friendly. In fact they may already play perfectly well in iTunes.
If they are MIDI files, iTunes can import them and then you can convert them to AAC or MP3.

That's the funny thing. They're already in a .mp3 format but those items specifically are not able to be shared or transferred or emailed at all. And when I change the USB connection method, it requires that the data shared must be on a micro SD card.

 

[Dronecatcher]

That's the funny thing. They're already in a .mp3 format but those items specifically are not able to be shared or transferred or emailed at all. And when I change the USB connection method, it requires that the data shared must be on a micro SD card.

Am I right in thinking those phones have proprietary operating systems? That kind of limits your options - unless you can move the ringtones via a file manager, you might have to record them off your phone and then 'clean' the files up.

 

[happyfrappy]

It really depends upon carrier customization, Cingular/at&t mobility crippled the hell out of most non-smartphones that weren't Motorola/Nokia like VerizonWireless had done and bluetooth stack neutered in some kind of way(SonyEricssons you could DIY debrand via Sony's own firmware update tool by hex editing system file from Americas to International). Keep in mind BrewOS(java) based phones are beyond locked down, you need to work as a tech for VZ/Sprint to have access to the backup/file dump tools.

On the other hand certain models of Pantec, Samsung & LG can be put into diagnostics/test mode and certain key combos can unlock full access to the data port for file transfer/firmware flashing. Most 3rd party file management tools require 32-bit Windows(XP & Vista) as Win7/8 block kernel & filesystem level unsigned drivers.

If you don't have access to a WinXP/Vista PC, you may as well use a 2.5mm to 3.5mm audio cable and record the ringtones/audio memos.

 

[RedCroissant]

Am I right in thinking those phones have proprietary operating systems? That kind of limits your options - unless you can move the ringtones via a file manager, you might have to record them off your phone and then 'clean' the files up.

Yes you are and it isn't fun at all.

 

[RedCroissant]

It really depends upon carrier customization, Cingular/at&t mobility crippled the hell out of most non-smartphones that weren't Motorola/Nokia like VerizonWireless had done and bluetooth stack neutered in some kind of way(SonyEricssons you could DIY debrand via Sony's own firmware update tool by hex editing system file from Americas to International). Keep in mind BrewOS(java) based phones are beyond locked down, you need to work as a tech for VZ/Sprint to have access to the backup/file dump tools.

On the other hand certain models of Pantec, Samsung & LG can be put into diagnostics/test mode and certain key combos can unlock full access to the data port for file transfer/firmware flashing. Most 3rd party file management tools require 32-bit Windows(XP & Vista) as Win7/8 block kernel & filesystem level unsigned drivers.

If you don't have access to a WinXP/Vista PC, you may as well use a 2.5mm to 3.5mm audio cable and record the ringtones/audio memos.

Actually, I didn't even consider using an audio cable to connect the phones and that seems to work. I'm registering the audio input in system preferences and now I just want a free audio recording application and then I can get to getting these audio files that I like. Thanks for that and just a plain auxiliary cable is working.

 

[Dronecatcher]

Actually, I didn't even consider using an audio cable to connect the phones and that seems to work. I'm registering the audio input in system preferences and now I just want a free audio recording application and then I can get to getting these audio files that I like. Thanks for that and just a plain auxiliary cable is working.

Audacity is free, works on PowerPC and allows you to output into lots of formats - though if you export to mp3 you have to install the LAME mp3 library separately.

 

[RedCroissant]

Audacity is free, works on PowerPC and allows you to output into lots of formats - though if you export to mp3 you have to install the LAME mp3 library separately.

Thank you very much for this! This is why I love this community. I'm down to possibly my last Mac (if it turns out that I need to sell my wife's iMac that is) so finding ways to make this even more of an awesome machine is fun and very useful.

So thank you very much and did find and install the library!