Add Ringtones to a Verizon Lg Vx5200 Phone for Free

Intro: Add Ringtones to a Verizon Lg Vx5200 Phone for Free

This tutorial will show you how to build and use a data (and charge!) cable for the lg VX5200 and how to add ringtones and download pictures without having to pay verizon. this has only been tested with an lg VX5200, but it may work with other lg VX series phones.
this is for educational purposes only, i am not liable for any damage or fees this may cause.

STEP 1: Collect Materials....

You will need:

1 usb cable to destroy
1 phone charge cable
LG4USB drivers (see below)
Bitpim from bitpim.org


note: the charge cable needs to have at least 5 pins.
i recommend a cheap knockoff car adapter. it doesn't need to
be the exact model, it just needs to physically fit.

STEP 2: Void the Warranty

open the lg plug on the end of the charge cable, if it's a car charger, there will most likely be a small circuit board on the inside. desolder and remove the board and/or wires.... all of them. using pliers, carefully remove the pins and move them to pins 5, 10, 15, 16, and 19

STEP 3: More Chopping...

cut off whatever usb device was on your cable, and solder the wires to the lg plug as follows:
note: usb vcc is connected to two pins

LG pin | USB wire
5 | Vcc (red)
10 | Data+ (white)
15 | Data - (Green)
16 | Vcc (red)
19 | Gnd (black)

Don't tape it up yet!
it needs to be tested.....

STEP 4: Test the Cable and Install the Drivers.

plug the cable in to the phone, and connect it to a computer through a usb hub
if it works, your phone will be charging and the computer will recognize it and ask for drivers, just hit cancel. if the phone says it's charging, but the pc says "usb device not recognized/failed" swap pins 10 and 15 (the data pins) and try again.
now install the enclosed driver(s) and plug the phone in again.
this time, when it asks for drivers, click "install drivers automatically." it will (should) ask three times. (as in for three separate devices) all three 'devices' (really just separate features) must be working. Now you can tape up the wires and reassemble the connector. (be sure to secure the cord or it will pull the pins out)

STEP 5: Install Bitpim

unplug the phone, then download and install bitpim from bitpim.org.
plug the phone in then run bitpim, it should automatically recognize the phone, if not, check your drivers and/or wiring.

STEP 6: Make Your Ringtone

use your favorite sound editor (or sound recorder) to cut the sound down to a 22 second clip. you can make it longer if you want, but verizon goes to voicemail after 22 seconds, and it saves precious space. you can also make it shorter if you want it to repeat. save it in it's origional format, even if it's a really high quality, you will convert it in the next step. (use 44100 khz 16bit pcm stereo, if you're using sound recorder) don't use sound recorder, if you can avoid it. it sucks.

STEP 7: Oppen Your New File for Converting...

open bitpim, expand the phone tree, then the media tree, and click ringers. click the add item button (it should have turned into a music note (two eighth notes, to be precise) with a plus sign)
navigate to your ringtone and open it.

STEP 8: Convert It With Bitpim.

you should now have the convert audio file dialog open. under new type, select mp3 (default), you can make the sample rate whatever you want, i use 24000 hz since it sounds good, and since you won't be able to tell if it's any higher with the crappy speaker (and i don't know the maximum my phone can handle). select one channel as you'll only be able to hear one, and it saves space. the bitrate can be whatever you want. the higher it is the more space it will take. if it's a short sound (like a 22 second clip) you can afford some reasonable quality. 40kbps sounds just great at 24000 hz mono. click convert. now play it, see how it sounds, if you don't like it, change the options and do it again. i recomend increasing the gain (volume). careful, it may cause over modulation. (if you don't know what it is, set the volume realy high and play it!!!) check the amount of space left on your phone and see if the new ringtone will fit. (menu>get it now>info>memory) if it's all in order click ok.

STEP 9: UPLOAD!

this is the part verizon doesn't like! click the syncronize phone with bitpim (upload) button. (the phone with the arrow pointing at it) under source, check ringtone, and set it to add. click ok!
now wait. when the 'lights' turn green, it's safe to disconnect
almost done...

STEP 10: Now the Fun Part....

set it as your ringtone!
on your verizon vx5200:
press menu, select the 'get it now' tab, select 'get tunes and tones,' select 'my ringtones'
hilight the ringtone you want, and press 'set as,' select ringtone and press ok.
now call yourself!

Comments

[karens2368]

You can do it with verizon too!Instructions for Downloading Ringtones onto to a Verizon Wireless LG Phone Open the PIX message (the song may start to play) Click on “Options” (right soft key) Select “Save Ringtone” if available, else “Save Sound” Re-name the sound (if you want) and select “Ok” Some LG phones do not allow you to use set the sound as a ringtone directly from the download. If this applies to your phone then continue with these steps: Click “Menu” Select “Settings and Tools” Select a ring option and select a sound from the list. *These are the instructions for the typical LG phone on Verizon Wireless. Your phone model or software version may vary.

[joe57005]

those sites only send your phone an email. the address is [e-mail]. it still will not allow you to set saved sounds as ringtones. verizon was very careful about that when they wrote the software. The method i use is very much a hack, as it uses lg's diagnostic protocols to directly access the phone's filesystem. you can not install anything on the phone (games, ringtones, apps, etc.) unless verizon gets money from someone somewhere. even bluetooth transferes are blocked so you can't send or recieve your own content (eg. pictures you took) without charging airtime! and yes, you will get charged for the airtime from myxer, too. And once again, it's a very bad idea to give your personal cell number to anyone, especially a web site! you'll get txt spam and sales calls like crazy. not to mention you may incur charges. You lucked out, myxer seems benign.

[karens2368]

Just go to www.myxertones.com and get free ringtones all you have to do is enter your provider and cell # wallpaper TOO! I use this all the time!!!

[joe57005]

i would NEVER give my cell number to any website. Besides, verizon doesn't allow you to get ringtones or anything else from anyone but verizon. (at least not without a cable)

[karens2368]

I do it all the time and have had no problems at all! I love myxer!!!

[LG Ringtones]

Yeah, this is cool instruction!

[DeusXMachina]

I don't have that phone but this is an awesome instructable nonetheless. I think it might work with any of the LG phones that look generally the same. It's too bad this isn't more widespread - A) I wanna have fun with some silly ringtones and B) $2.59 for 22 seconds of music is RIDICULOUS just like everything else verizon makes you pay. Maybe some competition will drive it down...

[joe57005]

if the connector fits, then it will probably work. this is pretty standard for all lg phones. i just did this with my new lg vx8500 (aka lg chocolate, such a stupid name), but i had to build a new cable for it. (i used the crappy, useless headphone adapter for the connector)

[jef713]

This is the best instrucatble ever i will never buy another ringtone again

[Darkshot]

THANKS FOR THE INSTRUCTABLE!! it really helped and i havent build it yet but im gonna see if i have another charger lying around here somewere...and then buy a usb at the dollar tree and build it and upload stuff to my phone. We have the same phone ;) how cool is that?!?! enyway thanks for all the awsome help ive been wonderin how to upload FREE songs :) thanks

[mofroe]

There are USB cables that can be purchased fairly cheaply (same price or lower than the charger you are gonna hack apart)all over the internet if you do not want to risk screwing up your data port, or wrecking a charger. Good tutorial though

[joe57005]

i paid somewhere around $12.00 at sprawlmart for the car adapter i used, and i've never had the slightest reservations about opening anything. (if you can't open it, you don't own it! ; ) i'm more worried about my computer, hence the usb hub. though, if you short a usb port, the computer's bios usually detects it and shuts off the entire usb host controller, or just shuts off/restarts the computer entirely. (either way, it needs to be rebooted to use usb, again, frusterating if you've got a usb keyboard and mouse!)

[mofroe]

I was not referring to you individually, but more to anyone that may want to load stuff on their phone without having to do all the steps listed above.

[joe57005]

well, i'm just very cheap, and impatient. too cheap to buy from a phone $tore, too impatient (and a too cheap) to buy online. and i like the prestige of building it myself.

[!Andrew_Modder!]

dont got this phone :-\ gona get the LG? Musiq Phone within a month (i hope ;-\)