Skip to main content ↑ ↓

Notice

Please note that most of the software linked on this forum is likely to be safe to use. If you are unsure, feel free to ask in the relevant topics, or send a private message to an administrator or moderator. To help curb the problems of false positives, or in the event that you do find actual malware, you can contribute through the article linked here.
Topic: Wishful AAC thinking (Read 4059 times) previous topic - next topic
0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Wishful AAC thinking

Hello,

I have an iPhone, and recently they are allowing RingTones. I have a ringtone file that I created but can't add and I have an official ring tone that I already added to my phone. Looking at the binaries of both files, the official file has header information that I am sure "allows" the file to be a ringtone and the unofficial file is missing that "flag" to be loaded onto my phone.

My question is, do you guys think its as simple as finding that flag and flipping some bits around and iTunes will be able to load the ringtone?

Also is there a diagram on the web of the file header of a m4a? I can simply change the extension of a m4a to m4r and it will be recognized as a ring tone and even played  back as a ring tone in iTunes. So the difference between an m4r and a m4a must be minimal. Only when putting the file on the iPhone will something be detected and stop the process.

I'm about to make small program to map whats similar whats not, what is similar label in hex, binary, decimal and text. But I don't want to reinvent the wheel.

Any suggestions for this problem?

Thanks.

Wishful AAC thinking

Reply #1 –
Quote from: Theory_Crafter on
Hello,

I have an iPhone, and recently they are allowing RingTones. I have a ringtone file that I created but can't add and I have an official ring tone that I already added to my phone. Looking at the binaries of both files, the official file has header information that I am sure "allows" the file to be a ringtone and the unofficial file is missing that "flag" to be loaded onto my phone.

My question is, do you guys think its as simple as finding that flag and flipping some bits around and iTunes will be able to load the ringtone?

Also is there a diagram on the web of the file header of a m4a? I can simply change the extension of a m4a to m4r and it will be recognized as a ring tone and even played  back as a ring tone in iTunes. So the difference between an m4r and a m4a must be minimal. Only when putting the file on the iPhone will something be detected and stop the process.

I'm about to make small program to map whats similar whats not, what is similar label in hex, binary, decimal and text. But I don't want to reinvent the wheel.

Any suggestions for this problem?

Thanks.


I believe I saw something on the news page over at www.ilounge.com.  Take a look there.

Wishful AAC thinking

Reply #2 –
I won't go over the steps here but Danimal is right, you can either search on iLounge or Engadget on how to make your own ringtones.  Apple recently locked out user created ringtones with the release of iTunes 7.4.1 (an upgrade from iTunes 7.4.0.28) but there is still a very easy way to make your own ringtones.

It would appear that ringtone files are the exact same things as mpeg-4 AAC audio files.  The only differences are the filenames and one has a 30 second limit.  I do not know if iTunes inserts some type of header information, I am sure it has to in order for the iPhone to recognize said file as a ringtone and not a mpeg-4 AAC audio file (then again, the iPhone OS could be advanced enough to just use the filename).  Can't help you on that part.  Go search at either site I linked you to and follow their steps.  Then analyze the resulting ringtone file.

Wishful AAC thinking

Reply #3 –
Quote from: Theory_Crafter on
I can simply change the extension of a m4a to m4r and it will be recognized as a ring tone and even played  back as a ring tone in iTunes.


Not as of the update to version 7.4.1 you can't, as already been said, and updating iTunes is obviously going to be necessary sooner or later, as later versions are going to have more functionality and or security fixes.

However, it seems Rogue Amoeba has an application that'll do it:

http://www.tuaw.com/2007/09/11/rogue-amoeb...ringtone-maker/

That's on the Mac. I don't know about on Windows, nor do I know what the RA app does to the file: it's just that I just saw the item on TUAW.

EDIT:

I suppose Atomic Parsley might tell you something:

http://atomicparsley.sourceforge.net/

Wishful AAC thinking

Reply #4 –
Hey thanks, the documentation from that open source project is perfect for what I am looking for. I really assume theres some info in there saying "ring tone authorized" and if you changed that on another m4r it won't be a problem.

As for the versions of iTunes, i do have 7.4.1.2 I was just trying to say that even though the file is m4a, changing it to m4r and iTunes still has playback basically means to me that its still a mpeg - 4 at heart and pure header information is used to stop it from being ringtone.

For others I eventually used "iPhone ringtone Maker" that also worked. And that it really tells me its not nearly as hard as encryption or checksums so I know I can do it. I better do it quick cause who knows what they might include in patches...

Thanks again everyone.