Could rooting be the answer to custom contact ringtones problem?

[Ruth5662]

Hi,

I have been having this 'Custom ringtone problem' ever since I got this phone 4 months ago. Neither Samsung nor Google have come up with a solution. Neither, unfortunately, has anyone on any of the numerous forums I have posted on. Here's the link to my original question on Android Forums:

http://androidforums.com/samsung-galaxy-ace/440905-problem-custom-contact-ringtones.html

Basically, the phone often plays a random - usually someone else's assigned - ringtone when someone calls, and not always the one actually assigned to the current caller, thus making the custom ringtone facility useless.

In the absence of any solution, I am now wondering if rooting the phone could solve the problem.

I know rooting could be considered an extreme measure in light of the fact that I would have no other reason to root other than to hopefully solve this problem, but I am desperate to have the custom ringtone facility working, and so, if anyone can advise that there is a good chance rooting can fix this issue, I am quite prepared to give it a go. I understand rooting will void my warranty, but what use is a warranty for this particular issue when Samsung can't fix it anyway?!

I have posted in the general forum as opposed to the Samsung Galaxy Ace section as the question, I think, is perhaps not just particular to my handset as it is about rooting/ringtones/Android in general. Also, so I may get as many opinions as possible.

Any advice will be much appreciated.

Thank you.

 

[Ruth5662]

Any ideas anyone?

 

[lunatic59]

Sorry you are not getting your issues resolved. It's a head scratcher. I read through your other thread and it looks like you are doing everything right. I have two questions. First, how, exactly are you assigning the ringtones to the contacts? Do you use the contacts app or are you using an app just to set ringtones? Second, do you know which class SD card you are using? OR, does this happen all the time or only when the phone is plugged in. It really sounds to me that the phone is having trouble with the SD card. A slower card might not respond quickly enough and the card might be unmounted when the phone is plugged in.

Just thinking out loud at this point.

 

[Ruth5662]

Thanks for your reply.

I assign the ringtones to contacts via the contacts app, although I have used various ringtone apps in the past to assign them in case it made a difference - it didn't.

This happens intermittently but regardless of whether the phone is plugged in or not. So it's not to do with the SD card being unmounted or not.

Now, you have got me thinking about the SD card. I didn't know there was any difference between them (apart from size). It doesn't say any speed on it, just that it's a Samsung 2GB micro SD. I can't remember now if it came with this phone or a previous Samsung!

Could it be perhaps I've got a naff one? Could that cause this problem do you think?

And do you have any opinion on the rooting idea as a possible solution?

 

[zuben el genub]

There are other places you need to check - under sound in settings. Once I changed that to a custom audio file, all the other custom tones played. Every now and then one will get off and play the wrong ringtone.

Check the card on your computer. Depending on which Samsung - you have to stick all of the tones in a file called "sounds" on the card. (no quotation marks)

I've got Gingerbread OS on the phone right now - Froyo was slightly different.

I happen to use mostly .MID files. I made the mistake of not editing one for a notification tone and got all three minutes of it. MID files are extremely small.

 

[lunatic59]

Thanks for your reply.

I assign the ringtones to contacts via the contacts app, although I have used various ringtone apps in the past to assign them in case it made a difference - it didn't.

This happens intermittently but regardless of whether the phone is plugged in or not. So it's not to do with the SD card being unmounted or not.

Now, you have got me thinking about the SD card. I didn't know there was any difference between them (apart from size). It doesn't say any speed on it, just that it's a Samsung 2GB micro SD. I can't remember now if it came with this phone or a previous Samsung!

Could it be perhaps I've got a naff one? Could that cause this problem do you think?

And do you have any opinion on the rooting idea as a possible solution?

I really don't think rooting will solve your problem. As far as SD cards go, Class 2 is the slowest and I'd never use a class 2 in an Android phone. Class 4 is the minimum IMO, but class 6 for media is recommended.

 

[Ruth5662]

I really don't think rooting will solve your problem. As far as SD cards go, Class 2 is the slowest and I'd never use a class 2 in an Android phone. Class 4 is the minimum IMO, but class 6 for media is recommended.

Thanks for that. I never knew there were 'classes' of SD cards! Mine doesn't actually say what class it is - how would I find out?

Obviously I am willing to get a better class of SD card if that may be the problem, so I will look for a class 6 as per your recommendation. I'm presuming mine won't be that???!!!

 

[lunatic59]

Just look at the card, it has either a 2 or a 4 or a 6 in a circle stamped on it. Thats the class. The class = the number of MB/S it can transfer. A class 6, for example, transfers approximately 6mb / sec.

 

[Ruth5662]

There are other places you need to check - under sound in settings. Once I changed that to a custom audio file, all the other custom tones played. Every now and then one will get off and play the wrong ringtone.

Check the card on your computer. Depending on which Samsung - you have to stick all of the tones in a file called "sounds" on the card. (no quotation marks)

I've got Gingerbread OS on the phone right now - Froyo was slightly different.

I happen to use mostly .MID files. I made the mistake of not editing one for a notification tone and got all three minutes of it. MID files are extremely small.

Thanks for your advice.

I do have a custom ringtone for default (set in settings>sounds) that plays correctly. My other custom ringtones do play, just not the right one for the right caller (it's quite random!)

My ringtone files are in sdcard/media/audio/ringtones, which I think is correct.

I have Gingerbread too (2.3.3 on Samsung Galaxy Ace).

I have tried the ringtones as both mp3 and as .ogg (as I believe the stock ones are), but both file types give the same issue.

I am going to look into the suggested SD card issue next, as suggested, as it's the only thing I've not tried to date, and I'll try anything!

Thank you again.

 

[Ruth5662]

Just look at the card, it has either a 2 or a 4 or a 6 in a circle stamped on it. Thats the class. The class = the number of MB/S it can transfer. A class 6, for example, transfers approximately 6mb / sec.

Ah. Well. Mine doesn't have any number like that on it! The only thing printed on my SD card is:

SAMSUNG
Micro SD
2GB

Then on the back, a sort of code of letters and numbers, then 'Made in Korea'.

I guess it's either very old, or very basic?