1. Introduction
1.1. Ringtone Creator
Ringtone Creator is available in a number of flavors: it provides a Java library with plenty of functions for ringtone conversion and processing. It can also be used in the form of a Java Servlet, so that when installed on a production server, it's able to convert and process ringtones in a multithreaded environment. This particular document will concern itself with still another, and definitely the most widely-used application of Ringtone Creator - a visual ringtone converter which is capable of nearly all of the features of the Java library version.The purpose of the Ringtone Creator GUI Converter is to make ringtone conversion and optimization simple and convenient for end users (ringtone providers, composers, etc). Simply determine the formats into which you want to convert your ringtones, choose the correct processing instructions and voila, you've got the end result you wanted, and with superior sound quality!
1.2. Ringtone Formats
Every ringtone in existence is in some sort of format, unless it's just a random set of bytes. (In which case it won't play at all :). All ringtone formats (as well as other sound formats) can be divided into three main categories: note-based formats, PCM-based formats, and mixed formats.| Format type | Explanation | Examples |
| Note-based | If a ringtone format consists of the specifying of the notes (C, D,...A, B) of a melody, it's called a Note-based format. Most such formats also support note durations and scales (also known as octaves). Some formats (such as MIDI and SMAF) allow the specifying of the precise instrument used for playing an individual note. Note-based formats also usually specify the tempo, i.e. the speed of the melody. | Nokia, Motorola, Sagem, (SP-)MIDI, SMAF (without PCM samples), RTTTL, IMelody |
|
PCM-based (a.k.a. true tones, real tones) |
If a ringtone format describes the sound waves which comprise the sound, this format is referred to as PCM-based. PCM stands for Pulse-Code Modulation and indicates the method of representing sounds as digitally-encoded sound waves. | WAVE, MP3, AMR, SMAF (consisting of PCM samples only), AAC. |
| Mixed | SMAF format is a mixed format, because files in this format can consist of both PCM samples and note information. | SMAF |
There are some rules and limits involved with the conversion between note-based and PCM-based ringtones. To create a PCM ringtone from a note-based ringtone, special software is required, which uses the instrument sound data for each note and computes the wave information from information in the source ringtone. The result is usually a PCM-based ringtone. Backward conversion is generally impossible, because the original tune cannot be precisely reconstructed from the original sound waves. While there is indeed software available which claims to do this, the result isn't really worth the money and time. The best way to convert PCM ringtones into their corresponding notes is to find a professional musician who will rewrite them for you. Ringtone Market [link] is a good place to start your search for this service.
1.3. What Ringtone Creator can and cannot do
Ringtone Creator can do the following:- calculate the exact duration of ringtones;
- limit the duration of ringtones;
- limit the file size of ringtones;
- limit the polyphony of ringtones;
- limit the number of tracks;
- change ringtone names;
- find repeating patterns in ringtones;
- remove unwanted and potentially incompatible events;
- remove the silence at the beginning and end of ringtones;
- use pluggable converters for PCM-based formats;
- convert ringtones individually or in batch;
- synthesize sound using your own custom banks (*);
- perform many additional tasks...
(*) with the Unwiredtec Sound Engine [link]
Ringtone Creator cannot do the following:
- convert PCM-based ringtones into note-based ringtones;
1.4. Format inter-conversion matrix
| From \ To | Notes | Mixed | PCM |
| Notes | Yes | Yes | Yes(*) |
| Mixed | Yes(**) | Yes | Yes(*) |
| PCM | No | Yes(***) | Yes |
(*) with the Unwiredtec Sound Engine [link]
(**) only the note-based portion will be converted; the PCM portion will be discarded
(**) the result will contain only the PCM portion
Table of Contents - Installation
Ringtone CreatorTM GUI Converter documentation.
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