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redbox.txt
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1998-03-25
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01. What is a Red Box?
When a coin is inserted into a payphone, the payphone emits a set of tones
to ACTS (Automated Coin Toll System). Red boxes work by fooling ACTS into
believing you have actually put money into the phone. The red box simply
plays the ACTS tones into the telephone microphone. ACTS hears those tones,
and allows you to place your call. The actual tones are:
Nickel Signal 1700+2200 0.060s on
Dime Signal 1700+2200 0.060s on, 0.060s off, twice repeating
Quarter Signal 1700+2200 33ms on, 33ms off, 5 times repeating
02. How do I build a Red Box?
Red boxes are commonly manufactured from modified Radio Shack tone dialers,
Hallmark greeting cards, or made from scratch from readily available
electronic components.
To make a Red Box from a Radio Shack 43-141 or 43-146 tone dialer, open the
dialer and replace the crystal with a new one. The purpose of the new
crystal is to cause the * button on your tone dialer to create a 1700Mhz
and 2200Mhz tone instead of the original 941Mhz and 1209Mhz tones. The
exact value of the replacement crystal should be 6.466806 to create a
perfect 1700Mhz tone and 6.513698 to create a perfect 2200mhz tone. A
crystal close to those values will create a tone that easily falls within
the loose tolerances of ACTS. The most popular choice is the 6.5536Mhz
crystal, because it is the eaiest to procure. The old crystal is the large
shiny metal component labeled "3.579545Mhz." When you are finished
replacing the crystal, program the P1 button with five *'s. That will
simulate a quarter tone each time you press P1.
03. Where can I get a 6.5536Mhz crystal? Your best bet is a local
electronics store. Radio Shack sells them, but they are overpriced and the
store must order them in. This takes approximately two weeks. In addition,
many Radio Shack employees do not know that this can be done.
Or, you could order the crystal mail order. This introduces Shipping and
Handling charges, which are usually much greater than the price of the
crystal. It's best to get several people together to share the S&H cost.
Or, buy five or six yourself and sell them later. Some of the places you
can order crystals are:
Digi-Key
701 Brooks Avenue South
P.O. Box 677
Thief River Falls, MN 56701-0677
(80)344-4539
Part Number:X415-ND /* Note: 6.500Mhz and only .197 x .433 x .149! */
Part Number:X018-ND
JDR Microdevices:
2233 Branham Lane
San Jose, CA 95124
(800)538-5000
Part Number: 6.5536MHZ
Tandy Express Order Marketing
401 NE 38th Street
Fort Worth, TX 76106
(800)241-8742
Part Number: 10068625
Alltronics
2300 Zanker Road
San Jose CA 95131
(408)943-9774 Voice
(408)943-9776 Fax
(408)943-0622 BBS
Part Number: 92A057
Mouser
(800)346-6873
Part Number: 332-1066
04. Which payphones will a Red Box work on?
Red Boxes will work on TelCo owned payphones, but not on COCOT's (Customer
Owned Coin Operated Telephones).
Red boxes work by fooling ACTS (Automated Coin Toll System) into believing
you have put money into the pay phone. ACTS is the telephone company
software responsible for saying "Please deposit XX cents" and listening for
the coins being deposited.
COCOT's do not use ACTS. On a COCOT, the pay phone itself is responsible
for determining what coins have been inserted.
05. How do I make local calls with a Red Box?
Payphones do not use ACTS for local calls. To use your red box for local
calls, you have to fool ACTS into getting involved in the call.
One way to do this, in some areas, is by dialing 10288-xxx-xxxx. This makes
your call a long distance call, and brings ACTS into the picture.
In other areas, you can call Directory Assistance and ask for the number of
the person you are trying to reach. The operator will give you the number
and then you will hear a message similar to "Your call can be completed
automatically for an additional 35 cents." When this happens, you can then
use ACTS tones.