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- DPC-550
-
- Motorola "flip" phone
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-
- This page is in BETA testing....Beware! could DISABLE your phone!
-
- There seems to be a lot of contradictory information going around about how
- to fiddle with one of these things. Instead of taking sides (and possible
- being WRONG), I will just present here some of the information I found. If
- you find a procedure that works for a particular computer / phone /
- software version, mail me and tell me and I will put it up here.
-
- All of the ESN changing schemes require a reprogramming cable to be built.
- The most difficult part to obtain for this cable is the plug that goes into
- the bottom of the phone. Everyone I know of has cannibalized one of the
- cheaper cigarette-lighter adapters for its cord. The problem here is that
- not all adapters are alike. Some manufacturers sensibly left out the pins
- of the connector that they would not use. Thus, you must either be able to
- inspect the cord/plug and see that it has all the proper pins, or be
- prepared to hack the proper modifications into one that doesn't. If your
- cable needs pins, use "header" pins - available from Radio Shack as "wire
- wrapping posts" (part # 276-1987, $1.19/20 ). When I find out which models
- of lighter adapters are good for this project, I will put a list on this
- web page.
-
- The rest of the electronics is not too difficult for anyone with a little
- experience with a soldering iron to put together.
-
- The next issue is the computer. Evidently the software was written a few
- years back when most computers ran at clock speed of less than 20 MHz. Due
- to poor program design, the timing loops are hard-coded. This means that it
- is quite easy to have a computer that is TOO FAST for this project. Sources
- I trust tell me that systems with clock speeds of between 10 and 20 MHz
- work, with a 16MHz 386 being optimal. Other sources have reported success
- with 25 MHz and higher speeds. The next issue is the system's parallel
- port. It must be bi- directional. Most systems of modern vintage do have
- bi-directional parallel ports, though some must have the settings in the
- CMOS setup changed. Of course, the system must also run MS-DOS and be at
- least somewhat IBM- compatible (whatever that means). Some of the software
- requires that the config.sys has FILES=8 or higher.
-
- There has been major advances in reprogramming software in the past few
- years. For a long time the only software was the 'old reliable' mot6.6
- program. This is still a very useful program. However, it will only program
- phones with firmware versions of 9121 or earlier. I have seen two different
- packages of this software floating around the net and BBSes, and have
- noticed no appreciable difference. Other knock-offs of this 6.6 software
- seem to be the 9.9 and 9.11 versions. They have been said to be able to
- reprogram phones of version higher than 9121, but the author has never seen
- this succeed. Other respectable sources are of the opinion that these
- versions are nothing more than utter frauds, hacked up versions of mot6.6
- with the version numbers changed. So use mot6.6 and standard flip
- programming cables for phones with firmware older than 9122. For newer
- phones, you MAY be able to simply acquire older firmware and install it in
- the phone. I doubt this works on all but the phones with firmware just
- after 9122, say up to 9130 or so. For phones newer than that, you should
- just hope that the phone is not 95XX firmware version or newer. I know of
- no way to reprogram the ESN on these with a computer and cables, though
- some rumors of COPY-CAT boxes being able to reprogram these phones have
- been heard but not verified. For phones between 9122 and 95XX, there are a
- few methods. First, try the CF-10 EPROM, then the New Loader EPROM, and
- then the G2 program. The G2 software and special ID transfer cables are
- required, as is an older (pre 9122) Motorola "bag" phone which has the
- special LOADER firmware installed. This scheme works by first reading the
- ESN out of the flip-to-be-programmed and puts it in the "loader" phone,
- where G2 changes it, then the ESNs are switched back again. Voila! the
- phone is now cloned. This is a very tricky process. There may be many
- complications. This process is not for the technologically challenged or
- mentally impaired. Do not try this with a phone that you can't bear to lose
- until you have practiced enough and are sure you have the process correct.
- I will be updating this page with hints and corrections as I come across
- them. Do not mail me with questions, because if it's not here I don't know
- it. If you have corrections, tell me. If you fuck up your phone, don't say
- that I didn't warn you! There are no guarantees of the correctness of the
- data presented here, or anywhere else in the radiophone pages.
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