Can't use default ringtones?

[Rusty]

I recently bought a Sony Ericsson Cedar and, to my surprise, I can't use most of the bundled ringtones.

I hesitated in creating this topic, as there's another (found here) that touches upon the subject but, unfortunately, does not answer the questionto my liking. I chose to make a new topic instead of reviving an old thread; apologies if this offends anyone.

I can somewhat understand the issue with not letting us use just any ringtone we want, but surely, I must be doing something wrong... I must be misunderstanding something.

Surely I can use the factory default ringtones that came bundled with my phone, right? I can't move them, I can't delete them. It doesn't seem like I can do anything with them whatsoever, other than playing them from the file manager folder. On the Cedar, there are 14 M4As and 2 MP3s which ultimately, apparently, serve absolutely no other purpose than to literally waste space (I doubt very many people spend their time listening to them over and over with the glorified preview function...).

Please tell me I'm simply mistaken, that I've overlooked some simple function that lets me use the phone I paid for in the way it was meant to be used. Please tell me that this headache is due to nothing more than a silly oversight on my part. Please tell me that there's a way for me to use the basic, default, factory-set features that came with my phone...

Failing that, please, for the love of all that is rational and good, give me a sound reason as to why they're there, untouchable and wasting space and/or why I can't use them. I mean, obviously, it's not like they're evil, pirated files or anything... I'm talking about the factory defaults -- I really can't stress that point enough. Sony-Ericsson put them there for the express purpose of being used.

Looking forward to getting an answer about this... it's been bothering me since I got my phone.

***Edited to add labels***

[Grandizer]

Sorry, but did you already do the following and it's still not working?

Menu > Settings > Sounds & alerts > Ringtone (this is from SE site and looking at the manual). I don't own the Cedar.

[Rusty]

I've tried that, doesn't work. Thanks for trying to help, though.

I'm relatively certain there's nothing to be done; it's an issue with branding and DRM. My guess is simply poor implementation/lack of communication between Fido and Sony-Ericsson.

I've spent a good part of the last few days researching the issue, and everything I've found points to the above. I don't have very high hopes for a fix (or even for a rational answer), but I'm going out on a limb here...

I'm just hoping some mod or knowledgeable customer can prove me wrong.

[Anonymous]

I think ive seen this problem before in the past. I know in the past with other models, it was solved with a firmware update. I am not familiar with the Sony Chedar but im sure there should be an option to do a software update

[Rusty · Accepted solution]

I've run the updater from the "Sony Ericsson PC Companion", which I installed when I first plugged my phone to my computer. It claims my phone's software is up to date.

But I'm quite certain it's not a software issue.

From what I understand, MP3s and M4As need to be DRM-locked before they can be used as ringtones. This can be done with the "Sony Ericsson DRM Packager", which is available for both Windows and Mac. This application encodes the selected files with DRM, giving them a .dm file format (changed from the original .mp3 or .m4a). The problem is that the default ringtones that come with the phone are DRM-free (they are not .dm files, but are "regular" .mp3 and .m4a files), and thus can't be used.

The phone came with 17 ringtones: 13 M4As, 2 MP3s and 2 Midis.

The Midis work fine (they're not affected by DRM). MP3s I've encoded with SE DRM Packager (and thus turned into .dm files) work fine. The default MP3s and M4As can't be encoded, since you can't do anything (whether it be move, copy or delete) to whatever files come bundled with the phone; to encode them, I'd have to be able to move/copy them.

15 out of 17 bundled ringtones, I can't use, unless I de-brand my phone, which I don't want to do.

As much as I appreciate the attempts to help, what I'm really looking for is an answer which addresses this issue. Preferably something official from a Fido representative. Though I'm starting to wonder if Fido might be scared to be upfront about this...

[Lime]

Hi Rusty,

I'm curious if you have solved this problem?

I recently got the Cedar and while I like it for the most part, I am experiencing the same issues as yourself.

Having only 2 ring tones to choose from is a pain and using voice recordings as a ring tone is not working for me either.

You mentioned the MP3s you encoded with the SE DRM Packager work fine as ring tone? I will need to explore that option.

Thanks.

[Anonymous]

Did anyone follow my advice and file a complaint with SonyEricsson? or contact someone like the Service Manager?

The problem likely has not been brought to their attention yet or has not escalated cus of low or no complaints.

[Lime]

I did speak with someone at SE but they were unable to help me but did suggest I get the SE DRM Packager. I can at least change my mp3s into ringtones now which is great.

[Stily]

Hi, I have the same problem. Have no idea why they're protected and what's the point of those useless mp3s.  

Just spoke to Fido, they told me to contact Sony Ericsson.

Thanks for the solution with the DRM Packager, at least I could use some other mp3 for a ringtone, not the SE one...

[Anonymous]

In the past I do recall this being fixed, but it wasnt untill some experts at fido communicated the issue to sonyericssons service department then they issued a fix in the firmware.  its quite possible they have not fixed the issue yet ,so i would contact the sonyericsson offices at their 1-800 number listed in your owners guide and put in a complaint about their product.  The reason you have to do this is fido had a large team in the past that would find out these handset issues and escalate them to the companies like sony ericsson, but fido got rid of this team of experts so they have left the burden on consumers now.