larry chaffin
CEO and Chairman of Pluto Cloud Services

Creating custom ring tones for Communications Manager Express (CME)

Analysis
Feb 25, 20093 mins

I had to re-install ringtones for a customer and add some customer ringtone this past week. I thought I would share the steps below that I used. I was sent these steps and they were very usefull.

Creating custom ring tones for Communications Manager Express (CME)

Custom Ring Tones for CME is a five step process.

Step 1  – Convert a .wav file to PCM format with a .raw extension

Step 2 – Create or modify the RingList.xml file on the CME Router

Step 3 – Upload the ringtone and RingList.xml files to the CME Router

Step 4 – Enable the TFTP process on the router to server the files.

Step 5 – Reset the phones

# 1 Convert a .wav file to Raw PCMCCITT u-Law  and 8.000khz, 8bit, then save it with a .raw extenstion.##PCM File Requirements for Custom Ring Types

The easiest way to convert a .wav file to PCM format is using Sound Recorder, a program that usually comes installed with windows as a default.  Please note the Sound Recorder that comes with Windows Vista does NOT offer this functionality.

Open the .wav file with Sound Recorder and click save as.

change the format to

Technically Cisco States the following:

The PCM files for the rings must meet the following requirements for proper playback on Cisco IP Phones:

  • Raw PCM (no header)
  • 8000 samples per second
  • 8 bits per sample
  • uLaw compression
  • Maximum ring size — 16080 samples
  • Minimum ring size — 240 samples
  • Number of samples in the ring must be evenly divisible by 240
  • Ring should start and end at the zero crossing

Cisco’s Requirements are documented at https://www.cisco.com/univercd/cc/td/doc/product/voice/c_callmg/3_0/admin_gd/3_0_9/a3rings.htm

 2 – Create or modify the RingList.xml file on the CME Router

#

RingList.xml is a case sensitive file  used to globally configure available ringtones on the CallManager Express router.  You can copy the sample format from below into notepad and save it as RingList.xml.  This file provides the list the users browse to select ringtones and the  file locations the IPphone uses to find the ringtone files served up by the TFTP service on the CME router. You can have up to 50 entries in this file. The descriptions and filenames have a 25 character limit.

##MyCustomtone#mycustomtone.raw###RingTonefrom24#ctu.raw##

Cisco now provides a Sample RingList.xml file and Sample Ringtones at the CME section of the Software Download site. 

# 3 – Upload the ringtone and RingList.xml files to the CME Router

Use the command copy tftp flash:RingList.xml  and copy tftp flash:YOURringTONEname.raw

Follow our instructions on how to use TFTP or a USB flash card to upload files to the CallManager Express Router’s flash.

# 4 – Enable the TFTP process on the router to server the files.

Enter the command tftp-server flash:RingList.xml and tftp-server flash:YOURringTONEname.raw

The tftp-server command enables the TFTP server function of the router to be able to deliver the RingList .xml and specific ringtones to the phones.

# 5 – Reset the phones

Reset an individual phone to test your ringtones before using the telephony-service reset all command.

# 6 – Save your Config