My TI99/4A Phreaking Application (Bluebox, Redbox, DTMF Dialer)

[NickH93]

I made a general phreaking BASIC program for the TI99/4A

 

Figured some of you guys would like this! I plan on making a cable to use this.

 

http://youtu.be/I01-O8QpD5k

[RobertLM78]

I wouldn't imagine there's much practical use to one now, even on a land-line, I would think (although I may be wrong about that ). Anyway, pretty cool though .

[RXB]

Yea the tones still work on phones as that is how many dialers still work.

Even today I can make the tones and hold a phone up to the speaker to dial.

[NickH93]

I wouldn't imagine there's much practical use to one now, even on a land-line, I would think (although I may be wrong about that ). Anyway, pretty cool though .

 

The only practical use for the blue box is the ProjectMF test lines. Someone runs an emulated in-band signaling line that you can bluebox and route calls and such :3

[Opry99er]

That's pretty cool, man. Could you post the code here ?

[NickH93]

That's pretty cool, man. Could you post the code here ?

 

I will convert the tape to an 8-bit mono .wav file, would that work? It's just a lot of code

[Opry99er]

You have any way to transfer to your PC? Like a serial connection or the like?

[NickH93]

You have any way to transfer to your PC? Like a serial connection or the like?

 

Unfortunately not :c

[+Gemintronic]

Unfortunately not :c

 

What about line in on the PC with some free audio recording software like Audacity? You can even convert the resulting sounds to .MP3 from there (unless MP3 causes too much distortion).

[NickH93]

What about line in on the PC with some free audio recording software like Audacity? You can even convert the resulting sounds to .MP3 from there (unless MP3 causes too much distortion).

 

I will load it into my TI and put the TI's mic cable into my line in. It'll save directly to mp3 and I can post

[NickH93]

Here it is direct from the TI. You guys can do what you will with it. Goldwave will convert it to 8-bit mono for FIAD files too.

BlueBoxBASIC.mp3

[NickH93]

Just tested by holding the phone up to the TV speaker, called a bluebox test line and some local numbers. All Bluebox MF tones and DTMF tones were perfectly recognized. So, the app is functional in this state. Just need to make a special cable to have it handled without holding the phone to the speaker. Not bad for my first actual program.

[Omega-TI]

Wow, did this bring back memories! While I never did any phone phreaking. I did write an extended basic program that combined frequencies to generate the tones required to dial the phone. This was way, way back in 1983, when people still dialed telephones manually. It took longer to load the program than it would have to just dial the number but it was fun. I had the timing set so quickly I was able to win a lot of stuff off the local radio station! (When I had the program up and running for that reason).

 

But what REALLY got me excited was my direct-connect modem I bought back in 1985. I obtained a "War-Dial" program that dialed every number in Longview, Kelso and Castle Rock looking for BBS numbers! I actually found two BBS and a few 'other' systems I was never able to identify. The Telnet system I found was a whole 'nuther ballgame'!

 

Damn, I really enjoyed those days!

[Omega-TI]

Here it is direct from the TI. You guys can do what you will with it. Goldwave will convert it to 8-bit mono for FIAD files too.

 

DAMN! That was music to my ears! I've not heard that sound for 29-30 years! Tonight the nostalgic feelings are running quite deep. It really sux getting old.

[NickH93]

DAMN! That was music to my ears! I've not heard that sound for 29-30 years! Tonight the nostalgic feelings are running quite deep. It really sux getting old.

 

Glad you liked it! I actually could dial on the rotary phone I still have! It's hard for a 20 year old to get into phreaking but, this was a good way into it. I really enjoy it! More odd programs to come I am sure

[Omega-TI]

Glad you liked it! I actually could dial on the rotary phone I still have! It's hard for a 20 year old to get into phreaking but, this was a good way into it. I really enjoy it! More odd programs to come I am sure

You know now that you mention it, with the advent of cheap cell phones many youngsters your age have NEVER heard the touch tones. let alone a dial tone! Wow, and you've actually DIALED a phone... I've not used a rotary since 1970.

 

By the way, did you know the first private party-to-party call was a CRANK CALL!

[Willsy]

Great stuff, now can we have a version that works on European consoles (different frequencies) for European DTMF systems

[NickH93]

Gladly

[NickH93]

Here is the test! I put my phone up to the speaker, called a time line with the TI99 produced touch tones, and has successful results!

http://youtu.be/FU5FcoSGXIo

[NickH93]

Lastly here is audio recorded from my phone. All tones sound just like normal, but are produced by my TI99/4A. Enjoy!

ti99 phreak.mp3

Edited July 1, 2013 by NickH93

[+OLD CS1]

Wow, did this bring back memories!

 

My memories of phreaking and war dialing included a visit from a county deputy at my job because someone complained about my war dialer. I programmed it very carefully to only call numbers ONCE and to call randomly with random intervals as an attempt to avoid triggering phone company safe-guards (they would clamp you down for sequential dialing.) Apparently two very paranoid people complained.

 

When I was younger and traveled to visit my grandparents, I recorded tones on my Casio SK-8 sampling keyboard and used it in airports.

 

That is some of the tamer stuff, the more fun stuff I shall refrain from sharing. Except maybe over some liquor at a Faire some day.

[NickH93]

I am so sorry to revive a dead topic, but I am not starting a new topic to post a 3 year later update.

With my new TI99 setup with PEB, I managed to reload this program via the wav file I posted here. I saved it onto a floppy disk, which I can turn into a .DSK image should anyone want this. It would make it more accessible with emulators, and TI99-PC to run on a real machine.

Another update, I ran this in XB which runs so much faster. The Redbox mode actually is at the correct speed now, and overall responsiveness was improved.

Again, sorry to reboot an old topic, but I just figured now I have a system again, this is a good chance to pick up on all the projects where I left off.

Can't believe I could actually make halfway decent programs at one point!

 

-Nick

[+Ksarul]

Definitely image it and load it to the thread. You never know when someone else will find some neat trick in the code that they can use too. . .

[+Lee Stewart]

I am so sorry to revive a dead topic, but I am not starting a new topic to post a 3 year later update.

...

-Nick

 

On this forum for a 35-year-old computer, there is pretty much no such thing as a “dead topic”!! It makes eminently good sense to elaborate an existing thread. Topics are difficult enough to find without compounding the problem with splintered threads.

 

...lee

[ElectricLab]

Too bad most of this in-band signaling is long dead Last I knew, if you can find a non-COCOT actual payphone, you can probably still use a red box to some extent.

My friends and I used to have a great time by recording the quarter sounds into a tape recorder and having loads of fun at pay phones many kilomoons ago. We always had trouble trying international calls that way, but we were able to dial LD and even local phone numbers by entering them as though they were LD and play our quarter sound whenever prompted to deposit money.