Sprint Mobile Broadband / EVDO Image Compression Solution

sdphotog · EVDO Fledgling Joined: 22 Oct 2005 Posts: 23

After doing a little research into the problem, I have found a solution to get around Sprint's proxy server compressing images. I noticed that my Treo's web browser, Blazer, receives uncompressed images. I captured Blazer's user-agent information and realized that the proxy server doesn't compress images going to that browser. So, I added "Blazer/4.0" to the end of FireFox's user-agent string, and now Firefox receives uncompressed images and HTML.

Original FireFox user-agent:
Mozilla/5.0 (Macintosh; U; PPC Mac OS X Mach-O; en-US; rv:1.7.5) Gecko/20041107 Firefox/1.0

Modified FireFox user-agent:
Mozilla/5.0 (Macintosh; U; PPC Mac OS X Mach-O; en-US; rv:1.7.5) Gecko/20041107 Firefox/1.0; Blazer/4.0

Here's a link on how to change the user agent in firefox:
http://johnbokma.com/mexit/2004/04/24/changinguseragent.html

You could also use a user-agent plugin to change between the normal and modified user agents. I found one plugin called "User Agent Switcher"

I also was also able to change the user agent for Safari, but it required modifying the actual binary application file. I'm sure changing the user agent in any other Mac/PC browser will have the same results.

So far, every site i have visited comes up properly. Google comes up as the "PDA" version, but if you click on the "Preferences" link, you can change the default back to "HTML"

Enjoy!

UPDATE: Here's how to change the user agent in Safari:

First, make a copy of your Safari Application. I renamed my copy to "Safari Wireless." Then control-click or right click and show the package contents. Inside the "Contents" folder, open the file "Info.plist". I used TextEdit, which worked fine. Almost at the end of the file, you'll find this block of strings:

Michael · Posted: Sun Oct 23, 2005 4:30 pm Post subject:

GREAT POST!

This info is what these forums are all about.

Thanks!
_________________
3Gstore.com

niteLite · Posted: Sun Oct 23, 2005 11:36 pm Post subject:

THE best post i have read on here in a while, you rock. Mr. Green

olywogle · EVDO Newbie Joined: 23 Oct 2005 Posts: 1

The image compression issue was the only factor till this thread was posted. I was considering return my sprint EVDO card until now. The originator of this thread just made a whole lot of sprint EVDO users very happy!!! Thanks man, you deserve some sort of "most useful thread" award for this.
Oly

SL10 · Posted: Mon Oct 24, 2005 1:53 am Post subject:

Great post. Thanks for sharing. Smile

_________________
Old Fart.

Michael · Posted: Mon Oct 24, 2005 7:21 am Post subject:

I have made this post a sticky, so it will remain near the top of the list.
_________________
3Gstore.com

RyanFlynn · EVDO Newbie Joined: 03 Nov 2005 Posts: 1

Worked fantastic for me. I just wish I had though of it myself. Smile

Thank you for the insight!

Ryan

jmyeosf · EVDO Newbie Joined: 11 Nov 2005 Posts: 5

Worked great for most part, on Safari. It doesn't work well when trying to log on to my Sprint account on sprint.com. Is it something that I did different?

gbl

Is there a fix for Internet Explorer?

kaefer · EVDO User Joined: 05 Dec 2005 Posts: 66

I did this mod last week in Firefox and it worked great. However it seems this week that I'm seeing addition picture compression (though not as bad as in IE).

Has anyone else noticed this or is it just my system?

Thanks,
-Kaefer

benjaminhigginbotham · EVDO Newbie Joined: 17 Dec 2005 Posts: 1

I created a post on this topic over at my blog, TechnologyEvangelist.com. Basically, here's what I found in IE to make it work:

Open your Registry Editor (START->RUN regedit)
Go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings\5.0\User Agent.
From here you’ll want to enter 3 new strings / values:
Compatible / compatible
Platform / Windows NT 5.0
Version / MSIE 5.5; Blazer/4.0

While I won't require you to go to our blog, I would appreciate the traffic and any comments you may have. Hopefully this hack will work for you as it did for me.

Michael · Posted: Sun Dec 18, 2005 5:06 pm Post subject:

Ben,

Thanks for posting that info, this will help many users get around the Sprint Compression problem.
_________________
3Gstore.com

gmaltais · EVDO Newbie Joined: 27 Dec 2005 Posts: 1

I have one quick question about this issue resolution.

Do we not need to install Blazer on our Lap Tops in order to get this hack to work?

I added the strings in both the FF user string and my Registry to no resolve. I am wondering how the browsers would recognize the settings for another browser if it is not installed on the laptop itself.

I am using a Sprint Aircard 580

Thanks in advance...

Guy

Chuck · EVDO Heavy User Joined: 21 Mar 2005 Posts: 149

If you don't see an option to see an uncompressed photo then this is not happening correct?

Michael · Posted: Wed Jan 04, 2006 11:01 pm Post subject:

Correct, unless you have JavaScript disabled.

The easy way to tell if the image/page is compressed, look at the source code of the HTML page:

- all white space is removed (there are no carriage returns)
- a JavaScript is automatically inserted in the HTML (to reload the images - even if the page normally doesn't have a JavaScript)
_________________
3Gstore.com