nuvi 200 and mp3

Only units that have MP3 players support the custom alert sounds. The nuvi 200 does not have one. You will get the default tone.

thats what i thought thanks for the info

See
http://www.poi-factory.com/node/13041

By all accounts, .WAV files work on the Nüvi 2xx series...

thanks ill look into that later i have to run out right now

See also:
http://www.pocketgpsworld.com/modules.php?name=Forums&file=v...

and

http://www.pocketgpsworld.com/modules.php?name=Forums&file=v...

thanks alot it worked like a charm
am very happy

I wonder if we can make the Nüvi 2xx series do TourGuide alerts using the same technique ?

Try adding the phrase "TourGuide" to your .CSV/.GPX filename and its matching .WAV file....any sign of the TourGuide icon?

I put the tourguide in and it worked thanks alot ur the best

Thanks Hornbyp, I just converted a custom .mp3 alert I use on the 750 to a 16bit mono .wav file and hallelujah, it now works on my Nuvi 200. Thanks again.

Which version of POILoader did you use? ... one of the Mac versions, presumably?

I'm using POI Loader Version 2.0.2.1 Beta on a Mac running 10.4.11.

I converted the audio in a program called "Sound Studio" and loaded POI in Express mode. The wav file had to be 16bit mono, It would not work when the wav had 2 channels (or stereo).

Thanks again Hornbyp and Jesterhtk

I used poi loader
POILoader_2400Beta
and i can load everything i want to with that and all works fine I have bmp .wav and the poi all working thanks alot

I'm starting to get interested in this thread. I wouldn't mind having announcements for my alerts. Do I understand correctly that I can do that on my PC by saving mp3's as wav's? Or do I need to use a converter? Which POI Loader is best to use for the PC to load wav's? I assume that somewhere on the Garmin website you have a choice of loaders, although I haven't seen that yet.

Sorry if I'm behind the curve on this. Thanks.

"saving mp3's as wav's" has to include conversion of the data; obviously, you can't just change the file extension!. That might be the answer to your question

What's happening, is that the .gpi format allows a variety of file formats, that the unit firmware might understand. POILoader has not, so far, supported every format - Garmin keep adding and removing features 'willy nilly'

It seems that they've left .WAV support in the Mac version, whereas they removed it from the PC version.

As I typed that statement...it got me thinking...

and yes, sure enough:
WAV support is something they've put BACK into POILoader V2.5.2 !!!

They've not done a complete job - they forgot to ship SOX.EXE (POILoader V2.5.2 will tell you it's missing, if it encounters a .WAV file). I used a version (of SOX) that shipped with an earlier POILoader version (V12.17.7). The current version of SOX is available here:
http://sourceforge.net/projects/sox/

Just to add...

When POILoader V2.5.2 calls SOX.EXE, it uses a command like:

input.wav -w -r 44100 -c 1 output.wav

In other words, it's using it to ensure that the file is mono.

I checked POI Loader properties and it doesn't tell me what version I have. Just that I downloaded it on Jan. 17, 2008 and it is 1.6 kb.

If I download an mp3 file then use SAVE AS, will the drop down box allow me to make it into a wav file?

What do I have to do to make that SOX program work with the Loader?

I checked POI Loader properties and it doesn't tell me what version I have. Just that I downloaded it on Jan. 17, 2008 and it is 1.6 kb.

If I download an mp3 file then use SAVE AS, will the drop down box allow me to make it into a wav file?

What do I have to do to make that SOX program work with the Loader?

hello i hope you can help me i am new to gps and am having a hard time getting icons onto my map. i get the POI S with no problem i was just wondreing if there is some trick. i would really appreciate any help thank you and happy motherd day to all moms

Click the 'Arrow with the Yellow dot' in the top-left of the first POILoader screen. There is an 'About POILoader...' option there.

No. If you've downloaded an .mp3 file, you'll have to use something to convert it.
EDIT: Windows 'Sound Recorder' should be able to do it. Select PCM 44.100 KHz 16 bit mono as output format. Save with a .WAV extension.

Just drop it in the same directory as POILoader.exe

OK, I have Loader 2.4.2, so I'll have to upgrade to the latest, which I see is 2.5.2.

I found the directory where POILoader.exe resides.

So, one more thing before I try this. If Sound Recorder doesn't work (or I don't find it), what is a good (free) program to convert mp3 to wav?

iTunes

Another program that's FREE that will do the job for you is Audacity 1.3 Beta.

This DOES work on PCs. I first had to upgrade to POI Uploader 2.5.2. Then download SOX.exe from the link listed above by HORNBYP. Make sure you place the SOX.exe file in the POI UPLOADER directory. ...And that did it! I'm recording my own alert files for my Nuvi 200W. It's GREAT!!! MANY THANKS HORNBYP! And thanks also to Dispatched for turning me onto this thread! This just made my day!!!! Thanks Dispatched.

That's great. I'll start on it tonight. How did you test it? Using the simulator?

Which SOX did you use? There are two 14.0.1 dated Jan 29, 2008. One is called sox and the other is called sox-win, and I don't think that means Windows.

I just tried it with my nüvi 200 using the simulator and it worked great. And to think I thought my 200 wasn't able to use custom sounds. Now I find it can! Woo hoo!!!

Great, not something else to waste more time on.

Cheers,
PT

This works great on my Nuvi 250w. Great instructions, I installed the SOX and loaded the most recent POI Loader on my pc. The wav file I loaded now plays with selected poi files.

Thank you Hornbyp!!!

Using the simulator IS how I tested it. You got that right. Then SOX-WIN is the file you want. It's a zip file. So once the files are extracted... take the SOX.exe file and put it in the same folder that your POI uploader is in. You're good to go!

I would like to add to tkibble instructions, that on my pc (running XP) I noticed the POI loader runs from a folder called Garmin which is located in Program Files. Example: C:\Program Files\Garmin. That Garmin folder is also the same place you would add the SOX.exe file.

Thanks. I used the other SOX file, which said it was for all platforms. I haven't had a chance to test it. I guess you are saying that it won't work. Do you know the difference?

I got it working with sox-win (never tested it with the other sox file), and loaded some alerts with a couple of wav files and IT WORKS. Thanks Hornbyp. I can't guess how you figured out this esoteric work-around. You've certainly earned your COW award. I was starting to wish I had mp3 voice alerts so that I wouldn't have to look to see which alert was bonging. Problem solved.

P.S. Thanks to others too, especially tkibble who indicated which sox file to use.

Anyone having trouble converting sound files, either wav to MP3 or Mp3 to wave, email me the file and I will convert it and email it back.

I seem to be the only one who can't get this working on my 200.

I installed POI Loader 2.5.2 and put the sound files in my POI folder. Names match.

POI Loader was successful, but I still only get the default ding. I removed sox.exe to verify POI Loader is trying to convert the sound files, and did get the sox.exe missing error message. I can't figure out what I'm doing wrong. I tried starting with WAV and MP3. No luck.

You just don't have an mp3 player...

As I understand it you have to have an mp3 player for it to function...

I uninstalled POI Loader and reinstalled. It works now. Perhaps my source WAV files weren't in the correct format the first time.

That is the reason for switching to wav file -- to get around the lack of an mp3 player.

16-bit mono?

I guess I should have read the entire post prior to responding...Duhhh

Could be. My confusion was I thought SOX would convert the MP3 or WAV to 44100 mono. After I saved the original WAV in 16bit mono it worked.

Yes, that's my understanding too.

Maybe you've got a non-functioning copy of SOX? That would be enough to stop POILoader complaining, but maybe it's not doing anything useful?

I copied the version that shipped with POILoader Beta 2.4.0.0 (it's not the latest version of SOX, it's 12.17.7)

Don't know if SOX is working, but don't care since I use GoldWave to edit and convert my sound files. I saved them in 16bit mono PCM WAV format and hoped I wouldn't even need SOX.

I didn't install SOX, just copied the EXE to the POI Loader folder. That stopped the error message.

I've got the nuvi 200 and the most recent POI Loader. I also had to put the cygwin1.dll file into the garmin file in addition to the sox application file to get it to work.

I also had to convert the MP3 file to a 44.100 kHz, 16 bit, mono WAV file (using iTunes).

Then I used Manual mode instead of express mode to set the alert setting.

Now it works great!

I only copied SOX.EXE, not the .dll, but mine is working. Perhaps SOX really isn't doing anything since I saved the WAV as 16bit mono PCM.

Has anyone else found it necessary to increase the volume of these MP3 files before loading them on the 200?

I'm so glad I was wandering through the discussions tonight. I was disappointed I couldn't use the mp3 files with my Nuvi 260. This works great with the wav files. I used Audacity to convert them. Very cool, though I have to find a White Castle alert with a female British accent to go with Emily. Thanks Hornbyp and other for all of the ideas.

Yes, I have found some alerts to be a bit on the quiet side, at least compared to the other sounds and voices of the 200.

I loaded in one of the alerts for school zones that I liked, but found in actual use that if I adjust the Nuvi volume so that directions and the normal "Bong" or "Bing" alerts were at a decent level, the school zone alerts was a bit on the quiet side.

So I used an audio editing program to boost the over all volume fo the alert and now it pretty well matches the volume level of the rest of the unit's voices and noises. The only thing, with this particular alert, is that is makes an alert noise first then a spoken voice says something. With the volume boost I gave it, the voice is perfect but the alert tone at the beginning is just a tad shrill. Not much, but enough that I might edit just the alert tone portion of the sound file to dial it back just a tiny bit and even out the alert file.

Cheers,
PT

I did a similar thing. I adjusted the peaks to all about 90% of the dynamic range. Had to increase some words individually to even them out.

I install POILoader_2401Beta.exe and then create .wav files to be the same name as the .csv. The alert sound from the .wav file works just fine.

The following applications are needed to install personal POI files into Garmin Nuvi 200
- Google Earth, http://earth.google.com/download-earth.html
- PoiEdit2007-1-ENU.exe, http://www.poiedit.com/downloads.htm
- POILoader_2400Beta.exe, http://www.gpsinformation.org/perry/

Steps to to create/install personal POI files:

- Setting Google Earth to Display Decimal Degrees via
Tools > Options > View (tab) > Lat/Lon > Decimal Degrees > OK
- Find locations in Google Earth (either by searching or clicking on the map)
- Add the locations to "My Places" by adding bookmark (clicking the push-pin)
- Create directories for the POI files on your hard disk
- Save "My Places" as a .KML file by right-clicking on "My Places" and select "Save Place As"
- The .KML file will contain data for all of the locations in "My Places" .
- Convert the .KML file to a format that works with Garmin Nuvi 200 with PoiEdit .
- In PoiEdit, open the .KML file
- Delete any extra locations you don't want included in your POI file
- select File > Save As, and select the file format you want (i.e., Garmin CSV)
- Create Alert sound by going to http://www.research.att.com/~ttsweb/tts/demo.php
- Type in the Alert Text you want and click on DOWNLOAD button to save .wav file
- For each .csv file, you need a .wav file with exactly the same name
- Insatll POI files along with the .wav files using POI Loader 2.4.00 Beta

As noted earlier in this thread, the latest version of POILoader (2.5.2) also supports .WAV files.

I don't use Google Earth or POI Edit to put custom POIs on my 200, just POI Loader and Excel, though I didn't even use Excel at first, just Notepad. I get the coordinates from Microsoft Streets.

That is one way to go about it. Me, I use Google.maps to create my own custom maps. I then cut the map link from there and paste it into TakItWithMe.com and I can then either download directly to the nuvi (gets stored in Favorites) or download the file as a GPX file which can be directly loaded into Custom POIs via the Garmin POI Loader software.

Other POIs in CSV format are created or modified using a spreadsheet program or a text editor and either Google Maps to get the coordinates or BatchGeoCode.com.

Cheers,
PT

Hi Phil,
now thanks to you, we can listen POI alert on nuvi 2xx series, in Italy too!
I spread the news on italian forums!

bye bye,
your italian friend
Mauro