Do I need to download icons and sounds with POI packages?

The following links should help you immensely !

http://www.poi-factory.com/node/30396

http://www.poi-factory.com/node/30519

The icons & sounds aren't "necessary" but can add a lot to your driving experience.

Welcome to POI Factory. It'll be useful if you update your profile to include your brand and model of GPS. This link may take you there:

http://www.poi-factory.com/user/248554/edit

and

http://www.poi-factory.com/user/248554/edit/Additional+Infor...

You'll want to check out sections of the FAQs here depending on your GPS brand and your intended uses:

http://www.poi-factory.com/faq

But to answer you question, no, you don't HAVE TO download icons and sounds unless you want a custom sound or icon to appear. I do download and use icons for all the POI files I download and I download sounds for all POI files that I use with "alerts."

Once again, welcome. You'll find a lot of useful info and friendly folks here.

Perhaps the easiest way to understand the process is to consider it as a "package." The package consisting of a POI file, an icon, and a sound or alert file.

Create a folder on your computer. The folder name isn't important, but it should be easily recognizable by you so you know what it contains. Into this folder you put the POI file (either CSV or GPX - but not both - the icon (.BMP file), and the sound or alert file. You probably need a .WAV version as the newer units do not have the ability to play MP3 files.

Once you have stuffed the folder with the files, you run POI Loader telling it to load the contents of the folder. Icons and sounds will be added and associated with the correct POI file.

PS--some responses here are assuming you own a Garmin GPS. As much as that's the most likely assumption, note that if your GPS isn't a Garmin, don't worry about suggestions to visit the Garmin FAQs, use POI Loader, etc., etc.

If possible, you will want to backup the data on your GPS to a computer.

You will want to register your GPS online with the manufacturer.

If your new GPS has a slightly outdated map, you should look to see if a free map update is available to you. There is a time-window to be observed if a free map update is available to you. Don't wait too long.

We'll have a lot more suggestions for you once we know what you use and what your interests are. Don't feel overwhelmed with us. Few of us bite newcomers.

The members here can give you more specific help if you will update your profile to indicate which device you have.

Welcome to the site.