No Alerts On Garmin 255W

More than likely, you have your nuvi set to play alerts but if not, it's worth checking your Owner's Manual for info on this. This pdf manual offers much more info on your GPS unit than the Quickstart manual that came with the device:

http://static.garmincdn.com/pumac/2675_OwnersManual.pdf

You don't mention sox.exe on your computer if it's a PC, so this might help. For PCs, you need to install sox.exe in the computer directory that contains POI Loader:

http://www.poi-factory.com/node/25730

Be sure to use the sox.exe version offered in the above link. I think that Mac users don't need to perform this step.

One final and important issue: If the AutoZone location of the POI is set back a distance from the roadway, you will not get an alert. Using TourGuide (assuming that your 255W does Tourguides), you can get around this. A great POI file to test with audio and icons is the Rest Areas Combined because the POI location is not the physical Rest Area Buildings but is the exit ramp from the highway. If your GPS is set for alerts and you pass by a Rest Area, you will get the audio assuming you've loaded the POI file in manual mode, with a alert set for a specific distance.

http://www.poi-factory.com/node/6643

Report back if things are still not working. You do appear to know that you must use wav audio files and not mp3 files with your model nuvi.

PS--One way to see if your AutoZone audio is working that gets around the "POI location setback from roadway" issue is to create a route to the AutoZone, not to just pass by a store. As you arrive at the Autozone at the end of the route, you will get the audio assuming you've loaded the wav properly.

I am running a route to the local Hamption Inn using the GPS simulator. Will see if I get the alert.

The AutoZone I was using is set back off the road.

One other question is when I loaded about 4 states worth of Rest Areas did I have to name a sound file for each state, which I did.

Trying to get this done as we are leaving for Ala, GA, SC and Tn this Sunday.

Ran the test to the Hampton and it didn't alert.

I have the correct sox.exe file and loaded everthing in the manual mode and set a distance on the warning on each one.

The hide extensions is unchecked.

I am at a loss as to what the problem is.

I guess the GPS simulation should give me the alert just like I was actually driving the route.

Maybe the rest stop ones will work as they are the main ones I wanted. The closet one is to far away to test that for now.

The alert will not trigger if the poi is not on the route you are taking. You need to change it to a "Tour Guide" for this situation.

There's no guarantee the various smaller states or highways Rest Area POI files have their POI location set to the Exit Ramp. Also, note that many POI files are not updated often--The Rest Areas Combined (all US rest areas) is updated often to accommodate temporary closures, etc. But the big reason to use the Combined file is that it's very well tested and known to alert as you approach and pass each one.

To answer your question from another post, yes, alerts work whether in Simulation Mode or actively using the GPS.

Are you using wav files from here at the POI Factory or making your own? There are some wav formats (bitrate/stereo/etc.) that may not work with your nuvi. Which wav are you trying to use?

Can you confirm that the POIs you're loading are on the nuvi? Go to WhereTo/Extras/CustomPOIs (you need to touch Custom POIs, by the way) and then see if your Autozone and other POIs are part of the data. Also, if you're loading an icon as well as a wav audio file, do you see the icon appear at your pass by or reach the custom POI you're routing yourself to?

Double extensions or failure to name the wav audio file the same as the csv POI file are the most common causes of failed audio but you seem to have that under control. Are you sure you have enabled alerts on the nuvi (see owners manual*)? Just to confirm: your sox.exe is in the directory that also contains POI Loader, right? And if you upgraded from an earlier POI Loader to the latest one, note that it's in a new location so sox.exe would need to be moved from the old location.

PS--be sure you're routing to your Custom POIs (WhereTo/Extras/CustomPOIs) and not going to the built-in POIs for things like AutoZone or Hampton Inn since they won't give you your wav audio alerts and they most likely do appear in the built-in POI database of the installed map.

*Possibly Tools/Settings/ProximityPoints/ProximityAlerts

Evert, as I read his post, he's routing himself to a Custom POI, not driving by one. As he arrives at the final destination (his Custom POI), he'll get the audio alert if all is working correctly, won't he?

In simulation mode, you can alter your start location to be near a POI location you want to test so that you'll quickly see if the alert works or not. This beats a very long simulation if you're far from one since simulations are done at real-time speeds. Check your manual for something like "Set Location."

Thanks for all the good info.

I finally ran a simulation using the downloaded poi for autozone and it worked. I had also changed the distance to 2500 feet from 1000, don't know if that made any difference.

Going to see if I can figure out how to alter my start location close to a POI and try one of the rast stops.

You guys are great. Hate to harp on it but when you are 70 and loosing brian cells at a rapid rate this stuff get very difficult at times.

Thanks again. I sure I will be back for more.

That's great to hear (except for what I have to look forward to in about 8 years cell-wise )

The way I read it is that he is routing to a custom poi (Hampton Inn) and on the way is driving past a proximity alert ( Auto Zone) which is set back from the road.

In that case I agree with you

The alerts do not all work all the time. I have multiple alerts along a route for some custom pois and sometimes they all work and sometimes they do not. I am not sure why. It might be that they are to close to one another. I just do not worry about it.

Didn't want to start another thread already so pardon my piggy-backing on this one.

Is there a way to get another choice on the Proximity Alerts on the 255W besides "single" or "continuous". You might miss one and continuous would get anoying.

You all have created a monster in me as I am really getting into this technology.

No.