converting files for nuvi 2450LM

 

I have poi's downloaded and in their own subfolders in a main folder I named, "My POI's". These files have extensions that have not been converted (.mp3, .csv, .bmp).
I have renamed them adding "TourGuide" at the beginning with a space then the file.

Example: TourGuide RestAreasCombined(Ver.AZ).csv

Using the POI Loader and manual install to set proximity alerts, will this work in my nuvi 2450LM? I believe it will play mp3's.

I've read forums 'til I'm blue in the face, now if just had this info I can start updating! Thanks for any help out there!!

Several suggestions

First, the Rest Areas Combined POI is a POI file that does not need to be "TourGuided". In fact, setting it as a TourGuide will potentially alert you to Rest Areas that are not on your route.

Now to your questions:

Your 2450 will not play mp3 audio. You need to use wav audio files and have sox.exe installed to your computer (for PCs, possibly not needed if you're a Mac person).

Finally, when creating TourGuides (as opposed to standard POI files), there must be an associated audio file that works--in your case, this needs to be a wav file. TourGuides will not work without an audio file.

Some help, if you haven't seen this yet:

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

Also, there are several faqs discussing TourGuides:

http://www.poi-factory.com/node/6656

Please report back with further questions as they arise.

congratulations

Congratulations! You're almost there.

First off, your unit doesn't use MP3 files. Garmin hasn't released a unit with MP3 capability for about 3 years (some Zumos may still do MP3, but those are units designed for motorcycles).

TourGuides are really kind of special when setting alerts. The distance or proximity defines the radius of a circle drawn around the point. Anytime you enter the circle, the alert will sound (provided you have a compatible sound file). Normal proximity alerts require your vehicle to be pointed at the location so they typically alert only when you will be passing the point, not when you are just in the vicinity.

You will need to convert your MP3 alert sound files to WAV and then load them with a second file resent in the same folder as POILoader.exe. That program is SOX.exe (Sound Exchange) and it must be version 14.0.1. There are later versions, but because the procedure call used by POI Loader hasn't been changed they won't work.

SOX is described as "the 'swiss army knife' of sound converters" so it will change a WAV file to a format compatible with the Garmin hardware, but it doesn't convert MP3 to WAV. For that you will need another program. I use Audacity, but there are many different ones that work.

Your next steps will be to convert the sound files to WAV. These will have to have the exact same name as the POI file. The sound file, and the icon (BMP file) also have to be in the same folder/subfolder as the POI and named the same except for the extension.

After converting the sound file and putting SOX.exe in the program files folder holding POILoader.exe, run POI Loader in manual mode. (Express is the recommended mode, but you want to assign custom alert distances.)

As poi Loader reads each file it will ask if you want to assign values. You can assign either a distance or a speed, but not both. Once all the files have been read, POI Loader then processes them associating the icon and sound into the GPI file which is used by the unit. When POI Loader completes, you will get a final screen either telling you a file was in error or congratulating you on loading X number of custom POI.

Clear as mud?

You only need SOX once as it is in the POI Loader program folder but you will need the MP3 to WAV converter every time you want to add a new file that has only an MP3 sound.

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