Garmin Alerts | How do I load custom alert sounds for POIs on my Garmin GPSr?

 
Motorcycle Mama's picture

Models with mp3 player functionality (these are usually older models) can use .mp3 files.

Newer models without mp3 player functionality must use .wav files in conjunction with SOX.exe (see http://www.poi-factory.com/node/25730 for details).

Find or create an sound file that you want use for your alert.

- Rename your MP3 or WAV EXACTLY the same name as your POI file except for the file extension (the three letters after the dot).

- Example: If your POI file is named redlight-camera.csv … then you must name the MP3 file … redlight-camera.mp3. Note that the names are case sensitive.

NOTE: The default setting on many computers is to "hide file extensions for known file types". If this is the case on your computer, just make sure the part of the name that is showing is exactly the same (e.g., "redlight-camera" and "redlight-camera" ). You should not need to add .csv or .bmp to the file name.

- You would place both files in the same folder on your computer. (Not on your GPSr.)

- if using .wav files, you must have a copy of SOX.exe properly setup on your computer (see http://www.poi-factory.com/node/25730 for details).

- Then run POI Loader and the custom alert will load with the file.

- You can create custom alert sounds in a variety of ways.

- You can take a file you already have (a song for instance) and edit the part you want as your alert. For example, you might edit the song “Stop! In the Name of Love” to include just that part of the song. The alert should not be more than a few seconds because the entire MP3 will play each time that alert is activated.

- You can use a text-to-speech converter to create custom messages at https://text-to-speech-demo.ng.bluemix.net/. The output will be an MP3 file.

- Or you can download an alert sound that someone else has created.

- Whichever method you use to get your MP3 file, if you want to set the SAME custom audio for ALL the locations in your POI file, just name the MP3 identically to the POI file except for the extension. Put it in the same folder with your POI file on your PC and run POI Loader. The MP3 will be automatically associated with that file.

- Your unit must support MP3 playback for this function to be available.

- Also, you must set Proximity Alerts to “On” on your unit.
--

Related links

Other pages