Garmin 4592LM (poi with sound)

Welcome to The Factory!

Here's the faq for using wav audio. The faq also works for mp3 audio with or without sox.exe:

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

Interesting, the specs for your 4592 claims to have a mp3 player so you should be able to use mp3 audio. You also should be able to use wav audio with sox.exe on a PC (or wav files without sox on a Mac).

The good news is that you are getting chime alerts so you know the POI file loaded and the alert distance is giving an alert. The most common reasons for getting the default chime rather than the custom audio are:

-wrong sox version (wav files on a PC). You must use the quite old version 14.0.1.
-wrong sox location (wav files on a PC). It needs to be in the POI Loader program folder, not the POI data folder.
-a bad wav file. Make sure the wav file attributes are those listed in the faq.
-incorrect filenaming. This is also explained in the faq

Given that your device can use mp3 audio and that you found both mp3 and wav audio files fail to be loaded with POI Loader, I'd first check to make sure that the csv or gpx filename exactly matches the mp3 or wav audio file (the characters prior to the .csv, .wav, etc.)

Can you also tell us what POI Loader version you're using AND if you've ever loaded an earlier version of POI Loader?

I suggest not trying to call Garmin Customer Service with your question because Garmin has never acknowledged that wav file audio can be added with POI Loader.

Stick with it, check your procedures versus those stated in the faq, and shout back if you have a question. Let us know when you succeed. The 4592 is a new nuvi model so I guess there is the remote possibility that for some reason, the 4592 can't play custom audio POI alerts. I wouldn't start thinking along these lines right now until you've ruled out all other possibilities.

Could you also load your POIs with an alert distance but without the mp3 or wav file, then compare the final gpi file size? Compare the gpi file size of the file without custom audio and with custom audio. If the gpi filesize without custom audio is not substantially smaller than the filesize with custom audio, then the audio files are not being added to the final gpi file.

So I've tried to follow the guide completely. I can confirm the following:

1) File size without wave file is significantly smaller than when wave file is used
2) Using MP3 file won't even trigger the chime alert
3) I have tried using POI loader 2.6
4) Definitely using sox 14.0.1
5) Sox definitely in correct folder. I get a prompt when trying to load POI without Sox in correct folder

The 4592LM was the only item in the market now compatible with dash cam 30. Couldnt get anything else...

I hope others post here with their suggestions. While we wait, I have two thoughts:

1) Not that it should matter but the latest POI Loader software is version 2.7.3.

2) Just a wild thought. You say that when using mp3 audio files for alerts, the default chime alert doesn't occur. I wonder if that could mean that the device recognizes the mp3 audio alert and therefore replaces the chime, but that the volume level for the mp3 audio is too low or muted. I looked through your owners manual (kind of hard since it doesn't have an index or table of contents right now) and didn't see it, but I suggest you look for an audio mixer on your GPS. In addition to the master volume control, many nuvi models have a mixer and it may be that your volume for alerts or mp3 files is muted. Another test would be to place a mp3 file on the nuvi, then see what happens when you try to play the file with the Player I assume your device has. If mp3 files don't play, then either there's a volume control you need to find and set, or it may be that the device's specs are incorrect and like other newer nuvis, yours can not play mp3 files. Similarly, you imply that when trying to use wav files for your custom POI alert sound that you get the default chime. To me, this implies that either POI Loader, sox.exe, or the specific wav files you're using are not being loaded to the device and consequently, the default chime is used.

Since you're from Singapore I found it difficult to download an owners manual for your 4592LM, but I found it. If you haven't already done so click on the link to download it.
http://www.garmin.com.sg/products/ontheroad/nuvi4592lm/

Since CraigW gave comprehensive instructions for correctly creating a POI file, it appears you followed it and still no alerts. My first thought was you did not have a check mark next to Proximity Alerts in you settings, this would prevent audible sound files from playing. Using MP3 files will provide smaller files than those created with wave files. However using wave files in a correctly created POI SHOULD work on any Nuvi.

Reading the entire manual I was unable to locate any menu that activates Proximity Alerts. or even any mention of adding POI files. No mention of "Extras" (usually POI Files) in the manual.
The only mention of POI files is on page 58 titled "Online POI Search".

Garmin is known to omit useful features on it's units in their manuals so it may be available but not shown in the manual.
You can play around with your settings and look for Proximity Alerts to see if it's there, if there put a check mark on it.

If not I would call Garmin and see if they can provide an answer.

Edited: Was typing when Craig posted his last post.

Thanks for all the help so far.

The nuvi 4565 does provide proximity alerts. When I click on the option, there are only 3 choices "Single Tone" "Continuous Tone" or "Off".

Like I said, there is a chime but there isnt any voice alert despite uploading either WAV or MP3 file.

Keep checking the settings menu the Proximity Alerts option should be availble in ADDITION to the tone sounds., I always keep my set to Single Tones.

Does your Nuvi show a menu setting for "Extras' this should be where any added POI's are listed. Maybe Extra's are named something else since it doesn't appear in the manual.

Do you have any other POI's installed that you have the ability to access, with or without the alert sound?
Also have you made sure your firmware is updated to the current one availble.

I did a couple of things to check. 1) i checked the POI i loaded on an older garmin device. The voice alert worked. 2) i moved the old POIs from my old device to the new one. The voice alert was missing. 3) I loaded some third party ones created by some other sites, the voice alert was missing. 4) Even utilised the TourGuide naming convention to try to force the voice alerts and experienced no success.

Pretty much ready to give up now.

Oh boy. Unless there's a hidden mp3 or POI alert checkmark that's missing or volume control muted on the 4592, it may well be that this is the first nuvi model unable to add custom alert audio. Your device is rather special in that it has a mp3 player, video player, etc. It's also new enough that firmware updates may not have come out yet and possibly a future update will restore the missing feature.

Your test on the older nuvi proves that you have everything set up correctly.

When you load custom POIs with POI Loader, do you also load a custom icon? If so, do the icons show?

To followup on muell9k's comments, can you confirm that even though they're not mentioned in the 4592's manual, that you can install and use Custom POIs on your new nuvi? Are they found under Extras or something else? This question is not meant to further our attempts to get you up and running but is to inform us at The Factory a bit more about the operations of the 4592 in case we get future questions from owners. Thanks.

Icons show up perfectly. I am able to load and play the MP3 alerts via the Music Player. CPOI are found under the Extras icon and I can easily see all of the POIs I have loaded. I have updated my device firmware to the latest version. I have used the newest and older versions of POIloader to attempt voice alerts link. There is no other hidden option that I can find. There is a mixer for volume. All was set to 100%

Wow, sure looks like everything you did was correct.
Since we don't have the 4592LM here in North America, nobody here probably owns one so no way to ask if their unit has difficulty with POI's. It appears the 4592 may not be able to associate sound files within a POI and have them play.

I don't know how good tech support (if any) is in Singapore but I would call them and ask for assistance.If you don't get a solution from the first person you call, try again and perhaps another support person may be more knowledgeable.

Edited 7/2
One last thought, I assume the 4592 has an MP3 folder. If you copy the MP3 file for a particular POI sound into that folder, then use the MP3 player on the unit does the sound file play?

If it plays then we can only assume at this juncture that the 4592 is not capable of having alerts play from a custom POI file. Never heard of that happening before.

I had the same problem that you describe on my Nuvi 755 a few months back. It turns out that the Garmin POI loader requires the sound files to be in the same directory as the .gpx files that I am sending to the Nuvi unit.

For this to work be sure that there is NOT a directory path to the sound file included. Each .gpx record should have only the sound file name such as "bell.mp3" with nothing before it. That probably instructs the POI loader to look in the current directory, which is of course where all the other files reside.

Hope this helps.

If one uses EPE to create a .gpx file, there is the option to use a "link" to any directory on your computer to access a sound file (with the stipulation that, if it is a .mp3 file, your device must have a .mp3 player for the file to play). One can also "link" to .bmp files for Icons.

This is feature of GPX files that EPE exploits.

However, if your .gpx file does not contain the "link" extension then POI Loader expects to have the associated .wav or .bmp file in the same directory as the .gpx file. Also, the .wav and/or .bmp file must named the exact same "character string" (except it is not case sensitive) to the left of the period preceding the extension.

Why are you adding this to the discussion? It does not address the OP's original problem of getting an audio alert and only adds some serious complexity to the problem. If learning to use another program to build files was a possible solution, then maybe you would be on to something but introducing EPE is just another false trail to meander down.

I was responding to the following statement

Seems to me it was incorrect to make the statements
"be sure that there is NOT a directory path to the sound file included." and
"It turns out that the Garmin POI loader requires the sound files to be in the same directory as the .gpx files"

I referenced EPE because it's "link" capability allows one to build a .gpx file and use .wav and/or .bmp files in OTHER THAN the directory that will contain the .gpx file. This fact contradicts the statements made about .gpx files.

I have no idea whether myleskev is using a .csv or a .gpx file, or if the POI file and the .mp3/.wav file have the same characters to the left of the extensions. I don't think anyone has asked that.

Boteman was correct in stating if a file/folder path is NOT provided within the GPX construct, the sound file needs to reside in the same folder as the GPX file. Without knowing anything about the OP's experience in working with POI it was best not to inject a minor technical embellishment to an otherwise true statement. Up until your statement about being able to include the link address easily using EPE,I don't think that program was brought up as an option. Like a_user stated, you added many layers of complexity to the original issue by introducing EPE. Linking files/folders within a GPX is not necessarily something you want to introduce unless the response would have a direct impact on the problem as establishing the correct linkages isn't always straight forward. Sometimes simple is better.

Make sure you have backed up you GPS before doing the following.

When you moved the pois.Do you mean the gpi file from the old unit to the new one? If the alerts worked on the old Garmin device then it should be no problem on the newer one if using the same computer when running PoiLOader.

Connect the old GPS to the computer.
Open up Garmin drive.
Click on POI Folder.
Right click on file with GPI extension and select copy.
Save GPI file to computer.
Connect newer GPS to computer.
Go to POI Folder and paste copy of the GPI file you saved on the computer.It should replace the current one you now have there.If not delete any file with the gpi extension on it before pasting the one from old gps.
Now check and see if you get the alerts.

Based on your post that the older unit does get the alerts.You should get the same results by transfering the same GPI file to the newer unit. If not we may have found a change in this unit for using a wav and sox.exe for alerts.

I was having problems like yours On my Nuvi 66LMT . I finally was able to get voice alerts by loading with POI Loader. Rather than Express as they recommend I loaded “Manually” insuring that “This file contains proximity alerts” was checked and “Alert Settings” were checked ( I used 75MPH and 3200 Ft ) the 3200 ft is a ¼ of a statue mile, I suppose you could use 2640 Ft. a ¼ of a nautical mile. All seems to working now. Also insure your file names are identical (not the file extensions just the name)

My take on the matter is that myleskev knows how to create custom audio alerts for custom POIs, understands and answers the questions posed, and replied with great answers—and even does some tests that we haven't thought of, but offer more insight into the issue. It's been a pleasure working with you even though the results are not what we wished for or expected.

My conclusion which I find very surprising is that we have a new nuvi model that does not now have the ability to offer custom audio alerts for custom POIs. This is surprising, but then a new model from Garmin that suddenly offers a mp3 player, something not seen on any recent nuvi, is nearly as surprising to me.

As much as I believe the 4592 can not now play custom audio alerts, a future firmware update may let them play. I wouldn't hold my breath, though.

We should watch for future messages regarding failures of non custom audio on future nuvis, especially if they continue to surprise us by having a mp3 and video player, and if the issue becomes widespread, our faqs regarding custom audio alerts will need to be altered so that owners of these new devices won't try to install custom audio alerts. In fact, even though just one new model has been shown to have this issue, my suggestion is that the current faqs regarding custom audio alerts should be changed now identifying the issue for the nuvi 4592, at least stating that we currently think the 4592 can't offer custom audio alerts. I suppose we can hope that the 4592 can play custom audio alerts but that myleskev's device has a one-off defect preventing custom audio alerts from sounding. If only we had another 4592 owner here who could test his/her device to confirm or deny the issue.

1320 ft is 1/4 of a statute, (5280 ft). 1519 ft is 1/4 of a nautical mile, (6076 ft).

Your right Phranc, reversed the two but not the first time.