voices fo nuvi

Voices other than those available from the Garmin WebUpdater link?

dd

can you point me in the right direction? I'm quite new to this. the webupdater has updates for voices?

WebUpdater is very much like the POILoader program from Garmin.
Go to this URL
http://www8.garmin.com/products/webupdater/howtoinstall.jsp
Then download and install it.
Next connect your nuvi to your computer and run the WebUpdater program. Just follow its' directions.

dd

Do most people enjoy having the British or American voice instructing them when to turn?

I take it as a suggestion

i use the american one since the british one pronounces some things wrong :<

Surely you mean "wrongly"?

:-)

If the Nuvi 750 volume is turned up beyond 80% it tends to distort the voices when they are speaking. Love the Australian female voice. Karen I think.

I use the British "Dan" as he has a clear and louder voice I think. I am somewhat hard of hearing and "Dan" works for me. I find it amusing sometimes in the way he says things, but my dear departed mother was born in England and it kind of brings back memories to me. I still am amazed at how these things can do their stuff so well, at a relatively low cost. I am in construction and we just bought a Trimble GPS system for our bulldozer and survey rod, accurate within 1 inch or less.

Doug

Is it possible to record your own voices, convert it to Garmin format (?) and load in the unit? It would be cool to have customized directions. "Hey, Dude, turn left." "Recalculating AGAIN!" ...it could be endless.

There is no way of doing it through the GPSr as is. There are threads on how to change the voice files to change what it says.

After using Webupdater, You will have all the available voices for your unit. You can create your own (non TTS), or somewhat modify the TTS voices.
I have been told that the upcoming changes to POI-factory will include a section on Voices. There are quite a few steps to create/change non TTS voices. If you like I can try to post instructions. Threads already exist on modifying TTS voices.

It is Karen and she is a real person, Karen Jacobsen
karenjacobsen.com is her website.

Yes, you can. We've been doing it since 'way back when'. Since the nuvi 2xx uses non-TTS (Text-to-Speech), do a search on splitting vpm (non-TTS) files. This has been discussed on this site several times with procedures how how to do it. In general, you use a program to split the voice file into 100+ .wav files, modify the wave files you want modified, and use that program to combine the new files into a new voice file. Non-TTS are fairly simple to modify. (You may want to have a look at this thread: PocketGpsWorld.com).

If anyone is interested in modifying TTS files, there's a link at POI Verifier on how to do that.

RT

UPDATED I added a step-by-step procedure on how to modify Garmin's NON-TTS voice files. It's also at POI Verifier.

RT

cool, great infos

This file can be used to change the voice on your Garmin Nuvi 250. You should back up your American_English_.vpm voice file before proceeding with this. Copy it from your Garmin 250 to your hard drive.

Next, download this file and copy it to your Garmin 250. It will change the voice from female to male. In case you are getting tired of the same old voice on those looooong trips.

That's all there is to it!

http://pages.videotron.com/dks/English_American_.vpm

.

I wish there was a male British or German voice.

Achtung! Turn Now, Baby!

I can't say for every Garmin GPS unit, but everyone I've played with has the same English_American_.vpm file. Bear in mind this is a NON-TTS file. I don't believe I'll use a non-TTS file when I have an option of a TTS file (which is on many of the nüvi line).

RT

How can you tell if a vpm file is non-TTS? Do you have to try it out? It doesn't matter for my nüvi 200, but this file is 3x the size of the original English_American_.vpm file.

They usually have tts behind the name.

I don't recall any voice file that will "have tts behind the name".

The difference in the nuvi 350 voice files (and others I've played with) is TTS are English_American_Jack.vpm, English_American_Jill.vpm, etc while Non-TTS are English_American_.vpm, English_British_.vpm, etc.

Also, the size of the TTS voice files is 12-17 MB while the size of the Non-TTS is approximately 1 MB and less.

RT

On my 350 I have American English-Jill (TTS). That is when I am looking in the settings of the nuvi, not the file names. Sorry if I wasn't clear.

do u know how to change voices from female to male tell me how to do it plz many thanks.

If you can tell the gender difference between Jack and Jill, Emily and Dan in the first place, there's no need to get a specific answer...

I don't think that the nuvi 250 comes with the male voice.

Don't know about the voice, but I would love to have Motorcycle Mama giving me the directions... always straight to the point!

I would listen to Motorcycle Mama before I'd listen to myself.. if she says no male voice for the 250 there is NO male voice. But, if there is a male voice you'd find it here..

Tap the Wrench/Tool in the lower right bottom of the screen

Tap SETTINGS

Tap SYSTEM

Tap Language

Scroll up or down to select voice.

Then BACK.. BACK.. BACK.. (maybe one more BACK..) Sorry, don't have my Nuvi at hand.

For all units, my recommendation is to run WebUpdater on your GPS unit to see all the voices that are available for that unit.

I believe that some time ago, there was a link posted to a male voice that could be made to work with the 2xx line (since it uses non-TTS voices), but I'm not sure to the compatibility.

Edited to add: If you scroll up in this thread there's a link.

: )

Yes, Garmin has accents and languages but it would also be nice to have the option of adding movie star or celebrity voices as Tom Toms do

Sorry if this has already been covered, but is there a way (simply!) to download a variety of voices to choose from for the nuvi 250w? I've heard of other devices where you can have Yoda speaking to you, or is that not available on mine?

Nope. Unfortunately, it not currently an option on that model.

Thx MM, I feared as much~!

I just updated the voices from the Garmin site for my Nuvi 260W. For male voices I have:
American English-jack (TTS)
Australian English-Lee (TTS)

..and a few in other languages. I am going to try out Australian English-Karen on my way home. I hope she is nice to me.

I can confirm that British English-Daniel (TTS) is male.

David

Elton sang Bernie's words beaufifully.

david

P.S. Don't shoot me. I'm only the piano player.

On a side note I wonder if I could just record my voice or someone that has a good voice and just replace the originals with the edited files. What does everyone think. Sorry if this was covered all ready.

(Sorry for all the errors. Not awake today I guess)

thank you

Hello there

Thank you

You can retype what you wish certain prompts to say, as i did with recalculating to "Come on Maxey, you can trust me."
Others who ride with me get a kick out of this, and those who are gadget challenged are concerned that the equipment in these new fangled vehicles know too much when they can call you by your name.

You mean there's a way to stop my Australian female voice from calling Maple Drive...listed as Maple Dr..'to "Maple Doctor"?

You need http://turboccc.wikispaces.com/TTS_Speech_Doctor for that.

For VPM voice files like message re-calculating see http://turboccc.wikispaces.com/TTSVoiceEditor

Is there any place to get additional voices that will speak street names?

You can go to the Garmin site and download a program called "Voice Studio". With this, you can record your own voice. Lots easier than it seems! The only bad about it, it cannot use your voice to do street names. I use my voice sometimes when in a city with lots of turns.

URL to Garmin's Voice Studio:

http://www.garmin.com/garmin/cms/us/ontheroad/voicestudio

Does it add in the Garmin voice to do street names or are there just no street names?

The program has you speak in the microphone commands like "turn right", "turn left", "proceed to the highlighted route". It is very intuitive to use, and fun. You can say it in whatever way you want to. Use the kids for certain commands, or whatever. To answer your question, NO, it does not add in the Garmin voice to name street names, just basic commands, but it is still fun. I still like my wife after 36 years, so when I am by myself, I use my wife's voice.

I guess Garmin doesn't care about us that much... We have a few actors and/or comedians that sold their voices to TomTom. Oh - and there's NO WAY I'll change from my good ole 205T ! I'll keep it silent, till I get a good voice list to choose from

Still, I'd like a Corsican accent, or a lady from Marseilles or Nice - or an old farmer from the Berrichon area. Now add that to TurboCC's voice editor, and you've got a true winner !