Proximity Question

The only way I've come across, applies to TourGuide alerts - basically adding a speed to a TourGuide filename alters the distance (so that you get 36 seconds warning) - but the speed itself is ignored, because TourGuides are purely Proximity-based.

The largest distance you can set is 1.25 miles (or thereabouts), but since TourGuides are circular alerts, this could easily be equivalent to 2 miles by road.

See http://www.poi-factory.com/node/7043

Alternatively, switch to gpx format and set the Proximity for each POI individually to whatever you require.

Ok, let me see if I have this straight...

With my Nuvi 350.... I can have basically 4 different kinds of poi files.

1. Poi file with no alerts at all. It won't show on the screen and will only be available in the "Where to -> My Locations -> Custom POIs" kind of as a reference.

2. Poi file with code word "redlight" in the name which will give me about 1300 or so feet of warning.
i.e.#2: "Houston Texas Redlight.csv". I will get an alarm about 1329 feet or so when I approach an x,y in
the poi file.

3. Poi file with the code word "number mph" in the name, which will give me an alarm if I am going faster than
the number.
i.e. #3: "School Xing 25 mph.csv" When I approach an x,y
coordinate in the file, I will get an alarm
if I am going faster than 25 mph.

4. poi file with the code "TourGuide" in the name and a number, which will give me a "circular reference" alarm if I am within the circle radius of the number.
i.e.#4: "Joes Place POI File Tourguide 75.csv" If I am
within 75 feet of the x,y of a poi in the file... then I get an alarm.

Am I understanding this right?

I'm not sure if this is what you are looking for or not, but when you run POI Loader, it gives you an option if you want to use "Express" mode to setup the settings. If you choose "MANUAL" rather than "EXPRESS(RECOMMENDED)", you can set up the distance or speed before the redlight and speed camera warnings show up.

Well it will show on the screen as an icon, if you're zoomed in far enough (or at the very least as a grey dot).

Yes.

Yes. The distance at which you'll be first alerted, is computed by POI Loader, so as to give you 36 secs warning (with a minimum of 1320'). There's probably a menu option, as to whether it keeps alerting you, or just does it once. The actual tone, will be different to the Proximity Alert tone.

No. That one's not so simple.
Points to note:

• With this guide of alert, an associated .mp3 file is mandatory - you'd need a "Joes Place POI File TourGuide 75.mp3", containing some kind of audio (tone or message). The TourGuide part of the filename is case-sensitive; the rest isn't. This audio will be used for all POI's in the file (which is as far from the intended use of a TourGuide as you can get ;-)
• TourGuides are Proximity Alerts, not speed, but the speed parameter can be used to coerce POI Loader into changing the default distance. It will see your "75" (in mph mode) and assign a distance of 3960' (36 seconds again). The alert will trigger whenever you are within 3960' ft of the point (as the crow flies), regardless of speed.
• You can't check the parameters of a TourGuide using the unit itself - it doesn't display them in the same way it does for 'normal' alerts.

Your reply helps a lot. Thanks.

I understand the necessity of the mp3 file.

But let's go a bit further... if I may.
In a TourGuide poi file... I understand all the pois in the file will be treated to the same distance (previous 75).
So, a guy could set up a file with TourGuide in the name and give it a distance of say 1 mile, and then as he is boondoggin down the interstate, anytime he came within 1 mile of a poi in the file... an alert would go off.
In other words... the actual address of the poi could be "up to" 1 mile away and the alert would still sound.

I am a camper. I have downloaded many of the camps and state parks etc from POI Factory. I see these as being a good example of when to use this TourGuide thing.

Thanks for your helping me understand this.

From all of my testing of the TourGuide capability for my nüvi 650, you can set individual alert distances for every POI within the .GPX file.

i.e. I have an alert set for 1608 meters ( 5280 feet. all .GPX alerts are set in meters ) for my home and when I'm within a true radius of 1 mile from home, I'm alerted. I did not have to be driving there, nor did I have to be on the same street for the alert to sound.

I've set some TG locations way off of any highway or road and the alert still sounds. Now if you're very clever, you can have all kinds of .MP3 files play ( I have the 3 Stooges sing the alphabet song when I'm close to my kids high school ) when the alert triggers.

I'll test a few more points to see how much farther away I can set the prox alert and still have it sound off.

HTH
dd

Yes. If you have "TourGuide" and the numbers "100" in the filename, you should get an alert at 1 mile (5280'). (POI Loader's calculation: 5280' @ 100mph =36seconds).
Because the highest speed allowed is 124mph, the greatest distance using this method is about 1.25miles.
Presumably you can override the distance with POI Loader's manual mode - but I've not actually tried it.

Thanks Hornbyp. You have been a huge help in me understanding the Tourguide. I have started playing with it already.

Can I just add "Tour Guide" to the name of a CSV? If they need an MP3 does that mean Tour Guides dont' work with non-MP3 compatible nüvis?

Yes, I think you can just add the word "TourGuide" to the name of the file.

Say you had a file named "My POIs.csv"
I think you can rename it to "My POIs TourGuide.csv"
But...
You need to have an mp3 file by the exact same name.

To add distance to the file... you would add a number after the word TourGuide such as: "My POIs TourGudie 20.csv

That's my understanding...

The phrase is actually TourGuide!

... and no, they don't work with your Nüvi 200

Poi Loader Help File, has enough information on TourGuide to enable a person to make one.