Possible TOMTOM convert...Advic Needed On GARMIN units...

Boydie76 · Occasional Visitor Joined: Oct 15, 2008 Posts: 8

I have been using my wife's TOMTOM (720T) and have always found it an excellent unit - and from what I have read the PGPSW database integration is excellent

I was ready to buy a TOMTOM to "permanently" install into my car (by this I mean hide the wires as I have a storage bin at the top of the dash so I was going to leave it in there for speed camera alerts when not using for nav)

However, having fought my way through the myriad of range options in the TOMTOM range I was disappointed to find out that the TOMTOMs do not turn on and off with the ignition! Shocked

I am therefore looking into Garmin units and have the following questions that I hope you may be able to help with to choose the right GARMIN unit:

I already have bluetooth for phone and IPOD integration built into the car so I do not need these functions

The most important functions for me are:

1 - The unit will turn on and off with the ignition (i.e. if "hardwired" into a switched cigarette lighter socket)

2 - The unit can be updated with the PGPSW database

3 - The camera warnings can be set up so the unit calls out "GATSO 30" for Gatso cameras in 30mph limite etc. - this is more of a desirable feature - any audiable warning would be OK

4 - The cameras show up on the map with different icons for Gatso, Specs, Mobile etc. - again, non-essential as long as there is an icon but would be nice

5 - Non-Subscription Traffic Avoidance - I understand the limitations on the TMC traffic via FM reception but this has always worked well for me on the TOMTOM - do the GARMIN units function in the same way?

6 - I would like to have UK and Europe maps

The unit I am looking at currently is the 1340T

Will this unit do everything I want it to do?

Sorry for all of the questions but I had researched the TOMTOMs and I am now starting from scratch with the Garmin units

I suppose the final question is - are they any good!?!?!?

darrengsaw · Lifetime Member Joined: Jun 03, 2009 Posts: 107

The answer is yes to all your questions.

The 1340 would do a good job for you I think.

You can get voice warnings to work fine with the Garmin range. The 13xx don't have mp3 so you would need the wav files which is a little fiddly, but I have it worked out just fine. If you have any problems there is plenty of help available on here. Please feel free to PM me if you wanted a run through how that works.

I use RDS-TMC, and I think it works ok. From what I gather TomTom live users are somewhat annoyed with HD traffic at the moment.

It's nice and easy to update firmware and maps, so I would say it's a reasonable choice of device.

Boydie76 · Occasional Visitor Joined: Oct 15, 2008 Posts: 8

THANK YOU!

Looks like we have a winner!

It looks like I will definitely need help with the MP3 to WAV thing - how "fiddly" is it - is it a do it once and it is done for ever thing?

Is it worth looking for a unit that does everything listed above that also copes with MP3 (if so which model?) or is this really not an issue with the "WAV method"?

Thanks again for the help and having the "on-off with the ignition" is going to be great! - I can't believe TOMTOM don't have this option!

GerryC · Posted: Wed Nov 18, 2009 2:25 pm Post subject:

Boydie76 · Occasional Visitor Joined: Oct 15, 2008 Posts: 8

Thanks for the advice guys - my new 1340T should be arriving tomorrow Very Happy

Boydie76 · Occasional Visitor Joined: Oct 15, 2008 Posts: 8

OK, I need help loading up the Voice Alerts for speed camera warnings!

I have downloaded the "Andy Sidwell" set for my speed camera database (speed zoned) and the file names all appear to match up perfectly - so far so good

I tried converting all of the MP3s to WAV files and have put them in the folder but I get an error when I try to upload using POI Loader Confused

I tried Stereo and Mono versions of the WAV files with the same results - the errors relate to "cannot find .sox" (or something like that) followed by something like "Garmin cannot convert file" etc.

Interestingly when I tried just putting the MP3 files in the folder instead everything uploaded!?!?!?!

I am assuming POI does not convert them to WAVs as part of the upload and that the MP3s wont play on my unit?? - I haven't had the chance to test it out yet

So - can someone **COUGH** darrengsaw **COUGH** help me out with getting the voice alerts working in my 1340T

Fanks

BigPerk · Posted: Sat Nov 21, 2009 7:07 pm Post subject:

PhilHornby's post on SOX in

darrengsaw · Lifetime Member Joined: Jun 03, 2009 Posts: 107

Hi Boydie,

Sounds like you have it pretty close to sorted, try this and you might be away and running.

You need to place the sox.exe file into the folder you have you used to store all your files.

This should get your voice files working.

Here is the link: http://rapidshare.com:80/files/139638423/sox.zip

Have you downloaded Ash10's camera manager?

This is a really handy utility that lets you customise your alerts in several ways. The sticky at the top of the garmin forum page will direct you if you want to download it.

Hope that helps.

Boydie76 · Occasional Visitor Joined: Oct 15, 2008 Posts: 8

SORTED!!!! Laughing

Thanks for all the help and advice

Everything has worked out exactly as I wanted - here are a few "points of interest" for anyone else in the same situation:

To get the voice alerts working you need to convert the MP3 files to WAV files (standard "Windows PCM" if you are given multiple WAV options) and put them in your POI folder with the PGPSW databases and images

Make sure you have the SOX.exe file in your GARMIN install file (not the POI folder)

I did have a bit of a scare that I thought had ruined my whole concept of just leaving the Garmin to turn on and off with the ignition without the need to touch it Shocked

When the Garmin turns on you get the legal disclaimer where you have to hit "I Agree" and then after this you would need to click on "View Map" to get the speed camera alerts!

Fortunately I discovered that if you just leave the Garmin unit alone it will automatically clear the disclaimer screen and default to the map view with speed camera alerts all working properly! Very Happy

Basically - I am sorted!

Thanks again for the help and advice

The next step it setting up ASH's Camera Manager...

TonyIshUk · Occasional Visitor Joined: Aug 10, 2005 Posts: 52

Hi,

I have been following this thread with interest deciding between a TT XL IQ or Nuvi 1340T (both with euro maps)

Q1) I use the TomTom Itinery quite a bit, Does the NUvi do the same ?

Q2) I would like to load both UK and Euro Speed Cams does this prosent a problem in any way,

(I use a TT6 on a PDA at present and load the euo data on one SD card and the UK data on another so keeping the data seperate)

Comments on either SatNav would be welcome

Thanks

Rgds

Darren · Posted: Fri Feb 19, 2010 9:22 pm Post subject:

dales · Posted: Sat Feb 20, 2010 6:42 pm Post subject:

Back to the questions from TonyIshUk.

Yes the Garmin can handle multi-country camera data easily enough. There's a sticky about how to do it, near the top of this page. And Ash10's Camera Manager does it automatically.

Sorry I don't know what the TT Itinerary function is. Somebody else will have to chime in here.

Dales.
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Darren · Posted: Sat Feb 20, 2010 6:48 pm Post subject:

stuart

I have also been following this thread with interest. Up until today I have been a TomTom man (TTG500 and TTG520T), but have now purchased a new Garmin 765T. So like TomTom, I need to backup all data onto my computer BEFORE turning it on and updating etc. Assistance required please.
Also adding PGPSW cameras seems straight forward enough and doing various tweaks. Can the map colours be changed ?. I will copy my 'Favourites' from my TTG520T, convert them and add them to the 765T.
But if anyone else out there can give me gentle guidance and advice I would appreciate it.

Edit for minor error

gatorguy6996 · Posted: Mon Feb 22, 2010 9:08 pm Post subject:

You will probably never use a back-up from your Garmin (unlike the need to do so on a TomTom). I can't think of any posts where someone has had to do a restore of their device, other than an occasional map or the current.gpx file where favorites and routes are stored. They are very much like Apple in the sense that they keep a tight control on how their interface can be modified or customized, and restrict how 3rd party apps can interact with their OS. Therefor it it much more stable, less crash-prone. But that's not really what you asked is it?

You'd do a back-up just like you would for any other drive. Just be sure to enable/include hidden files. The OS itself can't be accessed by a consumer, so that's not going to be backed up anyway. And because the OS is so tightly controlled, there's no 3rd party map colors either. If it's in the interface, those options can come only from Garmin. That's a downside to having a more stable OS.
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