Adding Text to Speech to Nuvi 300

spikey0321 · Occasional Visitor Joined: Jan 15, 2006 Posts: 7

If you download the 2.7 software update for the 350 the Emily tts voice is in that update. Seems to be the only difference between the updates for the 300 and the 350.
I had thought about trying to update my 300 using 350 software update to see what happens but I've chickened out as it took me ages to find that spare £££ for this one.
If MaFt has a free one to review maybe he'd like to try and post the results.

xtraseller · Posted: Sun Jan 29, 2006 8:27 pm Post subject: Text to Speech Update

Thought about doing the same, as I guess there is little difference between the units other than memory, and there is plenty spare of that, even on the 300

But like you, copped out at the last minute (didn't want the hassle or downtime if it needed to go back to Garmin for removal!)

Cannot see it could do that much damage, however, as it is easy to download the wrong update by mistake. What would happen then...?

Anyone with any knowledge, ideas or perhaps even who have tried it?

MELennium · Posted: Sun Jan 29, 2006 9:59 pm Post subject:

I don't have the Garmin Nuvi 300 or 350 but i have just downloaded both files & extracted these to seperate folders on pc. When you explore both folders you will see there is a voice folder in each. Can you not use the 300 firmware update & copy the english voice from the 350 voice folder to the 300 voice folder, or even just drag the english voice to your Garmin Nuvi 300. The voice file is a .vpm file.
_________________
TomTom Go 910 (3) v.6.522 Map Western Europe v.650 with useless TMC receiver
Ex. owner TomTom 910 (2) Returned Faulty
Ex. owner TomTom 910 (1) Returned Faulty
Ex. owner TomTom One v.5.420 Map UK v.605
Ex. owner Garmin i3 v.2.7 Map UK V.7

xtraseller

Is there somthing in the Nuvi 300 coding that prevents the text to speech voices from being recognised - even if you change their file names to ones that are recognised by the 300

For example, if you put Text to Speech (Emily) in the 300 Voice directory, but call it American English for example (an allowed directory choice), not only will it not provide Text to Speech, but it won't show up American English as an option until you restore the original file!!!

Think Garmin are playing with us...

Rob500 · Occasional Visitor Joined: Jan 08, 2006 Posts: 38

Up to version 2.70 of the Nuvi software the Emily voice could be copied into the voices directory on the 300 and would appear but Garmin have done something in version 2.70 to stop it appearing.

xtraseller · Posted: Mon Jan 30, 2006 12:04 am Post subject: Refund

Perhaps if all us Nuvi 300 users who purchased the unit under the illusion it would have text to speech (the Garmin website AND all their authorised dealers were until around Christmas listing this as a feature on BOTH models) email Garmin as ask for a partial refund due to the withdrawl of a feature / change of speck / not as advertised they will change their mind and make this physically easy and relatively cheap update to the 300 with version 2.80

Contact Garmin Support at http://www.garmin.com/contactUs/techSupport.jsp

Then post your replies here!

adamf · Posted: Mon Jan 30, 2006 10:56 am Post subject:

i tryed the voice with v2.5 and still never worked?? :o

Rob500 · Occasional Visitor Joined: Jan 08, 2006 Posts: 38

Are you sure it was the correct type of file you tried - it had to be a .vpm file. That definitely could work with software version 2.50.

adamf · Posted: Mon Jan 30, 2006 7:19 pm Post subject:

not too sure i downloaded it off the garmin site ?? i remember trying loads of things out?

mbproject21 · Occasional Visitor Joined: Jan 29, 2006 Posts: 32

Higuys · Occasional Visitor Joined: Mar 03, 2006 Posts: 1

Hi there can anyone confirm that the original spec for the Nuvi 300 stated Text to Speach capability I certainly bought mine thinking it did but I can't remember where I read it.
Ebuyer are currently advertising the Nuvi 300 with Text to speach but there is no feedback on it so it could be an error.
I have sent an Email to Garmin as suggested and am waiting a reply. Confused

xtraseller · Posted: Mon Mar 06, 2006 7:02 pm Post subject: Definate

Yes - I did the same (from radarexpress.co.uk) and they acknoledge their error (but cannot do anything about it, but did offer exchange for any other unit I wanted for +/- difference, which seemed fair), but prefer my Nuvi to the other offerings at the moment...

I have the original text from the web ad too

Contacted Garmin who did as much as deny it was their problem (dispite EVERY retailer was re-printing the same detail)

We KNOW it is only Garmin's choice (not the units lack of ability) not to include Text to Speech in the Nuvi 300, so why they don't just offer an optional update - even for the cost of the text to speech licence, say £20 or so, I don't know or understand

Would create a lot of good-will and make their £350 product market-beating, full stop (text to speech is only on the - just announced - new TomTom 910, which will be much more expensive)

Rob500 · Occasional Visitor Joined: Jan 08, 2006 Posts: 38

I've also tried e-mailing Garmin's customer support to complain about not being able to upgrade the 300 to text-to-speech (TTS). They claim to have passed on my "suggestion" but who knows? Does anyone know of an e-mail address for anyone more senior in Garmin that we could write to - perhaps if they were told that there were lots of customers willing to actually pay them some money for TTS then the marketing/management might listen!

adamf · Posted: Tue Mar 07, 2006 9:32 pm Post subject:

well done the daring thing updated my nuvi 300 with the nuvi 350/3.10 download well guess what Sad

all is good still no tts worth a go though .... Laughing

adamf · Posted: Tue Mar 07, 2006 10:19 pm Post subject:

arse all my favs have gone balls :o

	PocketGPS
	Web