Adding Text to Speech to Nuvi 300

[xtraseller]

Is it possible to load either of the Garmin Text to Speech voices (Emily (UK) or Jill (US)) into the Nuvi 300 and get them to talk the street names?

Any ideas?
8O

[Rob500]

Yes it is but you need to get them from somewhere and Garmin won't sell them to you at the moment for marketing reasons, even if you offer to pay for them. Try complaining direct to Garmin - the more of us that do so then perhaps the more chance that they will release them.

[xtraseller]

The files are available free to download from a Garmin dealers website, as update files

Any idea how I can install these?

I have already complained to Garmin and RadarExpress, from who I purchased the unit as BOTH advertised the 300 with Text To Speech

You are right, if we all complain they will have to refund us, compensate us or simply release the software!

[MaFt]

accoring to http://www.garmin.com/products/nuvi/ one of the selling points is: "Text-to-Speech — unit prompts you to “Turn right on Main St” instead of “Turn right in 500 feet”"

surely it comes built in?

from looking around online i think you need to select a voice language that is followed by 'TTS'

this thread: http://pocketgpsworld.com/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=34452 shows you can download the italian ones...

MaFt

[xtraseller]

Yes and no - Garmin (and their dealers) DID promise Text to Speech like you said in all the marketing then either decided to remove the feature to make the differnece between the 300 and 350 more attractive

So it has left us 300 users without a promised feature

Complaining to them has got us now where

I have downloaded a voice (not from the Garmin website), but just need some advice on how to install it on the 300, if anyone has done this (perhaps it is just a case of copying it into the directory and the unit will find it?)

Will try this tonight, and let you know how I get on...

...in the meantime, if anyone has already done this, advice would be appreciated!

[MaFt]

[xtraseller]

It's for the Streepoilot, but it's called Emily, which is the same as all the Nuvi 350 users say their Voice is called for text to speech, and what one or two 300 users say shipped with their (early release) 300s came with...

http://www.tramsoft.ch/gps/garmin_streetpilot-atlantic_en.html

Hope it helps (all the others are listed here too, including USA)

Andy

[Rob500]

I don't think it will work. The name is the same but the file extension is different from that on the Nuvi so presumably there is something different about the file format?

I've seen it said somewhere that Garmin claim the voice file for the Streetpilot won't work on the Nuvi.

All you should need to do is put the file in the same directory as the other voices - I suppose you could try changing the file extension but I don't know if that would do any harm?

[xtraseller]

You are right, it's in .grn format but needs to be in .vpm format

Perhaps if anyone with a 350 Nuvi out there could let us have a copy of the Emily file I could give this a go?

After all it is only what Garmin promised us...

Will keep searching

andy@xtraseller.com

[MELennium]

I found this on Garmin site,I don't know if it will work with your Nuvi 300 but it seems to be a .exe file.

http://216.239.39.104/translate_c?hl=en&u=http://www.garmin.com/support/download_details.jsp%3Fid%3D1041%23Instruct
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[xtraseller]

Thanks for searching, but I have already downloaded this file and it contains it in .grn format but needs to be in .vpm format for the Nuvi

Still searching...

[xtraseller]

Have "borrowed" a emily.vpm file and copied it across

That doesn't work!

It copies okay, but doesn't list as an option from within the Nuvi

Now going to see what happens if I take a lanuage out (French, for example) to see either if a) emily drops in (protected by number of languages in software) or b) leaves in the French (in which case will need Garmin to edit the software)

Let you know how I get on

[xtraseller]

If I replace Norsk (for example) in Nuvi > Garmin > Voices with Emily the unit STILL speaks Norsk (I presume it is Norsk, anyway!)... I have tried this with Netherlands too, and the same

This seems crazy

I could accept not speaking at all

I could accept locking out

I cannot see how this is happening!

Any ideas anyone?

[xtraseller]

If I then change Emily to replace the British voice, the British voice option disappears from the menu altogether

It is although Garmin have expected this to happen, and planned for it

Will be in touch with them tomorrow for more advice on what they intend to offer all us Nuvi 300 users who were promised Text to Speech

In the meantime, back to restoring my old Voice files...

[xtraseller]

All the files restored without a problem, and back with my Nuvi talking plain english (but without the street names!)

Disappointed at not having the promised choice of text to speech, but other than that, I find the unit a big upgrade on my Navman iCN630 (v3) and better (more reliable, clear, easy to use and quicker) than my Tom Tom Go 300

Great piece of kit, let down only by Garmin's change of heart!

Look forward to the PocketGPS review soon...

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