Can one create voice files to replace beeps?

ClassA · Occasional Visitor Joined: Dec 22, 2008 Posts: 20

I use the PGPSW speed cameras in a Tomtom XL IQ Routes. I am also using a Navigon software in my iPhone. When the Navigon approaches a speed camera it says "Warning. Traffic control". This seems to me to be much more effective that the various beep and other tones I can select for this purpose in the Tomtom. I was wondering whether I can create a beep file that speaks. Has this already been posted here or can anyone advise me?

Thank you for any help or comments.

Andy_P · Posted: Tue Sep 14, 2010 2:49 pm Post subject:

Yes you can.
I'm not sure how you missed it, but there are several "voice packs" already available on this site to go with the camera data files.

The page is HERE, select "TomTom" and see what's there.

There are two methods to add warning voices or sounds, both are described at the bottom of that page.
The most flexible is to put the files in the "sounds" folder, because then you can use them for ANY warnings, not just the PGPSW cameras.

If you wanted to make your own speech warnings, audio files in .ogg format can go in the "sounds" folder and certain .wav formats will work too, but .oggs are much smaller files so are preferred.
"Audacity" is one program for the PC that can export in .ogg format.

HERE is a link to a previous post of mine which explains the technical details of the file formats the voices can be recorded in.

Any more advice needed, just ask!

ClassA · Occasional Visitor Joined: Dec 22, 2008 Posts: 20

Thank you very much, Andy, for that excellent and helpful reply.

ClassA · Occasional Visitor Joined: Dec 22, 2008 Posts: 20

I downloaded some of the voice files and played them on my Mac using VNC. I tried Liz, Crystal and Nick. The first two seem to be truncated as in "Gatso! Thi....." and Nick starts to say it a second time, then gets truncated as in "Gatso thirty. Gatso thirt....". I haven't gone ahead and installed them on my Tomtom because I thought that if VNC doesn't play them right, neither would Tomtom.

I want the warning to play all through just once with no funnies, such as truncation. Am I doing something wrong?

Thank you for any help.

PaulB2005 · Posted: Sun Sep 19, 2010 2:20 pm Post subject:

Never seen this problem reported before. Try one or two on the unit. Loads of people use the voices with no issues at all.

Or try redownloading in case you have a corrupt download.

Andy_P · Posted: Sun Sep 19, 2010 8:16 pm Post subject:

I just checked out some fresh downloads of the voice packs you mentioned, and they are all playing fine on my PC.

So I suspect some problem with either the download, your file player or (heaven forbid! Laughing

0 the Mac.

One thought is that the built-in zip decompressor on a Mac is not good, and often fails to extract the PGPSW camera files, so other un-zippers are usually recommended (Stuffit is one).
Worth trying a fresh download and one of those?

PaulB2005 · Posted: Sun Sep 19, 2010 8:49 pm Post subject:

Did you extract the files first and then play them? Or are you running from the zip file? Its possible the break up is caused by the files being unzipped and decompressed "on the fly" if you haven't pre-extracted them.

ClassA · Occasional Visitor Joined: Dec 22, 2008 Posts: 20

As I mentioned, I noticed this truncation on all the files I played. These were the Gatso 30 and Redlight files of Liz, Crystal and Nick. At least six files playing in VNC as truncated. Concentrating on the one I prefer, Crystal, I deleted the folder I had expanded the files into and then re-extracted them using Stuffit, which is not the default on my Mac. The Gatso 30 and Redlight files still play as truncated.

I followed the installation procedure on this site to step 3, where I had to answer NO. the next screen asked me the warning distance. I didn't see the POI on route screen at this stage. The next screen I saw said 'Is this the sound you want to select?' Yes/No. I guessed and answered Yes without knowing what sound it was referring to, then I saw the POI on route screen. So there seems no way of playing the file without driving out to a Gatso 30, or even knowing it's the file I installed. I was hoping I'd be able to select the file from among all the supplied beeps and listen to it. When I look at the UK Gatso 30 category in the Warn when near POI list, at the left of the Gatso 30 line there is a speaker icon, so it looks at though it will play something. I'll see what happens.

I have a Windows XP PC which takes about half a day to boot up so I might, when I have the energy and time, download and listen to those Ogg files on that.

Thank you for all your comments and help. I'd also like to thank all those running and maintaining this site, which is a fantastic resource.

PaulB2005 · Posted: Sun Sep 19, 2010 11:48 pm Post subject:

The "is this the sound you want" and the "yes/no" option is a bug TT never fixed. It is mentioned in the instructions on this site. It happens when the ogg file has a name that matches a POI file. By saying yes you did the right thing.

You can test the alerts by preparing a route past known camera and getting the unit to run a demo at a speed below 300%.

To be honest you are the first to complain of this problem so I'll bet it'll work out ok.

ClassA · Occasional Visitor Joined: Dec 22, 2008 Posts: 20

Thank you for that, Paul. I ran a demo and it worked! I didn't hear the truncation.

ClassA · Occasional Visitor Joined: Dec 22, 2008 Posts: 20

I've now copied all the Gatso and SPECS files to my Tomtom and a problem I'm running into when I go to enable them is that when I click ok on the proximity screen the screen doesn't clear and progress to the POI on route screen. I have to click Cancel to get out of the proximity screen and then I don't know the status of my setup. I've checked that the Oggs are in place on the Tomtom but I'm not able to follow the procedure I completed using the Gatso 30 Ogg file.

PaulB2005 · Posted: Mon Sep 20, 2010 12:21 am Post subject:

Copy all the ogg files over and then start again but start with the GATSO files first. Leave the Mobile and pMobile until last something like this happens when I set up the Mobile cameras first

Andy_P · Posted: Mon Sep 20, 2010 2:06 am Post subject:

ClassA · Occasional Visitor Joined: Dec 22, 2008 Posts: 20

Thank you very much for that. I used Method 2 and it went like a dream, the way I imagined it might before I embarked on this. I've done a demo to verify that it seems to work. Just what I wanted!

Maybe someone should update the advice on this site to something like:-

1: Download the files and rename them to something meaningful and short
2: Copy the files to /sounds
3: In Tomtom select the new files to the speedcam categories.

I find an overview like this is very helpful before one gets bogged down in all the detailed explanation.

I know I shan't rest until I've made a few of my own speech files, such as "Wetherspoons pub nearby!"

If anyone has been through this on a Mac I'd be pleased for any tips to get me started. As I gave my hand microphone to my daughter I'll be looking for a Mac app that records from the built-in microphone to .WAV or even .OGG, then maybe converts from WAV to OGG. Maybe I'll look at my iRiver music player, which has a built-in mic and records to file.

Thank you for your help. Now, I've got my Tomtom where I want it, except that it doesn't do vias (see my other thread).

DennisN · Posted: Mon Sep 20, 2010 1:37 pm Post subject:

Audacity, free download from I can't tell you where, but Google will. I used it on my Macbook to record grandchildren saying "Wake up Dennis, Speed camera check ahead" (for my POIs of cameras to verify). Piece of cake (thanks to Andy's instructions). Impresses Vera every time it goes off!
_________________
Dennis

If it tastes good - it's fattening.

Two of them are obesiting!!

	PocketGPS
	Web