MFM Travel Guides

[mlangelo]

Anyone able to recommend a "Free" software that can help create Garmin XML / GPX formats?

Hi Guys, hope you don't mind if i share what i found on the web.
I was able to compile my own gpi file using the resources at http://www.geovative.com/GeoTours/signup.asp
The 'lite version' is free. You can build up only 3 tours and include up to 10 locations with 10 mb media storage.
I've tried and was successful in composing a gpi file and if you upload pics with low resolution, you will not use all the storage space. You can upload audio (mp3 format) too. There is a forum where you can post your queries and they answered my query quite promptly when I couldn't upload my pics.
After you have completed uploading your files you can download the gpi file processed by them from their site. I tried sending over the gpi file via file transfer but I couldn't find the file when I turned on my Garmin 255W. I then tried downloading direct to my Garmin via the Garmin communicator and was able to access the file when I went to Extras > Custom POIs > Myfile. There is audio playback via MP3 and I wasn't able to get the audio file I created becos I think my 255W does not support MP3.
This 'Lite version' is free. The others costs US$240 onwards per year. Really expensive.
Have fun!

[stratman2]

Hi Guys, hope you don't mind if i share what i found on the web.
I was able to compile my own gpi file using the resources at http://www.geovative.com/GeoTours/signup.asp
The 'lite version' is free. You can build up only 3 tours and include up to 10 locations with 10 mb media storage.
I've tried and was successful in composing a gpi file and if you upload pics with low resolution, you will not use all the storage space. You can upload audio (mp3 format) too. There is a forum where you can post your queries and they answered my query quite promptly when I couldn't upload my pics.
After you have completed uploading your files you can download the gpi file processed by them from their site. I tried sending over the gpi file via file transfer but I couldn't find the file when I turned on my Garmin 255W. I then tried downloading direct to my Garmin via the Garmin communicator and was able to access the file when I went to Extras > Custom POIs > Myfile. There is audio playback via MP3 and I wasn't able to get the audio file I created becos I think my 255W does not support MP3.
This 'Lite version' is free. The others costs US$240 onwards per year. Really expensive.
Have fun!

Hi, I also discovered Geovative's DIY tour guide website last year but didn't try it out. But I gotta give you credit for participating in their forum and asking questions!

The "Tour Guide" feature is not available on the Nuvi 2-series models as they lack MP3 audio playback. Tour Guide audio clips tend to be lengthy, often with at least 30-second clips announcing a particular point of interest. Because MP3 audio is a lossy format, it can be heavily compressed to save memory space. The WAV format is uncompressed (compare 1411 kb/s @ 44.1kHz vs MP3 format, which can be compressed to e.g., 64 kb/s @ 22kHz) so you can imagine the hundreds of MBs (or possibly GBs) worth of audio involved if comprehensive Tour Guides were made into WAV format, therefore it's not worth the effort.

Another thing is that a Tour Guide file differs from a simple proximity based POI. Garmin models that support Tour Guides will show a special icon on the LCD screen when you reach that POI. You can choose not to playback the Tour Guide POI if you don't want to listen to it. Even if you could convert the announcement files into WAV, your Nuvi 255W will not playback Tour Guide files as it won't recognize them (at least I think so).

The workaround is to convert a TourGuide file into a proximity based POI file - but the problem is that not everyone will want to hear the announcements over and over again whenever they pass the points of interest.

[mlangelo]

The guides will be created using Garmin content toolkit. It will cost us US$500 a year (I will try to get a corporate sponsor). That's why I asked whether there is any real interest in doing this project.

Just post your edited xml at this topic. I will compile it using my evaluation copy.

I wonder if the content toolkit can create an auto tour guide for the 255W with all the audio and pics. Although this is unlikely cos 255W has no auto feature.

[sharkteef]

me hands are tied, will contribute when i has time

[alyem]

Bro..
I have miss out on this topic.
Where was I during this Travel Guide topic ..?

How do I load this XML file into my device, and whic folder should I load it to?

[fat_miao]

Travelling for me ... means trying Local Food

Meaning real LOCAL food ... and not just good tasting Eateries.

Example: keropok lekor ... Keropok Losong

[sharkteef]

Travelling for me ... means trying Local Food

Meaning real LOCAL food ... and not just good tasting Eateries.

Example: keropok lekor ... Keropok Losong

yah but when u shit brix u wan blame who ?

[edchuang (retired)]

Travelling for me ... means trying Local Food

Meaning real LOCAL food ... and not just good tasting Eateries.

Example: keropok lekor ... Keropok Losong

yah but when u shit brix u wan blame who ?

I makan one whole tube of Mr. Potato yesterday night but this morning never shit brix??? Just hold and push a bit harder only........

[sharkteef]

u eat too much chu yau char oredi. all of us overdose juz nao. lucky got cina teh help cover up