Email Q&A
:
Welcome to the
Q&A section of my TomTom site. Here is a compilation of emails I
have received from people with the solutions to those problems.
I also wish to use this section
as a tips page, so if you encountered any problems that you managed to
solve, and feel that the information would be useful for other visitors,
please contact me
with the details and I will post them here.
Happy Problem Solving!
Graeme Lucas
Index:
QA001: Problem using VIFTool
(entry #0 "After.ogg" (nach) is missing)
QA002: Voice commands not
playing properly on TTG (Not playing full command)
QA003: Changing speed camera
alert tones on TTG
QA004: CHK File Naming vs.
TomTom Built in definitions
QA005: File naming convention
issues (AhLeftTurn vs. AhLefturn)
QA006: Splitting an already
made .VIF and .CHK file back to 59 .OGG Files
QA007: VIFTool / WINVIFTool
for Mac OS?
QA008: Custom Voices on TomTom
Mobile / TomTom One
Can't find
what you're looking for? I'm sure google can!
QA001: Problem using VIFTool (entry #0 "After.ogg"
(nach) is missing)
______________________
STATUS: Solved
______________________
ORIGINAL EMAIL:
Hi Graeme
I am having problems creating
my own file I wondered if you had time to help, if so here's the
history
Firstly I cannot change
directory completely so I get round this by typing the full path
like this:
F:\>C:\TOMTOMVoices\Me\VIFTool
join 99 me me.vif
entry #0 "After.ogg" (nach) is missing
This is the error message I am
getting yet my file list shows there is a file call After.ogg and I
can play it by re-opening it via Audacity.
Any Ideas?
Many Thanks
Matt
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CAUSE:
This is caused because the command prompt had
not been redirected to the folder in which viftool.exe and the samples .ogg
files are located. VIFTool requires the current prompt to be pointed
at this folder, and cannot be targeted by typing in it's full location (i.e.
C:\TomTom etc.)
______________________
SOLUTION:
Redirect the command prompt before running
VIFTool.exe. Details can be found on
Step 4:
Compile and Copy section of the guide. A rough guide to command
prompting is as follows:
[drive letter] : (eg C:)
- This will change the prompt to the drive specified in [drive letter].
cd\ (eg cd\TomTom\voices)
- This navigates through the current drive (cd) into subfolders.
exit
- This closes the command prompt window
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QA002:
Voice commands not playing properly on TTG (Not playing full command)
______________________
STATUS: Solved
______________________
ORIGINAL EMAIL:
Hi - Great site...
I followed your instructions -
and I have my voice on my wife's Go... only problem is some words
get clipped so you hear "At the Endo for th.. Take the ferry" - any
ideas - I have checked the files and all are OK - I could email them
if you want.
______________________
CAUSE:
I believe (although I cannot guarantee the
accuracy), the TTG has limited capabilities with the sound bit rate (Hz
Rating). Although the clips preview perfectly on your PC, they get cut
off when on the move. I believe this limitation lies on the TTG, I
have not heard of this happening on other systems.
______________________
SOLUTION:
In audacity, change the bit rate in audacity
before recording your samples to 11 025 Hz. You could try other bit
rates, they may be successful, please let me know.
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QA003:
Changing speed camera alert tones on TTG
______________________
STATUS: Solved
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ORIGINAL EMAIL:
Hi
I wonder if you can help me. I have a Tom Tom nav 5 (4890) which is
installed on a Mio 168 machine.I am trying to put speed camera voice
warnings on it rather than 'the bings and bongs'. However I am new
to computers (unbelievable I know but I'm a dinosaur) and all the
jargon is a bit too much for me. I am wondering if you have an
idiots guide on how to do this. I've read things like convert the
ogg file to a data chk file. This is fine if you know how to do this
but I don't. Please could you help a damsel in distress.
Regards
Pat
______________________
CAUSE:
N/A (This is not a problem, just a reference)
______________________
SOLUTION:
Download the POI Patcher program, this can be
found at
http://www.automated.it/ttg-poipatcher.html, this should solve the
problem.
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QA004: .CHK
File Naming vs. TomTom Built in definitions
______________________
STATUS: Solved
______________________
ORIGINAL EMAIL:
Any idea why I named my files
as Rob and Data 99, but I appear as Special Female 39?
Thanks,
Rob
______________________
CAUSE:
N/A (There seems to be some confusion over the
way TomTom handles the naming convention of voice files. This is not a
problem with TomTom however.)
______________________
SOLUTION:
TomTom has fixed names for each of the
DataXX.chk file. Unfortunately this cannot be modifies (As far as I am
aware). As explained in
Section 1: Preliminary,
part a TomTom will always call the voice file what it wishes (for
example data04.chk is Tim UK, and data15.chk is Eva - Nederland's etc.).
Some hope however, embed a bitmap with the name
convention dataXX.bmp (Which number matches that of the .chk and .vif
files), on this image add some text and a picture of the person as well.
Doing this will override the silhouette picture when selecting the voice.
Further instruction can be found on
Step 4: Compile and
Copy of my guide.
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QA005:
File naming convention issues (AhLeftTurn vs. AhLefturn)
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STATUS: Pending Solution
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ORIGINAL EMAILS:
Email 1:
First of all, let me just say
that I wished I had found your site first before I went trying to
translate German sites and forums and picking up bits here and
there... I had most of the info before I found yours eventually!!!
Anyhow, great resource by the
way. Worth the time and effort to others who want to do this.
Thought I'd point out an
important error on your site... In the list of .ogg files you
specified the following:
# 'AhLeftTurn.ogg' => 'Left
turn ahead'
please note that this is not
AhLeftTurn.ogg it is AhLefTurn.ogg (there aren't two "t"s) ... You
will need to change that info in two places on your site.
If users upload the CHK file
into TOMTOM GO, it will play the sample strings in TEST area but
will not load the voice into the main system.
Regards,
Chris.
OK
Hang on, seems that file is
very muddled across all the programs that were made for it.
I don't understand it at all
and I'm very confused. The John Cleese version and data04 (as well
as other system made/designed voices) ALL have the file spelt like
this if extracted: AhLefturn.ogg (NOTE THE ABSENCE OF THE SECOND
"t")
If you use VIFTools, it will
only accept a join if the file is called AhLeftTurn.ogg (ie. with
TWO "t"s)
If you use the TTG POI Sound
Patcher program, it will only accept a join if the file is called
AhLefturn.ogg (ie. with just the ONE "t")
It should be noted that even
the TEST function in my TOMTOM GO will not work if the file with
only ONE "t" is left in the .CHK file
The TEST function will work
BUT the file will not load for use in the system itself if there are
TWO "t's" in the .CHK file.
So now I am still confused. I
still cannot get my voice file to work on the system *screams* !!!
Chris
______________________
CAUSE:
Sloppy programming, but an easy mistake to make
a guess, so no hard feelings!
______________________
SOLUTION:
Although there is no evidence of a fix for this
problem, I would advice only using VIFTool.exe. However if someone
does have any further knowledge on this hiccup, please
email me!
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QA006:Splitting
an already made .VIF and .CHK file back to 59 .OGG Files
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STATUS: Solved
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ORIGINAL EMAIL:
Hi
Is there a way to convert .vif files back
into normal audio ?
regards
______________________
CAUSE:
Until recently this was not possible unless you
were willing to spend too much time fiddling with HEX editors or converting
into different file format. The old version of VIFTool would seemingly
split the files, however they would not seem to be playable. The
problem was with the way VIFTool was writing the header of the file.
______________________
SOLUTION:
Download the latest version of VIFTool (http://www.ghostwheel.de/viftool)
and use the split function using the following syntax:
viftool split viffile.vif chkfile.chk
(for example 'viftool split graeme.vif data99.chk')
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QA007:
VIFTool / WINVIFTool for Mac OS?
______________________
STATUS: Pending Solution
______________________
ORIGINAL EMAIL:
Great site thanks very much
One question
Do you know of an alternative to Viftool that will work with Mac OSX ??
Thanks in advance
Adam
______________________
CAUSE:
N/A
______________________
SOLUTION:
I am not aware of any Mac OSX Version of the
VIFTool, there certainly isn't a WINVIFTool alternate for the Mac. If
anyone is aware of one, please get in touch.
In the meantime I am happy to stitch voices for anyone, just
send me the 59 OGG Files in a zip file and I'll do
the rest
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QA008:
Custom Voices on TomTom Mobile / TomTom One
______________________
STATUS: Solved
______________________
ORIGINAL EMAIL:
I have just visited your superb website on
creating your own custom voices for TomTom.
The only problem I get is it appears the
mobile version of the chk and vif files used in tt version 5.2 is
different from the normal voice files.
If I split the supplied working voice
chk/vif files using viftool, I get errors reporting the block size
is 4 bits too big etc on 3 or 4 oggs sections. (but the voice works
on Nokia 6600).
Running viftool split on non mobile voice
files extracts all 59 ogg components with no errors (Like you the
extracted .ogg do not work but that doesn't matter as you say). (The
voice does not work on Nokia 6600).
Any clues or help would be useful.
Thank you again for a superb help tutorial
on your website.
I look forward to your reply,
Bill
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CAUSE:
This problem is linked in with QA002 and the bitrate in which the samples
are recorded. TomTom seems to using different hardware/software audio
decoders on the different TT Systems.
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SOLUTION:
Try experimenting with different bitrates, Bill
got it to work on his TT Mobile by recording at 16kb's, here's the email he
sent back to me;
Hello Graeme,
Thank you for your kind replies - I'm most
grateful.
I have finally managed to solve my problem
with Tom Tom mobile 5 and the navigational voice files when used
with the Nokia 6600.
The problem is due to the bitrate.
The ogg voice files have to be recorded at
16kbit for them to work on the Nokia 6600.
The TT Navigator, Go etc use 22kbit.
All the files I found on the net were
recorded at 22kbit which is why they did not work for me.
To make existing .chk and .vif files work,
first they need to be (a) split with viftool, then (b) converted to
16kbit, (I used dB Power Amp Convertor with the ogg plug-in which is
shareware and brilliant for doing this conversion on multiple
files), (c) joined with viftool.
Thank you again for your brilliant help
and kind replies.
Please don't hesitate to contact me if I
have not explained the method very well.
Kindest regards,
Bill
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