Create your own content for NB1

[Sally_C]

I'm curious if anyone knows why the NB1 is not listed in TT's Create Your Own Content grid?

I'd like to do some customization - like create another start-up screen - but haven't had any luck. I made a 480x272 24bit bmp and put it the same folder as the original splashw.bmp, but it doesn't use it. It doesn't use the original either, so I'm just trying to figure out what will work and wish the above grid had the NB1 info.

Anyone have any suggestions? Thanks.

 

[Andy_P]

Probably because NB1 is not a model name...

For some daft reason, TomTom only put an internal part number on the sticker on the device itself. We need the model name that was on the BOX.

You can find the model name by putting the first 2 characters of the SERIAL number (the one on the barcode sticker) into this TT webpage:

http://us.support.tomtom.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/9521/kw/what%20device/sno/1

Once we know what model you have, we can advise better.

It WILL be possible though.

 

[Sally_C]

Thanks, Andy. The first two characters of my device # are DR which, when entered, say my model is Mazda Navigation System NB1.

Either I'm doing it wrong or we're back to Go?

 

[Andy_P]

Ah right... my sincere apologies then....

I was thinking of TomTom's main product ranges, and we get an awful lot of people with those who (quite reasonably!) think the part number they find on their unit will be enough to describe it to us.

In my defence, I'm not even sure Mazda have a TomToms system with that name in the UK! Whould you please do me a favour and adjust your forum profile so it says something like "Mazda NB1, just so I don't forget again? hwell:

Also, through long experience, when we hear people asking why model xyz isn't mentioned on TomTom's website somewhere, we automatically tend to assume it's an error on the website... usually that TT simply haven't added their more recent models.

However, they MAY be quite right in this case... once they start designing things in tandem with a car manufacturer, all sorts of little things might be different.
For example, a car maker may insist on having their own logo coming up on screen on switch-on, so TT MAY disable the normal splashscreen functionality.

I'm not saying that's definitely the case, but in the likely absence of anyone else on the forums with specific knowledge of your unit, we'll probably have to do a few experiments to try to work out what is possible or not.

First things I can think of to ask are
1. Do you get ANYTHING on screen during the start-up?
2.You mentioned putting your new file in the same folder as splashw.bmp...
On normal TomToms, that file isn't in a folder, it's inthe top level or "root" of the TomTom memory. Have you tried that? (preferably with the originalsplashw.bmp first - just to rule out any issues with your own file)

3. If that works, then try taking the original splashw.bmp file off the unit for safety, and then rename your new image to the same name, and try that.

 

[Sally_C]

No problems. I updated my profile to avoid confusion.

1. Yes, I do see an image, but it's not the file splashw.bmp which is in the 'photos' folder. Can't find that image anywhere.
2. There is no image in the root folder. On the NB1 the splashw.bmp file is in the 'photos' folder although, as I say, that's not the image that displays on startup. I can't find that image in any folder so I'm thinking there's something coded internally. I've attached a jpg of my folder structure.
3. I did rename the original as splashw.bak, and rename my startup as splashw.bmp, but the splashw file doesn't seem to be used by the system no matter who's version of it is used.

I've also tried adding a voice (the .bmp, .chk & .vif files) into the 'voices' folder, but the system's not seeing them either. Perhaps there's something about those particular files (bit rate or something) that's the problem. I haven't played with it much and tried another voice.

Perhaps the NB1 is just not as friendly to customization as some other models. I made a blue CX-5 which looks great for my avatar, which is the most important customization for me. So I'm happy to have that!

 

[canderson]

It's probably easier to start with something simple as you have done.

So you do see an image on start up ... what does that image look like? What *.bmp files do exist in the root directory? I ask because the screen shot you sent appears to be missing several critical files (e.g., "ttsystem"), so I'm only guessing that there is more to see than what appears above.

 

[Sally_C]

Attached:
boot.jpg - what I see when I start up the NB1
boot1.jpg - original splashw.bmp in photos folder
boot2.jpg - customized splashw.bmp in photos folder (after having renamed the original)

The only thing in the root folder is what you see on previous my screen shot. My system is set to show hidden folders, files, etc. so that's really all there is.

I did a search in the TomTom folder and did not find anything called ttsystem so I'm guessing the NB1 is just a different breed than the other models.

 

[Andy_P]

The only thing in the root folder is what you see on previous my screen shot. My system is set to show hidden folders, files, etc. so that's really all there is.

I did a search in the TomTom folder and did not find anything called ttsystem so I'm guessing the NB1 is just a different breed than the other models.

Not doubting you, but that just doesn't seem right....
The other folders look so similar to a normal TomTom's, please forgive us if we feel there MUST be the normal system files somewhere!

Going back to real basics... what does the hardware consist of? Is there a unit you can take out of the car and connect to your PC, or are you showing us the contents of a removable memory card?

(You can see we're starting to struggle here, and I for one don't like it! )

 

[Andy_P]

I've just found the NB1 user guides
http://download.tomtom.com/open/man...g_started/refman/Mazda-NB1-6G-Guide-en-gb.pdf

http://download.tomtom.com/open/man..._NB1/refman/Mazda-NB1-EU-LIVE-RG-v3-en-gb.pdf

Nothing to report yet....

Other than that it DOES have a memory card - so all the system files we want to see are probably on internal memory in the unit itself....

 

[Sally_C]

Going back to real basics... what does the hardware consist of? Is there a unit you can take out of the car and connect to your PC, or are you showing us the contents of a removable memory card?

(You can see we're starting to struggle here, and I for one don't like it! )

haha! I can totally understand the frustration. I'm new to the Mazda NB1, although not at all unfamiliar or new to technology.

Info on the unit can be found here.

It's built into the car so I can't remove it. What I have is the SD card and have shown you a screen shot of the file info. If there's something more, I can't see it.

 

[Andy_P]

I don't suppose you fancy pulling it out of the dash to see if it has a USB socket on the back do you? :roll:

 

[Sally_C]

I don't suppose you fancy pulling it out of the dash to see if it has a USB socket on the back do you? :roll:

Actually, according to this, "The NB1 system features TomTom content via USB from the hidden device directly into Mazda's existing Sanyo audio head unit."

But to answer you directly, no, I don't fancy pulling it out of the dash for any reason. :nono:

 

[Andy_P]

So it looks like you CAN add most "content" but only the stuff that is put into folders...

That would include
POIs
Warning sounds
Voices
Car cursors

But maybe not splashscreens

Judging by the pictures, it is VERY close to a standard Go1000/2000 series, so just to double check, if you go to the Settings menu, and scroll through the various pages, do you ever get a "Change start-up image" option?

 

[Sally_C]

No, I don't see that option. If you look at the Settings options, p. 41 of this Reference Guide, you'll see my choices.

Looks like they don't trust us to play with our TomTom too much.

 

[Andy_P]

Actually, according to this, "The NB1 system features TomTom content via USB from the hidden device directly into Mazda's existing Sanyo audio head unit."

So the actual TomTom is not even in the head unit, but buried somewhere. There's probably a vaguely accessible usb connection somewhere, otherwise no-one would be able to do a software update either.

 

[Sally_C]

Software updates are done using TomTom home, your pc, and the SD card. I just updated my maps to 905. So that's not a problem.

 

[Andy_P]

Ah that's MAPS not software....

In order to update the actual operating system (something we do quite often for the stand-alone units) the PC software would need to see the part of the memory that includes those system files dhn mentioned.

@dhn and canderson....

Interesting that here we have a NAV3 device (see the screenshots in the user manuals), but the map updates etc on the SD card are being done with Home, not MyTomTom.

 

[Sally_C]

I also updated the firmware to 10.817 if that's what you're referring to by the OS.

 

[Sally_C]

@dhn and canderson....

Interesting that here we have a NAV3 device (see the screenshots in the user manuals), but the map updates etc on the SD card are being done with Home, not MyTomTom.

Can you explain why this is interesting to a noob?

 

[dhn]

Because all Nav3 devices (with the exception of yours, it seems) **require** MyTomTom and not Home 2.

Only Nav2 devices (up to now, if Andy is correct) used Home 2.

Basically, the following link (from TomTom's Discussion forum) is for Andy to peruse:

http://discussions.tomtom.com/t5/Built-in-car-navigation/Tips-Updating-Mazda-CX-5-Nav/td-p/278423