voice alerts on go 720

[terryjackson]

I used to get a voice alert telling me the distance and speed limit using the computer voice,
This was excellent and very useful when music was being played. What have tomtom done to spoil a good system?

 

[dhn]

They haven't changed anything. Try resetting Warn when driving faster than allowed.

Also, voice preference-->select a computer voice-->check 'read traffic warnings'

 

[terryjackson]

Thanks, The last time I spoke to TOMTOM they said the same thing and even that it was never possible on my model.

When I bought this I also bought one for a friend who loved this feature giving a breakdown of distance before safety cameras. The feature still operates on hers as she has never updated any applications and says that 2 others have had the same problem. It suggests to me that TT have changed something in the later applications

Is it possible to reinstall the original application?

 

[dhn]

The latest application for a 720 is 8.351 and has been out since May 2009. What one is on yours?

 

[Andy_P]

Nothing has changed in software to change the way this is handled, so it must be the way you have the unit set up, or a glitch on your unit.

Before going any further, can you just clarify what you meant when you said you "get a voice alert telling me the distance and speed limit using the computer voice,"

Do you mean that happened WHEN YOU APPROACHED A SPEED CAMERA?

Assuming that's so, then there are two alternatives.

If you are using TomTom's OWN speed camera data (downloaded from them), then AFAIK there ISN'T a way to get voice warnings unless you add recorded audio files of your own, and even then you cannot get the speed limit announced (as you can only assign different sounds to different camera TYPES, not speeds).

However, if you are using a third-party speed camera database (using the POI system on the TomTom) then you CAN have the "text to speech" voice give the warning of an up-coming POI.
There are a couple of limitations though... You can only do that if:

a. you have selected a TTS voice for your navigation instructions, or
b. you selected the TTS voice to do warnings etc. if you chose the non-TTS voice for navigation, and
c. you have also ticked the box in "Voice preferences" for "Read aloud POI warnings".

What you can get the TTS voice to say, depends on the camera type and speed details being in the filenames for the POI files (or you laboriously typing in your own warning text), but alternatively you can have voice warnings from audio files you have added yourself.

Those can obviously say whatever you like... including warning noises followed by a voice alert giving camera type and speed limit.
In the UK, the PocketGPSWorld camera database has several optional sets of voice alerts you can install and use.

Let us know if any of that rings any bells, or if you want help to take any of the options further.

 

[terryjackson]

The set up was as came from Tomtom. The safety camera software wae Tomtom. What happened was the computer voice(Kate), said "Tomtom safety camera 30" or 40,50,60,70, whichever was relevant, and also the distance, which could be set to whatever was wanted. This function disappeared after downloading tomtom updates, which I assumed meant a change in application.

The annoying thing is that they say that this was not possible, but as several of my associates bought the same model because of this function, some did not bother updating and still have this function.

 

[Andy_P]

I've been pretty closely involved with speed camera warnings, both third party and TomTom's own and I've never heard a TTS voice make those announcements on any TomTom model.

So TBH... I think you must have been mistaken, but I would LOVE to be proved wrong....

Can you get hold of one of those units owned by one of your associates' by any chance? A video or audio clip would be fantastic, but even the software and hardware version numbers would be good to hear about.