Originally posted by willo Just can't get on with that voice, anyone got a link to the previous release please. I'd prefer to have the option to switch between human voice/robot.
What happens if you delete the new voice files (pSpeak.mlp)? Does Mapopolis go back to the old voice? I did notice that the mapwords.bin is still in the Mapopolis program directory.
Mapopolis pulled a boner in my opinion. The older releases had 40-some sounds ("turn", "left", "mile", etc). They released some cool utilities, and lots of voices were created by recording the sounds from males, females, with different processing ... The voice that I could hear best was Crystal. It couldn't read street names, but it was simple and worked well for me.
The new release (4.37) uses a speech synthesizer to read the directions from the direction panel. It includes street names, but obviously has a very robotic voice. Street names are not always what you expect. (Do you expect "Harford Road" or "Maryland Route 147"?) If you don't hear every word, it's a lot harder to guess the message.
Different strokes for different folks, but I'll bet a lot of their customers won't be happy having only the synthesized voice. I simply don't believe that a company that has in the past been as customer responsive as Mapopolis won't fix this and give us the option to use either system.
Personally, I went back to an earlier release. It was a tough decision for me, because I really like the rest of 4.37. I hope they fix this soon!!!
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The world may not be perfect yet, but the Axim is (almost).
It's a case of "different strokes for different folks." I like the upgrade and the new voice. True, it is not as clear as the pre-recorded voices, but by playing with the settings I've got it pretty well set now. And for the prompts I missed, I've set one of the buttons for replaying the next turn information for me. If I miss something, one button push and I get it again. For me the additional information is worth the change.
Originally posted by pookster I loaded the new version. It gives me an error saying "pspeak.mlp not found", and there is no voice prompting whatsoever. where do I get this file?
Did you use the Windows installer version or the cab files? If you used the installer, there is an option to copy the pspeak.mlp file to the pda. I let it install to the default directory, then moved it to the SD Card where I keep my maps, as the file is quite large at 2.7mb.
Download the Windows install file. Install through ActiveSynch. You will see a question asking whether you want the voice prompts. Answer "Yes". Loading this file will take several seconds, due to its size.
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The world may not be perfect yet, but the Axim is (almost).
Load the Windows Installer. Install through Active Sync. You will see a question asking if you want the voice prompts. Answer "Yes". It will take several seconds, as the file is large.
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The world may not be perfect yet, but the Axim is (almost).
For those not pleased with the voice. Give it a couple of days before you pass judgment. I'll agree that the voice is not the caliber of maybe Tomtom's or Destinator's voices. But we get the freakin street names announced!!! That is a huge improvement. I have my first and second buttons mapped to zoom in and out. My third button is my microsoft voice command button (can't wait till that is integrated into mapopolis). And my fourth button is mapped to repeat voice command. I have the option to show large navigation screen checked. When I need to see my whole map I just press the center down on my directional key and it minimizes it.
One thing that desperately needs fixed is the multiple bear slightly left and right prompts I get. It is getting very old receiving that for perfectly straight roads. I don't consider driving straight on a road that has another road connecting perpendicularly from the left as making a right turn. It should be a no brainer when the road you are turning from and the road you are turning on are the same exact road. I know this isn't mapopolis's fault but the map providers. I am trying to compile all the errors I find in my home town but it is proving to be unmanageable. Quite honestly, whoever mapped my town (Somerset Ky) should be fired. A main street by my house dead ends a few feet before the road it connects to in real life. A few hundred yards from my house a completely straight road is shown to turn 90 degrees right then go for 300 feet then turn 90 degrees left. Most of the time in this area I am shown driving off road.
But anyway .. I'm venting. Mapopolis did a great job on this one. Give it some time.
I e-mailed Mapopolis with some more suggestions just before midnight Saturday. I got a detailed reply by return e-mail from Cheryl at Mapopolis Support Sunday afternoon. This is a company that's serious about customer support. I salute them.
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Garry Knight
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Lamar, could you let the programmers know that the voice misreads the altitude value. It apparently is not reading the sign bit, so that small negative altitudes become enormous positive numbers.
FWIW, I find the synthetic voice *easier* to understand, but I would like to have some variants.
I used this new version yesterday going to a friends house about 30 minutes away. It gave me spoken directions all the way. It did get a little unclear when it was telling you to turn, and then immediately turn again - because the speach began to run together. Over all I was very impressed.
Originally posted by garryknight the GBR_LONDON maps need to be updated. One route I planned took me along the east side of Trafalgar Square. That's fine when I'm walking, but it's now a no-go area for cars and has been for some months.
It's not the east side that has been pedestrianised but the north side, and Mapopolis quite correctly doesn't include this as a navigable road. I don't know what I was thinking when I 'discovered' the above. I hope I haven't put anybody off the program as the error is all mine: Mapopolis is a great program.
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Garry Knight
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Linux registered user 182025
Dell Axim X5 user
Originally posted by pookster I loaded the new version. It gives me an error saying "pspeak.mlp not found", and there is no voice prompting whatsoever. where do I get this file?
I had the same problem when I tried to load from the .CAB file. When I used the Windows installer it installed and ran just fine.
Version 4.37 is awesome. Between the spoken street names and the one-button spoken update, we're getting closer and closer to a routing package that won't require the driver to look at a screen at all.
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