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Custom POI Loads for 430N

20K views 55 replies 22 participants last post by  fdnyfish 
#1 ·
Has anyone tried loading custom POIs into the Garmn nav in a 430N (RHB) media center? I followed the instructions in the radio book exactly but have had no success. The Garmin POI Loader (from the Garmin web site) works as it is supposed to for creating the poi.gpi file. I know the file is good because I have successfully loaded it into my Garmin nuvi 660. However, when I burn the file to a disc and load it into the 430N in my Grand Cherokee Limited, the disc reads and then the screen displays "PND Updated Failed" and the custom POIs do not load. I have a query into both Garmin and Jeep customer service but no responses yet. Just curious to see if any other owners have tried this.
 
#3 ·
I tried loading the poi file on a USB drive (the 430N has two USB ports) but the system won't recognize the file as anything it can use. Apparently the USB ports are for audio and image files only.
 
#7 ·
So far I'm liking it. Works pretty much just like my nuvi 660. There are some subtle differences but nothing significant. Biggest visible difference is the screen resolution. My nuvi 660 has a smaller screen (4.3") but it is sharp and clear. The Jeep's display is larger at 6.5" but the apparent resolution is worse. It appears that they've just scaled up the standard Garmin display and the screen is doing a lot of pixel interpolation. Just looks fuzzy. It is pretty readable though so I'm OK with it. As far as routing is concerned, I've only hit one difference so far. For some reason this new nav wanted me to take an exit from a major road and then immediately take the entrance right back onto it, rather than just staying on the road. Obviously a dumb routing situation that needed some human judgement to ignore. You just can't follow these things blindly.
 
#6 ·
I've tried burning to DVD -R, DVD +R, DVDRW, CDR, and in both closed and open session discs. I think I've found that it needs to be a closed session - otherwise it reports an invalid disc. The other (closed session) discs are all read by the 430N drive OK, and it must know there is a certain data file there, but the data file doesn't get used to update the nav. The screen just reports "PND Update Failed." In searching for that phrase on the Internet, the only references I can find have to do with Alpine systems. Since this new Jeep supposedly has a higher end Alpine audio system, maybe the audio is trying to update, and not the nav. I'm still waiting to hear back from both Jeep and Garmin on the problem.
 
#9 ·
Problem Solved!

Contacted Garmin customer support via the web and got a clear and effective response. Even better, the method of uploading uses a USB stick and the port on the front of the unit, which makes way more sense than the method of burning a DVD shown in the manual.

Posted with Garmin's permission:

Dear Ron,
Thank you for contacting Garmin International. I can definitely help you with your question about the Jeep unit. Please use a USB stick and following these directions:

Step 1 - Download a POI database file from the web or create your own
Step 2 – Using POI Loader from Garmin (www.garmin.com/products/poiloader) create the POI.gpi file from the database file you have gotten from the web or created
Step 3 – Save the POI.gpi file to your computer as a file
Step 4 – You will now need a USB Stick to load the custom POI to so that it can be loaded to the vehicle system. Create a folder on a blank USB stick entitled Garmin, example; if your USB Stick is listed as drive D by your computer, then the folder would be D:\Garmin
Step 5 – Create a folder within the Garmin folder named Poi, example; if your USB Stick is listed as drive D by your computer, then the folder would be D:\Garmin\Poi
Step 6 – Copy the POI.gpi file to the Garmin\Poi folder on the USB Stick, example; if your USB Stick is listed as drive D by your computer, then the file location would be D:\Garmin\Poi\POI.gpi
Step 7 – Insert the USB Stick to the radio and the Garmin navigation application will display a message that the custom POIs are ready to be copied, select yes.
Step 8 – To view the custom POI list select WhereTo, Extras, Custom POIs and you will see the list.

Worked like a charm for me.
 
#11 ·
I just tried it and this process worked flawlessly! Appreciate someone finding out the info and posting it. I queried both Garmin and Jeep almost two weeks ago and, other than their automated "we'll get right back to you" e-mails I never heard back from either Garmin or Jeep. Thanks!!!!
 
#13 ·
Bozer,

POIs are "points of interest". From the Garmin website it looks like there are a couple of different POI types. There are things like speed warnings which can warn if you're near a spot and your speed is above a set point. There are normal warnings, like red light camera locations, and there are TourGuide points, which can play an MP3 and display a picture as you approach a spot.

So it looks like YES, you can bring up a picture of your beautiful family as you approach the house, but I don't think you can use it as an icon overlaid onto the map, which I think is what you were really asking.

B
 
#14 ·
I just loaded a database of rest areas for the entire US. Got it from www.poi-factory.com. They have all sorts of stuff. It is all in the form of Excel spreadsheet files, with lat, long, description, etc. When you use Garmin's POILoader to take the POI spreadsheet and build the Poi.gpi file, you can tell it to set alerts so your nav will let you know when you're approaching one of the POI locations. The alerts can be just a tone/beep (haven't heard what the 430N does yet but my nuvi 660 does a "dong" sound) or you can also load an audio file to play when alerted. I tried the "rest area ahead" file once with my nuvi but that got to be real annoying real fast. Better to just set the alert with no added audio file. When you build the POI file with the Garmin POILoader software you can set the distance for the alert. I set the rest area POI file to alert at 10,560 ft (have to set in feet, not miles). Hope this helps.
 
#15 ·
Just completed a 300 mile trip, after loading a custom POI database of rest areas (from www.poi-factory.com). With the alert set at 2 miles the 430N worked flawlessly. It alerted with a tone and a banner at the 2 mile point in every case. The tone beeps once and then the banner continues to display for the 2 miles until reaching the rest area. Then the banner disappears. Exactly as it is supposed to work!
 
#22 ·
There's likely some sort of limit but it must be pretty large (memory or disc capacity?). The US Rest Areas database of POIs that I loaded contains nearly 2,200 entries. The system didn't complain about that file being too large and the custom POIs are working just as they should.
 
#25 ·
I'm new to custom POIs. Are there some sources that are more reliable than others? Any one-stop-shops for POIs? Reading through the forum posts and doing some googling but still sorting through it all.
 
#26 ·
Pls disregard the questions above. I found POI Factory and it seems legit. Also figured out the POI Loader from Garmin (Mac version).

Question: What is the favored source for free speed camera POI, or is it best to pay for this content?
 
#30 ·
One thing I've found out about loading custom POIs this way. I already own a Garmin Zumo 550 and have a bunch of favorites on there, so I wanted to "transfer" them instead of having to reenter all of the information manually. Everything works fine with the loading and I find them in Where To -> Extras -> Custom POIs.

Now, here's the issue: if I select one of these POIs and tap the "Save" button before tapping "Go," I then find the item in my favorites with one problem: I have address/phone info in the POI but when I save it to the favorites, that information is lost. The best I can do is reenter the phone number at this point by editing the favorite. I cannot put the address info back in there.

The POIs were pulled from the Zumo using a Garmin program and written out as POIs via a Garmin program... both of which were the most recent available for download at Garmin's site.

Anyone have any better experience with this?
 
#31 ·
I haven't used the phone numbers in POIs very much, but it sounds like a bug if it is present in the custom POI and get's dropped when added to favorites. Might be worth filing a bug report with Garmin, or searching their forums. I'll try it myself when I get a chance.
 
#32 ·
I know you can do POI but can you also do the Garmin voices as well?
 
#33 ·
I was not successful using the method that works with the standalone Garmins :(
 
#35 ·
Sure... on the main screen with the "Where To?" and "View Map" icons, just tap View Map and it will just track your current position without offering any route guidance.
 
#43 ·
Yes. You can even view map, then hide it and you will still be notified. For the Phantom Alert POIs I setup for my wife, she is notified by a beep when the map is hidden. When it isn't you see and hear the alerts. Most of the time my wife hides the map unless she is using NAV for directions to a new location. She loves just being able to hear the beeps. She says even if she doesn't see what the alert is for, she automatically slows down and even learned to scan for red light cameras. I think they've made her a much better driver.
 
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