Never received download links to free voices

[Smaerd]

Hello I'm a new Tom Tom user, and so far I'm impressed with its features and capabilities. Yesterday I downloaded two of the free voices and after going through the purchasing process despite the freeness I was provided with two download links. I clicked on the first and successfully downloaded one of the voices. However this took me away from the page and the download link to the second voice, and I cannot find the download page again. I was told "That I would also receive download instructions in a separate email" but all I got was an invoice email with no link.

I have tried going back and repurchasing this voice but I keep getting "general error" on the last page.

This is not a big deal but I am worried about never receiving download links for future paid voice transactions.

 

[dhn]

When you say 'successfully downloaded', how did you determine that?

 

[Andy_P]

Where and how are these free voices being offered to you please?

(Email? TomTom Website? the MyTomTom software? Somewhere else?)

 

[Smaerd]

Successfully downloaded means it showed up and played on my tom tom.

As far as I know I got them from the only legal source I am aware of which is straight off the TomTom website. They are free voices are in the same area as the paid voices. Though you have to go through the purchase process even though the total is $0 they still need billing info etc..

My problem is that I never received a link or any way to download the second of the voices, it was the Irish voice "Aonghus" that I was unable to get.

 

[dhn]

Call CS at 866-486-6866 to get this sorted out.........

 

[canderson]

There is no particular reason why you can't attempt to obtain the 2nd voice again and see if the email function works. Start here http://www.tomtom.com/en_us/products/voices/ and request the voice again.

 

[Smaerd]

I just keep getting "payment for your order failed!" and "general_failure" when I try to get the voice again. Unless the download link is in the "invoice email" I definitely never received an email with the link.

 

[canderson]

Have you checked that email to see where it points you?

 

[Andy_P]

As far as I know I got them from the only legal source I am aware of which is straight off the TomTom website.

Thanks for the info, it wasn't clear from your first post.
You're actually misinformed... there are plenty of other legitimate websites where you can download voices or you can even make your own. There are tools to do that available on-line, nd older TomToms even alowed you to create your own onthe device itself, using the built0in mic.

The only legal restriction is that of the copyright of the original creator of the voice. Most have put them in the public domain with the only restriction being that they are not sold or hosted elsewhere without the owner's consent.

In fact, TomTom themselves were the biggest misuser of those free voices by collecting them on their "Home" download site without their original licence terms being attached.

Some other sources for free voices are:
http://www.satnavvoices.com/index.php?ln=en&pg=9
http://tomtom.gps-data-team.com/celebrity_voices/
http://gps-data-team.com/pda-gps-navigation/links/index.php
http://www.gpsice.co.uk/voices.html

 

[Smaerd]

Thank you for all the advice. I don't know if I want to follow up this one with customer service but if I ever decide to purchase a voice I will most likely do that before I spend money and have the same thing happen.

My interest in the free voices diminished yesterday when I found that only the "Samantha" default voice can read street names. At least the Australian voice I downloaded could not, maybe the paid voices can.

 

[Lupus]

Hi Smaerd,

only computer voices can read the street names. Those voices are not yet available for purchasing so all other voices available for purchase so far wouldn't read the street names but only the turn directions.


Regards
Lars.

 

[dhn]

Nope. Only computer voices can read street names and none of the free or commercial voices are computer voices. Sorry.

 

[canderson]

Ah, OK. You are looking for what we call "Computer" voices that can convert text to speech. AFAIK, the ONLY U.S. English computer voice for any of the newer models is Samantha, and as far as I know, there is NO facility (yet) for adding any others, nor are others being made available at this time.

I like my old "Susan" voice better, but ...

 

[alfie67]

. . . I like my old "Susan" voice better, but ...

I'll second that nomination for as Susan for "best voice" category, and I agree with my wife since she's chief navigator . . . :sad:

 

[canderson]

Samantha sounds like she used to be a three-pack-a-day smoker (unfiltereds).

 

[Smaerd]

Do I get the right idea that this is a pretty new model and also a pretty new website interface? Or does it just say:


Coming soon: Map Update Service, Funny voices, Personalized POI's, Map Share changes and much more.


and never deliver.



Yeah I really like the reading of street names, even though most of the time I can just take a glance (and sometimes I have to with the way they pronounce it). It comes in handy when there are a lot of turns quick one after another.


I image that if I called customer service they could sort this out and send me the email that I never got with the download links. I am assuming that was the problem. Maybe this weekend when I have more free time.

 

[Lupus]

Hi,

the map update service is available as are the voices and POIs. MapShare and some other features are still missing.

For more information about the voice portal please have a look at the following two links:

Voice portal releases - announcement on official TT forum (hyperlink)

download and install voices (hyperlink)


Regards
Lars.