Where to Find Garmin 3600 English Voice Files?

[proto57]

I know this has been brought up for years now, and I've done my homework in trying to solve this, myself. The problem is that I have a Garmin 3600, which originally came with... or the installation CD came with... about 110 to 130 ".vpm" voice files, along with two voice system files. These files were deleted by a past owner, so they are not on my device or my computer.

I do not have the installation/setup CD. If I did, I would be able to run setup, and re-install the language from there. I have checked eBay for months, and no disk alone has come up. I would have to buy a second unit... and may at some point... to get it.

Garmin does not offer English as a download on their site. They have Finnish and Norwegian. Just for jollies I downloaded Norwegian, and it loaded and worked fine. I am in no mood to learn Norwegian, however, although it is a beautiful language. Garmin also offers a 5mb "update", which I downloaded and installed. I thought that maybe, since it was pretty large for the PDA, that it may also include voice files. It does not.

I did find a .vpm file, called "English_American.vpm", on the web. I did not consider it unethical or illegal to download and try this file, as the voice files were not extra cost from Garmin (like some maps were/are). But no luck anyway... it is a single @ 1MB file, not the hundred plus files needed for this unit. It did nothing... as someone else, a few years ago, found out.

Voice files for newer Garmin models, such as the Nuvi, do not work with this unit. Nor does the Garmin program for creating your own voices (too bad, sounds like fun). Nor do some of the "fun" voice files which can be found for sale on the web... such as "pigtones".

So basically, until I can buy a disk on ebay, I'm fresh out of luck. Unless someone here knows a source for these files? It has been asked before, and I checked out dozens of answers over the years, and all links and sources are long since gone. Any ideas?

[Q-Eye]

Have you tried here?

Garmin's mobile electronics page

I tried to copy a link to what I'm about to describe but it didn't work very well so just follow these directions.

From the the link above, go to the "Discontinued" link under "On the Go" section. Scroll down to the iQue 3600. Click it and then click "Software".

The very first link, "iQue 3600 English-only Ver. Release 6 as of Aug 09, 2007" is what you need as I recall.

Good luck!

[proto57]

Have you tried here?

Garmin's mobile electronics page
The very first link, "iQue 3600 English-only Ver. Release 6 as of Aug 09, 2007" is what you need as I recall.

Good luck!

Thank you, Q-Eye: But that download is an upgrade for the unit's software, but does not contain any voice files. That is the "5mb update" I describe in my original post.

This has been a years-long dilemma for many Ique users... that they do offer a means to back up the voice files to the SD card, but do not offer the files if you lost them to begin with. A hard reset restores the operating system, but not the voice files, so many people who did a hard reset, and don't have the original disk, are out of luck. Of course I bought mine, used, but I can't imagine people who paid almost $500 as late as 2008 being so happy about this.

But I see you call yourself "q-eye", so I would imagine you have the files? Could I beg a copy off of you, or purchase a copy of the CD install disk? This again would not be unethical, as each unit came with an install disk from the factory... it was not an extra cost option, and Garmin never offered it for sale, separately. Sorry to put you on the spot! But there you go... And thank you for the response, BTW.

[proto57]

I just received this reply from the Garmin support staff, in response to my request for either the English voice files, or a new setup disk:

"Thank you for contacting Garmin International. I am sorry but the device has been discontinued since 2007. Any software we will have is located on this web site: https://buy.garmin.com/shop/store/do...ID=165&pID=177

And that link (although truncated to error by this forum code... I could not make it work) is the one which we all know contains some useful software, but not the increasingly rare Ique voice files. So I wrote back:

"Hi: Thank you for getting back to me. I did already understand that the unit has been discontinued, and do appreciate that you have some useful updates on your site. But this still does not explain the lack of replacement English voices on your site.

When this unit does a hard reset, the voice files are lost permanently. The voice files are key to the operation of the unit. For a unit which, for some people, cost over $500, and is only three years old, it could be argued that Garmin should make these files available. It would be very easy to do... in fact, you now have both the Finnish and Norwegian voice files available for download... it could not take more than a few minutes to post the English ones, too.

In addition, sometime after discontinuing the unit, Garmin posted a backup program, so that a user could save the voice files from the unit, to the SD memory. This is presumably because Garmin realized people were losing the voices after a hard reset, and wanted to give them an opportunity to save and restore them. If so, then why not provide the files to someone who lost the voices before the backup program became available?

And also, many people lost their voice files because of the very update files you post... that is, the revisions to the unit's operating software. This, because the updating process entails a hard reset. And yet there is no warning of this loss of voice files at all! Only that data will be lost, so the user is told to do a last minute sync before updating.

And lastly, I would point out that by avoiding posting this vital software for a discontinued product, you risk the affect it may have on future sales of current units. Anyone doing a search on the internet can find many references to this lack of support by Garmin, and it would of course occur to many that any new unit they buy may similarly be abandoned by the company. If such a search instead reveals a prompt addressing of the issue, then it can only strengthen one's opinion of the brand.

I for one like Garmin... but I also would wonder, if I do buy my next unit from your company, will it be obsoleted in only three years, as the Ique was? If I lose the software, will Garmin let me down, again? That has to be a consideration, as one important aspect of quality is service and support. Please reconsider posting the files at your site, or at least, take some pity on a loyal customer, and zip them over to me.

Thank you for your time and attention, Rich."

A pointless exercise no doubt, but who needs sleep?

[lelisa13p]

An eloquent and impressive presentation of your case. I sincerely hope that your efforts do not fall on deaf ears, especially considering the subject of your plea is a requested vocal offering.

It does seem entirely reasonable to ask a company to rectify a problematic oversight, the results of which are sometimes even created by their own actions such as the upgrades that you mentioned.

Insofar as your link is concerned, although the forums do not generally allow for the use of URL shortening/bit.ly links (IIRC, TinyURL will show the correct destination when hovering the cursor over the link) there have been exceptions made when the link was determined to have been legitimately posted by a trusted member.

I look forward to the next chapter in this quest.

[proto57]

An eloquent and impressive presentation of your case. I sincerely hope that your efforts do not fall on deaf ears, especially considering the subject of your plea is a requested vocal offering.

It does seem entirely reasonable to ask a company to rectify a problematic oversight, the results of which are sometimes even created by their own actions such as the upgrades that you mentioned.

Oh thanks, Lelisa. I am glad I did not entirely come off as the curmudgeon I am! They did write back again, basically saying all I had to do was install the voices from my setup disk! They seem to have missed the part that I have no such disk. It was a nice reminder, of course... but they did not really read my long explanation I guess. It sounds like this will be a dead end.

I did just purchase a parts Ique... perhaps it will have the voice files on it. I already have some idea of how I will install them, because voice files alone will do you no good... you need an installation program. I'm going to try:

1) Use the backup program on the parts IQ to get the English files (if they are there) onto an SD card.

2) Put the card with the backup into mine, and see if it will allow me to "reinstall" them onto my unit.

3) If not, I will install, then backup, the Norwegian files on my unit and SD card-

4) Then overwrite the Norwegian files on the SD card with the English files I've backed up...

5) Then use the backup program to reinstall the files to the unit... it will "think" they are the same files, but hopefully it will replace the files with my English copies. I may have to hard reset to get rid of the Norwegian voice files on my unit, first...

I don't have time for any of this, and buying a new Nuvi would be easier... but I enjoy it, as I've said. I love solving difficult problems on old equipment... it is like a puzzle to me. And I love this little thing... works like a charm, easy to use. I like the GPS better than my wife's Magellin, personally.

[Q-Eye]

Sorry, I didn't realize that was the update to which you referred.

I no longer have an iQue 3600 but I will look around in my drawer of assorted disks and see if I have my old installation disks. If so, I can PM you for an address and send them to you.

As for retrieving voice files from another 'Q, I think it's easier than you think. If you can access the 'Q as a disk device and copy the files from the GARMIN folder, you should be able to put them in the correspoding folder on your device. There are the multitude of voice files and one index file that are needed to make it all work. I don't THINK you need to go through a full install to get them there but I'm getting old and haven't played with "Betty" for several years now.

[Q-Eye]

Haven't tried it but the "Palm Desktop for Garmin" might contain the voice files. I think it has everything but the maps.

Ok, the forum doesn't like the URL so just google for "Palm Desktop for Garmin". The first link in the list (for me anyway) gets you to the Garmin support site for iQue 3600 files.

[proto57]

I no longer have an iQue 3600 but I will look around in my drawer of assorted disks and see if I have my old installation disks. If so, I can PM you for an address and send them to you.

Thank you... only if it is not too much trouble. Of course I would reimburse you, if you did find them...

Haven't tried it but the "Palm Desktop for Garmin" might contain the voice files. I think it has everything but the maps.

Good idea, but I do not believe they are in that program. I do have it installed, with it's nifty "map install" function. Other Palm desktops work, but not as seamlessly. I'll check all it's folders and so on, but I don't think the files are there. Thanks again...

[Geoffers]

This may help others to help you! It links to a utility on the Garmin site that allows a backup of the voice files to be made on the iQue. Perhaps someone can use it to help you.
Sadly, my Garmin iQue has long since joined that big roadmap in the sky!
<<<http://www8.garmin.com/support/download_details****p?id=449>>>

This site will not allow the link?????

"Substitute dot j s (no spaces) for the asterisks!