Anyone had success loading a custom POI file to Kenwood Navi

[Woodie]

I use SD cards to load firmware in copiers, one manufacturer MUST have FAT, the other manufacturer MUST have FAT32. They absolutely will not work the other way.

[murcod]

Okay, adding them via the SD card with the head unit in the GPS screen "Where to"/ "View Map" apparently worked. I say apparently, because I haven't been for a drive and viewing the map (where I know there are traffic light safety cameras) didn't show anything up.

But the head unit indicated I had successfully copied the POI data to the internal memory.....

Well.... that appears to have been a big flop!

I've now got the situation where the GPS "program" in the head unit resets itself. My guess is the reset coincides with speed camera locations (it seemed to possibly be the case.) Regardless, it's very annoying as the GPS reboots and goes back to the start up screen.

I found in the menu system an option for deleting Custom POI - so did that, but the same thing seemed to happen on the trip home.

It might be time to reinstall the GPS software - oops!

I do recall seeing another person with the same problems, I'll try and find the info.

[murcod]

http://www.kenwoodforums.com/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=2986

http://www.navitotal.com/language-files ... 10239.html

This guy seems to have finally had success: http://www.navitotal.com/language-files ... tml#p83409

[murcod]

Still no luck.

I've found the POI file name must be kept poi.gpi or else the head unit will not load the POI file. So, the info I found suggesting keeping the safety camera file name original appears to be false.

There is also info suggesting the Cyclops safety cam POI file can't be used with the Kenwood head units - I'm starting to think that is the case. The other info suggests perhaps obtaining the "camera.poi" file off a Garmin Nuvi and renaming that to poi.gpi works.

Has anyone in Australia got a Garmin Nuvi?

[murcod]

These instructions seem to be the most accurate/ detailed that I've found so far for loading POI cameras http://www.scdb.info/en/installation-kenwood/ . Pity their camera info is so woefully inaccurate and out of date for my area. I found over 8 mistake just in the areas I normally drive ( including missing cameras, incorrect speed limits listed and cameras listed that no longer exist.)

So, it now appears to be a matter of searching for up to date camera listings in a universal format (eg. .csv) that I can convert myself to .gpi format and then load.

[murcod]

The latest in the saga (plus I enjoy talking to myself ..... it will help someone else one day!)

I've found a free safety camera POI website that is actually up to date (at least it seems to be where I live) http://www.trapster.com . So, I joined up and downloaded the Australian safety camera POI file. It is a .rar file and when unzipped you're left with a small bundle of files (.csv, .bmp etc).

It's then time to use the Garmin POI Loader program to process these files into a Garmin / (hopefully) Kenwood compatible .gpi file.

Once that's done, rename the generated Trapster_Garmin.gpi file to POI.gpi (this must be done for the Kenwood to accept and read the file!) Then put that file onto an SD card (not the same card your Kenwood maps are on, you'll need another SD card formatted in FAT32) using the file structure:
Garmin/ POI / POI.gpi

Get the Kenwood head unit run up to the GPS screen "Where to"/ "View Map" and then eject the Kenwood map SD card and insert your new card with the POI.gpi file on it. All things going to plan, the head unit will straight away recognise the new POI file and confirm if you want to copy the files - follow the bouncing ball. After that is completed it should give you a success message. Eject the POI SD card and reinsert your Kenwood map card.

I'll do a better "how to" in a new post - once the saga is definitely finished. I'll also include info on the Kenwood Map SD card file structure, which is helpful for updating the maps.

[SamirD]

I use SD cards to load firmware in copiers, one manufacturer MUST have FAT, the other manufacturer MUST have FAT32. They absolutely will not work the other way.

They must be reading the sectors raw including the file system and writing that to the firmware.

It's more of a limitation of what the copiers are doing because if they were using the file system, a file would appear the same regardless if it's FAT8/16/32. Anything using FAT32 shouldn't have a problem reading FAT8/16 files, but not the other way around.

[SamirD]

Very cool that you've cracked the code on the POIs! For a second I thought you might have run into a dead-end. Can't wait to see the finished results.

[murcod]

Well.................. it works!

I drove through an intersection (with a known safety cam) and received a little "ding" noise and a message on the screen notifying me of the camera's presence . The warning was a little premature (that can be customised AFAIK in the original .csv file) and it does warn you whenever you enter the vicinity (ie. not just when you're approaching from the direction the camera monitors.) I'm not sure if the proper Garmin Cyclops camera POI data works any differently/ better?

Regardless, it is working!!!!! Many hours of trawling the internet has paid off.

[SamirD]

Well.................. it works!

I drove through an intersection (with a known safety cam) and received a little "ding" noise and a message on the screen notifying me of the camera's presence . The warning was a little premature (that can be customised AFAIK in the original .csv file) and it does warn you whenever you enter the vicinity (ie. not just when you're approaching from the direction the camera monitors.) I'm not sure if the proper Garmin Cyclops camera POI data works any differently/ better?

Regardless, it is working!!!!! Many hours of trawling the internet has paid off.

Very cool! I bet if you had access to a speed trap and photo radar database you could load that in too, right?