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Can't find a British female voice file for my Garmin Zumo XT

Posted: Wed Jan 11, 2023 11:49 pm
by slhanks004
I'm trying this UK forum to see if anyone knows where I might find a British female language voice file for my Zumo XT? I'm the USA.

Thanks and Happy New Year!

Re: Can't find a British female voice file for my Garmin Zumo XT

Posted: Thu Jan 12, 2023 8:00 am
by sussamb
I haven't checked for a while but you used to be able to add additional voices using Express

Re: Can't find a British female voice file for my Garmin Zumo XT

Posted: Thu Jan 12, 2023 2:22 pm
by Peobody
My XT contains two female British voices, British English-Kate and British English-Serena. I believe they came on the device because I don't recall adding them and because there is a total of 17 voice language options in a variety of languages. BTW, Serena has a lovely voice.

I don't have any advice for how you would go about adding them if they don't already exist.

Re: Can't find a British female voice file for my Garmin Zumo XT

Posted: Thu Jan 12, 2023 3:33 pm
by Oop North John
Peobody wrote: Thu Jan 12, 2023 2:22 pm My XT contains two female British voices, British English-Kate and British English-Serena. I believe they came on the device because I don't recall adding them and because there is a total of 17 voice language options in a variety of languages. BTW, Serena has a lovely voice.

I don't have any advice for how you would go about adding them if they don't already exist.
My XT came with them I'm sure.

I think that you can get extra voices etc with the Garmin Updater. https://www8.garmin.com/support/collect ... 9-99999-27

Re: Can't find a British female voice file for my Garmin Zumo XT

Posted: Thu Jan 12, 2023 7:55 pm
by sussamb
Here you go, seems I was right and you can do it via Express

https://support.garmin.com/en-GB/?faq=Z ... qDAdyggnJ8

Re: Can't find a British female voice file for my Garmin Zumo XT

Posted: Thu Jan 12, 2023 9:19 pm
by Peobody
Cool! I wonder if optional language files are offered at some point during initial setup which is why those of us who have them don't recall intentionally going out and finding them. Too bad Garmin Express doesn't also provide a way to delete installed language files that will never be needed (I counted 13 of them on my XT).

Re: Can't find a British female voice file for my Garmin Zumo XT

Posted: Thu Jan 12, 2023 10:27 pm
by sussamb
You can delete them by connecting your device to your computer, they are in a folder named Voices

Re: Can't find a British female voice file for my Garmin Zumo XT

Posted: Thu Jan 12, 2023 11:02 pm
by jfheath
Serena 'Speaks Real Directions'. According to the XT screen.

This means that you get a bit more useful information - Like turn left at the traffic lights; Get into the right hand lane and then turn right at the hot dog salesman; Be careful of the cyclist coming past on your right, and then turn right after the pedestrian crossing.

Maybe not quite, but its that sort of thing - much better than having to look for street signs that are not usually visible.

Kate doesn't speak real directions. I don't know if that means that she speaks fake ones. That could explain all the problems I have been having.

Re: Can't find a British female voice file for my Garmin Zumo XT

Posted: Fri Jan 13, 2023 12:53 am
by Richard_R
The voices installed by default are country specific. Here in Australia we have "Australian English" and "British English" male and female voice options. I assume it would be possible to install new voice files from Garmin files or third party sources.

Re: Can't find a British female voice file for my Garmin Zumo XT

Posted: Fri Jan 13, 2023 12:59 am
by Richard_R
jfheath wrote: Thu Jan 12, 2023 11:02 pm Serena 'Speaks Real Directions'. According to the XT screen.

This means that you get a bit more useful information - Like turn left at the traffic lights; Get into the right hand lane and then turn right at the hot do salesman; Be careful of the cyclist coming past on your right, and then turn right after the pedestrian crossing.

Maybe not quite, but its that sort of thing - much better than having to look for street signs that are not usually visible.


Kate doesn't speak real directions. I don't know if that means that she speaks fake one. That could explain all the problesm I have been having.
Interesting.
I have Kate or her Aussie equivalent but I have also been beta testing the MRA phone nav app and running both systems simultaneously with both on Bluetooth.
Kate simply says in 200 metres turn left on C326
Siri who I presume uses "real directions" says Turn left in 200 metres onto Jones Road and head towards Smithtown

Kate suits me just fine to be honest.