Own Voice - record and share your own Ovi Maps instructions

Published by Rafe Blandford at 11:17 UTC, May 4th 2010

Own Voice for Ovi Maps, an application that lets you record and share your own voice instructions for turn by turn navigation, is now available on the Ovi Store. Once you have recorded your voice pack you are able to share it with other Own Voice for Ovi Maps users by uploading it to Nokia's servers. Alternatively you can browse and download the voice packs contributed by other users; there are already contributions from a Cylon Centurion and the Grim Reaper. Read on for further details.

Recording a voice pack is a simple process, just follow the on screen instructions to record the 54 different voice clips which are required. It takes around seven minutes, depending on how long you take to record each sound sample.

Own Voice

When recording voice a pack you record each segment separately and you record each segment as many times as necessary in order to get the perfect voice pack.

Own Voice

Once you have completed a voice pack you are given the option to upload to it to Nokia's servers so that it can be shared with the world.

If you don't want to record your own voice pack you can browse the voice packs uploaded by other users. There's a recommended list, which should contain some of the higher quality voice packs, as well as a list of popular voice packs and a listing for all voice packs. At the time of writing there were more than 50 available voice packs, which will no doubt grow significantly in the next few days.

You can also browser and preview available voice packs on your PC using the dedicated Own Voice website.

For each voice pack there's an option to play short preview and rate the voice pack (presumably used to generate the popular and recommended lists). It's good to see Nokia have also included sharing options (Messaging, Twitter and Facebook) so that you can let you're friends known what voice pack you're using (it's also a clever way to promote the service).

Once you have recorded a voice or downloaded a shared voice pack you need to select it in the Ovi Maps applications (Settings -> Navigation -> Drive -> Own Voice). If you don't see 'Own Voice' as an option you will need to upgrade to the latest version of Ovi Maps. 

Own Voice for Ovi Maps is available for Nokia devices that support Ovi Maps 3.03 (Nokia N97, Nokia N97 mini, Nokia 5800 XpressMusic, Nokia 5230, Nokia E72, Nokia X6, Nokia N86 8MP, Nokia E55, Nokia E52, Nokia 6730, Nokia 6720, and Nokia 6710). The next time you use car navigation in Ovi Maps you'll have a new voice guiding the way.

More information is available on the Ovi.com site.

Own Voice for Ovi Maps


 

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Platforms: S60 5th Edition

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News Discussion

Unreg_ali
Super Idea from Nokia.
malerocks
The article says own Voice is supported by 3.03. I cant see that on my n97 mini.
jonek
I've downloaded the app and created a voice pack, but it's not appearing in Maps. (Settings / Navigation / Drive or Walk)

It says about running the latest version. I'm actually running the 3.04 beta. Does this only work on 3.03?
Rafe
I've not been able to confirm an exact version number. There are different builds on 3.03 - you may need to get the latest one. 3.04 should also work.
Magnus Iceland
Please let there be a Knight Rider voice . . . please, please, please! :)
Jimmy1
It's an interesting concept, hearing your own voice giving you directions, but ultimately it's kind of creepy and off putting.

Now bear with me, what has much more promise are celebrity or different style voices speaking at you. I'd love to have, say, Charlize Theron's sultry voice instructing me to take a right at the next corner.

LOL, a cool gimmick would be R. Lee Ermey demanding "take a right NOW, maggot! Drop and give me twenty!"
aas5800
running 5800 on firmware 50...

Downloaded the own voice app which appears to work fine.

Tried on 3.0.3. direct from ovi store and also 3.04 beta.

I'm having the same issue as jonek - no option to activate in maps itself.

Grrrrrr.

I'lll have Jean Luc Picard please (once I get it working)

Any ideas?
Hih
Wow! Amazing! I want OP's voice.

EDIT: OP = Kallasvuo. It might get rare voice...
jpwbamber
Super app. Installed with both 3.0.3 on N86 and 3.0.4 on 5800.

Can I change details of a VoicePack I have uploaded ?
Unregistered
Great idea, but does not work on the E75... why oh why?

Anwyay, the idea is great as now we can have directions in our own language - i.e. minority languages. So here's to Welsh language OVI Maps!
Unregistered
Hello Rafe,

Thanks much for the information. Do you know if these voice packs work with the text-to-speech functionality that is available on maps 3.03?

Effortful
amwebby
This is great but, despite the Nokia site saying it is compatible with all Nokia devices running Maps 3.03 it is only compatible with Symbian 60 5th edition devices. Hopefully they will be releasing the app for us non-touch screen users soon.

It would also be nice if they extend this to the use of POIs and their associated sound alerts. The speed alerts in Maps are not very good at all and there appears to be no way to update them.
aas5800
Is anyone else having no joy in getting Maps to display the 'own voice' option in (Settings / Navigation / Drive or Walk).

It's driving me nuts!:frown:
ShawnC
Quote:
Originally Posted by aas5800 View Post
Is anyone else having no joy in getting Maps to display the 'own voice' option in (Settings / Navigation / Drive or Walk).

It's driving me nuts!:frown:

I'm having the same issue with my N97 running Maps 3.03.
Unregistered
I people am have the same problem with the own voice i cant find it any where i have got a 5800 update version for phone is V40.0.005 am on O2 and the ovi maps is V3.03 Can any body help me cheers shaun.

Shaunelsworth@btinternet.com
Unregistered
Quote:
Originally Posted by Unregistered View Post
I people am have the same problem with the own voice i cant find it any where i have got a 5800 update version for phone is V40.0.005 am on O2 and the ovi maps is V3.03 Can any body help me cheers shaun.

Shaunelsworth@btinternet.com

Worked it out me thinks go online then look at were you get the voices and its there it is hope this helps
aas5800
Shaunelsworth@btinternet.com
Unregistered
Quote:
Originally Posted by Unregistered
I people am have the same problem with the own voice i cant find it any where i have got a 5800 update version for phone is V40.0.005 am on O2 and the ovi maps is V3.03 Can any body help me cheers shaun.

Shaunelsworth@btinternet.com

Worked it out me thinks go online then look at were you get the voices and its there it is hope this helps



Can you explain that a bit more mate - don't quite get it?
aas5800
Ok, this is weird. Woke up this morning and the "own voice" option now appears in Ovi Maps!

Must be the phone fairies.
snowman74
As mentioned before, if you go online. From the internet options. And then you will find the Own voice pack as advertised on the app. Hope it helps. It sure helped me.:D
darknight66
hi i cant get the own voice option in the list of voices, i have a nokia 5230 and downloaded the app down loaded a voice pack updated all my maps an voices in the ovi pc suite and still nothing i dont have a clue what iam supost to do please please help seems like others have the same problem but dont understand what people are advising mybe iam just dence :con?
Alberte
This is superb idea and this should work for the Nokia.
Paul Holmes
Unfortunately, you can sound great to yourself and still sound horrible to everyone else. If you are tone deaf then you may have a lot of trouble in this area. Mind you, 90% of people that think they are tone deaf actually just never had any training. Sing for someone else. Recording yourself will not necessarily help unless you let someone else listen to it... preferably someone with a good ear.

Full thread: 21 Comments / Post New Comment

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