MioMap 3.3 Skins for Mio C230

There are a lot of MioMap v3.2 skins out there, but there are not a lot of MioMap v3.3 skins. There is also no skin tested for C230 either at the time of this writing. With help from MoonBear at GpsPassion.com, I was able to modify a split screen skin for use in C230.

The reason that some of the MioMap v3.3 skins do not work with C230 is that there is no machine specific information regarding C230 in the configuration file. The configuration file is configpocket_pc.ini in the DATA.ZIP file. If you are not familiar with editing files inside DATA.ZIP , please check my post regarding DATA.ZIP tweaks. Add the following to the pocket_pc.ini file.

[MIOC230]
gps_port = 2

gps_baud = 4800

tmc_port = 1

tmc_baud = 38400

gx_width=240

gx_height=320

gx_format=160

gx_xpitch=2

gx_ypitch=640

gx_orientation=0

blight_min = 1

blight_max = 8

blight_reverse = 0

blight_smart = 4

blight_key_BatteryTimeoutBA = "BatteryTimeout"

blight_key_BatteryTimeoutAC = "ACTimeout"

blight_key_BacklightOnTapBA = "BacklightOnTap"

blight_key_BacklightOnTapAC = "ACBacklightOnTap"

blight_key_OnOffBA = "OnOff"

blight_key_OnOffAC = "ExtOnOff"

blight_setmode5 = 1

interface_show_timezoneslider=1

interface_reset_os_timezone=1

After modifying the pocket_pc.ini, I was able to use a skin which enables split screen. I would encourage anyone who is trying different skins for Mio C230 to do this. All the skins you see here have the required information for Mio C230 already. You don’t have to do the modification again. Please report back if you found other skins that work fro C230. I will also post updates of these skins, please check the bottom of each skin section for updates. [Update: One reader found out some problems with TTS using the skins. The reason for it might be because the skins were made for other devices originally. The config directory in DATA.ZIP contains information for other devices. It might be better to just copy the whole config directory from your original DATA.ZIP to the new skin’s DATA.ZIP’s config directory. ]

Olivercp Skin

I found this skin in this thread. There is no name for it, I’ll just use the name olivercp for now. Here is the description by olivercp.

Try this skin that works on Mio 3.3. I forgot where I got it but initially it had some bugs and some quirks which i did not like. In particular, when in map mode and when you have an active route, the zoom buttons were replaced by “route overview” and “route method”. I did not like losing the zoom buttons in map mode so I added the zoom buttons similar to the one used in quicksilver. Also, when it switches to night mode, it looks for some missing spr files and abends with a fatal error. I had added the missing files and so this bug is also fixed. I also added a “minimize button” in the main menu. And yes, this skin has the exit button. I also replaced the guidance.dat file in config folder with the older version used in mio 3.2 skin. I think this somewhat reduced the chattiness of mio (it doesn’t tell me to stay on the right (stays silent) when approaching an intersection when I am not making a turn at the intersection).

This skin has the “split screen” view. Just click on the current street you are on (lower bar in navigation mode) and split screen will be shown. The split screen has four tabs for the speedometer, POI’s, TMC, and route turn list. Click again on the current street to close the split screen. I also modified this skin so that when in navigation mode and you click the next-street, it re-plays the voice direction.

I also accidentally discovered, that if you use this skin in mio 3.2, it is the same as the smartblue skin!

olivercpmain.jpgolivercpspeed.jpg

olivercproute.jpg olivercppoi.jpg

In addition to the awesome split screen, there are also some added features in Map screen. See that there are two new icons: binocular and calculator. These two icons are only shown up when you have a route planned. Click on the binocular icon fits the route on the screen. Click on the calculator icon switch the route options on the fly with distance and time to destination shown. You can also do fast fly-over without modifying the SYS.TXT .

olivercpmap.jpg

You can download the modified skin for C230 here. There are two files inside the zip file: DATA.ZIP and PANNEAUX.TTF. Make a backup of your current DATA.ZIP file. Put these two downloaded files in My Flash DiskMioMapMioMap if you haven’t unlocked your C230. Put these two files in My Flash DiskMioMapMioMap2 if you have unlocked your C230.

Updated OliverCP skin with map to cockpit, cockpit to map buttons. Download here .

Riks v1.0 Skin

Here is another skin that I modified to run on Mio C230. You can download the file here. Note that this file Riks1.zip is the DATA.ZIP. Please don’t unzip it. Just rename it to DATA.ZIP and copy it to the corresponding location(Make a backup of the original, of course.). What’s interesting about this skin is the cockpit mode is very similar to map mode. The information that used to occupy the left side of the cockpit view is now on the bottom. You have a wider view while in cockpit mode. There are also icons for you to switch between map mode and cockpit mode easily. To activate the split screen in cockpit mode, touch the top edge of the screen. There is a minimize button on the main screen. If you minimize MioMap, you need to use the explorer (FileMan CE) to run MioMap.exe in My Flash DiskMioMapMioMap2 to switch back to MioMap again. Clicking on the icon on desktop won’t get you back to MioMap. I wouldn’t recommend using the minimize button until I test it more.

rikshome.jpgriksmap.jpg

rikscockpit.jpgriksspeed.jpg

rikspoi.jpgriksdir.jpg

Updated riks1 without minimize button. Download here .

Quicksilver Reborn v1.3 Skin

I have heard of this skin for a long time and it seems very popular. It has a very clean interface. All the icons are professionally made. It DOES NOT support split screen unfortunately. You can download the file here. Note that this file Quicksilverreborn1.3.zip is the DATA.ZIP. Please don’t unzip it. Just rename it to DATA.ZIP and copy it to the corresponding location(Make a backup of the original, of course.). To enable the car icon, just click on the arrow in the cockpit view. BTW, the display icon on the main screen is to minimize MioMap. As in the Riks skin, don’t use it for now.

quicksilverhome.jpgquicksilver2.jpg

quicksilver3.jpgquicksilver4.jpg

quicksilver5.jpgquicksilver6.jpg

quicksilver7.jpg

Updated Quicksilver skin without minimize button. Download here .

Sznyt 2.3 Skin

Quicksilver13 has contributed some skins. The first one is called Sznyt 2.3. This is not your ordinary skin. I was overwhelmed at first. The learning curve is a bit steep. You definitely need to spend some time to figure out what each icon does.

spanel.jpgpoimap.jpg

scockpit.jpgsroute.jpg

spoimang.jpg

There is a compass screen which might be useful for geocaching.

s0006.jpgs0008.jpg

You can download the file here. Change the file name to DATA.zip . [Updated: 6/2/2008] A reader has reported the original link is broken. Please check this topic in the forum for the new download location.

https://kombitz.com/forum/index.php?topic=4.0

Registration required.

Nuovo (BreMa) Skin

The second skin contributed by Quicksilver13 is called Nuovo. It’s based upon the Riks skin. The original one doesn’t work with my C230. I copied over the original config directory and it’s working now.

nu-2.jpgnu-3.jpg

nu-7.jpgnu-8.jpg

nu-5.jpgnu-4.jpg

You can download the skin here.

Joedoum Skin

This is actually the first skin contributed by Quicksilver13. I totally forgot about it when I posted the changes yesterday. 🙂

j0007.jpgj0010.jpg

j0012.jpgj0013.jpg

j0020.jpgj0023.jpg

j0032.jpgj0033.jpg

You can download the skin here.


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50 Comments

  1. I’m flattered in any regard. When I first got the Mio and saw all of this cool stuff, I thought I was going to be a techno-mooch… taking yet having nothing to offer in return. It’s nice to be able to give a little back.

  2. From my understanding, someone other than the original author modified QuickSilver Reborn v1.1 and named it v1.3 . So, I thought it’s OK to name it v1.4. Anyway, I’ll just say it’s an enhanced version.

  3. Opop,

    I know how to get to POI screen, but I don’t know how to get to MY POI screen directly. To get to POI screen, you can add the following 2 lines to <layer ui_navigate_static_left> section of mio\320_240\ui\navigate_320_240.ui

    <BUTTON btn_poi x=249 y=59 z=2 bmp=”$poi.bmp” alpha=20 onrelease=’setmarker vFindStateMarker, nextstate ST_POI_SEARCH_LEVEL_1′ >

    <SPRITE btn_poi_spr x=249 y=59 z=1 bmp=”$circle.spr” alpha=20 fontsize=12 color=#808080 >

    Note that there is no poi.bmp in the default skin, you’ll have to add a 30×30 bitmap of your choice to mio\common\daylight and mio\common\night .

  4. Everyone,

    If you have < or > in your comment, replace < with & lt ; (without space in between) and replace > with & gt ; (without space in between).

  5. Opop,

    DATA.ZIP is very sensitive to editing errors. If you copy and paste the code, sometimes extra line break is introduce in the file.

  6. I think version numbers in the filenames would be easier to keep things in order. There have been so many revisions that without a number its hard to keep track.

  7. While were talking skins, here’s some color schemes that I found around the web. I did not create nor modify any of these… merely found them. I tested them all, and they appear to work for the c230.

    NOTE Regarding Bozi: The Bozi Scheme (daytime scheme)in this DL is from the Mio c220. I have access to a c220 as well. The Bozi that comes with the c230 is not the same as the one from the c220. The c220’s was 12KB, while that of the c230 was only 3KB. (No doubt to save space) In my opinion, the c220 Bozi is much better. You decide for yourself. Just know that the Bozi herein is NOT the one that came on your c230.

    http://www.mediafire.com/?aatyilxv403

  8. In the olivercp skin is the Route Overview button on the map a toggle?

    I thought when the first version of olivercp was made available here the Route Overview toggled from route overview back to map view with successive presses of the button. Is my memory incorrect.

    Today I put the newest version of the olivercp on my mio and now the Route Overview button takes me to the overview but I cannot toggle back with the button. Instead I have to press the Follow/Lock button.

  9. Love all this work on the skins, and love the ability to customize my Mio.

    Two issues:

    First, I found a problem with the new quick silver reborn skin. There is an option to display the Altitude on the bottom left of the screen. Unfortunately this fields seems to be set once and never updated. I confirmed that when I went to the GPS screen that the Mio has a value that does appear to update appropriately.

    Second, I noted that most of the new skins also have a problem in that when installed, Samantha refuses to give instructions about entering a “ROUNDABOUT” (or “Rotary” as we call them here in New England).

    /(^|\s)?roundabout\b/i/–<” roe-ter-e ”

    When I noticed that I could no longer hear my “rotary” announcements I thought it was introduced by my update to rules.ini, but after backing my changes out, Samantha remains taciturn when faced with ROUNDABOUTS. I found that I could get my “rotary” announcements back by installing the original DATA.zip with exit door.

    I suspect that this has something to do with the use of the Mio 3.2 guidance.dat file to reduce the Mio’s “chattiness”. It appears to have gone too far in the case of ROUNDABOUTS.

    Does anybody have any way of determining how we might bridge this apparent incompatibility?

    mike

  10. The toggle button in the newest olivercp skin goes from map view to cockpit view. I am not sure what you mean by “Route Overview.” Are you talking about the cockpit view, or the itinerary?

  11. I gathered that you could substitute a Corvette, or a Solstice or a Formula 500 car in place of the generic hatchback car icon.

    The POIs were kind of a bonus.

  12. That’s what I mean… can you have the c230 show you all of these instead of the generic POIs, or were these designed for another GPS?

  13. CD,

    By route overview button, I was referring to the binocular button on the left side of the display. If I press it, it shows a map overview of the entire route. But pressing it again does not take me back to the normal route navigation map. I can’t remember if this was always that way, my memory says it used to toggle between the two views, but I would not bet money on it.

  14. Thanks… now I’m on board…

    In my olivercp skin, thats exactly what happened. Touching it once put the entire route on screen… a second touch… NADA!

    While I have never tried to explore how the button was linked, it seems very consistent with the original Mio software.

    With the original Mio software, if you were on the route screen and hit “info”, you would see a large button that says “Fit To Screen”. Hitting this does the same thing as the binoculars. Similarly, there isn’t a way to ‘go back’ once you have hit it. I think the binoculars was on on-screen version of the “Fit To Screen” function.

  15. Mike FF1,

    Dan(C230) has found a solution, but he posted in the wrong thread. Here is what he said:

    Amida,

    I’m happy to report that Mike FFI was apparently on the right track regarding his proposed solution to proper TTS behavior to the former C220 skins you’ve published. Rather than replace just the guidance.dat file though, I replaced the entire config folder from my C230 skin into CD’s enhanced Quicksilver Reborn skin (which was another former C220 skin that didn’t announce roundabouts properly) and all seems well now. Perhaps you’ll consider doing the same for your skins and republish.

    This was probably the best way to insure we’ll get consistent behavior between the skins as well.

  16. Here’s the problem with those icons. They’re .png. The Mio uses .bmp. So you cannot use those icons, directly. And if you import them into an editor to create a .bmp, it fills in the background… so you have an icon with a white/black square around it. That has been my dilema for two weeks, now.

    Anyone have a solution?

  17. Amida,

    I certainly can share my modified olivercp skin. There is really not much different. I added the GPS power button, with the button places next to the Time Sync button. I moved the + zoom button to below the – zoom. And moved the Switch View button to just below the Speaker button. Other than that I used someone’s Earth bitmap for the GPS display by day, and a moon bitmap for night.

    I’m not a registered user of any file sharing sites so I’m not sure how I would make it available.

    Dana

  18. Here’s the problem with those icons. They’re .png. The Mio uses .bmp. So you cannot use those icons, directly. And if you import them into an editor to create a .bmp, it fills in the background… so you have an icon with a white/black square around it. That has been my dilema for two weeks, now.

    Anyone have a solution?

    Doing a Google search, I found a program called Paint Express that lets you edit bitmaps and apply an alpha channel (opacity) to specific pixels (such as the background). It’s not freeware, but the trial version gives you 60 uses to try it. I just stayed in the program until I was done working on the bitmaps I wanted to edit (you can work on multiple files at a time) so I only used up one of the 60 uses. 🙂

    It’s a rather basic bitmap editor (similar features to Windows Paint) but the addition of the alpha channel capabilities makes it possible to create graphics that work properly with the circular icons.

    Here’s a link to some alternative icons I created with Paint Express for use with the “Switch View Button (Cockpit Map)” data.zip tweak that Amida168 posted here. These icons are more consistent with the stock (monochrome) icons.

    Tim Rude

  19. Tim,

    Thanks for sharing. I used Firework before to create bitmap with transparent background, but it’s not free either. I once came across a program to convert png file to icon files and you can even put it in batch mode to do multiple files at once. I have not found one to do the png->bitmap conversion yet.

  20. Tim Rude,

    That worked! Thanks!!!!!! I can’t believe it!

    For the record, I dragged in a transparent background .png, so i don’t know how it would work with a picture that already had a background, but this is a HUGH step in the right direction.

    Thanks, again!!!

  21. Hi Amida,

    First of all, amazing work you have been done with all 230 stuff. I am from Brazil and I just bought my C230 last week during a USA trip.

    This post is to tell you that I discover a “bug” in quicksilver skin (by the way…very nice skin). The bug is located in the settings, specific in language options. Once there, you have the option “Set Date & Time Format”. Among other parameters, you can set Time Zone. So after you change the time zone and you leave this screen, the value set does not remain saved.

    I accidentally discoverd it because when I was in US (still using the original skin that came with the GPS and before read these tips) I set the time zone to Pacific Time. Then, after reading the skins tips here, I changed to quicksilver skin. At that time, I didn’t realize the bug because it was not necessary to change the time zone. But when I arrived here in Brasil, I went to this option to ajust the time zone. As the adjustment didn’t remain after I left the screen, I returned to original skin to test it and I was abble to change the time zone.

    So it looks like the quicksilver skin is not saving this parameter. This shouldn’t be a problem for those who not travel a lot and don’t have to frequently change the time zone, but for me it’s a very important parameter. I will really appreciate if you can fix this bug.

    Thanks a lot,

    Leonardo.

  22. Leonardo,

    Thanks for the compliments. Have you tried to copy the config folder from the factory’s DATA.ZIP to the Quicksilver’s config folder? Maybe that would fix the issue.

  23. One tweak I would really like to see is suppressing the auto pop-up of the Route To/Via/POI/Cam menu at the bottom of the map whenever I touch the screen. I frequently drag the map around to view details or select a button and that menu constantly popping up gets very annoying. I would be perfectly happy to have it only activated by pressing the bottom right tab. Any idea how to do this?

  24. I’ve made an adjustment in the location of the map/cockpit switch button in the olivercp that includes it. Thought someone else might be interested. The new location is directly below the speaker icon and lines up on the right with the other button icons. It also fixes the misalignment between the icons themselves and the circle background. You just need to modify the x and y coordinates in the data.zip\mio\320_240\map_layers_320_240.ui file as follows:

    One other tip I just figured out is if you press the battery icon on the map you go directly to the main settings menu. Pretty handy.

  25. Sorry, apparently some characters in the code I tried to post caused it to be ommitted. Here are the sections that need to be changed in map_layers_320_240.ui:

    BUTTON btn_2d3d_on x=286 y=160

    BUTTON btn_2d3d_off x=286 y=160

    SPRITE btn_2d3d x=286 y=160

  26. CD,

    That’s one awesome package you got. Nice job! BTW, does your skin have the problem saving time zone information like Leonardo described in comment #128.

  27. It may be. I did what he said, and changed the time zone. But when I backed out, the time was unchanged. So I went back in and, sure enough, the time zone was what it had been before I changed it.

    However, when I went in to the GPS page and selected Time Sync, I could adjust the time from GPS to PNA, effectively changing the “zone.” When I backed out, the setting remained.

    So what is it? Is the time zone dependent on the GPS signal? I am not sure. Also, I know that there is something written in c230’s unlock script making GMT-5 Eastern US the default parameter… but as this is in the mio software, they should have nothing to do with each other.

  28. I don’t think it’s related to the unlock script. If it does, then all the skins would have the same problem. However, only the QuickSilver has this problem. The other skins are fine. I have checked the code, but I didn’t find anything strange.

  29. I looked, too. But I know nothing about code, so I’m note sure if I’m the guy to look.

    If I was good at that, we’d have the calculator and binocular functions of the olivercp skin in quicksilver!

  30. I’m using OliverCP skin on my 230 with Miomap 3.3. Works and looks great except for Speedcams. When I enable Speedcams I get a FFUI Error Unknow object identifier[sc_display_speedcam_eula]. I hit ok – and go to Options Radars = its all in French. Any ideas how to get Speedcam working in English?

    Thanks

  31. Amida

    although i am happpy with the maps i cant help trying So i tried to change the map by swappin the data.zip but everytime i start the GPS i get this same error again on GEODBINIT at start up i get fatal error ?

    Same error i used to get when i played with addiing the second page games.ini …

    What is different in the data.zip i use ?

  32. Contact303,

    These are for US model of C230. You can try to copy over the config directory of your original DATA.ZIP to the DATA.ZIP you downloaded here and see if they work for you.

  33. @Amida

    I think I’ve tracked the problem down to either the license file or the miomap.exe file. If I delete the igo.db file and start fresh the new igo.db that gets built still has the French speedcams and voice no matter what skin I use.

    thanks

  34. Hi all,

    Has anyone tried to use the SKIN folder trick ?

    Just create a folder /miomap/miomap2/SKIN and put the data.zip (do not unzip it) in that directory …

    And here it is! It seems that this trick make works more skins and you don’t have to worry with the config folder.

    One more things : you can put in that folder the complete data.zip but you can also put a data.zip that contains only the files changed for the skin !!!

    Let’s imagine a simple data.zip with only the files changed for the “exit door buton” , tracks , “gps off” buton.

    Reverting to standard skin is easy as rename the SKIN folder…

  35. Hi

    Thanks for that Oliver CP skin, it works very well.

    Just a minor tweak if possible, the voice speedcam warnings is built into the program it seems, and it is in French.

    (Settings-General-Enable Safefy Cameras-Options-annonce detaillee-tester le message sonore)

    Is there any way to convert it into English?

    Thanks again

    Ron

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