Help with troubleshooting Garmin G3X Touch v9.22 problems

Hello all -

I've installed version 9.22 software in my GDU-465 and I'm having problems with audio alerts and the alert test function added by Garmin.

First, the "safe altitude" alert is clipped to "afe alt" in flight ops and also when using the test function in Configuration/Audio unless I set volume to "manual" and turn it up past 50 percent. I have to make the same changes to make "minimums" alerts sound at all, and "VNE" alerts don't sound at all with the test button. Other alerts and XM audio work ok, so I suspect this isn't a hardware problem.

I've reported these problems to Garmin but they haven't been much help trying to troubleshoot them, their only suggestion has been to sell me an out-of-warranty GDU replacement. I'm reluctant to do that since this is my second -465 (the first was replaced out out warranty due to other audio issues and a failed XM Radio receiver), and that this seems to be a software or configuration issue to my not-unexperienced eyes.

Has anyone else with a -465 experienced these problems? I'd also like to know if anyone has gone (or would be willing to go) into Configuration/Test to check their alerts and see if they work correctly, so I can go back to Garmin armed with other examples to get better support.

And if anyone from G3Xpert is reading, perhaps you can provide some better troubleshooting advice than I've received so far.

Many thanks for your help -

Dave

Surprising they would have suggested a hardware replacement as this sounds more like a problem with the squelch levels on your audio panel or intercom. Not uncommon to have to adjust this - plenty of previous threads on this topic.

Actually, I noticed the same problem with my GDU 460 after upgrading to 9.22

The test button in the Sounds tab did not work and I didn't bother to investigate more but my safe altitude is now hardly readable even though I increased the volume to 70%

Garmin need to do more testing before releasing SW to the public. I will contact them on Monday to see if I can go back to 9.20

Bavafa said:

I will contact them on Monday to see if I can go back to 9.20

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Thanks! It's good to know that it's not just me, and that it's not just the 465.

I'd be interested to know if backloading 9.20 works for you. I backloaded 9.10 when some of these alerts were introduced, then reloaded 9.22 - didn't help.

Cheers,

Dave

mburch said:

Surprising they would have suggested a hardware replacement as this sounds more like a problem with the squelch levels on your audio panel or intercom. Not uncommon to have to adjust this - plenty of previous threads on this topic.

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Matt -

I searched VAF for some of the threads you mentioned, would this one be what you're referring to? It's the only one I can find so far that covers adjusting audio panel settings. If it is, I'll try adjusting my GMA-245 when I'm at the airport tomorrow.

And yes, I'm disappointed with the phone and email support I've received so far.

Dave

Patience

Thermos said:

Matt -

I searched VAF for some of the threads you mentioned, would this one be what you're referring to? It's the only one I can find so far that covers adjusting audio panel settings. If it is, I'll try adjusting my GMA-245 when I'm at the airport tomorrow.

And yes, I'm disappointed with the phone and email support I've received so far.

Dave

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This must have been a tough week for Garmin folks. Short week, good weather and prepping for Osh. Just saying.

I had a similar problem with AOA beeps. I had to crank the volume up to 100% for that particular alert to break the GTR 200's intercom squelch. Seems to work fine, now.

Draker said:

I had a similar problem with AOA beeps. I had to crank the volume up to 100% for that particular alert to break the GTR 200's intercom squelch. Seems to work fine, now.

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Issue doesn't exist with my G3X Touch (GDU 460) and GMA 245 audio panel.

Ryan - which Audio output on the GDU 460 and which Audio Input on the GTR 200 did you connect?

Anytime I load software for either the 3GX or the 650, I first reformat the SD card to make sure anything on that card has been scrubbed. I recommend reformatting your SD card (make sure it formatted in FAT 32), then download the software and reload it into your screens. Had a strange issue with my 650 after loading the software update once. Did the above and no issues after that.

bjdecker said:

Issue doesn't exist with my G3X Touch (GDU 460) and GMA 245 audio panel.

Ryan - which Audio output on the GDU 460 and which Audio Input on the GTR 200 did you connect?

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I connect GDU's MONO AUDIO HI/LO pins 1/18 to GTR's AUX MONO IN/LO pins 32/31. It works the way I have it configured, and the volume is not excessive, so I'm not worried about it.

Draker said:

I connect GDU's MONO AUDIO HI/LO pins 1/18 to GTR's AUX MONO IN/LO pins 32/31. It works the way I have it configured, and the volume is not excessive, so I'm not worried about it.

Click to expand...

Cool...and just for grins/giggles - how is the GTR 200 Audio Setup configured?

Aux 1 Squelch (30%)
Aux 1 Volume (50%)
Aux 1 Mute (Music) - (No)

Thermos said:

Hello all -

I've installed version 9.22 software in my GDU-465 and I'm having problems with audio alerts and the alert test function added by Garmin.

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What version did you upgrade from?

Thermos said:

First, the "safe altitude" alert is clipped to "afe alt" in flight ops and also when using the test function in Configuration/Audio unless I set volume to "manual" and turn it up past 50 percent. I have to make the same changes to make "minimums" alerts sound at all, and "VNE" alerts don't sound at all with the test button. Other alerts and XM audio work ok, so I suspect this isn't a hardware problem.

Click to expand...

Dave,
There is nothing here that is a problem. Simply go into the Sound test page and push the Test button for each alert, including the "Takeoff Altitude" and "Airspeed" aural alerts that where added in V9.10.

For any aural alert which is either missing or clipped, simply increase the volume for that alert until it is heard in your headset with no clipping.

Not sure why you think that "turning the volume up past 50 percent" to get a clear unclipped aural alert is a problem or why you would even consider downgrading your software for something that takes just a few minutes to correct in configuration mode.

I adjusted the volume for the several new aural alerts added in V9.10 when I installed that update, and haven't had to make any changes since then including when I updated to V9.22.

Steve

Steve,

Thanks for your response. I have one of your posts from a previous thread that deals with similar problems by adjusting MASQ, I'm trying your solution tomorrow.

Longez said:

What version did you upgrade from?

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I upgraded from 9.14.

Longez said:

Not sure why you think that "turning the volume up past 50 percent" to get a clear unclipped aural alert is a problem.

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When using the Test buttons, I didn't hear the "minimums" alert at all or get a unclipped "safe altitude" alert until I changed their volumes to "manual" and turned them from their default 40 percent settings to 50 percent. Call me crazy, but it seems reasonable to expect that a variable volume control wouldn't work like an on-or-off switch, at least not between 40 and 50 percent settings. I still don't get "VNE" alerts when using the Test button.

Longez said:

...or why you would even consider downgrading your software for something that takes just a few minutes to correct in configuration mode.

Click to expand...

That was a procedure suggested to me by someone at Garmin G3X tech support in 2021 when I was troubleshooting audio problems with my first GDU-465. Didn't make sense to me, but I was and am willing to try it in the absence of better config instructions or troubleshooting advice.

Longez said:

I adjusted the volume for the several new aural alerts added in V9.10 when I installed that update, and haven't had to make any changes since then including when I updated to V9.22.

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That's good to know.

Dave

Thermos said:

Steve,

When using the Test buttons, I didn't hear the "minimums" alert at all or get a unclipped "safe altitude" alert until I changed their volumes to "manual" and turned them from their default 40 percent settings to 50 percent. Call me crazy, but it seems reasonable to expect that a variable volume control wouldn't work like an on-or-off switch, at least not between 40 and 50 percent settings. I still don't get "VNE" alerts when using the Test button.

Click to expand...

Dave,

I would leave the audio panel master squelch at the factory setting unless there is evidence that this threshold is set too high to work with the mono audio output from the GDU 4XX, which is very unlikely.

It is quite normal for the variable alert audio signal amplitude (volume) to go from providing NO audio to acceptable audio at any volume setting between about 30% and 100%.

This is because you will go from hearing no audio when the alert audio output signal (volume) is below the audio panel alert input threshold to hearing audio when the alert volume is sufficiently high to exceed the audio panel alert input threshold.

For some of the voice alerts, you will sometimes first hear a clipped phrase as you just exceed the minimum threshold volume of the audio panel, and a little more volume will get rid of the phrase clipping.

I never use the Auto (slaved to Master Alert Volume) setting on any alert that supports manually setting the alert volume because it is very simple to set and always works great when you individually set the volume for each.

Again, it couldn't be easier to setup the Sound configuration page. For those alerts that are individually adjustable, just set them to a volume that both exceeds the minimum threshold volume and can be heard comfortably in flight.

I have a really good ANR headset, so I always set my alert audio pretty low. I hate it when I get in someone's plane and they have the alert audio cranked up to some ear splitting level!

Steve

Longez said:

...This is because you will go from hearing no audio when the alert audio output signal (volume) is below the audio panel alert input threshold to hearing audio when the alert volume is sufficiently high to exceed the audio panel alert input threshold.

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Hi Steve,

Thank you both for this message and the one I found from you that also covers this issue. They were really helpful and both check with what I found when I went back to the airplane today and ran the -465 in simulator mode per your previous posts. I left the -245's MASQ level as it was, and all the alerts were sounding once their volumes were adjusted.

Many thanks, I do appreciate your help!

Dave

bjdecker said:

Cool...and just for grins/giggles - how is the GTR 200 Audio Setup configured?

Aux 1 Squelch (30%)
Aux 1 Volume (50%)
Aux 1 Mute (Music) - (No)

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Aux 1 Squelch: 5%
Aux 1 Volume: 70%
Aux 1 Mute (Music): No

Is what I ended up with.

I would leave the audio panel master squelch at the factory setting unless there is evidence that this threshold is set too high to work with the mono audio output from the GDU 4XX, which is very unlikely.

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Many months, and several versions ago, I lost my “minimums” alert. “500” still worked so I knew my wiring was fine. I worked with G3Xpert through several troubleshooting attempts - all unsuccessful - until they asked me to swap GDUs (PFD and MFD) at which point I gave up (it seemed pretty clear to me it was software, not hardware). I periodically went back to sound settings, trying different things and the solution was “Master Squelch” setting. In one of the software updates (or maybe debugging with Garmin, or maybe fat fingers) Master Squelch changed to 55%. Lowering to 25% had no undesirable consequences and “Minimums” alert was restored.

KeithB said:

In one of the software updates (or maybe debugging with Garmin, or maybe fat fingers) Master Squelch changed to 55%. Lowering to 25% had no undesirable consequences and “Minimums” alert was restored.

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Thanks Keith! Which audio panel are you using?

Dave

Thermos said:

Thanks Keith! Which audio panel are you using?

Dave

Click to expand...

I have a Garmin GMA 245

KeithB said:

I have a Garmin GMA 245

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Thanks Keith, me too. I spent some quality time yesterday with the RV and booted up my -245 in Configuration mode. Found exactly the same as you; the master squelch level was set around 60 percent. Perhaps that's a default setting since I haven't adjusted it since I've completed the airplane.

Anyway, I turned it down enough to hear the VNE warning (which doesn't have its own volume control in the GDU Configuration/Audio page). Hoping to test it inflight sometime today - the squelch setting, not the VNE alert .

Dave

Thermos said:

Thanks Keith, me too. I spent some quality time yesterday with the RV and booted up my -245 in Configuration mode.

Dave

Click to expand...

Dave,

As long as you have your GMA 245 connected via the CAN bus, you don't need to place the GMA 245 into configuration mode since the Audio Panel Configuration page on the PFD will provide configuration control.

These are the settings for the Master Squelch and Alert input volume settings on my system, which have remained unchanged since it was manufactured.



Steve

Longez said:

As long as you have your GMA 245 connected via the CAN bus, you don't need to place the GMA 245 into configuration mode since the Audio Panel Configuration page on the PFD will provide configuration control.

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Hi Steve -

I worked through the GDU Configuration/Audio Panel page to change GMA-245 settings this afternoon and it was indeed much easer.

Many thanks -

Dave

After 9.22 No Audio Alerts

With the help and a hint from Katie of the Xperts I determined that my 245 Aux button needed to be activated and walla all my audio alerts came back.. I cannot explain why or how this button got inactivated....Thanks Katie

chasers03 said:

With the help and a hint from Katie of the Xperts I determined that my 245 Aux button needed to be activated and walla all my audio alerts came back.. I cannot explain why or how this button got inactivated....Thanks Katie

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Alerts don’t normally get connected to an aux input for that reason.