Duh!! Garmin 396 XM Audio Favorites

Ironflight · #1 08-24-2007, 11:07 AM

OK, I'm not afraid to admit when I've been dumb - especially if it will help someone else out!

I've been flying with the 396 for almost a year now, and enjoy having the XM Radio to while away those long hours in cruise at altitude. What has frustrated me is the general lack of instructions in the Garmin manual on how to use the XM audio, and specifically, the way in which I'd select channels. When you bring up the channel select menu, it always started at "1", and if I wanted to listen to channel "151", I'd have to scroll all the way down. Then, if later I wanted channel "152", I'd start at "1" again, and...well, you get the idea. So I spend most of my time listening to 40's, 50's, and 60's music (channels 4, 5, and 6....).

So a friend pointed out to me that all I had to do was save the channel I was listening to in my "favorites" list. Huh" Oh yeah, there it is - get on the channel select menu, hit "menu", and you can save to the favorites. Cool! Dumb me....should have done more looking around! Now, the bonus knowledge - if you're on the channel select page, the line right ABOVE the channel list is selectable - and you can have it show All Channels, your Favorites...or any of the Categories (Decades, Sports, Talk, Comedy, Classical, etc...) that XM has. Wow - this little bit of trivia has opened up the whole world of XM to me! Can't wait for the next long trip....

Sure wish this was in the manual...but then, who has time to read manuals anyway?

RVadmirer · #2 08-24-2007, 11:20 AM

What screen gives you numbered channels? When I scroll from main menu to XM I get categories of music or talk or comedy. You can scroll through the categories then select form several channels in each. I've never seen numbers??

rv7boy · #3 08-24-2007, 07:45 PM

Scrolling with the Zoom keys (In and Out) scrolls through the categories. Scrolling with the 4-way button (up and down) scrolls through the channels individually.
You can add any channel to your Favorites by hitting the Menu button and going to "Add to Favorites."
Additionally, you can insert the XM page as a 6th page by going to the "Display" option on the left side, and then turn "on" the "Display XM" option.
Hope this helps.
Don

lsu-rv · #4 08-24-2007, 11:08 PM

i picked up a new 496 at OSH this year. After i got home and started playing with it in the car, i could not find any xm music nor get it to play (except 2 sample channels). (by the way, i have the full aviator package and had it turned on at xm tent at osh) I called a friend with 396 and he said maybe music was not included with weather anymore... well, in the small fine print i found it says xm music can be added for additional $6.99 / month. I was really looking forward to the music bonus with my weather.

Anyone getting xm music with just the weather package? Am I not doing something correct?

i have used it in air and car and weather works fine, just no music.

jeff h
austin tx

MSFT-1 · #5 08-25-2007, 06:27 AM

Not being one to read the manuals, I didn't realize there were three modes in the new G496 I bought at Osh Kosh this year. Loved it in the plane, but found it lacking in my car.

It especially bothered my wife because everytime we went down a hill in my little car, this British lady would insistantly say "Terrain, pull up, PULL UP!"

Back on topic: The XM music does cost extra.

bruce
N297NW
RV-8

jclark · #6 08-25-2007, 09:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lsu-rv

i picked up a new 496 at OSH this year. After i got home and started playing with it in the car, i could not find any xm music nor get it to play (except 2 sample channels). (by the way, i have the full aviator package and had it turned on at xm tent at osh) I called a friend with 396 and he said maybe music was not included with weather anymore... well, in the small fine print i found it says xm music can be added for additional $6.99 / month. I was really looking forward to the music bonus with my weather.

Anyone getting xm music with just the weather package? Am I not doing something correct?

i have used it in air and car and weather works fine, just no music.

jeff h
austin tx

Yes, music is an extra "service". Independent of which aviation service you pick, there is a charge for the music.

Activation is straight forward though .. a phone call, a credit card and a few minutes ... you'll be rocking.

James

dan · #7 08-25-2007, 05:37 PM

And you guys know about adding the XM page to the main cycle of pages, right? It's a setup option...

Ironflight · #8 08-25-2007, 08:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dan

And you guys know about adding the XM page to the main cycle of pages, right? It's a setup option...

I do now....

Paul

RVadmirer · #9 08-26-2007, 12:00 AM

I'm confused. I flew today from the Sacramento Valley to South Lake Tahoe for their Air Fest and played with my 396 along the way. Menu-Menu-scroll to XM, scroll right, Enter, now you have all the categories of XM. Music types, talk, comedy, etc. What am I missing here?
I always have the various categories of XM and usually scroll to Jazz, then scroll down to pick one of the selections which is usually one of the flavors of jazz. When that changes I switch.
What you folks are describing, i.e. channel numbers etc. I never see.....? And adding the XM to some menu....why? Isn't it a standard of the regular menu?
I've updated my 396 with software updates as they come out but it's always operated this way. It seems like there is a completely different operating system and menu some of you are seeing. What you describe is nothing like what I see every day.......

Ironflight · #10 08-26-2007, 07:00 AM

The very top "category" is something like "All Channels" (sorry, don't have it here to look at), and it shows channels 1 - 2XX. That's the one I was stuck on for so long - didn't realize you could scroll through the categories....hence, the "Duh!!"

Paul