Primarily for general aviation discussion, but other aviation topics are also welcome.
By PaulisHome
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1847693
Does anyone know of a way of testing to see whether the chain between SkyDemon audio and a headset is working?

I use SkyDemon on an iPad, and I have a bluetooth headset which should receive any audio messages that SkyDemon emits. However, on occasion it hasn't worked for one reason or another.

It would be good to be able to check easily that it is working before I get airborne. Either via a test function, or by easily being able to trigger some audio.

@TimDawson - perhaps a useful feature.

Paul
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By malcolmfrost
#1847695
If you activate "Simulate" top right hand corner, audio warnings will happen as when you are flying. Press anywhere on the screen to get a "Spawn" option and it will give traffic warnings as well.
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By FlightDek
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1847696
Use simulate mode in SD and then position your aircraft near some controlled airspace. You can also spawn other traffic and move it around
By PaulisHome
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1847706
Thanks. Four presses - not too bad.

(Just tried it: Settings / Navigation Options / Voice / (then press on the voice you're using) - you get a sentence.)

It's going on my checklist


Paul
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By RisePilot
#1847715
I found it worked without any setup; just by merely having it turned on and my headset bluetooth connected to phone.

I don’t normally use SD for flying, but this past Sunday set it to “fly” on my phone alongside using my Garmin. Upon approaching some restricted airspace, the siren/alert went off which actually startled me as I didn’t know what it was at first and then noticed it was SkyDemon doing audio alerts.

So must note that’s pretty good that it works fine without any actual setup at all.
By PaulisHome
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1847729
RisePilot wrote:I found it worked without any setup; just by merely having it turned on and my headset bluetooth connected to phone.

I don’t normally use SD for flying, but this past Sunday set it to “fly” on my phone alongside using my Garmin. Upon approaching some restricted airspace, the siren/alert went off which actually startled me as I didn’t know what it was at first and then noticed it was SkyDemon doing audio alerts.

So must note that’s pretty good that it works fine without any actual setup at all.


Sure. But not always. Perhaps the iPad volume is turned down. Or perhaps Bluetooth is turned off on your headset. Or perhaps something didn't connect. The point is not to find out when you realise that you haven't heard anything from SkyDemon on this flight, but rather to check it before you go.

Turns out not to be difficult.

Paul
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By GrahamB
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1847739
How is the Bluetooth mixed in your headset?

Some headsets (most?) allow you choose between hearing both inputs, or silencing the Bluetooth and giving priority to phono.
By Aerials
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1847931
Prompted by the OP (thanks PaulisHome), I didn't recollect hearing any warnings at all when wandering round my little Class G cabbage patch. I don't ever remember seeing screen warnings either, which would account for the lack of audio warnings.
I thought it'd be a really Good Idea to find out if the audio warnings actually work so went into Navigation Options on my Nexus 7 and apart from not having a voice option and slightly different 'buttons' to select things (I have tick boxes), I had the same selections as Iceman's screenshot. I was now ready to go and crash Manchester's airspace in Simulate Mode!
I had screen warnings aplenty but no audio. Checking the Nexus' system by playing a youtube proved that was working. I presumed a set of earphones were not required and used the internal speaker.
I'd be delighted to receive suggestions as to what I haven't done because in this respect, the SkyDemon manual is lacking.
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By Iceman
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1847944
I’m not aware of any further ‘volume control’ / ‘audio enable’ settings in SkyDemon so would assume that it is something related to the Nexus’ enabling of audio for individual apps.

Iceman 8)
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By rdfb
#1848143
I've also wished for a single button press "Audio test" on the same screen as the "Log Engine On" button. For the same reason - lots of settings, switches and volume controls in between SkyDemon outputting audio and me hearing it. I have realised multiple times in flight that I haven't heard anything because something isn't set right.
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By Iceman
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1848146
Perhaps this could be a useful suggestion to SkyDemon that as you hit the ‘Log Engine Start’ or ‘Log Off Blocks’ button, SD puts out an audio test message to give you confidence that your audio system is setup correctly and audible, e.g. “Engine start / Off blocks at time x”. Or perhaps as you hit the ‘Go Flying’ button ?

Iceman 8)