K3 - Beeper to loud

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45 comments

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    Ali

    Hi Michael, it is currently not possible but we are working on some solution for this issue.

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    Mário Simas

    To me the beeper has the right volume :)

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    Steve MacMillan

    Hi Ali ... I remember this was requested many times by Karoo 2 users and it was never implemented ... so I assume this will be the same non-outcome as well!

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    MarcoMarco Gasparrini

    I just love how with the K2, people complained the sound was too low. So what does HH do? Make it too loud lol. And the solution to both that people requested was simply to be able to adjust volume.

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    Ali

    Hi Steve, it was not possible to make the changes on the Karoo 2 but it is on the Karoo. I assure you that we are working on some solution for the loudness.

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    Ali

    Hi Lee, We appreciate you being a voice of our riders, and passionate about our Products. However, on multiple accounts we have found you breaching our Community Guidelines towards the organization, passing racially rude comments to our moderators and agents on tickets, and use of abusive language towards our other community members. You have all the freedom to share your opinion, thoughts and dissatisfaction on our products - but the same can be shared by staying within our guidelines without abusive, or hateful comments.

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    James B

    I just got my Karoo 3, and took it for a ride. Yeah...the high volume beep is a deal breaker. I ended up turning off the volume half way through the ride. This is a significant issue.

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    James B

    Here's what we need:

    • Add a way to adjust the volume for different beeps. For example, I want beeps for navigation to be louder than beeps for traffic detected by radar. (Mainly because the traffic beeps happen all the time.)

    • Add a way to customize the beep patterns. For example there could be one beep pattern for turn left, a different one for turn right, and a different one for traffic.

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    Lilian Moraru

    I am seriously considering returning "Karoo" because of this issue.

    I have Garmin Varia and it keeps beeping so loud, it's embarrassing to have the beeper active next to people - it's so loud that it startles people.

    From the first ride, it gave me a feeling that the device is developed by people driving cars on highways, not actually trying the sport, so they adapted the beeper to that (besides not giving training-related data/suggestions at the end of an exercise).

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    Todd Mueller

    I just received a Karoo 3 with my new bike.  The bike also has SRAM's recently released Red drivetrain setup, so I presume SRAM is smartly including the Karoo 3 as a means to grow new users.  And of course this would provide the added benefit of word-of-mouth marketing from customers willing to purchase high-end equipment.

    I've always been a Garmin user, but I was recently in the market for a new computer.  I'm happy with Karoo's screen brightness, features, layout, etc.  But the audio tones are simply too loud.  And on my first group ride with my friends, they were frustrated with me and telling me how "annoying" my computer was.  I totally agreed.  It ruins the ride.  It takes away from the simple joys of riding because it's screaming at me constantly.  

    But what's most startling is that I see these posts for over 3 YEARS of complaints?!  And it wasn't updated in the latest generational release?  And feedback Hammerhead is you are "working on it?".  So on my rides I have no choice but to let those around me know that a) this computer can communicate with satellites but has no volume control (other than on/off) and b) Hammerhead has been "working on an update" for 3 years and hasn't delivered.  Like it or not .. that's the word-of-mouth marketing.  I think everyone deserves a real firmware release DATE commitment.  This is simply bad business .. people will continue to return an otherwise really nice product because it doesn't have this most basic feature.

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    Steve MacMillan

    Hi again Ali ...

    Firstly, why was it not possible on the Karoo 2?

    Secondly, why was a variable sound level option not included with the new Karoo (3) when so many Karoo 2 users had asked for it to be implemented? Now, SRAMmerhead is under fire for missing the obvious once again!

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    Ali

    Steve, great questions, and happy to answer. For the Karoo 2, the simple and easy answer is that it was not possible due to hardware limitations. The product had reached a certain stage in manufacturing that it was easy to work on a new product than to re-work on Karoo 2. We tried through software upgrades and it did not work in internal tests so it was never released to general public.

    If you are aware of Product development, you might know there are certain priorities for the launch and dedicated priorities post-launch. We know the beeper is too loud, and we are just "working on it" - we are going to solve this problem.

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    Steve MacMillan

    Hi Ali ... thanks for the reply

    If you knew the beeper was too loud before launch, why wasn't it sorted before launch? But, you are missing the point ... people requested a function where they could CHANGE the beeper volume not just have SRAMmerhead's 'one volume' version!

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    Ali

    Thanks for your passion for the Karoo, Steve. We will share this feedback with the Product hardware team.

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    magnusc

    Riding with the beeper on is really embarrassing at this volume 😰

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    Yago Esperanza Quintana

    I just bought the Karoo 3 and today I use it for the first time with my Garmin Varia…OMG that beep is annoying! I love everything about the computer, but that beeping is just too loud and reading all that comments make me feel a little bit worried about the company don’t solving the problem.

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    Todd Clark

    I will add myself to the list of users wanting the ability to turn down the alert volume on the new Karoo.  My riding companions are complaining about the beep volume (in my case, for Varia car alerts and navigation cues).  An expedited solution will be much appreciated.

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    Martin Damrath

    I would like to share my opinion on this matter. I received the new Karoo over the weekend and had the opportunity to use it on a ride today. First, the positive: in principle, everything is better than the Karoo 2. The most noticeable improvements are the brilliant display, high speed, and improved battery life.

    However, there is one issue that I find very problematic: the beeping is so loud that there are only two options – either turn it off or leave it as is. Neither option is acceptable to me because I need the signals, whether for navigation or notifications. These functions are important to me, and I don’t want to do without them.

    Frankly, I don’t understand how this issue went unaddressed through various tests before the product launch. I consider myself an average road cyclist and often ride my usual route alone. Of course, I don’t ride on the highway, where the loud beeping might not be noticeable. But on quiet country roads, you almost jump out of the saddle when it suddenly beeps loudly. This is unacceptable!

    Ali has informed us that they are working on it, and I really hope that’s true. The 30-day trial period that SRAM offers us is very generous. However, it’s already clear to me that the loud beeping will be a reason for me to return the device if no solution is provided by then. It’s a real shame for an otherwise well-thought-out product. Therefore, the Karoo 2 remains my first choice.

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    Dries Bellen

    First update done to my new Karoo, bit disappointed that the adjustable beep volume is not part of the updated!
    If you respect your customers / users it would be just fair to give a clear perspective on the delivery of a solution that's been announced for already such a long time... Hope to get adequate information from HH soon!

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    D Fel

    The beeper is crazy loud, how did that get through QC? If there is no fix for this I may end up opening the unit to put some foam sound deadening material inside to rectify it. I hope they can fix this with an update.

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    John H

    No - tape doesn’t work. Shame we even have to try that on a brand new head unit though…

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    Martin Damrath

    It is extremely disappointing that such a simple thing cannot be improved. I’m afraid it might not even be technically possible. The built-in speaker is probably not a regular one where you can simply adjust the volume. It’s likely just a “beeper,” where at best you could play different tones.
    Ali has already confirmed it in relation to the K2:
    „For the Karoo 2, the simple and easy answer is that it was not possible due to hardware limitations.„

    This will certainly affect the new model. But I lack the technical knowledge for that. 

    Taking apart a new device to modify it is definitely not an option for me.
    Anyway, that was a reason for me to return the K3. For now, I’ll still use the K2…

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    magnusc

    My solution that worked perfect was to sell the Karoo and get a Garmin 1050. Now I can adjust the volume to my own preference.

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    Dries Bellen

    @ali what’s the status???

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    Ali

    Dries,  There is not ETA for us to commit right now, but it is being looked at from all possible angles. We will update this thread when it is ready for the release. Thanks for your patience.

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    Michael L.

    So Ali, you can confirm that you are working on this topic and that's general possible to control the beeper via a Software Update? I think it will help if you could bring in some transparency. Then it will be totally fine, if you need some time to solve that, but the community has a perspective. It wold be extreme frustrating if you tell us, that you are working on that and the fix is never rolled out.

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    Matthias S.

    This beeper is really absolutely annoying, I will also return the device, if this issue will not be fixed soonish. What an absolute joke that something like this takes months or even years, if you think you cannot reduce it hardware-wise, just use three different sound files with different levels of gain and offer three options, should take 5min to fix it. Seeing more and more threads with issues, that have never been fixed, makes it hard to recommend this device to anyone, if this is your company policy of handling user request.

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    Martin Damrath

    @Matthias S.
    That was my thought as well. However, I fear that the technicians didn’t install a regular speaker capable of handling different volume levels. It’s just a beeper, which cannot be regulated.
    Therefore, there won’t be a solution. The issue is being ignored by Hammerhead, and then will be a new Model released that does a better job. I made my decision during the return period.
    If there is someone more technically savvy, please feel free to explain if it’s possible to modify a beeper’s volume later via software. I don’t think that’s possible.


    Additionally, I count 20 users in this thread who find the sound too loud. Let’s assume the total number of dissatisfied users is around 100, including those who voice their concerns elsewhere, send an email, etc. Maybe even 200. That’s probably too few for them to bother addressing such a minor issue.

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    Matthias S.

    @Martin
    Ah, okay, this would indeed be another story, such a beeper is also not controllable by less power input software-wise?

    But as Ali has mentioned, this limitation should no longer be existent on the Karoo (3) at least:
    > Hi Steve, it was not possible to make the changes on the Karoo 2 but it is on the Karoo.

    So since there are several people complaining (multiple threads here, on reddit and youtube) they are not doing themselves a favor by ignoring it, it's also something that frustrates new customers, which might return the device for this reason, so it should be in their interest to take such feedback serious and it can't really be that hard to fix it, at least on the new Karoo. If they don't want to fix it and don't see it as a problem in general, they should make it clear and not stalling the customers. 

    Might not be on the list of their top priorities right now, but following other channels, it seems to have become kind of a meme, that they are saying, they will fix something which they then actually never do, so as a customer I remain in uncertainty, if I can keep this device or not. If I would know, that this will only be an issue for a few weeks, I can surely live with it, but unaware, if it will ever be fixed, I am more likely to return the device to be on the safe side

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    Heinz von Bockelmann

    Unfortunately, I need to join the voices asking for a volume modifier, as on club rides I have had to turn the function off because it annoyed - and even startled - those next to me. For now I've copied the settings of the route profile and created a profile with and without the beeper activated...

    I really hope that Hammerhead delivers on this!

     

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