Custom RLC Alerts

If you are using the POI Factory RLC file, then no, Garmin Express should not affect the alerts in any way. If you are using Garmin's Cyclops subscription, then it is possible that Garmin Express attempted to update it and it failed.

Are you getting the camera alerts but just no audio or are you getting no alert at all?

I don't think you can use custom audio alerts with the Garmin Cyclops files. So I doubt if the OP has that subscription and he says he is using the POI Factory files.

I use custom alerts for RLC and speed. Still working.

Using the POI Factory files; still getting the "built in" alerts, but not the custom one - I like something distinctive to alert me to the RLCs; also have speed cameras coming up next year, so double jeopardy.

As I mentioned did not make any other changes other than the map update.

By chance,did you get another computer and forget to add back the sox.exe file. You are using wav files and not mp3 for custom alerts correct?
http://www.poi-factory.com/node/25730 .

If you did get a new PC as asked above and you did remember to add the sox.exe, make sure you're using the right (older) version of sox and that it's placed in the right computer folder. (This is not an issue if you're a Mac user.)

You mention that the alerts ended around the time of a map update. Is it also possible that it happened after an update of your POI files? If so, double check that both the csv or gpx file and the wav file have the same filename and that an update of the POI file didn't do something like go from Redlights.csv to Redlights(1).csv or some such change.

Page three of your owner's manual speaks of audio alerts and that each kind can be enabled or disabled individually. If custom alerts are one of the options, are they enabled? If custom POI alerts aren't on the list, then ignore this.

http://static.garmin.com/pumac/DriveSmart_50-60-70_OM_EN.pdf

Enabling or disabling audible driver alerts

1 Select Settings > Map & Vehicle > Audible Driver Alerts.
2 Select or clear the tick box next to each alert.

Ditto for page three mentioning your volume control mixer for each audio type. Check that your custom alerts aren't muted.

Lastly, just a tip to save time. Do not try to ask Garmin for help since Garmin has steadfastly refused to acknowledge that wav files can be played their automotive devices.

Good luck.

Same PC; sox.exe is where it's supposed to be

Do the custom alerts work on the Nuv1 2597 you have listed?

The biggest problems with the alerts not working are the files not being named the same except for extensions and having double extensions. Double-check each of them. The best way to prevent double extensions is to go to your folder options in the control panel and click view then find hide extensions for known file types and remove the check mark. Click ok. See http://www.poi-factory.com/node/41141

Check all of the above

How about the question, do they work on the nuv 2597?

If your DriveSmart 50 is like my DriveLuxe 51, custom POI audio alerts are not individually disableable or muteable in the GPS so I'm leaning more to the other possibilities discussed here.

If you run POI Loader in Manual Mode, does the Redlight file show alerts being enabled? If, as expected, you use POI Loader's automatic mode, try it in Manual Mode and see if alerts are checked for the redlight file.

The question asked about your nuvi 2597 is an important question to be answered. Here's the test. Load your custom POIs to each of your three devices now using the same method for each with POI Loader. Do none/any/all alert for redlights?

On your DriveSmart 50, do you have any other custom POIs with a custom audio alert enabled? Do they sound the proper audio alert?

From your original post, I think we're all assuming that your redlight custom POI file and wav did give custom audio alerts on your DriveSmart in the past but do not alert now. Is this correct? If not and if your nuvi 855 gave alerts but your 2597 and DriveSmart don't, then it could be that you're using mp3 audio files which do not work on any except the oldest models like your 855. Custom audio alerts for custom POIs do work with the latest map update as with all past map updates so there's something we're missing here.

One last test. Is it possible that the last time you loaded the redlight custom POI file, that the file does not include the location you expect an alert to occur? With your device, tap WhereTo/CustomPOIs/Redlight and see what locations are offered. If there's no entry for the location you want an alert, then either the redlight file was never loaded to the GPS, was deleted after loading or the file is there but the specific location of your redlight camera that doesn't alert is missing from the file.

You need to go back and follow the instructions on this FAQ http://www.poi-factory.com/node/25730 . Since you posted that you now get the non standard alert instead of the custom alert. You don't need to go back and run the manual mode.The word Redlight and Speed in the file name triggers the non standard alert .See help on POILoader for more information. The problem you are having can only be with not having the files name correctly,double extensions,not using a wav file or the sox.exe not correct version or in the right location. Mp3 file for custom alerts will only work for your nuvi 855. Using wav and sox.exe will work for all 3 units you listed.Allowing you to get rid of the mp3 files.Structure below for files.I have the Nuvi 2597 and have had the camera files for years and they work just fine. You may want to look at this video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dsJTUmvb6_o

Redlight cameras.csv
Redlight cameras.bmp
Redlight cameras.wav
Speed cameras.csv
Speed cameras.bmp
Speed cameras.wav