Hello, I am currently living in Frankfurt and I am trying to make GPS work but with no success, not even with footprints! I get no signal anywhere!! I used the GPS in Meinz successfully but I cannot use it in Frankfurt... I tried to run quickGPS first and then the GPS program or footprints but I can never get signal...
I am using this rom
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=721438&highlight=naked
the 23569 built.
If you have any ideas please tell me
Thank you
Footprints is nothing more than GPS photography.
Do you have a lot of tall buildings aroud in frankfurt where you try to init the GPS device?
Is there a broadcating item near you? (Cell phone antenna, TV station, Powerlines)
Do you have a navigation program?
What do the GPS diagnostics say (how many Satalites are "in view", what is the stability of the signal)
No GPS
I had a problem like this and eventually had to get a new phone. The GPS chip was faulty. GPS worked well for a while then became very sketchy then stopped altogether. Sounds more like this is your problem rather than no GPS signal in Frankfurt.
Wilco said:
Footprints is nothing more than GPS photography.
Do you have a lot of tall buildings aroud in frankfurt where you try to init the GPS device?
Is there a broadcating item near you? (Cell phone antenna, TV station, Powerlines)
Do you have a navigation program?
What do the GPS diagnostics say (how many Satalites are "in view", what is the stability of the signal)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
well, I mostly try to use GPS in the center of Frankfurt where there are many skyscrapers. In my hotel room there is a TV but even if I leave the phone by the window, it still cant get any signal. which GPS diagnostics are you talking about? can you redirect me to that program?
Ross202 said:
I had a problem like this and eventually had to get a new phone. The GPS chip was faulty. GPS worked well for a while then became very sketchy then stopped altogether. Sounds more like this is your problem rather than no GPS signal in Frankfurt.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thats not the case, because I tried GPS 2 days ago in Meinz and it was working perfectly.
jardan said:
well, I mostly try to use GPS in the center of Frankfurt where there are many skyscrapers. In my hotel room there is a TV but even if I leave the phone by the window, it still cant get any signal. which GPS diagnostics are you talking about? can you redirect me to that program?
Thats not the case, because I tried GPS 2 days ago in Meinz and it was working perfectly.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Have you used the trial copilot allready?
If not, you can start Copilot, go into settings, GPS, this will inform you if it sees any sattelites, or none, and what is the signal strength.
You can also use HTC GPS tool, showing output from GPS unit.
You can find it here
Wilco said:
Have you used the trial copilot allready?
If not, you can start Copilot, go into settings, GPS, this will inform you if it sees any sattelites, or none, and what is the signal strength.
You can also use HTC GPS tool, showing output from GPS unit.
You can find it here
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
well, I havent used copilot because it is not in this rom. I run the HTC gps tool and there are many satellites available, but I get an Mode 2: Fix not available. I have no idea what it means and I couldnt find anything in google. also I get a message "failed to send NMEA command.." and I also cantfind anything. under information tab, besides the "mode 2" message everything else is 0. under satellite tab there are many red dots representing satellites. what else should I look?
port is 4 and baud is 4800.
I will try it also tomorrow in open space.
The red dots come from QUICKGPS.
These are the locations where the satelites should be.
The fact they are red means none have been detected / fixed
The signal 0 in combination with red dots means: GPS cannot detect any satelites.
I was hoping you would have at least 1 or 2 "green" or at least signals.
I can only see two possibilities:
Reception is very, very bad (since you mention beeing in hotel, putting near window can help, dut does not nessesarily help as windows can have special coatings, or there is to much interference from WAN/GSM/UMTS (and the likes)traffic)
You could go outside, preferably to a park or big terrace where the buildings are somewhat more spaced, and check again.
If everything still remains red, 0 signal there is a possibility your GPS Unit does not work (properly) (bad antenna connection eg)
You really need to try on a few places. If possible go to the country and check how many satelites can be fixed there, if in the open you als get a minimal fix (lots of sattelites staying red, no signal) Your GPS Unit probably works badly.
(eg: if antenna is bad/disconnected, you probably will get some sat fixes, but not all)
Good luck trying.
you are right, I tried it outside and it is working. I dont know if HTC GPS tool did something, because before I installed it GPS was not working. Now, when I am at the street it works, but it doesnt not work in my hotel room or inside any other building, which is strange, because in Meinz it worked in the house.. Anyway, thank you for your help!
Related
Hi all , just got an Ameo (U.K T-Mobile version) and upgraded to Windows Mobile 6 Professional CE OS 5.2.1620 (Build 18125.0.4.2) official rom.
Everything works fine except GPS signal that really sucks!! I have red all topics carefully and i have set all parameters right such as COM 5 and baud 9600 but with Destinator 7 it does not fix satellite signal! It gets one satellite on cold start after 3-5 minutes and maybe some 2nd or 3rd but really UNSTABLE...so it loses fix and again from start.. Navigation is almost impossible!
Any suggestions please?Does someone else have the same problem maybe?..Or my device is faulty?Is it possible that Destinator 7 does not work fine with the built in GPS?I have tried external bluetooth gps on other port and baud and it goes fine!!6 satellites minimum 8-9 maximum and fast fix even on cold start.Is it possible that my ROM version is problematic?
ROM Version: 2.35.110.4
ROM Date : 10/09/07
Radio Version: 1.50.00.00
Protocol version: 32.83.7020.20H
I can never get a fix when it's in the faux-leather case, if that's any help... usually get a fix within 30s out of the case.
davemee said:
I can never get a fix when it's in the faux-leather case, if that's any help... usually get a fix within 30s out of the case.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
agreed, i get better results though in faux leather case, but my primary case is a n aluminum case hahaha so i know my own problem. temp resolve was an external recvr
hahaha
Have you tried the reg change to enable GPS in Camera mode (to allow location metadata to be stored within the picture)? I find if the GPS is ever slow to start up, using this first of all to get a location seems to kick things into life. Also make sure your QuickGPS file is upto date.
For some reason mine is now getting a lock much quicker than ever it has been before. I normally start TT just before I set off and previously it was taking approximatly a mile of driving before getting a lock. Now, it only takes about 1/2 a mile - have the US done something to the signal, or has my Ameo now developed supercow powers?
I'm running the cooked rom v3, radio 1.5 and its in the leather wallet.
Crumbs - half a mile? I usually start CoPilot when i get in the car and by the time I've started moving i have a fix - I take it out f the case to put in my Brodit mount but even in the house in the case it doesn't take that long to get a fix!
It is TomTom !!!
giorgosp: Yes, I can conform the problem and it's driving me mad!
Flashed to the T-Mo ROM this week, as PK3 was giving problems connecting to WMDC (tried a hard reset initially, and no better )
The T-Mo ROM is good, and allows WMDC to connect well, but since flashing, I've been unable to obtain a valid GPS lock. Tried with GPSInfo and iGO2006. I get a couple of small bars, and nothing more. Today, I drove for 45minutes, and no lock at all. My Orbit2 sitting on the car seat with CPL got a lock in 20 seconds from cold.
Previously, I could get a lock within 2 minutes if stationary, and about 10 minutes if moving (I live in a region with lots of windy country lanes, so rarely see the same bit of sy for more than a few seconds!), so this does seem to be an issue with the T-Mo radio.
..and further to the above, I've just downgraded the Radio to V1.47 (which means hard reset), and taken both the Orbit 2 and the Ameo outside- Orbit2 got a full fix in 30 seconds, and Ameo 30 seconds later (so 1min TTFF from cold, which is the best I've yet seen!)
Don't know if going back to radio 1.50 will keep the improvement, but I'm tempted to keep it as it is
im running 1.50 in a pawell rom and it's all good !! I think T-mo have messed things up !
So NeilM do you suggest me to downgrade radio version to 1.47?how many satellites is reaching to fix? ..to get a valid signal i think at least 4 and stable,right?
To all of you using other than the official t-mobile 2.35 rom with radio 1.50: how many sat signals do you achieve to fix using athena with the leather case under normal condition? does the radio version impact on gps signal so much?
I tried reverting to radio V1.50 and same problem, so at least in my Ameo there is a problem with the new T-Mo ROM, Radio 1.50 and the GPS receiver.
Went back to 1.47, and this morning got a cold TTFF in 1 minute.
You need 3 satelites for a 2D fix- locates at ground level, and 4 for a 3D fix, which includes altitude.
From a cold boot, the 1st sat signal takes a while, but it then provides almanac info for any other in its vicinity. As the reciver gets more almanac info it builds a picture of the sky, then the ephemeral data is downloaded.
Once almanac info is obtained, you will see the short bars in GPS apps; once ephemeris is obtained the bars turn dark, or change colour and when you have 3 of those, navigation can commence.
I can't advise you to change the radio version, especially as it needs a hard reset, but can only repeat that it worked for me, here in East Anglia, using the Ameo on Orange.
Neilm,when reverted to radio 1.50 have you used the t-mobile rom or have you used only the radio cab provided by forum?even if my question seems silly i was thinking that maybe a file of those included in t-mobiles 2.35 rom radio 1.50 is problematic??so have you flashed only the radio version back to 1.50 or the entire rom (including t-mob radio 1.50)?
So you suggest change to 1.47?i understand that hard reset is unpleasant setup from beginning but having a dead gps after paying so much for this device is worse.. Could some expert please find this issue..?
..guys i live in rome and i tried everything..it gets 1 sat fix after 3 minutes and upon gets a second one it looses both of them..my ameo is like without gps.. only when i use an external bt i-blue i can use it.. but i bought this mobile for not carrying 200 things with me.. :-(
I used the Radio only link, not the whoe T-Mo ROM, so it seems, for me at least, that it is the radio version, rather than where it comes from.
If you don't mind doing a hard rest, I'd say try it I can't say it will work, because it seems there are a number of factors which I don't understand. Some users have GPS working OK with this ROM and radio 1.50.
My personal experience is that radio 1.47 works much better for me, both for GPS and WiFi, and the phone reception is no worse. Battery use seems about the same.
Are you in Rome city centre? If so, have you tried going to a more open space to get a 1st fix? High density buildings can give a poor view of the sky, and give some 'multipath' interference, which can prevent a proper fix.
Athena GPS Quickconnect can't find anything else vaguely apprnnect
Firstly, sorry to hijack this thread, but I couldn't find anything else appropriate.
Relevant to this thread: I have no problems with my current hard/firm/software combo and GPS connect time. It is about 2-3 mins without a current quickconnect file, but fine with both TomTom 6 and VisualGPSce.
Does anyone know what the antenna hardware is like for the GPS radio in Athena? Is it inbuilt to the semiconductor hardware or is there something else? If there is a physical antenna it could be broken? Try attaching an external bluetooth/USB receiver or external antenna. If one works it can only be the antenna or the GPS hardware at fault, right?
My problem
GPS quick connect will no longer connect through 802.11 wifi, bluetooth activesync or USB activesync. The only thing to have changed is that I briefly enabled and then disabled GPRS wifi. Although the settings for GPRS/WAP have been disabled and in network settings the option for 'programs that use the internet automatically' is set to 'my work network', GPSquickconnect still seems to be using my GPRS service provider (which cannot be deleted).
I know a hard reset will resolve this but it would be nice to know if anyone else has come across this and found a reg tweak to remove the service providers in the drop down connections list.
Thanks is advance.
my gps is out more than a kilometre (a little less than a mile)
any ideas? i am using gpsviewer and tomtom6
i have dcd 2.3.1 rom
3.27 radio
any ideas?
ack
out? You mean it's off by more than a mile?
If so... someone's cloned your phone? :/ donno sorry.
dieseldennis said:
my gps is out more than a kilometre (a little less than a mile)
any ideas? i am using gpsviewer and tomtom6
i have dcd 2.3.1 rom
3.27 radio
any ideas?
ack
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That is a trip. So you are a mile away using Tom Tom?
Because if you where using Google Maps or Microsoft Live Search it would make sense because they tend to use agps (Cellular Towers) first to try and find your location and then they use the GPS receiver.
It might be the baud rate.... who knows. Or maybe just try to wait until it locks to at least 4 satellites for a better accurate read.
yeah it is a bit of a trip........
sometimes i get up to 6 7 or 8 sat locked on and im still out just as much.
im downloading iguidance right now im hoping its a mapping prob with tomtom.............i googled it and other people are having simular map issues with tomtom6.
wish me luck
anyone running iguidance ? any instal tips anyone has id appreciate it
Mine is perfect
I am useing the same as you and mine is bang on, i mean right to the foot nearly.
dieseldennis said:
yeah it is a bit of a trip........
sometimes i get up to 6 7 or 8 sat locked on and im still out just as much.
im downloading iguidance right now im hoping its a mapping prob with tomtom.............i googled it and other people are having simular map issues with tomtom6.
wish me luck
anyone running iguidance ? any instal tips anyone has id appreciate it
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That sucks man. Hopefully iguidance works for you. I have Tom Tom Navigator 6 and havent had any issues with it. I hear it sucks for rural places. That is why sometimes people use Garmin.
I wasn't able to replicate your results thus I cannot resolve this. But feel free to let us know how iguidance is. I haven't tried it.
Perhaps your in a linear superposition of two position eigenstates. When your gps takes a measurement your wave function collapses to one or the other. If there are two different routes to the local store,you could try going shopping and see if you interfere with yourself when you arrive. ;-)
I am using tomtom ,igo and destinator and they perform just as well if nto better then my bluetooth gps receiver.
dieseldennis said:
my gps is out more than a kilometre (a little less than a mile)
any ideas? i am using gpsviewer and tomtom6
i have dcd 2.3.1 rom
3.27 radio
any ideas?
ack
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
soft reset...was happening to me..hadn't had to soft reset in like 3 days..did a soft reset and was good. my problem was that gps kept connecting quickly...but its active location was like 1-2 miles from where i actually was...
soft resetting usually does a phone good anyway, I usually soft reset when i wake up.
btw my sprint Navigation is "Dead Nut" I drove to this real exclusive part of Truckee to do an estimate and it put me right to the peoples front door....AND IT WAS A NEW HOUSE!!!
Had this happen to me once...more than a mile actually, nearly oh, 6km or so. I tried to soft reset, multiple times and it didn't do jack. (Was using Google maps.) I just left it, as in, didn't play with the GPS for a day cause I got frustrated trying to fix it and lo and behold, it worked again. So...shrug, don't fret over it unless its ALWAYS a mile off...
verkion
Try the things in this thread. it worked for me... I am using Delorme Street Atlas for now because I already own it & am to cheap to pay for the internet on my phone... And it was always off by alot.. Then I tried the baffles sw & it worked... And now I'm trying the VisualGPSce & it appears to work better even... It even shows me in the backyard vs the front yard.
http://forum.ppcgeeks.com/showthread.php?t=17032
Different GPS problems
When your GPS gives you the wrong location, it can only fall into 2 categories.
Satellite Signal-Signals have been known to do all sorts of weird things. You are dealing with a very weak signal when you use GPS and it is prone to bouncing off of all sorts of things. This "bouncing" delays the arrival at your receiver and causes your location to be off.
Software-Software can be the second issue. This can either be the mapping software(such TomTom) or it can be a computational error. Your GPS is pinpointing your location by comparing "clocks". Sometimes it can 'flub' and make a mistake, but this is extremely rare.
Given that you were CONSTANTLY off by 1 mile, I would feel safe assuming that this was a software issue. I would test multiple mapping systems(especially Google Maps).
If you are using your GPS is an area with high buildings, hills, or inside of a building you might notice "jumping".
Telenav works perfectly and has data assisted location.
Ahhh
You are about to enter another dimension, a dimension not only of sight and sound but of mind. A journey into a wondrous land of imagination. Next stop, the Twilight Zone…
Do do do do, do do do do
Maybe there is something wrong with your phones GPS chip. As I use QuickGPS, Astrolauncher, and TomTom 6 and I am right on every time....
I've benn having issues with the Garmin Mobile XT... I have now the Sprint 3.56.651 ROM AND 3.42.30 RADIO...
when I run Garmin it automatically detects satellites without any other GPS aplication (GPSProxy, GPSGate o others...) but it only locks 3 satellites and it doesn't give me my position...
Is there something i'm doing wrong?? what do I need to get this thing working???
The big answer that you have not provided is if any other application returns the same GPS performance. Garmin, as others, only receives the data as provided by the GPSOne chipset, and I cannot see any reason why it could cripple that data.
Try again with a diagnostic app such as VisualGPSce. What you describe sounds like a rather common problem with the Titan in that it is seeing a few satellites but fails to lock-on to them and that is why you cannot determine your position. In a clearing outside, wait up to a half hour.. Try GC's QPST GPS hack.. Etc.. Garmin is unlikely to be the issue.
all right...
I already did the GPS Hack with QPST... I already waited for like 2 hours (I was washing my car) and it did lock up to 6 satellites but it still didn't give me my position...
I installed GPSProxy, GPSGate and many others but I have problems on that applications... first it doesn't show me any satellite, after 10-15 seconds it shows me like 10-15 satellites on the screen but only for a second or so and then they disappear again... this happens in a loop, it shows me the 10-15 satellites for a second, it waits for 10-15 seconds and then it shows them on the screen again for a second..........
I'm going to try VisualGPSce to see if I have any luck... i'll keep you posted...
I am running latest radio and dcd's rom with Garmin Mobile XT on VZW with the GPS Hack with QPST and get locks within 30 secs and 7 to 9 sats.
Not sure if that helps or not.
what radio are you runing?? i have 3.42.30
I don't understand what everyone is doing. I am running Garmin Mobile XT myself, and have been for a couple of months. With the Newest radio rom, and DCD 3.2, I have no problems locking sats. Normally when I start the program, by the time it's up and running, I have a lock on enough sats to get the bars all green. It's just that fast. Not sure what your doing wrong.
I run Garmin Mobile XT with absolutely no problems on VZW.
P.S. I still prime with HTC GPS Tool prior to opening Garmin.
ok still no luck...
are you selecting the GPS on Garmin as COM4:COM4: or as GPS Intermediate Driver??
GPS Intermediate Driver
Working Great
using Baf's GPS toggler cooked into 19588 rom set to standalone in registry
meaning no assisted gps radio 3.42.30. Locks in less than a minute while inside house. Using Garmin Mobile XT.
Chemdawg said:
I don't understand what everyone is doing. I am running Garmin Mobile XT myself, and have been for a couple of months. With the Newest radio rom, and DCD 3.2, I have no problems locking sats. ... It's just that fast. Not sure what your doing wrong.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Careful in rushing to blame user error. Some Titans -- regardless of software settings -- just cannot match the GPS performance of other Titans. I've witnessed this myself with two Titans side-by-side. Sadly, it can be a luck of the draw...
The repeating loop of flipping back and forth between the same sets of satellites often occurs when the chipset is stuck in standby mode, so a resolution is to soft-reset the Titan. nelsongruebr's description of satellite "locks" are probably not locks but basic reception of the visible satellites before a lock - if ever - is attained. The description here of poor performance is very similar to what had stumped me on some Titans... Sadly, there may be no resolution.
I've been running Garmin Mobile for about a month on no2chem's 5067 rom and I have not had problems. I don't have to do anything other than open Garmin and within 30 seconds, I have a lock. At first, I was using the 3.39.10 radio and now I'm using 3.42.30.
so basically maybe my Titan can never be used for GPS? or maybe doing a hard reset or flashing another ROM?
Today I tried to get a lock by letting the GPS Intermediate Driver search for satellites on Garmin Mobile XT for quiet some time and had no luck... it could not even find one single satellite...
On the other hand, when I activated the COM4:COM4: it find 3 satellites, it locked to them but didn't give me a fix or a position...
I installed GPSVisualce... First it did find some satellites, like seven of them but after a couple of seconds it loose them... but I checked the coordinates that it marked and they were pretty close to where I was... so maybe it is user problem... maybe I'm missing something...
So I bring up these new questions:
What version of Garmin Mobile XT are you using?
Is somebody with the same ROM and RADIO having the same problem? (Sprint 3.56.651.0 Radio 3.42.30)
Should I flash another ROM?
thanks!!!
You need to prime the GPS first before running Garmin.
Prime it with HTC GPS Tool or GPSViewer. Once it locks, close the primer and open Garmin. Go into settings and Disable COM4:COM4, then click GPS Intermediate Driver, then click Enable.
Your problem should not be the ROM, Radio, or Garmin XT. Keep playing around with VisualGPSce as it's quick and easy to configure to use the appropriate port and will give you an easy reference as to how many satellites are seen and the number of those that a lock is made on.
Beyond that and attempting GC's QPTS GPS edit, place the blame on your hardware. The description you've given on your Titan seeing some satellites, possibly locking, and then losing then is all too familiar to what I've experienced with another Titan. You're not alone.
Problem solved!!!!
yesterday I hard reset my device and after that just installed VisualGPSce and Garmin Mobile Xt so I can try it without any other software...
I went to my house and right where I was about to go to sleep I put my Titan on his Charging cradle and open VisualGPSce and then opened Garmin Mobile XT and leave it there on my night stand all night... to my surprise when I woke up it had a lock on 7 satellites!!!! on my nighstand!!!
I supposed it needed to get a lock for some time since I'm in Venezuela and I supose it was going to be harder to lock from anther country than to lock in the US...
Thanks to everyone who posted here and tried to helped me!!!!
Excellent! Yes, when the cell network assistance feature of AGPS isn't available, for some reason the chipset on our Titans can take quite a while to download the satellite ephemeris data directly from the satellites. Though I think that you're one of the first who's recorded it requiring more than a half hour!
hehe!! i'll say more than 5 hours, cause when I saw the time data on Garmin it said that the stopped time was only like an hour and a half, so it took mora than 5 hours to get that lock...
But I think I spoke to early, yesterday when I got out of work I wanted to try to get a lock to see how long it takes, but to my surprise it didn't locked on any satellites!! not even one!! I left it again overnight and nothing!! so I'm back to zero :'(
I'll be informing you how it behaves today...
Keystone said:
Careful in rushing to blame user error. Some Titans -- regardless of software settings -- just cannot match the GPS performance of other Titans. I've witnessed this myself with two Titans side-by-side. Sadly, it can be a luck of the draw...
The repeating loop of flipping back and forth between the same sets of satellites often occurs when the chipset is stuck in standby mode, so a resolution is to soft-reset the Titan. nelsongruebr's description of satellite "locks" are probably not locks but basic reception of the visible satellites before a lock - if ever - is attained. The description here of poor performance is very similar to what had stumped me on some Titans... Sadly, there may be no resolution.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am a newbie here but as a computer engineer I totally agree. We buy many PCs, scanners, printers, etc. all of the same brand. I can have several of the exact same items on the bench and so will not do as the identical sister/brother unit will do. My theory as a tech has been Bubba went to work mad at his wife and said what the hell I am going to just throw this crap together. Then on the flip side you have the new guy wanting to make a good impression and he spends 2 hours on one product where he should have gotten out four in that same two hours...
I think it depends on the device as well...just luck of the purchase...
ok, i kinda figure out what was the problem...
As I told you before, I live in Caracas, Venezuela... and recently the government decided to change the hour (yeah I know... What the hell where they thinking) from GMT -4.00 Caracas, La Paz, to GMT -4.30 Caracas... so Microsoft created a Patch to add the new Time Zone for Caracas... I have been installing this patch for about a year now without a problem (i had previously a HTC Touch and a HTC Excalibur) without any problems... So i instal it on my Titan and thats it...
To my surprise when i did a hard reset to delete everything and installed only Garmin Mobile and VirtualGPSce tha GPS work flawlessly... I said Great!!! It work's!!! so I installed the aplications that I normally have on my Titan INCLUDING the Patch for the New Timezone, and here is where the fun begins... the GPS stop working!!!! I didn't know it was the Time Zone patch until i performed another Hard Reset and Installed only a few aplications and the GPS kept working perfectly...
Today I'm going to install ALL the aplications that I use except the Patch to see if that does the trick...
I'll be posting tonight to tell you how it goes...
i never had a galaxy S so now idea how bad that really was, but it does kinda suck when you need gps and have to have data on to get a lock in a shortish manner (mainly on holiday where i have no data allowance).
any chance that process tech (nodes etc) will have matured to the point where we can have a dedicated gps received in our phones of the quality of what you can get in a tom tom or whatever? no data needed at all to work?
i ask since i use gps on holidays via jogtracker to track where i've been and the train/bus/plane journies from A to B. very cool to look at after the fact - zoom in - and see what you were passing at the time
Well, you could go tell the US government to go modify their satellite so they transfer GPS almanac faster to your device.
Otherwise no, you'll need to get the info from somewhere, either from data network or the satellites themselves.
what? it's nothing to do with the satellites. get a tom tom and they lock on within 30 secs. get an sgs2 without data and it will lock on within 30 seconds, upto 5+ minutes, same with my old desire.
the "get the info from somewhere" line? it comes from the gps sats.
Well it was a joke, but looks like you didn't it. So to simplify the answer:
NO
The answer keeps being NO, but I'm gonna explain a bit further:
First time you boot a Tom Tom, it can stay anything from 5 to 10 minutes out in the sun to catch the goddamn GPS signal. Which is the average time for any GPS to get proper signal the standard manner. What happens the next time? Well, your tom has already the GPS data cached, so unless you move very far from the last point you connected the GPS, it will catch it rather fast (because it's asuming it stays in the same location).
With Android the results are rather mixed. I believe the caching part is done per app basis, which means maybe an app will get a fast lock provided you used it recently, and some other apps may really take the 5 minutes to get the proper location without any aid.
I think an standarized cache in android for any app using the GPS could be a good idea.
But that's my thought.
AGPS is also used as a signal booster in areas of low GPS signal .
Phone GPS does not need AGPS to work .
jje
Also, smartphones generally have weaker GPS antennas than dedicated navigation devices -- a good GPS antenna requires space, something that's at a premium in a smartphone. There are probably also RF issues to contend with.
So a smartphone is more likely to have a poor GPS signal and thus require help from other technologies like AGPS.
than you to the last 3 posters for providing useful responses
As reference, my SGS1 had terrible GPS. If I had no data and I wasn't using wireless networks to help pinpoint my location, the GPS sat would never find me.
In comparison, my SGS2 can usually get a lock on me within 30 seconds without data/wifi on and no assitance from wireless networks.
It may not be as fast or as reliable as a dedicated GPS unit, but it gets the job done when I need to know where the flip i am.
[UPDATE 20141115] I tried GPS again from my last update, and I'm happy to report that it works for the S-Health app at least, and I can see my route etc even when the phone is not bluetooth connected. I don't know why it doesn't work for Here though. ROM is BNJC, Malaysia.
[UPDATE 20141108] So it looks like my unit, and some of those from Malaysia have a problem. Time for service center visit. I'll try to update on this.
Thanks to all who the new owners who have posted.
Hi all,
As I reported in my 2 reviews, I found that the GPS does not work when it is not connected via bluetooth to the phone. I asked members from my home forum to test it out, and 2 reported the same thing.
https://forum.lowyat.net/index.php?showtopic=3392810&view=findpost&p=71238465
https://forum.lowyat.net/index.php?showtopic=3392810&view=findpost&p=71239757
https://forum.lowyat.net/index.php?showtopic=3392810&view=findpost&p=71241325
I have a 3G SIM in my phone, and it shows Connected Remotely on both the Gear S and my Note 4. GPS DOES NOT WORK.
I checked the manual, downloaded from here:
http://www.samsung.com/uk/consumer/mobile-devices/wearables/gear/SM-R7500ZKABTU
or direct link:
http://org.downloadcenter.samsung.c...93/SM-R750_UM_EU_Tizen_Eng_Rev.1.0_140926.pdf
Below lists all the pages I found which describe usage of the GPS. None of them state that the Gear S cannot perform a lock when it is not connected via bluetooth to your phone.
Can any XDA members test this out to confirm ?
If so, this is a serious omission on the part of Samsung on the fitness for purpose of this device, and they are marketing this without stating the facts or limitations.
Your comments are welcome.
On page 55, it says
The Gear’s GPS feature is used to check information, such as altitude and speed,
when you are cycling or hiking. When the Gear and the mobile device are
connected, the Gear uses the mobile device’s GPS feature. To use the mobile
device’s GPS feature on the Gear, the devices must be connected via Bluetooth.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It DOES NOT SAY that you MUST be paired to use the Gear S' GPS.
Page 64 & 65 describes the Navigator or HERE app. It makes no mention of the GPS.
Page 68 describes the Weather app
When the Gear is not connected to the mobile device via Bluetooth, the Gear updates
the weather information using the Gear’s GPS feature.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Page 75 describes the Location checkbox in Settings
Set the Gear to allow apps to use your current location information.
On the Settings screen, tap Connections and tick Location.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I can confirm that it works WITHOUT a paired phone. I paired it last week with a Galaxy Alpha in a store (because it doesn't work with my Tab S so far ) and then I went a few miles and opened "Here for gear" - after a few seconds (you have to be outside) I had a GPS fix. It also worked today when I tested it with Nike+, which requires a GPS signal.
Cyman said:
I can confirm that it works WITHOUT a paired phone. I paired it last week with a Galaxy Alpha in a store (because it doesn't work with my Tab S so far ) and then I went a few miles and opened "Here for gear" - after a few seconds (you have to be outside) I had a GPS fix. It also worked today when I tested it with Nike+, which requires a GPS signal.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is very strange. Maybe we need more people around the world to test.
I am in Malaysia.
I have a pre-order in the UK that should dispatch on Friday - Once I have it I will try it out. Anyone have one in the UK yet?
Cyman said:
It also worked today when I tested it with Nike+, which requires a GPS signal.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Cyman, would you please test the battery life using the Gear S with GPS/Nike+ while listening to music via Bluetooth while not connected to a phone (i.e. as a standalone device)?
Thanks!
Battery test
craigkahn said:
Cyman, would you please test the battery life using the Gear S with GPS/Nike+ while listening to music via Bluetooth while not connected to a phone (i.e. as a standalone device)?
Thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
As expected, the battery runs down fast. I went on running with around 50% of battery - I went for about 40 minutes and listened to music via bluetooth. In the end I had around 10% left. So I assume, you can run approx 2 hours with battery fully loaded.
Cyman said:
As expected, the battery runs down fast. I went on running with around 50% of battery - I went for about 40 minutes and listened to music via bluetooth. In the end I had around 10% left. So I assume, you can run approx 2 hours with battery fully loaded.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for checking. It's unfortunate that Samsung decided to put such a small battery in the Gear S.
Cyman said:
As expected, the battery runs down fast. I went on running with around 50% of battery - I went for about 40 minutes and listened to music via bluetooth. In the end I had around 10% left. So I assume, you can run approx 2 hours with battery fully loaded.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Based on my initial usage, I made the same estimate for GPS use. Thanks for confirming.
I guess you were running without the paired phone?
craigkahn said:
Thanks for checking. It's unfortunate that Samsung decided to put such a small battery in the Gear S.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The last part of the manual surprisingly shows disassembly instructions. Based on the diagram, Samsung has put in the largest possible battery based on current technology. Any larger and the Gear S would be actually ugly.
UPDATE:
Another report that the GPS is not working when NOT paired via bluetooth to the phone
https://forum.lowyat.net/index.php?showtopic=3392810&view=findpost&p=71275502
https://forum.lowyat.net/index.php?showtopic=3392810&view=findpost&p=71278255
Is this some kind of regional allocation issue???
Yes I went running without a phone, connected to 3G. @joytest: Maybe you're on an old firmware. I've seen on sammobile, that there is a new one out for Malaysia...
I am on the latest BNJC firmware as of 3 days ago when I had to factory reset the Gear S when tethering to my Note 4.
Only thing to try is maybe uncheck the Location check box in Settings > Connections. I have always left it checked.
I want it to use the built-in GPS in the watch even if it IS connected via bluetooth to my phone. Because when I am in London, I find if the phone is in my pocket, the GPS reception is no good for navigation. Therefore if the GPS is in the watch I can still get guidance directions when my phone is in the pocket. So they should give you the option of which GPS is used!
Maybe because the Gear S has A-GPS and not GPS. From these links:
http://samsungmobileuspress.com/201...ables-Market,-Brings-Gear-S-to-U.S.-Next-Week
The Gear S is equipped with several sensors, including an accelerometer, UV sensor, barometer, heart rate monitor, GPS and an IP67 rating for dust- and water-resistance
Connectivity: A-GPS/Glonass
http://www.samsung.com/uk/news/loca...ear-s-enhancing-the-smart-wearable-experience
Connectivity: WiFi: 802.11 b/g/n, A-GPS/Glonass
Ok, now that we have that out of the way, if I know A-GPS like I think I do, it means that you need network connectivity. So I assume the people that have GPS working standalone is because they have a SIM card with a Data connection. The people that have their Gear S standalone where GPS doesn't work because you don't have a SIM with a Data connection.
I think Samsung pulled the wool over our eyes, but to me A-GPS is not the same as GPS. Technically any phone that takes a SIM card and has Data can have A-GPS without any special hardware. They are getting location triangulation from cell towers. This also means that it is not as accurate as true GPS. I think many will be disappointed about this news. Going to hide now.
segura.org said:
I think Samsung pulled the wool over our eyes, but to me A-GPS is not the same as GPS. Technically any phone that takes a SIM card and has Data can have A-GPS without any special hardware. They are getting location triangulation from cell towers. This also means that it is not as accurate as true GPS. I think many will be disappointed about this news. Going to hide now.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
A-GPS definitely isn't the same as GPS, but Glonass is, so it should work without a phone.
Toss3 said:
A-GPS definitely isn't the same as GPS, but Glonass is, so it should work without a phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, it should be quite accurate.
A-GPS + Glonass should make the accuracy much better - As long as we keep Putin happy and he doesn't turn off his satellites
segura.org said:
Maybe because the Gear S has A-GPS and not GPS. From these links:
http://samsungmobileuspress.com/201...ables-Market,-Brings-Gear-S-to-U.S.-Next-Week
The Gear S is equipped with several sensors, including an accelerometer, UV sensor, barometer, heart rate monitor, GPS and an IP67 rating for dust- and water-resistance
Connectivity: A-GPS/Glonass
http://www.samsung.com/uk/news/loca...ear-s-enhancing-the-smart-wearable-experience
Connectivity: WiFi: 802.11 b/g/n, A-GPS/Glonass
Ok, now that we have that out of the way, if I know A-GPS like I think I do, it means that you need network connectivity. So I assume the people that have GPS working standalone is because they have a SIM card with a Data connection. The people that have their Gear S standalone where GPS doesn't work because you don't have a SIM with a Data connection.
I think Samsung pulled the wool over our eyes, but to me A-GPS is not the same as GPS. Technically any phone that takes a SIM card and has Data can have A-GPS without any special hardware. They are getting location triangulation from cell towers. This also means that it is not as accurate as true GPS. I think many will be disappointed about this news. Going to hide now.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It does have full GPS according to
http://www.samsung.com/uk/consumer/mobile-devices/wearables/gear/SM-R7500ZWABTU
Scroll down to the specs and it just says "GPS/Glonass" not A-GPS
You are right that A-GPS is using positional information based on cell towers rather than satellites. It is often used to help GPS get a quicker lock as it helps the device get a rough idea of where it is, which then allows it go online, look-up which satellites should be orbiting and their coordinates. This means a lock can be reduced from 60 seconds down to 5.
I don't expect Samsung has done a naughty thing here, because the chip used for the radio these days incorporates all these things into a single module (i.e. Mobile radio, Wifi, Bluetooth, GPS etc)
Anyone else able to test the gps?
I got a report from my home forum that his gps works without a phone. This sounds like a problem.
I have tested with Location unchecked, it won't work. The app will ask to turn it on anyway.
I have a data SIM and it is also remotely connected via 3G to my Note4, therefore A-GPS should work in my case.
It seems like there is a batch with faulty GPS.
Once more people in XDA confirm I will bring it to the service center.
joytest said:
Anyone else able to test the gps?
I got a report from my home forum that his gps works without a phone. This sounds like a problem.
I have tested with Location unchecked, it won't work. The app will ask to turn it on anyway.
I have a data SIM and it is also remotely connected via 3G to my Note4, therefore A-GPS should work in my case.
It seems like there is a batch with faulty GPS.
Once more people in XDA confirm I will bring it to the service center.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I should have the watch today if the courier does their job and I will report back on this.
jonstatt said:
I should have the watch today if the courier does their job and I will report back on this.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I got the watch and tried it. There is definitely real GPS built-in. I was able to use the Weather application while the phone was switched off, and it got a lock on where I was and gave me weather for my town. I also tried the "Here" map application with no phone connected and it came up with my street on the display. I also found you can download the maps offline and use the watch as a navigator without the phone at all, exactly as I would like to see. The one thing I haven't validated yet, but I am fairly sure will be the case, is that if the phone is connected, you don't get a choice whether it uses the phone GPS or the watch one.....we will see
jonstatt said:
I got the watch and tried it. There is definitely real GPS built-in. I was able to use the Weather application while the phone was switched off, and it got a lock on where I was and gave me weather for my town. I also tried the "Here" map application with no phone connected and it came up with my street on the display. I also found you can download the maps offline and use the watch as a navigator without the phone at all, exactly as I would like to see. The one thing I haven't validated yet, but I am fairly sure will be the case, is that if the phone is connected, you don't get a choice whether it uses the phone GPS or the watch one.....we will see
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Co-sign this. Did almost the same things. I got a lock with location as well.
Sent from my SM-T807P