Related
I'm just posting because lately I've discovered a pretty nice little trick for our beloved bittersweet GPS.
As most of you know, sometimes the GPS likes to think for itself and decide whether it wants to lock sats quickly or painfully slowly. Same goes for me, sometimes I get a lock within seconds, sometimes it takes 5-10 minutes (all the time using GPSViewer to cold start it first).
Well, for the past week I've been using WiFiFoFum while I'm driving to track AP's while using the GPS function to log long. and lat. and collect them into a merged kml file for Google Earth. When I first enabled the GPS function in WiFiFoFum, I noticed that I got a fix and lock almost instantaneously, not even using GPSViewer (my GPS had not been used for at least over 24 hours). I thought it was probably a fluke and shrugged it off, but sure enough the next day I go to use it and BAM another lock within 5 seconds, again no GPSViewer. I've been doing this now for 7 days straight, and each day is the same thing, very quick fixes and locks. I don't know what is going on in the background, but screw GPSViewer, I'm using this from now on to start my GPS.
As always though YMMV, but I'd like to get some feedback if people decide to try it.
Cheers.
I would have to agree on this find and praise for you on how much faster than gpsveiwer is. Iv only gotten the chance to use a few time but got a fix within 30sec of opening
I will try this today and let everyone know if I have the same findings.
Can anyone recommend some good gps software for off road and topo maps?
Thanks,
Mr.ellsworth
actually been using wififofum to grab a lock since the day i got my gps working. it helps that im a wardriver too but definitely the same results here. wififofum grabs locks quickly and accurately. i usually let it run in the background while i start up nav4all or googlemaps.
actually been using wififofum to grab a lock since the day i got my gps working. it helps that im a wardriver too but definitely the same results here. wififofum grabs locks quickly and accurately. i usually let it run in the background while i start up nav4all or googlemaps.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I too am a fellow wardriver...though I don't use the titan for my 'official' wardriving escapades lol.
I like to take it old school with my orinoco pcmcia w/ external antenna connected to a parabolic dish mounted on my roof. Gentoo laptop with kismet configured to use festival, with sound routed through my car speakers...
Getting all worked up just talking about it...lol
you setup makes my humble titan weep. in all honesty, i have a hard time giving up the usability and ease of wififofum. that software is just awesome. i use kismac on my macbook when im running it off of my computer but i just cant get over how easy it is to just use wififofum. cant wait until someone figures out how to enable the gps in out titans to work over bluetooth so we can hook those up to our comps
Try this... http://forum.ppcgeeks.com/showthread.php?t=21248&highlight=gps+toggle
Oh yeah... I think AmazeGPS will be good once they make it for windows mobile 6. Right now they have a BETA version. http://amazegps.com/welcome.php
Oh yeah... I think AmazeGPS will be good once they make it for windows mobile 6. Right now they have a BETA version. http://amazegps.com/welcome.php
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Looks like ALPHA to me....big difference
gcincotta said:
I'm just posting because lately I've discovered a pretty nice little trick for our beloved bittersweet GPS.
As most of you know, sometimes the GPS likes to think for itself and decide whether it wants to lock sats quickly or painfully slowly. Same goes for me, sometimes I get a lock within seconds, sometimes it takes 5-10 minutes (all the time using GPSViewer to cold start it first).
Well, for the past week I've been using WiFiFoFum while I'm driving to track AP's while using the GPS function to log long. and lat. and collect them into a merged kml file for Google Earth. When I first enabled the GPS function in WiFiFoFum, I noticed that I got a fix and lock almost instantaneously, not even using GPSViewer (my GPS had not been used for at least over 24 hours). I thought it was probably a fluke and shrugged it off, but sure enough the next day I go to use it and BAM another lock within 5 seconds, again no GPSViewer. I've been doing this now for 7 days straight, and each day is the same thing, very quick fixes and locks. I don't know what is going on in the background, but screw GPSViewer, I'm using this from now on to start my GPS.
As always though YMMV, but I'd like to get some feedback if people decide to try it.
Cheers.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hey there, I just installed this on my xv6800 and it doesn't get any locks on sats with gps on. What should the settings be? I have them on Com4 and 4800 baud?
My results
I used TomTom 6 for a month or so and started it with GPSviewer and have the same results, sometimes it locks fast, sometimes grabs a bunch of sats but drops them before it gets a chance to lock and will keep this up seems like forever. I loaded up Garmin Mobile XT last night and find that it will start the GPS and lock within 5 seconds every time. This was amazing to me so I have tried everything to get it to NOT do it that well and I can not get it to fail.
madman34 said:
I used TomTom 6 for a month or so and started it with GPSviewer and have the same results, sometimes it locks fast, sometimes grabs a bunch of sats but drops them before it gets a chance to lock and will keep this up seems like forever. I loaded up Garmin Mobile XT last night and find that it will start the GPS and lock within 5 seconds every time. This was amazing to me so I have tried everything to get it to NOT do it that well and I can not get it to fail.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
give it time.
i have had days at a time, where i "can't get it to fail" but then once in a while it just gets annoyed with me and is buggy for a day or two. today being one of those days. i can get it to work, with soft resets and patience, but some days no matter what i do, it always works within a minute
GPSViewer can get buggy if you switch the tabs at the bottom more than once. The second tab will stop updating (you can tell this when the time freezes) and it will look like you haven't locked anything, when you actually have. Go back and forth to refresh it again.
Guys...this thread wasn't supposed to be about GPSViewer...the whole point of the thread was to do away with it.
To the guy who's having slow results with GPSViewer:
Read my OP and try and get a fix WITHOUT starting GPSViewer. So far every day for the past 9 days I've tried it, it's been quick and flawless.
Also, I don't think I mentioned it, but make sure wifi is on and you're actually "scanning" with wififofum (with the gps option enabled)...don't just open wififofum and enable gps without actually scanning.
Yup WiFiFoFum works great.
Before I wouldn't be able to lock a Satellite connection @ work ( inside a two story building, elevator, everything that would make the signal weak ) with Tom Tom using any other GPS starter program.
With this it gave me a connection in about 5 seconds. Not only that but I can use it to find Rouge WiFi connections at work.
I should also point out....once Wififofum locks the sats, you don't have to keep it open. You can close it and turn off wifi, then use your GPS software of choice.
gcincotta said:
I should also point out....once Wififofum locks the sats, you don't have to keep it open. You can close it and turn off wifi, then use your GPS software of choice.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
gcincotta -- What kind of information will you see in Google Maps with the data?
gcincotta -- What kind of information will you see in Google Maps with the data?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What data are you referring to?
I could never get GPS to work reliably with GPSViewer or google maps, etc....rarely it works, most of the time it doesn't, and WiFoFum is no different. It states GPS: NoFix (0) for me, outside, clear day, following everything here, wifi on, scanning, etc...
There is no magik here that makes your titan work with this program when it doesn't work with others.
I could never get GPS to work reliably with GPSViewer or google maps, etc....rarely it works, most of the time it doesn't, and WiFoFum is no different. It states GPS: NoFix (0) for me, outside, clear day, following everything here, wifi on, scanning, etc...
There is no magik here that makes your titan work with this program when it doesn't work with others.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Mine started working instantly all of a sudden when using this program, when it would take a while with other programs. Did it ever occur to you sir that you may have a defective GPSOne chipset in your device? Or perhaps maybe you have it set up wrong? I love your negativity though!
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'd like to keep my Flyer out in my truck as a perm GPS kinda thing. It gets kinda cold up in NY, so I'm concerned on how cold weather tolerant this thing is. The general rule is not to keep electronics outside when its cold, but come on... have you seen newer cars!! I left my Garmin outside 365/year without issue too.
I'd like to know fact from fiction on this. Maybe Myth Busters did something on it, lol.
If the worst thing to happen to my Flyer is a sluggish screen until it warms up, I'd like to keep it in the truck/car most of the time.
i literally never take my first gen ipod video from 2005 out of my trucks glovebox...in NJ, it gets as cold as single digits in the winter, and hits triple in the summer, and it's always in there, and somehow STILL works..and that's a moving hard drive too lol..i'd think as long as it doesn't move from cold to hot temps really quickly, no condensation should form or anything
Lion batteries tolerate cold better than heat but, I would imagine that there is still a potential for damage to occur.
I doubt the other components would be affected much.. but, just keep in mind there is a chance it will be on life support to actually run the rest of it's life.
If I may also go ahead and point this out.. You can get a Garmin with lifetime updates for about 250$ that doesn't require a cellular data connection and would be more reliable for what your buying it for..
Snow_fox said:
Lion batteries tolerate cold better than heat but, I would imagine that there is still a potential for damage to occur.
I doubt the other components would be affected much.. but, just keep in mind there is a chance it will be on life support to actually run the rest of it's life.
If I may also go ahead and point this out.. You can get a Garmin with lifetime updates for about 250$ that doesn't require a cellular data connection and would be more reliable for what your buying it for..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I got the Flyer at BestBuy for $99 a few months ago when they messed up the price. I dont have a need for it in the house because I have a GT10.1. I was close to CraigsListing it for $175, but decided to buy the Flyer car dock and use it as device to leave in the truck for GPS and such.
I dont really want another Garmin if the Flyer can work (w/tethering).
While Li ion batteries tolerate cold temperatures better than some other types, they still drain much more quickly in freezing temperatures. If you are leaving your Flyer in screen-off mode (and not powering it down), then you should be careful its not draining until shutoff in cold temps. Full power cycles are not good for Li ion batteries long term. Its also possible that draining the battery until the device shuts off, will render the battery unable to take a charge. (doesn't happen often, but does happen with Android devices).
That said, I completely understand your feeling about wanting to use an Android device instead of a Garmin for car navigation. I haven't used the "latest" Garmins. But the one I have (couple years old) has a crappy unresponsive touch screen, low resolution, and search function is nothing compared to Google.
The only advantage to a Garmin, is that you don't need a data connection. But of course, there are ways around that with Android also, either downloading Google Map sections, or with 3rd party software.
This doesn't answer your question, but I'll just throw this out there:
I've had the Flyer since it's release date at Best Buy. I bought it with full intentions of leaving it in my truck as a GPS/Media Player/Browser.
I built a console for it that goes between my jump seat and dash (the unit basically sits right under my stereo) and I have left it there plugged into a usb charger and line in on my stereo since the day I bought it (I can easily remove it and have on occasion for a few hours at a time.
I live in West Virginia so it probably doesn't get quite as cold as it does in NY but it can get down below zero at night. We have had a pretty mild winter here but that being said - I have never had a single problem out of it. Neither heat nor cold has seemed to have any affect on it whatsoever.
This is not to say that it couldn't and I've wondered the same as you many times... but just as someone who is doing exactly what you plan to do... I have never had a problem with it.
Hope this helps.
Just an FYI regarding the need for a cellular or wifi signal to use the Flyer or View as a dedicated GPS. With the use of a standalone navigation app such as CoPilot Live (no affiliation) or similar, which include built-in maps, your GPS-enabled unit uses only the internal GPS antenna to set a fix, and the on-board maps to get you around. No data connection is required to constantly update maps, as is the case with Google Maps, which is an 'assisted GPS' (aGPS) program.
Once your nav app is loaded, conserve batt power by activating 'airplane mode,' then under 'Location' enable the 'use GPS satellites' function. Make sure your Flyer is securely mounted on windshield or dashboard with a reasonable view of the sky (that's where the satellites are). You'll have no problems getting around in remote areas not served by Sprint et al. Over the past few years we have used my Evo 4g, Evo 3D and Evo View to get around in Europe in just this manner (no phone calls though, these are not international phones).
Regarding cold temperatures, I would remove the device from your vehicle if sub-zero F readings are expected.
procerum said:
No data connection is required to constantly update maps, as is the case with Google Maps, which is an 'assisted GPS' (aGPS) program.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That is not what assisted GPS (aGPS) means. aGPS uses cell tower triangulation to speed up GPS location. Virtually any usage of the phone's GPS involves aGPS.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assisted_GPS
Also, as I've mentioned previously, Google Maps has the ability to download maps so you can use Maps and Navigation online. You just have to download the maps one area at a time.
I think we're saying the same thing. The Flyer/View will perform GPS (vs. aGPS) duties just fine without tower triangulation (in airplane mode) if your program has built-in maps. No tethering required.
The map caching is in Google Labs, right? I played with that while waiting at an appointment. I tried a Nav to home with it and Nav just spun. I only tried once though. I didn't get a "data connection required" so i know it knew the cached data was there.
I will think about Copilot if GNav doesn't cut it.
I like this thread, lots of good comments!
procerum said:
I think we're saying the same thing. The Flyer/View will perform GPS (vs. aGPS) duties just fine without tower triangulation (in airplane mode) if your program has built-in maps. No tethering required.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No, we are not saying the same thing at all. You were saying that Google Maps can't be used without a data connection, since its an "aGPS program", and you seemed to be stating that aGPS had something to do with updating the maps (which it does not). Google Maps is fully functional without a data connection as I stated above.
Also, pretty much any current Android device is going to use aGPS when possible to shorten GPS lock time, regardless of what navigation app you are using (I hate when people call nav software "GPS", as GPS just determines lat/long and elevation and nothing more).
And now you are mis-using the term "tethering". A data connection is not tethering. Tethering is when you share a cell data connection with another device. For instance, tethering a phone to a laptop, means your laptop can use the data connection on your phone.
You really need to get your terms right.
---------- Post added at 08:18 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:13 PM ----------
kenyu73 said:
The map caching is in Google Labs, right?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, that's right. I haven't played around with the feature much myself. But a buddy of mine recently used it during a trip to Europe, so he can navigate the cities on foot without pricey data roaming fees. He said it worked wonderfully.
redpoint73 said:
And now you are mis-using the term "tethering". A data connection is not tethering. Tethering is when you share a cell data connection with another device. For instance, tethering a phone to a laptop, means your laptop can use the data connection on your phone.
You really need to get your terms right.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the suggestion, Captain. I am attempting to help the OP, who used the term 'tethering,' which is unecessary, as is a data connection, if you have maps on your device:
kenyu73 said:
I dont really want another Garmin if the Flyer can work (w/tethering).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
My comments/methodologies are based upon actual travel experiences with these devices, which I'm sharing with the OP. Why do you feel the need to challenge me? Is this an initiation ritual for a new poster?
procerum said:
Thanks for the suggestion, Captain. I am attempting to help the OP, who used the term 'tethering,' which is unecessary, as is a data connection, if you have maps on your device:
My comments/methodologies are based upon actual travel experiences with these devices, which I'm sharing with the OP. Why do you feel the need to challenge me? Is this an initiation ritual for a new poster?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Its all good gents. I just wanted to know if the Flyer was ok out in the cold.
Whether or not I'll use GNav or purchase something like Copilot is another story. I appreciated the comments from everyone.
procerum said:
kenyu73 said:
I dont really want another Garmin if the Flyer can work (w/tethering).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
My comments/methodologies are based upon actual travel experiences with these devices, which I'm sharing with the OP. Why do you feel the need to challenge me? Is this an initiation ritual for a new poster?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The person your last response is directed at, and the OP are the same person.
No, I'm not trying to pick on you. But if you post something that is incorrect, people here are going to call it out. Or people here may just want to offer up a different opinion. Which brings me to the following.
I completely sympathize with the OP's desire to not want another Garmin navigation unit. I've found them to be crap. Overpriced for what they can do, not well made, and completely unreliable. I paid $399 for a flagship Nuvi unit, and it broke down a year after I bought it. Luckily, it was still on warranty, and they fixed it. But then the power cable failed soon after (out of warranty). Good thing I found a replacement on eBay for less than $10, because Garmin wants to charge you $30 (for something that will probably fail again in a year or so anyway). Both failures happened while I was traveling, and luckily I had my smartphone and Google Maps as backup.
Meanwhile, I have 3 HTC smartphones, and one tablet, from as far back as 4 years, still running fine as the day they were bought (aside from a few cosmetic blemishes from normal wear and tear). As far as I'm concerned, you are better off using a smartphone or tablet as navigation, with a 3rd party nav app with pre-loaded apps, if losing data connection is a concern.
Having a dedicated nav unit is probably a dying business model. Aside from providing software for smartphones, I don't see much of Garmin's business being around in a few years.
This is true, the last one I purchased was in 2003; it's unlikely that I'll ever purchase a dedicated unit again. The Flyer/View's 7-inch screen and robust build make for an excellent navigation device.
Hi Guys ;
I am having this GPS fix problem with my SGS II, sometimes although I am in open air my phone GPS can not fix, but right now although I am in my apartment it can fix in 5 seconds !
The only difference is that right now I am connected to my wifi but outside I use EDGE internet.
I have searched a lot and I see everyone is talking about the time sync and NTP servers and etc. I completely understand how time sync works as I have a lot of experience with linux machines. but I can not understand how it is related to getting GPS fix !
There are some GPS equipment without internet access at all and they can successfully get a fix very fast, so why our phones needs NTP servers to get a GPS fix ? what if I need a GPS fix where there is no internet at all !?
I would appreciate if someone can enlighten me on this topic.
The phone doesn't need NTP server, it just speed things up. A stand alone GPS will take a minute or two on cold start to get first fix since it can sync with satellite, just slowly.
The reason you need time sync is GPS satellite send out a time stamped signal with its location, your phone gets it and calculate how long it took it get it, then triangulate your position from signal from several satellite.
jzmtl said:
The phone doesn't need NTP server, it just speed things up. A stand alone GPS will take a minute or two on cold start to get first fix since it can sync with satellite, just slowly.
The reason you need time sync is GPS satellite send out a time stamped signal with its location, your phone gets it and calculate how long it took it get it, then triangulate your position from signal from several satellite.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
OK I get the idea , so even without the NTP servers the phone should be able to get a fix on GPS but slower, but sometimes my phone can not get a fix in even 5 minutes when it has 9 satellites in view ! and sometimes it gets a fix faster by 3-4 satellites. I use GPS AIDS to see how many sats are in view.
is there any way to debug the process ? I really dont understand why when it has 10 satellites in view, it can not take a gps fix.
If the signal is weak, it may take a long time, I use an app called gps test and it shows how strong signal is from each satellite.
Thx for all replies, I did some more research and it seems just having sats in view is not everything. a lot more information is required to get a gps fix. so internet connection is not only necessary for NTP servers, other info are also downloaded from internet to speed up the process. if you have no or slow connection getting a fix may take longer.
more info can be found here :
http://www.maptoaster.com/maptoaster-topo-nz/articles/how-gps-works/how-gps-works.html
fifthelement said:
Thx for all replies, I did some more research and it seems just having sats in view is not everything. a lot more information is required to get a gps fix. so internet connection is not only necessary for NTP servers, other info are also downloaded from internet to speed up the process. if you have no or slow connection getting a fix may take longer.
more info can be found here :
http://www.maptoaster.com/maptoaster-topo-nz/articles/how-gps-works/how-gps-works.html
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
As posted a good unit and reasonable number of satellites does not require AGPS/Internet . They are just used to speed up and to help when a signal is briefly lost . Neither AGPS or Internet are ever on when i use my GPS .
jje
JJEgan said:
As posted a good unit and reasonable number of satellites does not require AGPS/Internet . They are just used to speed up and to help when a signal is briefly lost . Neither AGPS or Internet are ever on when i use my GPS .
jje
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thats what I said but it depends on many factors. without AGPS/Internet it may take a reasonable time for a cold start. as the device should search for available sats and wait for them to send their periodical signal updates. for some old devices this reasonable time is up to one hour to get a gps fix. the link which I posted explains it all.
I don't know how many more times my desk will survive due to me banging my head against it...
It's a long story which I will cut short; we have bought a large number of cheap handsets (Nuu A3L, spec sheet here: https://www.devicespecifications.com/en/model/4fc6428b ) and they're using Sygic truck as their navigation tool.
We straight away ran into some major issues, the main one being with Sygic/GPS. The devices would begin navigating but would then start to lose GPS signal and start bouncing around, sometimes they would recover (only to do the same thing again a few minutes later) and other times they would just lose GPS connectivity entirely and would lock up for 10+ minutes.
After seeing how poorly the application ran on these devices I had a hunch that the application was hogging every last drop of available system resource. I removed as much bloat from the application as possible, I turned off the 3D map (2D is much more fluid), turned off all POI, turned off traffic updates etc and it appeared to resolve the issue. I drove for 30 minutes with two devices side-by-side, the default one continued with its horrid GPS loss while the customised one worked fine.
A few people have taken these out today to test, but are apparently having the same issues regardless of the changes that I made.
I'm now at a loss and struggling to work out what else can be done to help. They're running Airwatch and we can push remote changes out at any time, so I am at the mercy of those more knowledgeable than I (you).
If anybody has a decent suggestion then you win a free balloon.
jaffster said:
I don't know how many more times my desk will survive due to me banging my head against it...
It's a long story which I will cut short; we have bought a large number of cheap handsets (Nuu A3L, spec sheet here: https://www.devicespecifications.com/en/model/4fc6428b ) and they're using Sygic truck as their navigation tool.
We straight away ran into some major issues, the main one being with Sygic/GPS. The devices would begin navigating but would then start to lose GPS signal and start bouncing around, sometimes they would recover (only to do the same thing again a few minutes later) and other times they would just lose GPS connectivity entirely and would lock up for 10+ minutes.
After seeing how poorly the application ran on these devices I had a hunch that the application was hogging every last drop of available system resource. I removed as much bloat from the application as possible, I turned off the 3D map (2D is much more fluid), turned off all POI, turned off traffic updates etc and it appeared to resolve the issue. I drove for 30 minutes with two devices side-by-side, the default one continued with its horrid GPS loss while the customised one worked fine.
A few people have taken these out today to test, but are apparently having the same issues regardless of the changes that I made.
I'm now at a loss and struggling to work out what else can be done to help. They're running Airwatch and we can push remote changes out at any time, so I am at the mercy of those more knowledgeable than I (you).
If anybody has a decent suggestion then you win a free balloon.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Let me be clear that I never played with sygix enough to speak directly about it. You may have already tried the things I'm brainstorming here.
I'm not clear as to why you didn't just load a different mapping app on these? There certainly are a lot of them.
What level of connectivity are they using? If you are on GSM or 3G, downloading map information as the vehicle moves around, that could slow things down to a crawl. Using an app that doesn't have to work this way could be a solution.
I noticed that the phone has a 500ish MHz clock speed and just 1 GB of RAM. As you've discovered, every layer of complexity in the mapping will slow it down further.
Something like Tom-tom was written to run on a lot less hardware. That's the kind of thing that I'd look for. I believe that Here is also made for very low end hardware.
Not sure if it helps, but at least it's a path worth looking at.
Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk