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Hi, today i got my htc hermes. it comes with a samsung cpu.
now i want gps functionality but right now i am a noob on this terrain.
is it possible to geht gps working?
is it possible to get gps working without hardware mods?
is it tricky to get gps to work?
thanks for your help
There is no internal GPS support in the Hermes.
What if we were up for h/w modding?
Possible then?
Marksman said:
What if we were up for h/w modding?
Possible then?
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This has been long discussed in the past. It looks like the chipset has an integrated GPS but it is not connected. Yes, you might be able to open your device, find the right place, iron on a clean enviroment an antenna, find a room for it in the device box and then close it all together and hope to get anything. However, it is much safer and easier to use a BT GPS receiver.
i have heard...
i have heard that the TyTN has an gps module inside but only the antenna is shortened.
instinctless said:
i have heard that the TyTN has an gps module inside but only the antenna is shortened.
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Click to collapse
It has but it is far more disabled than just the antenna, there is no power supply and the board is multi-layered which prevents regular hardware mods anyway. Even if you could do it, it would not be worth it IMHO.
There is a long existing thread on this if you want more info.
It's not even close to being a practicable possibility. As suggested above a small BT receiver works very well anyway and you just keep the BT in your pocket so no real inconveniance.
Mike
ok thank you
Hi -
Well I picked up my phone sim free from Phones4U today (Portsmouth and they had a few in stock). Very nice indeed... However I have noticed what appears to be an unused connector at the rear of the phone. Could this be a connector to for the future NFS aerial? Or am I completely off the page. Apologies if I am.
Cheers,
Ganza
All galaxy s phones ive seen including my vibrant and nexus s have this
Its a connection for external GPS antenna
http://www.google.com/m/search?site=images&source=mog&gl=us&q=external gps connector#p=1
Sent from my Nexus S using XDA App
Aah, thanks for clearing that up.
I'm a noob here. What is this 'NFS' people are getting excited about?
b33p_ said:
I'm a noob here. What is this 'NFS' people are getting excited about?
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Click to collapse
Need For Speed maybe. The other thing people are "excited" about is NFC... Near Field Communication
NFC is basically a technology that allows your phone to obtain data from something simply by being in close proximity with it. With NFC you can get location data from tags or even transform your phone into a credit card. It's not being implemented in many places at the moment though so getting NFC now is just for the sake of future proofing your phone.
Sounds good, thanks Virtue.
Looks like a mmcx connector. Probably at test port for QA at the factory.
We have previously used these QA ports (on other phone models) for connecting external cellular antennas to use commercial phones for network drive testing.
Unfortunately the mmcx connections are pretty fragile and do not withstand much usage by the "gorillas" we use for data gathering
I travel a lot, and I'm a minimalist. In other words, I'll travel for a week and take a paper lunch bag as my carry-on with hopes that I can get by with wearing the same outfit the entire week. I don't like carrying a full Navigation system and use my phone. This isn't an 'iPhone lovefest' because honestly, I hate everything about Apple, but I never had problems like this on my iPhone.
My problem though is the GPS. I'm on my third phone because of the GPS. The first phone would never get a lock on GPS. I could be sitting outside with a GPS satellite dedicated to me directly above me, and it would still say "Searching for Satellite". That phone went back and I took on another one.
Second phone had a problem where every now and then it would work, then stop working and never start working again until I rebooted the phone and even then it was questionable if it would start working again.
I just got my third phone a couple days ago. I did a stock root w/ no bootloaders, used Entropy's 11/13 Kernel, then threw on UnNamed ROM. This morning, I started up my car to drive somewhere and decided to test the GPS/Navigation. It took it a couple minutes to find the Satellite, then all seemed to be working ok. Then 20 minutes later it dropped the Satellite and it spent the next 40 minutes of my drive into the office saying "Searching for Satellite" no matter what I did.
This is really important to me as is the ability to tether when I want to (hence the reason I want a phone I can Root). So what can I do. At the moment, I've (In my head, so I could be wrong) narrowed it down to a couple things that could be wrong.
1. It's the ROM that's the problem. Though unlikely, it is a factor and it's me messing with the way the phone was designed and distributed.
2. It's the GPS in general. Seems like 95% of the people on here aren't having problems at all. There does seem to be 5% that seem to be having the same problems I am.
3. My region has crappy Satellite Coverage. Doubtful since my iPhone worked fine, and unless Apple did something amazing like put in an entire dedicated Satellite network to work with Jailbroke iPhones then this kinds of negates this though.
4. My cars are interferring. While this is entirely a possibility (I never do think to test this out in the open not in a car, so i can't say for sure) if it is the problem, then the device goes back as it's much cheaper to get a new device than to replace 2 cars. Again, though, my iPhone never had a problem doing this in these cars.
I love the phone, the speed, the Android OS etc... I don't want to go back to an iPhone because I"ll shoot myself. I just want to be able to have GPS work on this as it's the only hold up on the device. Any help anyone can do?
Take it back then. Honestly you say you have tried 3 different phones and all 3 are broken. I call bull****.
Never had a problem with it.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I777 using XDA App
You didn't mention if you've tried in ANY of the three (3) phones if the GPS worked before rooting?? I'm not saying it's the rooting that's causing the problem, but I'm still running stock on my SGSII and have had no issues with GPS? Not saying it's not possible but three phones is kinda stretching it a bit to all have the same issue.
Yes, I know you took it back to STOCK rom with #3 but who knows if the STOCK ROM is really *STOCK*, you should try a new phone #4 stock without ROOT for at least a day or two to determine if it is a DESIGN/HARDWARE issue rule that out first and then try from there... If this still happens with STOCK phone, you may have to switch to another phone (iphone or otherwise)...
Good Luck!
I just took it back to stock and was going to go outside to see if it had problems finding service. Though as mentioned in many other threads on here, it's not so much it finding you when you're standing still. It's when you're driving the streets of Atlanta that things get crazy.
stalked_r/t said:
I just took it back to stock and was going to go outside to see if it had problems finding service. Though as mentioned in many other threads on here, it's not so much it finding you when you're standing still. It's when you're driving the streets of Atlanta that things get crazy.
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Hi Stalk,
Keep in STOCK mode and drive around with it and see if this is still an issue then... Also if you have an aluminum case, this has been a known issue where the TARGUS (SP?) korean made BEAUTIFUL/GORGEOUS case affected the GPS antennae. Try it stock no case on the dash away from DIRECT sunslight and begin troubleshooting there...
UNFORTUNATELY it may boil down to Stock and working GPS or ROOT with Tethering... You ***MIGHT*** not be able to do both...
Good Luck...
If you JUST root, it shouldn't affect GPS - but test without rooting first.
And I agree - if you've got a metal case, DITCH IT.
So far, my experience is that the GPS chipset is almost as good as any standalone GPS chipset I've used - Sirf StarIII, MTKv2, STM Cartesio (the latter being the chipset in my Garmin Oregon, the former being chipsets in various Bluetooth dataloggers I've used for hiking). Actually, the GPS in this phone beats the StarIII and is around on par with the Cartesio. So far nothing I've ever used can touch an MTKv2 though.
I'm used to phones having crappy awful GPS chipsets - this is the first device I would ever consider using for geocaching on its own.
Thanks for the replies. I did test just now on the way to and from lunch with stock everything. I do have a case that's part aluminum (Case-Mate). I didn't try it without the case. didn't even think it could affect this.
Running a stock setup, I attempted to get navigation to my lunch location The drive was about 6 miles each way. When I left the office, I started Navigation. It never found a satellite enroute to the restaurant. I never stopped it during lunch from looking, though I was in a building, so i didn't expect it to find anything. On the way home, same status. Searching for satellites. I'm torn. I want this phone bad, love the Dev support, and there's nothing coming from AT&T that makes me want to use an old Blackberry to wait for. I also don't know what I can do to test this further.
On the way home, I'm going to do something very simple. I'm going to wipe the phone. I'm going to skip all steps of the initial setup, just have service and that's it. I'll start navigation and have it direct me home. If it doesn't work, I'll look at my options. If it works, then I know it's an app that's causing the problem.
Unless someone else can think of something for me to try. I wish this just worked like I know it can.
Ok. So an update. Wiped phone, not even associated with Google, Removed my 32 gig SD card for the heck of it, removed the case. Started nav and INSANTLY inside a building it had me pinpointed and was directing me to the next turn point to get home.
Here's the case I have: http://www.case-mate.com/Samsung-Ga...rsion-Barely-There-Brushed-Aluminum-Cases.asp
In one of the reviews, this is said:
As much as I wanted to love this case, I couldn't. I've used many Case Mate products before and I am just disappointed in them for the lack of quality of this case. There is a noticeable issue with the case fitting the bezel on the top right corner of the phone. The lip of the case fails to properly wrap around the front bezel. There is also the connectivity problems that come with this case. GPS has especially weakened with this case on. Other than that, I like the quality material that this case is built out of and feels very sturdy. Unfortunately though as of this writing, this is really the only choice for a decent case for this phone on the market. Time will tell if better choices come about.
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I'm going to keep this setup through tomorrow, then root the phone if there's no difference in performance and all is well. If that works fine for 2 days, I'll throw the Kernel on and throw UnNamed on. If that works, I'll throw the case on and see what happens. I now feel like this could be the problem. Thanks for the thoughts guys. I'll continue my abuse of the "THANKS" button and thank you all.
ride home was flawless. If ride to work tomorrow is flawless, I'll root and flash.
Entropy512 said:
If you JUST root, it shouldn't affect GPS - but test without rooting first.
And I agree - if you've got a metal case, DITCH IT.
So far, my experience is that the GPS chipset is almost as good as any standalone GPS chipset I've used - Sirf StarIII, MTKv2, STM Cartesio (the latter being the chipset in my Garmin Oregon, the former being chipsets in various Bluetooth dataloggers I've used for hiking). Actually, the GPS in this phone beats the StarIII and is around on par with the Cartesio. So far nothing I've ever used can touch an MTKv2 though.
I'm used to phones having crappy awful GPS chipsets - this is the first device I would ever consider using for geocaching on its own.
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Click to collapse
I haven't gotten enough free time to log the NMEA output, but I don't think our "SirfSTAR IV" chipset is actually even using DGPS/WAAS. Which makes the accuracy it get's even more impressive. The chip definitely supports WAAS, but who knows exactly how the implementation is done between Android & Samsung...
I've also owned a SirfStar III based Bluetooth GPS, a MTK-based GPS (also the best I've found), and several phones with dedicated and integrated GPS chipsets. Have to agree our GS2 is one of the best. I can't exactly wander around the house and have it track my every movement like my Bluetooth pucks can (also having a large ceramic patch antenna helps a bit no doubt), but my GS2 locks fast, and stays locked. What else can you want from a GPS?
Might be worth it to look into WAAS either way though. On any standalone GPS unit, WAAS is the difference between 15-30 meter accuracy, and 3-5 meter (or better) accuracy. That is unless you have a military GPS unit, and the appropriate keys to receive the high accuracy P(Y)/M signals...
If you want to get a good idea of how the GPS is doing, this app will show you the strength of your GPS lock:
https://market.android.com/details?id=com.eclipsim.gpsstatus2
Also, upon further research, the NMEA output is reporting that WAAS/DGPS is not in use.
Example: "$GPGGA,222520.000,4218.460926,N,07111.901869,W,1,06,1.2,77.1,M,-33.8,M,,*53"
Where the bold "1" should be 2, and the null field right before the checksum "*53" should be the age of the DGPS/WAAS info if it were in use.
The chipset in our phones (http://www.csr.com/products/35/sirfstariv-gsd4e) clearly states that it supports WAAS. And since the choice of DGPS or not is solely in the hands of the chip and software (wiring/antenna connection/configuration is irrelevant) perhaps there is a way to enable the DGPS mode? If so, I'm sure we would all see MUCH better position and accuracy information.
WAAS probably requires modifications to the host processing binary (SIRFHost)
BTW, our chip is a GSD4t, not 4e.
I was having problems with my gps losing its lock for the longest time, i got a replacement phone and it started doing it again AFTER root. Im thinking some app might be causing the issue. I read somewhere that ROM Manager can cause issues. I deleted it and so far my gps has been working. I am really baffled on to what can be causing it.
stalked_r/t said:
ride home was flawless. If ride to work tomorrow is flawless, I'll root and flash.
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Its the case man. Great looking case, but kills the cell signal and terrible GPS. Mine went back after 3 days.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I777 using XDA App
Yep. Ride into work today lost signal once. After letting it sit for a couple minutes, I rebooted. After reboot it worked flawlessly. Definitely the case at this point. Putting Root/Kernel/ROM on it today and seeing how the drive home is. If it's good, then the case can be tossed and I'll find a different one.
Entropy512 said:
WAAS probably requires modifications to the host processing binary (SIRFHost)
BTW, our chip is a GSD4t, not 4e.
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Click to collapse
Good catch. Interesting. Haven't checked out the sources, but I'm assuming all the GPS binaries are blobs? And source is not available?
Always wondered why mobile phones never have WAAS support... course then again, if the hardware was developed in Korea, that would make a little bit of sense. Seeing as there isn't WAAS coverage there, although I do believe there is an alternate DGPS solution for Asia.
So this may be a stupid question from someone who isn't an advanced tablet user, but why is the GPS so important to so many people? If I need a GPS to get somewhere, I use my phone or GPS. And even if my tablet is tethered to my phone with the GPS off, it still gets it's location just fine. If I'm just an ignorant fool please feel free to let me know, just wondering what the benefit of it is.
Dan
I like maps and have very nice and detailed maps from memory map. It's very nice on a phone, but it would be so mutch better from a tablet.
Besides that, I can't stand it if something doesn't work (even if I never gone use it).
ddelong22 said:
So this may be a stupid question from someone who isn't an advanced tablet user, but why is the GPS so important to so many people? If I need a GPS to get somewhere, I use my phone or GPS. And even if my tablet is tethered to my phone with the GPS off, it still gets it's location just fine. If I'm just an ignorant fool please feel free to let me know, just wondering what the benefit of it is.
Dan
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they make seat mounts where you could technically use it as a turn by turn navigation. someone mentioned he wanted to mount one in his RV. I personally wouldn't mind having mine be functional so when I am riding with my friends to a vacation spot or something I can backseat turn by turn us to a liquor store or something....... all in all shouldn't be a huge deal for most but the fact that Asus was dumb enough to put a aluminum plate to block signal is kind of alarming.
ddelong22 said:
So this may be a stupid question from someone who isn't an advanced tablet user, but why is the GPS so important to so many people? If I need a GPS to get somewhere, I use my phone or GPS. And even if my tablet is tethered to my phone with the GPS off, it still gets it's location just fine. If I'm just an ignorant fool please feel free to let me know, just wondering what the benefit of it is.
Dan
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[A] I believe the point of GPS on this device (or any modern tablet / phone) is the utter ubiquity of GPS functions in apps, search, etc.... that coupled with gps hardware being so small, cheap, and power-conscious - it makes little sense to leave it out (even wih major usability issues)
I rarely use gps on my phone, let alone a tablet. Location based services are overrated
Maybe a gps to track a jog or hike? I'd love to see a jogger carrying a tablet
I'd also say that the people that post on these forums are generally not like the average user
It allows the FBI to find you when you view questionable material on the web.
Also, it allows Google to know where you are while collecting all of your habits, personal info and tastes.
Not everyone has a smart phone...not everyone can afford multiple gadget...
They buy the best gadget that meets their needs, the tp was originally advertised as the only device you need....
before ASUS dropped it from its specs, gps was part of the tp, so they expected the product to work...
Sent from my Transformer Prime TF201 using xda premium
Well whats important with GPS?? Well, whether you use it or not. If the box says it has GPS, it better have a working GPS. If you buy a car and it says it has a rearview camera and you find out that rearview camera was not working. Would you just says its ok thats what turning your head and looking at the mirrors are for. You paid for the feature, you best bet it works correctly if you paid for it. But if you bought it after the fact that they struck the GPS out of the box specs, then you shouldnt complain about the GPS or the use of it on your tablet.
People are upset because the box says GPS, and you paid for GPS but your not getting GPS.
Not getting what you paid for = upsetting.
Its like buying a turbo charged MR2 then finding out that the turbo isn't actually hooked up because toyota says the MR2 isn't meant to be a high performance race car...
And to add to that note..
And you find out the guy in your neighborhood bought the same MR2 at the same dealer and his turbo actually works. Its like WTF??? The guy is ranting I love my MR2 and not all MR2's are the same. And another guy with a faulty MR2 is also saying "its ok I dont use the turbo that much anyways" ... hehehehe.. Sorry just had to add.
Here's another idiot question, is GPS a subscription service?
No. As long as the device you have has a GPS receiver all it needs is a navigation software. The prime has a built in GPS receiver and has a navigation app so in theory it should lock on to satellites without the help of a wifi connection. But due to whatever Asus did to the prime, whether the aluminum case or firmware. The prime is a hit, or somewhere in the middle, to a complete miss in getting a lock on a satellite. Thus making the prime's GPS way below other devices with a GPS receiver and made Asus remove it from their specs.
ddelong22 said:
So this may be a stupid question from someone who isn't an advanced tablet user, but why is the GPS so important to so many people? If I need a GPS to get somewhere, I use my phone or GPS.
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Click to collapse
Think a little, then you will know:
1. Not everyone has GPS in their phone. Buying phone with GPS = additional cost.
2. Dedicated GPS devices have often outdated maps because they lack internet connection and buing one = additional cost.
3. Tablet has enormous screen, great for using navigation while being a passenger (you hold the tablet in your hands, look at maps or use navigation) - the screen is much bigger and better than most phones (I for one have very basic phone because I have tablet for more advanced things).
4. Tablet has a great battery life - it's perfect for out-of-car navigation (trips on foot, on a bike) and for tracking GPS for your photo camera on any type of trips.
5. GPS is usefull not only for navigation. Simple thing like having Google Maps locate you is very useful, but also webpages and many fun application use it. Just search the market for GPS, you will find a lot of useful applications of your tablet with GPS.
6. For instanced where your tablet gets stolen GPS can help you locate it.
I think I missed some things, because I'm writing this list second time, from what I remember...
I currently have a Sony Smartwatch 3 and have had it for almost a year. I've had my eye on the Gear S for some time and feel like pulling the trigger. I have a few questions if someone has some time.
1. How do you feel like the watch we will be supported going forward? I dont want to buy something the devolper has moved on from.
2. How is the GPS on the watch? The SM3 does ok. I typically have my phone within range but there arw times when I'm away.
3. Is S Health an inferior product on this watch compaired to the S2? If my phone is on my desk but i am walking around, does it track my steps from the watch? I'm using Fit currently.
4. I do not plan on using a seperate cellular plan for this watch. Because of this i assume i can purcahse from any carrier or even with a bad esn. Are the different carrier version different at all? Likewise, can i use my watch to answer and talk through the watch while connected to my phone or will that feature only work for those watches with a separate plan?
5. I've seen some metal bands here and there. Are they homemade ones or have the metal bands evolved enough over time. I have the rubber clasp band on my SM3 and I'm always catching it on something.
Thank you.
I will try to answer to some of your questions.
1. sadly Samsung is known to stop supporting devices relatively soon, and also taking into account that the S2 has been released it's probably not long before they won't give any updates for the S
2. i didn't try the GPS from the watch (while it's connected to the phone it will use the phone's GPS, this can be useful or a nuisance, depending on what you want )
3. Don't know how SHealth works on S2, but on S while the watch is connected to the phone it will use the watch's measurement (you can change it if you want), so you can leave the phone wherever you want and SHealth will take the step count from the watch.
Btw, from what I've seen this feature works even if the phone-watch are out of the blue-tooth range, it will simply update the count when the blue-tooth is reconnected.
4. the main difference between the versions is what kind of cellular bands they support, and if i remember correctly there's an "WiFi only" version too. If you will only use the blue-tooth and WiFi connections then it doesn't matter which version you'll buy since those are the same on all the versions.
5. i didn't see any "real" metal bands for S, only some homemade ones, i don't think Samsung released any other type of bands than the one that the watch comes with.
As a note for 1., Biktor_GJ is working on porting the full android to the GearS. He also said that he will try to port the Android Wear, but it might not work since he had some trouble with the video drivers.
verszipo said:
I will try to answer to some of your questions.
1. sadly Samsung is known to stop supporting devices relatively soon, and also taking into account that the S2 has been released it's probably not long before they won't give any updates for the S
2. i didn't try the GPS from the watch (while it's connected to the phone it will use the phone's GPS, this can be useful or a nuisance, depending on what you want )
3. Don't know how SHealth works on S2, but on S while the watch is connected to the phone it will use the watch's measurement (you can change it if you want), so you can leave the phone wherever you want and SHealth will take the step count from the watch.
Btw, from what I've seen this feature works even if the phone-watch are out of the blue-tooth range, it will simply update the count when the blue-tooth is reconnected.
4. the main difference between the versions is what kind of cellular bands they support, and if i remember correctly there's an "WiFi only" version too. If you will only use the blue-tooth and WiFi connections then it doesn't matter which version you'll buy since those are the same on all the versions.
5. i didn't see any "real" metal bands for S, only some homemade ones, i don't think Samsung released any other type of bands than the one that the watch comes with.
As a note for 1., Biktor_GJ is working on porting the full android to the GearS. He also said that he will try to port the Android Wear, but it might not work since he had some trouble with the video drivers.
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Click to collapse
Thank you for your input. I'll be honest, I do enjoy AW and it seems as if Google Fit has finally got their act together. I guess I really need to put one on my wrists and go from there. If anyone else has any input feel free to add it.