Related
So there are more than enough problems with internal GPS for several devices. The Fuze obviously, im sure the Diamond, and my friend and his Tilt. Basically we have to go through all these steps just to get it to work properly. So i was thinking a suit may get them to fix the problem with it.
I am absolutely certain it is regarding the internal GPS and not the anything else in the phone, because if it takes too long to find a fix i just use my BT Holux 236 Slim instead of waiting and it finds it well lets just say IMMEDIATELY lol.
I had an old toshiba WM device with pharos add on gps. It took like 5-6 mins to lock.
I can do a morning gps fix with my fuze in about 30 seconds. No AGPS, but I do download the quickgps info. It's good enough for me.
does AGPs actually slow it down? i thought that would make it faster
lbhocky19 said:
does AGPs actually slow it down? i thought that would make it faster
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
AGPS + IPHONE + 3G = FAIL.
It's not just Raphael here. If you google that, there's lots of suggestions to switch to Edge, then use the GPS, then get back on 3G.
I have a Fuze and my GPS is working fine. I initially had issues getting a lock and I had to use HTC GPS Tool... only once. After that I get a lock within 1 minute if that much when using TomTom.
I am also using 3G/HSUPA. I do have AGPS turned off and I have QuickGPS configured to download updates automatically. Once other change I made was to the "External GPS" in the System settings - I changed the COM port to 1 and speed to 38400. I tested both with COM 1 and COM 4 and it didn't made much of a difference.
I have also flashed a few different ROMs and GPS works on all of them, including AT&T stock ROM.
I don't think HTC cares about Class Action Suits.
No they don't care about class action lawsuits, because we keep buying their phones I get consistent 30 second GPS locks on my fuze.
I dunno, maybe i'm just lucky but even when the Blackjack 2 came out and people were having GPS issues (and needing the Modaco GPS unlocker Cab) i never needed such things. Maybe i'm more technical and can find root of problems easily that i don't even notice i'm doing it. I don't think that's the case though, i downloaded WLS and Google Maps and configure them both properly. I knew about the intermediate driver but the current version of Google Maps didn't have support for that yet but it came out a week later and that's when it finally started working right.
I noticed there was a note about GPS concerning the Fuze so i dug into it and knew i had to use COM4 for GPS instead of the standard intermediate driver (Garmin Mobile auto configed itself to the right COM). I don't get any lag or issues, it also uses aGPS if it's enabled, my phone automatically logs on when i open it.
I have alltel TOuch Pro and my gps locks in in like 4 seconds never more than 10
GREGHARKINS said:
I have alltel TOuch Pro and my gps locks in in like 4 seconds never more than 10
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have the Touch Pro as well but on Sprint, I've experienced the same.
hey guys,
what do u think about appear and disappear problem?
i mean that, my tp finds alot of satellites but two of them appears the others disappears, then they appear the others disappear.
And finaly poor reception and i.e.my car speed like "100" km but tp "0" km speed and too much lag.
I ve tried everything at this forum except roms.I couldnt have any solution.
I send 3-4 e-mail to htc support team and they turned me back with silly answers without solution.
Now i cant use my internal gps that i paid like 900$ tp.I think this will be my last htc.
The GPS issues I was having with my Fuze ultimately led to it's return.
The GPS performance was just too volatile and I need to be able to depend on it when I need it.
GL
Before you fight the power, might want to research the issue better. I believe all the people who say there are problems with their GPS, but it has to be related to particular batch/devices.
I have no issues with GPS. I run iGO8 on my Fuze, it connects very quickly, AGPS enabled. Accuracy is awesome, better than on Tilt it'd seem. So no complaints here.
So before we sue someone, somebody should compare the devices and find what is it that makes the GPS work on some and not work on others.
Just my opinion.
My GPS works great. I get a fix in around 30 seconds, and when I do, I can leave it in front of the gear stick on my car, because I still didn't buy a windshield holder, and it works just fine.
It works much better than a dedicated Bluetooth GPS I used in the past.
DarkDvr said:
Before you fight the power, might want to research the issue better. I believe all the people who say there are problems with their GPS, but it has to be related to particular batch/devices.
I have no issues with GPS. I run iGO8 on my Fuze, it connects very quickly, AGPS enabled. Accuracy is awesome, better than on Tilt it'd seem. So no complaints here.
So before we sue someone, somebody should compare the devices and find what is it that makes the GPS work on some and not work on others.
Just my opinion.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Interesting...I never usa AGPS, it always seems to mess my phone up. I do the automatic GPS download and I get a lock within 30 sec.
Obviously the people posting think since theres work than its not an issue. There are plenty of threads in the diamond, raphael, and tilt forums regarding GPS issues.
The only reason i brought the suit idea in was because it has done before and HTC then provided the drivers. I dont want any money from them, i just want my GPS to work well. I am pretty sure nobody else wants to return their phone they just a WELL working GPS.
I have no problems with GPS lock on my Fuze. I had initial issues, but after I ran the GPS Test and got a fix - one time - I was all set.
Besides, whom do you sue? HTC or the operators who are motivated to cripple GPS or tie it exclusively to their fee-for-service plan?
xboxhaxorz said:
Obviously the people posting think since theres work than its not an issue. There are plenty of threads in the diamond, raphael, and tilt forums regarding GPS issues.
The only reason i brought the suit idea in was because it has done before and HTC then provided the drivers. I dont want any money from them, i just want my GPS to work well. I am pretty sure nobody else wants to return their phone they just a WELL working GPS.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Drivers are one thing.
A class action suit is something else.
I'm all for speedier, but I just did a test here.
HARD RESET
Bloat remove
Install a few apps, sync phone to restore contacts.
Disable AGPS, download QuickGPS.
Launched google maps for the first time. It took about 40 seconds to lock on 8 satellites inside my house. I don't get this good with my other dedicated gps devices, they usually take 2-5 mins to lock on to 5.
--------------------
Again,
I'm all for speedier! But I rather like how fast the GPS set works in this phone, even after a hard reset. Maybe it's ATT software that does something on the configurator load on a hard reset?
The new rom from Da_G uses gps drivers from the blackstone and for the first time since i bought the phone (since day 1) i get consistent, fast gps locks. With these drivers i consider the problem solved. Now..to get other cooks to include them as they have to be cooked in.
I have only had mine for about a week now and not really any issues with GPS. I would load up tom tom and configure it before i leave, and before i make it off my porch i have at least 3 sats locked, and by the time im in my car its ready to roll. I have only used it for short trips so far (15-30 minutes) and have not experienced the heat up issues i have read about, or the GPS lag. Time will tell i guess.
When it comes to no cost, data-dependent GPS solutions, Android has a great app in the form of Google Navigator.
But as someone who travels fairly frequently and can go to all sorts of places in areas I've never even heard of (and not friendly to HSDPA), that sort of solution was simply not viable. I needed a GPS app that worked offline, had routing options, and allowed me to set advanced settings for it to work as I needed. Typically, my GPS app of choice has always been Tomtom, though I also liked Navigon, and considered iGo My Way/Roadmate to be viable choices. Unfortunately, as I'm sure many are aware, the major GPS manufacturers haven't released a single GPS app for Android...with none seeming to be on the horizon.
However, while browsing the Android Market, I did come upon one solution I'm also familiar with: CoPilot Live. I remember my experience with it (on the iPhone) as being rather iffy, but it seemed to be the only good choice on Android, so I decided to give it a second chance. Well, today, after a week or two of usage, and after coming back from a journey to yet another new place in another state, I think I'm ready to give my assessment of CPL.
I don't like it.
Frequently throughout the trip, CPL had me driving around in circles. Other issues include jumpy location fixes (it would frequently indicate I'm on a road I'm not or say I passed a road I didn't). In one case, it even completely listed the name of a road on the info bar incorrectly...despite having the correct name on the actual map. Other times, it would freeze after telling me to make a turn thus making me miss the next intended turn or, best of all, tell me to make a turn only to then afterwards ask me to make a U-Turn.
The funny thing was that even when it did work fine (which was about 60% of the trip), the routing it gave was baffling. Leaving my house, I asked CPL to give me the most 'economical' routing. This is actually one of my favorite routing options CPL has -- it gives you the routing that saves gas, yet does not increase the travel time by too much. It worked well too; the routing it gave me saved over 10 miles, but did not take too much longer than the normal route.
So the routing on my way out worked fine, but the routing for the way back? Not so much. Going back, I decided to ask CPL to give me the 'quickest' routing. Now, I had also asked it to avoid tolls if possible, so logically, it should have taken me back to the 'economical' route (which had no tolls) for a part of the way before jumping me out onto a faster highway.
Instead, it seemed to have done the exact opposite: It took me through the toll, then promptly jumped me back into the 'economical' route for the rest of the way home.
Afterwards, out of curiosity, I decided to look up the turn list for 'quickest' and 'economical' towards the location I went to. The routing were almost exactly the same with only small changes. I set CPL to allow tolls and tried again; same routing as before. It seemed as if one of the best (and very well known) interstate highways used for traveling was completely left out of CPL's routing. Why is this the case? Hell if I know.
I could go on all day -- but sufficed to say, it wasn't what I had expected. It's probably unfair of me to assess it the way I did considering it's less established and (probably) less well funded than the likes of Navigon, but that's the way I feel. It's a shame really. I've been using my handheld electronics for GPS since I first discovered that my Palm TX was capable of such a thing, but at this rate, I may have to end up buying a Tomtom GPS unit.
What are the odds that your location issues are from the faulty GPS drivers and will be fixed in the forthcoming firmware update?
CoPilot's maps are the worst. They use their own data instead of using Navteq or TeleAtlas and their maps are atleast 5 years out of date in my area.
So far, I haven't found a standalone GPS app I like in Android either.
I like and use waze all the time. Doesnt work too well with the crap gps on here but on winmo it was the best app.
I used the stock samsung one that comes on the european roms that works pretty well
fooldog01 said:
What are the odds that your location issues are from the faulty GPS drivers and will be fixed in the forthcoming firmware update?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Almost none, I'd say.
Unlike many here, I haven't experienced any GPS issues with my Captivate. Lock-on speeds are fairly quick (it seems comparable to what I experienced on the iPhone and HTC Fuze) and the GPS fix remains in all applicable areas and not in others (bridges, forest, etc). Aside from all of that, The problem doesn't appear nearly as much with Google Navigator.
smokestack76 said:
I like and use waze all the time. Doesnt work too well with the crap gps on here but on winmo it was the best app.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If that's the case, I wished I had tried Waze back when I had owned a WinMo phone, but the problem was that WinMo had fantastic GPS solutions, so I didn't bother using the less well known brands.
I would love an "offline" GPS App. Whatever happened to Navigon USA?
smokestack76 said:
I like and use waze all the time. Doesnt work too well with the crap gps on here but on winmo it was the best app.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Waze is still an online solution like Google Navigation. It downloads the maps and data as you drive, so if you go out of coverage, you're stuck, unless it cached enough of the map to still work with no signal.
mindfrost82 said:
Waze is still an online solution like Google Navigation. It downloads the maps and data as you drive, so if you go out of coverage, you're stuck, unless it cached enough of the map to still work with no signal.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thats why i like waze. Even in areas that i have no reception it still works ok. And still works ok with the crap gps on the captivate for now. So all good with me And i drive a truck so i use it alot. So far no issues that were too bad
I've been using Sygic Mobile Maps for about a month so far. It is an "off-line" Nav App.
I like it so far, was just up in Canada, on the north side of Lake Superior, with no cell/data service and it worked great. Has a pretty good POI database. Even allows you to navigate to Contacts.
Navigon for Android
Navigon actually makes an Android version now.
Not sure if they have any US maps for it yet though.
Video of Sygic
Found a video of Sygic Mobile Maps 10 running on a Galaxy S phone.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lfDodvbyl2w
ozone777 said:
Navigon actually makes an Android version now.
Not sure if they have any US maps for it yet though.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah no maps yet for the US.... hopefully soon..
NDrive for Android
NDrive also has a version for Android.
http://www.ndriveweb.com/products/product/96/
US maps are available.
Get it with a 7 day free trial from the Market Place.
ozone777 said:
Navigon actually makes an Android version now.
Not sure if they have any US maps for it yet though.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
They don't. Aside from that, even if they did have it, the Android version of Navigon is not supported on the Captivate; the APK is available, but without a supported phone, registering appears to be impossible (as registering requires you to enter the last four digit of your phone number which then goes through Navigon's servers).
ozone777 said:
NDrive also has a version for Android.
Get it with a 7 day free trial from the Market Place.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the recommendation. I'll give it a try.
I also travel extensively. After trying every possible phone based GPS (iPhone, B-berry and Android), i came to the conclusion that, while some are better than the others, none of them are reliable enough to be used exclusively. So, I still carry a dedicated unit that always gets me from point A to point Z.
myx0mop said:
I also travel extensively. After trying every possible phone based GPS (iPhone, B-berry and Android), i came to the conclusion that, while some are better than the others, none of them are reliable enough to be used exclusively. So, I still carry a dedicated unit that always gets me from point A to point Z.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I can understand your sentiment.
Even on the iPhone and WinMo (both of which had great GPS apps), I still felt the need to occasionally turn to Google Maps to supplement my driving. With GM plus whatever GPS app I was using, I never had trouble navigating regardless of where I was going.
Aside from that, as I said, my primary GPS software of choice is Tomtom. I'm not so sure about the other GPS companies, but Tomtom uses the same GPS software in phones as they do in their dedicated GPS units, so there really is no benefit to using their dedicated unit as opposed to their phone versions. In fact, I would actually dare claim the phone version is better due to more functionality from the integration with your phone.
I have TomTom on my 3Gs, but the problem is not with the software, which is fine, but with the phone that periodically loses the GPS lock.
I've used TomTom for 3+ years on my WinMo phone, and it has worked perfectly.
They only problem I have wiht TomTom is they don't 'officially' support my Tilt, and getting U.S. Maps was a pain. Due to that, I've been thinking of not going back with TomTom if/when they do come out wiht SW for Android.
But, if nothing else is available, or is not any good, I ultimately may go back with them. But only if my phone is supported, (which will be the Captivate).
myx0mop said:
I have TomTom on my 3Gs, but the problem is not with the software, which is fine, but with the phone that periodically loses the GPS lock.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Huh, that's strange. I'm a former 3GS owner and I would actually rank its GPS as among the best I've ever used. Extremely fast lock-ons in virtually every condition (including the inside of my home) and I've never experienced a lost GPS lock under normal conditions, even during the one time I used it when I had to drive 200 miles out of state.
Meh, but being the owner of the Captivate, I know fully well how much the experience varies with different owners. Aside from that, the ability to field phone calls and use the GPS at the same time must be nice.
Just loaded the official JH7 release and took my scooter for a ride. Captivate in my left front pants pocket, so it sits face down on my thigh, back (battery) side facing up toward the sky. Actually, it looks very good. Before the ride, lock was very good, lots of satellites and all locked very quickly. And the track looks excellent. I'll be curious how this works in a week... whether it degrades as the other one appeared to. But at the moment I am tentatively happy. Note the scooter ride averaged 20.82 mph, max speed of 38. So this was not a slow walking track. And yes I went up and down those blocks making a pattern to test the GPS. ;-)
Please post your test results of JH7 in this thread so we can compare.
Carl
I am in no way trying to be disrespectful, or an a$$ even though the following may seem like I am:
Did you search the forums before posting this? I started a thread similar to this not 20 minutes ago. I personally do not care to be the OP but I am posting here to explain that this is the reason we 2312 different threads about the same dang thing (today's update). It is impossible to search for information because everyone seems to feel the need to post their own thread.
Again no disrespect, I am not trying to dampen your enthusiasm for this but just would like some organization so that people (me ) won't have to read 30 different threads to get some information. I will ask the XDA gods to merge our threads maybe???
ptc62 said:
I am in no way trying to be disrespectful, or an a$$ even though the following may seem like I am:
Did you search the forums before posting this? I started a thread similar to this not 20 minutes ago. I personally do not care to be the OP but I am posting here to explain that this is the reason we 2312 different threads about the same dang thing (today's update). It is impossible to search for information because everyone seems to feel the need to post their own thread.
Again no disrespect, I am not trying to dampen your enthusiasm for this but just would like some organization so that people (me ) won't have to read 30 different threads to get some information. I will ask the XDA gods to merge our threads maybe???
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I was looking for a thread like this not 15 minutes ago. Finding it in this cluster of posts isn't easy.
ptc62, Maybe if you had named your original post usefully, or had actually posted some test data yourself, I would have noticed it. Was I supposed to search for "million dollar question"? I understand your frustration as I HAVE kept up with the other threads and its a lot of work. But it's true I don't read the ones with ambiguous titles. As it is, your comment only disrupts an otherwise useful thread. Oh well. Sorry for any angst I have caused you.
ptc62 said:
I am in no way trying to be disrespectful, or an a$$ even though the following may seem like I am:
Did you search the forums before posting this? I started a thread similar to this not 20 minutes ago. I personally do not care to be the OP but I am posting here to explain that this is the reason we 2312 different threads about the same dang thing (today's update). It is impossible to search for information because everyone seems to feel the need to post their own thread.
Again no disrespect, I am not trying to dampen your enthusiasm for this but just would like some organization so that people (me ) won't have to read 30 different threads to get some information. I will ask the XDA gods to merge our threads maybe???
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Your "Million Dollar Question" topic tittle is very misleading. I wouldn't blame Vintage for not being able to find it and starting a new thread. You should have been more specific. "Today's update" can mean anything in the title.
Vintagephone, thank you for making a thread with a proper title. Thank you for your test results. Now I can stock you because I know your scooter route , lol jk. I use to live in Irvine, kinda close by. I'm glad the GPS looks like it's working kind of well in CA.
This is a useful thread. Don't worry. It's very specific to JH7 -and- GPS. Plus, the thread TITLE is perfect. Great post.
My test... using the GPS Test app, it took about 45sec to lock on the first try. After it locked, I rebooted the phone. The next time it locked, it took only about 15sec.
On a sidenote, I'm still having problems with the Use Wireless Networks triangulate my location. I have that checked and Use GPS unchecked. I had Google Maps (the latest version) try to use the wireless networks to get My Location but it says "Your current location is temporarily unavailable." Something is up.
On a much side(r) note, PC Connection (for tethering) is gone. Accessing GPS settings via phone dialer is gone. YouTube widget has rotating feature videos, and the screen brightness settings that used to be the dimmest possible became much dimmer.
I did a track using My Tracks for my ride home from work and it was pretty bad, actually. It was an 8 mile ride, and it completely lost my location (stopped recording on default settings) 3 times. There were times when it worked flawlessly, but other times when it just connected the dots taking me off the road... So far, I am not very impressed. However, it is functional enough to use location-based apps and do some navigation (but I wouldn't rely on it completely, you'll end up in a ditch).
Here's a track I recorded this afternoon. 7.52 mi, 31.62 mph average speed, 61.04 mph max speed. Blame afternoon traffic. There is one inexplicable gap, and one spot where the track veers off to the center of the freeway. The latter was while driving next to/under a raised expressway, so perhaps it's sort of excusable? I dunno.
Overall, though, the GPS worked GREAT on this drive. It's not perfect, but it's about 500 times better than it ever was before this patch. Previously, it would show me going completely off the road, and making loops at intersections. Not usable at all. But for now, I am tentatively impressed with this fix. Only time will tell if performance will degrade as in the past, but right now it's working so well it's astonishing.
The only distressing part is that the GPS got a 10 meter, 7 satellite lock on me... in the bathroom with no windows... on the... toilet.
OK, here are my real world GPS test results after installing the new update:
Just drove home from work, about 24 miles. I drive through residential, heavily wooded, congested business and open highway areas. The GPS locked on within seconds of me starting up Google Navigation. It was spot on for almost the whole trip. Only when I was stopped for a period of time (i.e. at a traffic light) would it cause a hiccup when locating me. For example, at one stop light, it located me about 30-50 yards to my right on the road perpendicular to me. But as soon as I started moving, it picked me up correctly. Overall, it appears that the GPS issues have been improved. Probably not completely fixed, but it was a good experience compared to before the update.
Thanks everyone with your test results! May I ask you to add where you had your GPS? Direct view of the sky? Through windshield? Hidden under under your dash? Locked in your trunk? ;-)
I was holding it for a little while, but then placed it in my cup holder by my shifter, then on the passenger seat. Either spot, it didn't lose its GPS lock.
Has anyone with the knowhow attempted to see what it is exactly that was changed?
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I897 using XDA App
vintagephone said:
Thanks everyone with your test results! May I ask you to add where you had your GPS? Direct view of the sky? Through windshield? Hidden under under your dash? Locked in your trunk? ;-)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It was sitting on the passenger seat during my drive. I don't have a car mount for it yet.
Tested mine today on my drive home after flashing JH7. It worked great (though mine worked decent on JF6). It found 8 satellites instantly after opening my gps test app, and locked on to 6 in under a minute. I drove home on the freeway for about 30 minutes with the phone in a car dock doodad and it never lost a single satellite lock.
I had flashed the vibrant files onto my captivate before and GPS worked amazing. I updated and yes it could find me indoors and outside, but the actual GPS lock was pretty much a street away from my actual location. It also lost lock multiple times. I am restoring my phone back to the way it was before the update. My GPS could get a lock indoors with no circle around me and it was 10x more accurate than it is after the update.
I tried to do the update earlier today, and it said it failed. I didn't think much of it. I went for a walk in the park later, and turned on My Tracks, thinking it would be a good 'control' to see how much better the new update would be once I got it working.
It took <10 seconds to lock, but I was outside in a park. After it got a lock, I hit record, put the phone in my pocket, and walked around the park.
http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=U...68140665381380.000490e8a97287c8ebf1b&t=h&z=18
It's pretty much dead on, off by no more than a couple of meters anywhere.
When I got home, I checked back at the forums, where it was pointed out to me that for some people, the update claimed to fail, but actually updated. I checked my About screen, and sure enough, it updated.
So, while I don't recall it being particularly "bad" outside before, with the new update, it worked just fine in my pocket.
If your GPS seems fixed, please post your GPS settings. My update didn't complete successfully and GPS now is worse than before.
Here are some examples of errors from my track. It got me thinking: could the Body Glove case be getting in the way? I'll test it naked this afternoon.
[/IMG]
alkiter If your GPS seems fixed, please post your GPS settings. My update didn't complete successfully and GPS now is worse than before.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
won't let me link to another thread because I'm new but....
Settings:
Session Type - Tracking
Test Mode - S/W Test
Operation Mode - MS Based
Start Mode - Hot Start
GPS Plus - On
Dynamic Accuracy - ON
Accuracy - 50 (Able to alter/update)
Use Skyhook - OFF
Use PC Tool - OFF
Server FQDN Type - Auto Confi
Server - h-slp.mnc410.mcc310.pub.3gpp (Which is now locked down and unable to overwrite)
Server Port - 7275
SUPL Secure Socket - ON
AGPS Mode - SUPL
I have not updated after seeing the problems everyone is dealing with. I DID change my gps settings to this and have noticed a significant improvement. Thanks!
EDIT
Of course I had to change "Server FQDN Type" from auto to custom in order to keep the new server.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This was a quick walk from my car to work this morning using My Tracks. It should show straight lines along the aisles but apparently the GPS still thinks I jump back and forth 30 feet at a time. The phone was in my front pants pocket, battery side out. JH7 was applied successfully yesterday. I'd say GPS isn't fixed.
I have to add I haven't had many problems with Runkeeper and GPS. The paths it records are almost perfect. Why My Tracks and most other GPS programs have such a big problem I have no idea.
I really need to know because I drive an ambulance for a living is the GPS actually fixable? I love the phone but hate the GPS that locks up and is inaccurate, or just doesnt lock on.The tweaks I've tired. No luck. I called Samsung and asked and they have no clue and think the Sept patch worked. I think its a cover up and the first run is just plain defective. What's the probability its hardware and not fixable.
Thanks Travis
Call att and get it replaced. I got a replacement phone and so far the GPS has worked when I needed it. It locks pretty quickly most of the time. Sometimes it takes 20 to 30 seconds but always locks reguardless
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I897 using XDA App
I'm pretty certain it is a hardware problem and Samsung is trying very hard to see if they can fix it, or 'optimize' it, in software to avoid a mass recall of millions of these phones.
Smallsmx - a quick lock is very different from reliable navigation. Driving around using Google Nav as well as analyzing using something like MyTracks is the way to go to see if the GPS is actually accurate.
Here's a track I just created with MyTracks. If you zoom in, you can see that the track jumps between the north-bound & south-bound lanes of the highway several times, as well as veers off of the road several times. These may seem insignificant, but they're the kind of things that play havoc with navigation software (constant re-routing, etc). Also note that I'm in a rural area; i.e. no interference from tall buildings to blame this on...
I'm pretty convinced it is a hardware problem.. I've been through 4 Captivates, and only 1 has worked. The Captivate that has the working GPS works on all ROMs, but works best after JH7 (or the froyo builds). The other 3 Captivates, the GPS doesn't work anywhere.
I wouldn't want to trust my life to the Captivate's GPS navigation! If I found out my ambulance was being navigated by a Captivate, I'd wait for the next one
tblindt said:
I really need to know because I drive an ambulance for a living is the GPS actually fixable? I love the phone but hate the GPS that locks up and is inaccurate, or just doesnt lock on.The tweaks I've tired. No luck. I called Samsung and asked and they have no clue and think the Sept patch worked. I think its a cover up and the first run is just plain defective. What's the probability its hardware and not fixable.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Please don't use the C(r)appy GPS for anything like that! It's just not up to it! Even if the GPS does work from time to time, you'll spend too much time second guessing it. Get a dedicated GPS that you KNOW works so you can concentrate on doing the important stuff like not hitting other cars and saving lives!
foxbat121 said:
I'm pretty certain it is a hardware problem and Samsung is trying very hard to see if they can fix it, or 'optimize' it, in software to avoid a mass recall of millions of these phones.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Agreed 100%. If it was a simple software bug, it would have been fixed in JH7. They initially claimed JH7 fixed it... And then they contradicted themselves and said there was no GPS fix in JH7.
So Sammy is confusing us with smoke and mirrors and hoping they can still circumvent what is likely to be a recall only fix. Imagine the impact of a recall. Cost would be huge. PR would be a nightmare. Impact on future Galaxy S sales would be massive. See how cleverly and deviously Apple avoided an iPhone 4 recall with what was clearly a major hardware defect.
And for those of you that say your Cappy's GPS works perfectly, there is one of two conditions that apply:
1. You got a lock while stationary from > x satellites and assume from that alone that GPS works. A better criteria would be GPS tracking while driving in an urban environment with accuracy < 5m.
OR
2. The hardware defect is an intermittent assembly or fabrication issue that shows up in the majority but not all handsets.
So here's to hoping I am wrong and the official Froyo build is being held up while they correct the GPS problem once and for all. If not, here's to class action. In the meantime, Sammy and AT&T product managers, if you are reading this (doubtful) give us the source for 2.2 (kernel, hardware drivers and all) and let the XDA community have a crack at fixing it (and enable HSUPA, FM radio, native etx4, etc while their at it).
Before i flashed to the JPM and the reorinted 2.1 my gps would not get a lock after 10 mins after I flashed to the i9000 rom and shanged the gps settings to ms based I get a lock after 15-25 sec at 15m. its software related and att's reps are just dumb as dog **** and full of it too
tjsooley said:
Before i flashed to the JPM and the reorinted 2.1 my gps would not get a lock after 10 mins after I flashed to the i9000 rom and shanged the gps settings to ms based I get a lock after 15-25 sec at 15m. its software related and att's reps are just dumb as dog **** and full of it too
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Click to collapse
Share a GPS track with us then.....
Tonite I will take screen shots of my gps settings and post them
tjsooley said:
Tonite I will take screen shots of my gps settings and post them
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Click to collapse
No need. We have millions of threads for just that. We need the evidence that you actually use it for navigation while driving. That's where it all falls apart (for majority of the Captivate anyway).
I can get a lock no problem as well with no tweeks in settings. But that doesn't mean the GPS is anywhere near usable.
foxbat121 said:
No need. We have millions of threads for just that. We need the evidence that you actually use it for navigation while driving. That's where it all falls apart (for majority of the Captivate anyway).
I can get a lock no problem as well with no tweeks in settings. But that doesn't mean the GPS is anywhere near usable.
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Misread the forum. I have not used it for a gps on the road for navigation yet.
I have watched it on the way home from work and it was prittyy accurate.
funny thing.
I dont get a lock from my cup holder but i get a lock no problem and the gps works on the dash board.
maby
if it is any differance all the sgs varriants are having a bunch of gps issues.
and there are people that have had no problems.
ianwood said:
Agreed 100%. If it was a simple software bug, it would have been fixed in JH7. They initially claimed JH7 fixed it... And then they contradicted themselves and said there was no GPS fix in JH7.
So Sammy is confusing us with smoke and mirrors and hoping they can still circumvent what is likely to be a recall only fix. Imagine the impact of a recall. Cost would be huge. PR would be a nightmare. Impact on future Galaxy S sales would be massive. See how cleverly and deviously Apple avoided an iPhone 4 recall with what was clearly a major hardware defect.
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Click to collapse
I'm sure the loss of future sales will cost Samsung more than a recall. My last 3 phones were Samsung and I sure as hell know if they don't fix the GPS issue, whether it be through firmware or a recall, Samsung will never see another dime from me ever again and I'm sure there's plenty of others feeling the same way.
There would probably also be about no PR. Samsung is no Apple. The media and general public really don't give a damn about them. The issue is not so controversial that the news will pick up on it, like the Toyota recalls. At most there would be a couple sentences on the news about it that most people will just ignore because they don't have the phone. Apple got worse PR by ignoring the issue than if they simply would have addressed it with a recall. They got away with it because they're Apple. 90% of the population worships them.
I was just thinking the same thing. My GPS does not work.
I don't understand people who think it's no big deal. It's a major feature and an Advertised feature...not some hack.
I would not have bought the device without GPS. What if you bought a new car that said it had air conditioning...but after you bought it...you realized it didn't work....no big deal or recall?
CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT!
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I897 using XDA App
yea its a cover up
My whole plan and philosophy was that hey Google maps is great and so is Linux so this should, be better than those goofy slow interfaced GPS units.... which always give you the wrong location....
Anyhow I ordered one more..to see if its a dud too.
1ST SAMSUNG AND MY LAST YOU HEAR THAT SAMSUNK.. BTW your customer service is so poor girl who knows nothing about phones and thought the update was "real".
Jupiter fix w/vibrant ROM. Seems like I tried everything. Plenty of sats and locks while stationary. Can't get this thing to maintain lock or be accurate while moving in navigation for the life of me.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I897 using XDA App
I'm hoping for a software fix, but I'm doubtful that we'll ever see one. This is the same GPS chip as used in at least one blackberry where it has no problem. Combine that with the fact that there's 5 different Galaxy S phones that have these issues, each with slightly different layouts of where the chips are on the board, it's more likely a software issue.
If it is a hardware issue, or if it's a software issue that they never get around to fixing, I could see a very nasty class action lawsuit pop up. Personally, I hate class action lawsuits, as the only people who usually benefit from them are the lawyers, but one can always hope for the best.
One interesting thing I did notice was that when in my vehicle (a Jeep Wrangler with a fiberglass hardtop) or on my motorcycle, the tracks are just about spot on... as long as there aren't any tall buildings right next to me. It stops when I stop, it turns when I turn... You know, pretty much what you expect out of a GPS.
On the other hand, when I'm in a friends vehicle (metal roof, no sunroof), my position wanders all over the place. We stop, but the icon keeps on going. We turn, it doesn't. And, of course, there's always fun times when it thinks your a block or two over from where you are. Oh, and can't forget the lag... sometimes it's as much as 5 seconds behind me.
That makes me suspect the filters Samsung has in place for when the signal is weak. Either that, or the antenna design they use might win the distinction of being the most craptastic one of the decade. Hell, maybe both might be the case.
This whole thing with the GPS has me baffled..after reading a bunch of threads...posts..and personal experience, I believe the problem with the Captivate's GPS is the delay in getting a lock. Once it's locked, the accuracy is excellent. Maybe the agps is not functioning properly...these devices really need agps to get a rapid lock. Is the supl server that is built into the device reliable? I believe this is the crux. Anybody having any inaccuracies is the exception to the rule once the device is locked. But a 3-4 minute lock time is fairly unacceptable
Same results as others. If I have the captivate high up in the windshield so it has a larger uninterrupted view of the sky, it will track almost as well as my Blackberry sitting on the center console. Seems the captivate is not nearly as sensitive as other GPS devices.
As for PR, a recall would not be in your nightly news but it would be all over the trade news. The Galaxy S brand has been in the trade news almost daily for the past few months. A recall would put a serious dent in all that positive momentum. That would have a serious effect on future deals with carriers, retailers, etc. Not to mention investors. And finally disaffected consumers.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I897 using XDA App
Mine works with no view of the sky
My GPS is working good after COG Froyo version6. This track is from a mountain bike ride, phone was inside my camelback.
http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?hl=e...16556845834261.00049360088f52c5ed399&t=h&z=16
nice looking track.. is your navigation app good too???
itsjustaphone said:
My GPS is working good after COG Froyo version6. This track is from a mountain bike ride, phone was inside my camelback.
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Questions for ya if ya don't mind.
1. Did you have problems before with same phone?
2. Phone new or refurbished?
3. When was it made give or take? (maybe import in terms of factory runs???)
Hmm thats it far as identifying maybe some know how to timestamp/get ingo from imei or serial.
I'll post a track from mine in a little bit I Think that would be a great idea for this thread.. POST YOUR TRACKS RESULTS AND BASIC SPECS.
Believe program is called "mytracks"
I am getting ready to move to a new city and have a long drive there. I am going to need GPS for a long time to know where I’m going. I am trying to decide if I should get a car mount and try to use my Tbolt as my GPS or just buy a Garmin unit.
What do you think about using the Tbolt as your dedicated GPS compared to a Garmin GPS unit?
The android navigation (since droid 1) has been the best Navigation I've ever had.
the reroute/street view is my favorite part of it. Coming back from Chicago there was a huge accident, It said Traffic rerouting and took me around the whole back up and saved me a bunch of time.
Also used it while delivering pizzas b/c the Garmin didn't find a lot of places my phone did
ScoobarSTI said:
The android navigation (since droid 1) has been the best Navigation I've ever had.
the reroute/street view is my favorite part of it. Coming back from Chicago there was a huge accident, It said Traffic rerouting and took me around the whole back up and saved me a bunch of time.
Also used it while delivering pizzas b/c the Garmin didn't find a lot of places my phone did
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How do you enable this function or view it? I have never seen this.
Streetview?
You download it from the market.
It's cool because when you're near where you need to be it shows you a picture of what you should be seeing.
Ok so if I’m going to try this does anyone have an opinion of the best type of mount? I have an 06 Accord. They make window mounts, vent mounts, and cig lighter - movable arm mounts. What are the pros and cons to these?
if you take a look in the Thunderbolt Accessories just search "GPS mounts" and theres quite a few reviews. Other wise when I get the extra cash I'm picking up the mount from Verizon it's only 30 bucks.
Try This
I picked this up (in store) from Best Buy. It is highly adjustable, and well designed/built:
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Bracket...ount/1934041.p?id=1218301983073&skuId=1934041
If you want preloaded maps, Navigon is awesome. Google Navigation is great on its own though. I wouldn't buy a dedicated GPS myself.
If you are rooted, you might make sure you have all three radios on your SD card. If you hit an area where your current radio flips out, just flash one of the others. Its what Is do. Here in St. Louis, for me, the original MR2 leak works best. I've tried all three.
courtesy of my rooted bolt
I just ordered the Verizon mount. FYI - its listed as $29.99 but when you add it to your cart its only $22 so they give you a discount, or they did me anyway.
I have not rooted my Tbolt yet just because I have not had a need. Why would I need to root it for the radio? not sure I understand what I would need that for. I am moving to Boston by the way so will be using it heavily in that area. I’m currently in Kansas City.
I use g maps with aura as a backup on a separate sd card.
Sent from my ThunderBolt using Tapatalk
I dont have "Car Home" on my Tbolt and cant find it in the marketplace... What is the car mode for this phone? When its in the dock how do I do voice dialing etc?
ScoobarSTI said:
Streetview?
You download it from the market.
It's cool because when you're near where you need to be it shows you a picture of what you should be seeing.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No I have street view, I guess I was referring to the automatic reroute thing you were talking about. I have never had it automatically tell me a new route.
Idk mine just does it i think i dl something called traffic but i dont remember
Sent from my ThunderBolt using XDA Premium App
HawkStream said:
I dont have "Car Home" on my Tbolt and cant find it in the marketplace... What is the car mode for this phone? When its in the dock how do I do voice dialing etc?
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Click to collapse
On most HTC phones with Sense they have an app called "Car Panel" that is similar to Car Home. I think Car Home is much better but since your running the stock Sense it may not show up in the market. I'm attaching the Car Home app and the launcher apk that enables it to show up in the app drawer. When I first got my Evo it had Sense on it and would not see Car Home in the market. In order to install Car Home I would first install com.google.android.carhome.apk first, which is the actual app. Then the CarHomeLauncher.apk second which enable the app to show up in the app drawer with the rest of your apps. Its worth a try as Car Home is so much better than car panel. You may have to check mark unknown sources in your application settings.
As someone previously stated Navigon is also excellent and doesn't rely on a data connection to work. It has all the map data on the SD card and uses your phones GPS chip to guide you. If you don't have phone/data service it continues to work. It would be cheaper than a standalone GPS and give you something to fall back on in case Google Navigation takes a crap. GPS is a game changer in a new big city.
Best of luck on your trip and new life.
Pete
The few times I've used my Tbolt for GPS, it's always led me to my destination with no issues. I did find though that it sometimes doesn't take the route that makes the most sense and routes you into a trip that adds unnecessary miles. I was playing around one day using it to get to somewhere I was very familiar with and it kept trying to send me on a route that would have doubled the time it took to get there.
i've had no issues with mine at all..seems like this phone replaces just about any other small portable electronic device you'd ever need lol
With the VZW car dock, car mode automatically initiates when you put your phone on the dock. The app doesn't work outside of the dock, but if you don't like it you can close the app and its just the normal home screen, but it'll work in landscape too.
Used it recently on a 4 hour drive. It was rock solid.
jmz768 said:
The few times I've used my Tbolt for GPS, it's always led me to my destination with no issues. I did find though that it sometimes doesn't take the route that makes the most sense and routes you into a trip that adds unnecessary miles. I was playing around one day using it to get to somewhere I was very familiar with and it kept trying to send me on a route that would have doubled the time it took to get there.
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Click to collapse
I had this same issue until I figured out how to choose alternate routes.