Related
Sorry - not a development issue as such but I'm hoping you guys can help with another HTC Touch Pro (A)GPS query. I have read a number of other posts on this but they appear to be inconclusive and I'm not sure if the problems widely reported elsewhere are supposed to have been resolved in the latest shipped ROMS.
I'm experiencing very long acquisition times with the internal GPS on the O2 XDA Serra (just released in the UK), to the point where the GPS is virtually unusable. Cold lock can take anywhere between 15 and 30 minutes, even in open ground in good weather with a clear view of satellites. By comparison, a Garmin eTrex Vista in the same location gets a lock in seconds. I never expected the XDA Serra to equal the performance of a dedicated handheld GPS but I would have expected it to get an initial lock in less than 5 minutes in clear sight.
If and when a lock is acquired, it seems to hold OK and I've experienced no major lag problems.
I'm using Tom Tom Navigator 5, Memory Map Pocket Navigator OS 5 and Google Maps. I've also installed a couple of GPS utilities from this forum - Chartcross GPS Test 1.04 and the HTC GPS Tool v1.1.1.0. These are all configured to point to COM4 at 38400 baud (as per advice in this forum), and I've never had a problem detecting the GPS.
What is bizarre and frustrating is that there is absolutely no mention of GPS functionality in the supplied O2 manual, other than a brief warning about not operating a GPS while driving. The XDA Serra is not supplied with any GPS software or utilities out of the box other than an "External GPS" utility in the System folder, which is completely undocumented. I'm unclear in what circumstances you are supposed to use this utility, but I'm assuming it allows you to set a hardware COM port for an external GPS device (presumably bluetooth?) and select whether or not it is managed by Windows. I've tried turning this off but it appears to make no difference.
I'm aware that the XDA Serra is AGPS capable but I'm unclear exactly what this means in this context (i.e. which particular AGPS technique it actually uses), and how - in the absence of an explicit Program or System setting - my installed GPS applications are supposed to invoke it. I have checked the relevant registry settings in HKLM\Software\HTC\SUPL AGPS:
EnableAGPS 0x00000000 (0)
GPSMode 0x00000002 (2)
Number Fixes 0x3b9ac9ff (9999999999)
QoS Accuracy 0x00000032 (50)
QoS Performance 0x00000059 (89)
Server IP 10.1.101.63
Server Port 0x00001cb6 (7275)
TimeBetweenFixes 0x00000001 (1)
... and can see that the AGPS function is currently disabled (the default), but is this supposed to be enabled programmatically by the GPS application, or do you have to set it explicitly? If the latter, how can you do this other than by hacking the registry?
I have followed advice in this forum about disabling GPS logging (it was disabled by default) using the Schapman Advanced Configuration Tool v3.3.0.0. I have tried enabling the AGPS function using a registry editor, but again it appears to make no difference. In addition, I could see no evidence of it having downloaded an emphemeris file anywhere (unless it's hidden in system ROM), which I presume is how it is supposed to work? If I enable it, doesn this necessarily mean that any of my GPS apps will actually use it?
I have tried using SeaSGEE to download emphemeris data to no avail - it downloads what looks like a good packedEmphemeris.ee file OK but it makes absolutely no difference to performance. I have since uninstalled this and deleted the //windows/packedEmphemeris.ee file.
Finally, if I connect an external bluetooth GPS adapter (the Emtac BTGPS) on COM6 I generally get a good cold lock in less than a minute. I used this all the time on my old XDA Mini S (HTC Wizard) and never had a problem.
So, basically, I'd like to understand how native AGPS works on the Touch Po, how it is supposed to be invoked by GPS applications, and whether there are any tweaks I can try to improve performance over and above the ones I've already tried. Is this a problem that is likely to be improved in subsequent ROM or Radio versions or is this simply a fundamental limitation of a crappy internal GPS chip?
Any advice greatly appreciated.
AGPS
AGPS is basically a utility for operator to be able to track your device for various local ads etc. It uses servers to track instead of GPS.For example Google maps would be able to track your position inside building but with tolerance of a few miles (I guess it is your closest tower) Seems to be some kind of bug when operating with regular GPS (in my case it shuts off GPS every 10-15 seconds making Tomtom unusable.You should see settings for AGPS at Settings-System-AGPS. Disable both tabs. On tomtom use other wired GPS receiver at Baud rate 38400 com port 4. restart after setting AGPS. It did work for me.I have Fuze - same as HTC Touch Pro. Let me know if it works better.
This is exactly how the Fuze is acting. Cold locks (after a soft reset or power off/on) take up to 30 minutes to get. But once you do get a lock, things work as they should. Even AT&T sales reps sat there with me, with 3 different Fuzes and witnessed all three phones doing the same thing. It must be the built in GPS chipset. The Sprint Touch Pro I had for a week, never had any cold lock issues.
I was worried that O2 had modified versions without the GPS module becuase I have never managed to get a lock with the device. Nomatter what I do GPS doesn't seem to work.
It is annoying as I've managed to fix every other problem the Serra ships with. Including getting rid of the default home page for opera when launched vial TFL3D. That was a huge pain in the ass as the XML file cannot be deleted or modified easily, it is an undying file. Damn file protectiona and access rules on WM devices.
is there still isues with gps on this phone?
i'm due an upgrade, currently using a diamond, and find gps is fantastic, locks in a couple of seconds nearly everytime, even after not using it for week still seems to get a fix in under 20 seconds, was looking at the touch hd as i thought it was essentialy the same phone, buf beefed up a bit, but i use gps 3-4 hours everyday, so far this phone seems perfect apart from the gps issues..
i've tried searching but can't find any clear information about it, seen various tweaks but no one can confirm it definatly works, my phone's primary use is gps, would i be a fool to upgrade to the serra?
Tyr said:
I was worried that O2 had modified versions without the GPS module becuase I have never managed to get a lock with the device. Nomatter what I do GPS doesn't seem to work.
It is annoying as I've managed to fix every other problem the Serra ships with. Including getting rid of the default home page for opera when launched vial TFL3D. That was a huge pain in the ass as the XML file cannot be deleted or modified easily, it is an undying file. Damn file protectiona and access rules on WM devices.
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Click to collapse
OK. I had the same problem, never got locked on GPS.
It is ALL software issue. Flash different rom, new radio (recommend 20M1) and use tomtom7. Older tomtoms for some reason do not invoke gps receiver on touch pro. GPS on serra works perfect, on mine it takes about 20-30 seconds to get satellite lock. Relax Just flash rom different that the o2 one.
The GPS is rock solid on my XDA Serra with fast GPS start-up times with the PROven ROM - http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=444653.
I did have GPS problems with the standard O2 ROM, as others have said it's a software issue.
All issues have been SOLVED
Hi. just go to this post and you will have a gps lock in a matter of seconds. enjoy. thanks
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=467374
Go to http://www.my-xda.com/software_updates.jsp to download the latest software updates for every O2 XDA mobile!
Yes I just updated my ROM and the difference is HUGE. Almost instant connection with my GPS.
Yes, apparently O2 removed QuickGPS because at some point they planned to enable their own AGPS servers, but did not get round to it and forgot to add back QuickGPS.......
The Avatar said:
Yes I just updated my ROM and the difference is HUGE. Almost instant connection with my GPS.
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Click to collapse
hi the avatar
which ROM did you go for on your serra, i am having similar probs
just when i thought i had sorted it following other suggestions on this forum, beginning to think the gps was single use
cheers
r
For the past few days, I've been dealing with what appears to be a disproportionately huge group of Evo owners (relative to other Android phones) who've been having crashes with an app I wrote that appear to be caused by the unavailability of network-based location services. I did some research, and it looks like a LOT of Evo owners have been doing things that (temporarily?) disable network-based location services in an attempt to keep the battery from dying too quickly.
Are Evo users who do this literally going into Settings and disabling network-based location services outright, or are there one or more apps/hacks that supposedly disable it only when "it's not being used"? If there are, what does an app that depends on network-based location services have to do to make sure that whatever is supposedly enabling network-based location services "when necessary" realizes that it is, in fact, necessary... and do it in a way that won't cause the lookup request to prematurely or needlessly fail?
Like I've said, I've had a few users with other phones have problems due to the app's current absolute dependency on the availability of network-based location services... but with Evo owners, it's more like a nonstop hailstorm of complaints. Rewriting the way the app handles location to eliminate that absolute dependency is my next major project, but it's going to take me at least a week or two to finish, and in the meantime I'd love to be able to find a temporary solution that I can patch and release tonight that will solve the worst of the problem for the majority of Evo users in the meantime.
Speak up brother. What is the App (so people who don't have the slightest clue as to how to relate your user name with the buggy app you have)?
I'm not sure why anyone would do this, aside from "privacy" concerns... It will not help with battery life on it's own. If your GPS is turned off, your device gets it's relative location via the cell phone tower's coordinates. This information gets transmitted to your phone regardless if you have it disabled to accept it.
They are probably thinking that if they disable it, other services won't try to update information based on your location. Instead they should just adjust any services that are auto-updating.
I can go >24hours before I need to charge my phone with moderate usage throughout the day (without using 4G). I can post SystemPanel screenshots if anyone is interested.
mattrb said:
Speak up brother. What is the App (so people who don't have the slightest clue as to how to relate your user name with the buggy app you have)?
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Click to collapse
OK, if it makes you happy, I didn't personally write it that way. It's a legacy app I'm helping to fix. In the meantime, I'm trying to put out as many fires as quickly as I can. That said, I'm not going to condemn the original author. All things considered, it was a perfectly reasonable decision for him to make. It was his first major Android programming project, and his immediate runtime environment was a Droid on Verizon. 99% of his Android-owning friends were Sprint or Verizon. For the most part, on Sprint & Verizon, network-based location services work really well. The app's dependency on them didn't really bubble to the surface as anything more than likely user error until lots of non-Americans started showing up with phones that couldn't be automatically assumed to have inseparably-bundled mandatory data service.
Truth be told, America is a lot like Japan -- cellular networks that are almost proprietary to the national market and work in ways that aren't necessarily consistent with the way things work elsewhere in the world, but utterly ubiquitous and totally dominant within it. I'm sure that right now, plenty of Japanese developers are writing Android apps that assume every phone supports network-level low-latency "Push to Talk" capabilities (IDEN's "killer app"), or some other feature that's ubiquitous in Japan and (almost) unheard of elsewhere. Six months from now, they're going to be scratching their heads wondering why it crashes on every phone in Europe and most phones in America (Sprint, and I think Verizon, try to emulate IDEN's PTT on CDMA by buffering the audio stream on a server, then sending a SMS to the recipient's phone that triggers its download and streaming a couple of seconds later).
Anyway, I digress. Getting back to the original question, are Evo owners who disable network location doing it manually, or are they doing it in a way that can be worked with cooperatively by apps in order to get it to automatically turn it back on when needed?
Actually, I have theory #2 about why Evo owners might be having problems, but it's pure speculation at this point. I'm wondering whether there might be Evo owners who've explicitly disabled EV-DO and 1xRTT to try and force the phone to use WiMax in areas where it might otherwise try to fall back to the older modes, and the possibility that even NON-network location service DEPENDS on EV-DO/1xRTT for aGPS data transmission of the raw telemetry data. In a way, it makes sense... the WiMax network is totally parallel to the CDMA2000 network, and it's not inconceivable that there might BE no data route between the Sprint WiMax network and the servers that handle aGPS queries. Especially if there aren't any real-world locations where Sprint WiMax is available, but CDMA2000 data is not.
If you go into the settings you can disable the network location, but there are ways for an app to ask if the user wants to turn the setting back on.
Evo owners can't disable 1xRTT otherwise standard calls and text messages won't work anymore. They can change settings if they have their MSL code such that EVDO isn't ever used however.
Well, maybe "disable" is a strong term. I know that on a Hero, there's a network setting somewhere that allows you to tell the phone, "Use EV-DO, or don't do data at all". It doesn't affect the operation of voice or sms -- only the phone's willingness to fall back to 1xRTT for internet access if EV-DO isn't available. I'm assuming the Evo has a similar setting that goes a step further and lets you dictate "WiMax or Nothing".
Here's how it could theoretically affect location services: obviously Sprint does aGPS. By law, it HAS to do it for e911 purposes. HOWEVER, I think that non-e911 aGPS lookups on Android phones get diverted through Google (or at least an aGPS service hosted by Google) unless you pay Sprint extra for navigation service. Under those conditions, if you told the phone to use ONLY WiMax for internet access, and you were in an area where only EV-DO and/or 1xRTT data were available, you could have a situation where the phone can do e911 location, but wouldn't necessarily have that info available for use by other applications (vis-a-vis most of HTC's WinMo 6 phones). If the phone couldn't use WiMax, and the user dictated "WiMax or Nothing", the phone couldn't reach Google. Without Google, there'd be no free aGPS for Android apps to consume.
The above is pure speculation, of course. As a practical matter, Sprint itself can't/won't give a coherent explanation of where the line gets drawn between Sprint and Google for (a)GPS service, which makes troubleshooting location-related problems that much more fun. Personally, it wouldn't surprise me in the least if late-model HTC phones DO have 100% of the hardware onboard to turn satellite telemetry into latitude/longitude/altitude coordinates, but the underlying software fails without realtime network connectivity anyway because it still tries to involve a server somewhere for some reason.
Look, this is what happens to me and I think it's a bug.
When I turn off GPS for a while, like for 12 hours, and then I turn it on, I still see the "Location" icon crossed out. At first I didn't know what was going on. I thought it was the GPS icon, but it wasn't, it was the location services being turned off.
So I reproduced it several times and this is what happens. When you turn off GPS for a while, the location setting will be turned off also, and it will remain off even after you turn on the GPS again. Which IS A BUG. That's not an expected behavior. So you may be right.
baiatul said:
Look, this is what happens to me and I think it's a bug.
When I turn off GPS for a while, like for 12 hours, and then I turn it on, I still see the "Location" icon crossed out. At first I didn't know what was going on. I thought it was the GPS icon, but it wasn't, it was the location services being turned off.
So I reproduced it several times and this is what happens. When you turn off GPS for a while, the location setting will be turned off also, and it will remain off even after you turn on the GPS again. Which IS A BUG. That's not an expected behavior. So you may be right.
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My experience doesn't mirror that at all. When I turn GPS on (which I am impressed to say has it finding satellites many times faster than my old HTC Fuze) the location disabled icon changes almost immediately. I saw this a lot over last weekend when I was doing a lot of phone based navigation.
Yes, I forgot, I'm in NY, and in Manhattan very strange things happen when you go in and out the subway with signal and no signal several times a day for periods of time from minutes to an hour.
Many programs that are expected to work crash when there is no signal. Or when you run applications in the subway with no signal, the gadget freezes sometimes. Maybe this GPS thing is also one of those glitches. Maybe it's a combination of turning on or off the GPS, and then the loss of signal for a while. It still happens to me, but I got used: every time I turn back on the GPS after being disabled for MANY HOURS (12? 24?), I have to turn back on the Location setting.
merak69 said:
I'm not sure why anyone would do this, aside from "privacy" concerns...
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I turned off network location services for one simple reason....using it caused my location to off by at least 1/2 mile. So it seemed pretty useless to me.
pixelpop said:
I turned off network location services for one simple reason....using it caused my location to off by at least 1/2 mile. So it seemed pretty useless to me.
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It's basing your location on the information from the cell phone tower. It isn't meant to give you a precise location like GPS can (this is why its called aGPS). The point is to give a general location so that apps that need to know what city you are in (weather apps for example) can figure it out to show you information for where you currently are.
If you want precise information, turn on full GPS and you are good to go.
My point was disabling location services entirely will not save you any more battery life vs leaving network location on (excluding full GPS obviously). What will save you battery is turning off your other services (Facebook, Twitter, News, etc) to only update when you manually say so or setting their update schedules to much longer frequencies.
Here's how it could theoretically affect location services: obviously Sprint does aGPS. By law, it HAS to do it for e911 purposes. HOWEVER, I think that non-e911 aGPS lookups on Android phones get diverted through Google (or at least an aGPS service hosted by Google) unless you pay Sprint extra for navigation service. Under those conditions, if you told the phone to use ONLY WiMax for internet access, and you were in an area where only EV-DO and/or 1xRTT data were available, you could have a situation where the phone can do e911 location, but wouldn't necessarily have that info available for use by other applications (vis-a-vis most of HTC's WinMo 6 phones). If the phone couldn't use WiMax, and the user dictated "WiMax or Nothing", the phone couldn't reach Google. Without Google, there'd be no free aGPS for Android apps to consume.
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Your phone doesn't communicate with Google. Sprint has their own aGPS servers but I think you might misunderstand what their purpose is. The "a" part of aGPS means Assisted, but only assisted in the fact of giving the chip the information it needs to lock on to the true GPS signals faster based on your current location.
For example: If you used a GPS device that wasn't assisted and its known internal satellite database was out of date, it'd have to search for awhile to location any/all satellites in the sky. On the flip side, an assisted chip can use the network server to download satellite info (ids, frequencies, etc) to show which satellites are visible for your given rough location. This enables hardware lock to happen faster.
However those aGPS servers are optional since the chip has a hybrid mode of operation:
a) If you have true GPS on, obviously it uses GPS to determine your location, down to potentially 3-4 meters.
b) If the chip can't get a satellite lock or you have true GPS turned off, the chip uses multiple known tower locations in combination to triangulate your location (based on signal strength to known towers). The fewer the towers it has access to, the less and less accurate your known location becomes. This works even with 3G and 4G disabled because it transmits the data over 1xRTT (you can easily test this in Google Maps).
In the second situation (b), I've seen where tower triangulation has narrowed my location down to 100 meters. I've also seen where it can't get a lock on multiple towers reliably such that the chip puts my "center" location as the actual location of the tower with an accuracy rating of 2000 meters. This is what Pixelpop is mentioning above about accuracy.
merak69 said:
Your phone doesn't communicate with Google. Sprint has their own aGPS servers but I think you might misunderstand what their purpose is. The "a" part of aGPS means Assisted, but only assisted in the fact of giving the chip the information it needs to lock on to the true GPS signals faster based on your current location.
For example: If you used a GPS device that wasn't assisted and its known internal satellite database was out of date, it'd have to search for awhile to location any/all satellites in the sky. On the flip side, an assisted chip can use the network server to download satellite info (ids, frequencies, etc) to show which satellites are visible for your given rough location. This enables hardware lock to happen faster.
However those aGPS servers are optional since the chip has a hybrid mode of operation:
a) If you have true GPS on, obviously it uses GPS to determine your location, down to potentially 3-4 meters.
b) If the chip can't get a satellite lock or you have true GPS turned off, the chip uses multiple known tower locations in combination to triangulate your location (based on signal strength to known towers). The fewer the towers it has access to, the less and less accurate your known location becomes. This works even with 3G and 4G disabled because it transmits the data over 1xRTT (you can easily test this in Google Maps).
In the second situation (b), I've seen where tower triangulation has narrowed my location down to 100 meters. I've also seen where it can't get a lock on multiple towers reliably such that the chip puts my "center" location as the actual location of the tower with an accuracy rating of 2000 meters. This is what Pixelpop is mentioning above about accuracy.
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You're correct that aGPS doesn't go through Google. It's presumably handled by the radio and Android is never aware of it at all.
Cell tower location/triangulation is different however. The OP is correct that it does go through Google, as the US CDMA carriers are totally unwilling to allow outside access to this information like GSM carriers do. Google built and maintains their own database of tower info, and that is what populates your rough location in Android. It is not aGPS data from Sprint's servers that is allowing that.
You want a hack? Well use the last known position, if it's historical then post a message "wtf turn on location services, if you want picture phone to work".
The app may not work but it won't crash as it has a location. More so it blames the user. lol
Post a little line to the location service enable semaphore, "who turned off the lights?"
You can get location assisted position from Wi-Max just like you can get it off Wi-Fi. As far as I know there is no app to disable Mobile Network Location on demand. If your having issues with it than users are going in and disabling it by hand through the settings. The problem probably is that 90% of the know it all bloggers advise to disable network position because they think it does something for battery life.
I'm also willing to bet good money that Google is handling the network location. Why else would they have a location server(supl.google.com). Only to let Nokia users use it?
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I've noticed that there are areas where the GPS doesn't work, even outside with no sky obstacles. One of them is on 113 st. between Broadway and Amsterdam avenue (NYC), right next to a building tagged "Cell Motion Laboratories." I've been there twice since I have EVO and the GPS is off like 10 buildings when I'm in the building next door. From outside, it just looks like any other Columbia University residence.
(Yes, my location settings were enabled and GPS was on).
ZIP 10027.
I just searched that lab, and it has nothing to do with cellphones, but with real cells (biological lab for kids, I think).
bedoig said:
You're correct that aGPS doesn't go through Google. It's presumably handled by the radio and Android is never aware of it at all.
Cell tower location/triangulation is different however. The OP is correct that it does go through Google, as the US CDMA carriers are totally unwilling to allow outside access to this information like GSM carriers do. Google built and maintains their own database of tower info, and that is what populates your rough location in Android. It is not aGPS data from Sprint's servers that is allowing that.
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Click to collapse
What you are talking about for triangulation is software level functionality part of Google Maps and Google Maps only and yes it contacts their servers to try and guess where you are. Google does build out their own "database of tower info" just like they collect all sorts of other statistical information (you agree to this when you turn on location services), but part of the aGPS standard is that every cell phone tower, GSM or CDMA, transmits its coordinates to your handset.
What I'm talking about is all strictly in the hardware, but perhaps the word "triangulation" was the incorrect choice of word when talking about aGPS, however it is similar... The aGPS functionality in our phones is tightly integrated into the radio chip (Qualcomm RTR6500 CDMA2000) and this chip does not need to contact Google or Sprint to determine your rough location from a tower (turn off all internet access and you'll see what I mean). It can contact Sprints servers through the network (when it is able) to further plot your location based on the data transmitted to/from the aGPS server.
When you first use the EVO, there is a screen that asks if you want to share anonymous location data. That setting is also tied to network-based location services. That is, if you disable anonymous location sharing, it also disables NBLS entirely. You can thank either Google or HTC (not sure which) for their greed on that one.
I just checked and mine was set to off. not sure what sets it to that as I never touch that setting.
Just adding my 2 cents.
Ok, There are a lot of posts and information regarding the GPS issue that some are experiencing. I am starting (yet) another post in the interest of compiling and maintaining information regarding that information in one location. As users/devs find out information I will update this post so everyone doesn't have to go looking everywhere for the information. I am hoping that the Moderator will sticky this post.
Some users are experiencing very long lock times for their GPS. Everyone, after reading A LOT of posts/threads it seems to be the consensus that this is a software/settings issue - NOT, a hardware issue. However, results from tweaking the following settings are very mixed. Most seem to get great results by tweaking the following settings while stationary - but, moving is a whole different ball game. I use the below settings and have great results while stationary. However, my G1 blows the Captivate completely out of the water!!! My G1 gave 3-10m accuracy while driving. This device can barely keep me on the correct highway and always seem lagging behind my current location. The G1 was spot on no matter what. What hasn't been determined is if these issues are hardware or software. For whatever my opinion is worth - I think it is a firmware/software issue. Here are some things to try.
Here is the info:
To get to your GPS settings open you dialer and dial the following number. This will not call anyone - it is a code shortcut to the settings:
*#*#1472365#*#*
Once entered you will observe a screen that has five buttons:
Get Position Test
Application Settings
SUPL/CP Settings
Test Application
Delete GPS Data
We will be interested in three of these initial buttons.
Get Position Test: This will be what one uses to test the results of your changes.
Application Settings: Exactly what it says.
SUPL/CP Settings: settings that determine specific data connectivity with the satellites.
In Application Settings the following are some that you might consider adjusting:
Operation Mode - Standalone, MS Based, MS assisted, Network Provider
Accuracy - defaults to 50. Don't set it below 10 (and only use increments of 10's)
SkyHook - not sure what it does. But, someone on a thread mentioned it and it DOES effect satellite lock times.
In SUPL/CP Settings one we'll be interested in the following:
Server FQDN Type
Server
Server Port
The following are the options provided on other threads:
Original/Stock Settings:
SUPL/CP Settings/SErver FQDN Type/Custom Config
Application settings/Operation Mode/Standalone
SUPL/CP Settings/Server/www.spirent-lcs.com
SUPL/CP Settings/Port/7275
Second suggested setup (from other posts and claimed to have great results):
SUPL/CP Settings/SErver FQDN Type/Custom Config
Application settings/Operation Mode/MS Based
SUPL/CP Settings/Server/supl.google.com
SUPL/CP Settings/Port/7276
Other settings that I have played with:
Application settings/SkyHook/On (and Off)
SUPL/CP Settings/SErver FQDN Type/Auto Config (and Custom Config)
You can play around with these to see what gives you the best results. If your GPS doesn't work better with whatever changes you made - than you can always put it back to the orginal settings above.
However, it has been recommended and I concur (for whatever that is worth) that you NEED TO SET THE FOLLOWING BEFORE YOU START PLAYING AROUND: Settings/Location and security/uncheck (turn off) "Use Wireless Networks). Most likely this won't really effect anything while your testing within the GPS settings - however, this will effect your results if you test using Google Maps, etc.
Now, having duly noted all of the above and having played around with the settings for several hours I found the best results FOR MY DEVICE IN MY AREA AT ONE LOCATION was the following:
Note: I adjusted these settings from earlier as the earlier settings proved to be very accurate when stationary - but, very inaccurate while moving. The latest settings I'm using are below. Also, look to the bottom of this post regarding changing your gps configuration file. That also helped A LOT. The bottom section of information is from the Official websites that run the time servers(effects GPS performance).
Application Settings/Operation Mode/MS Based
Application Settings/Operation Mode/SkyHook/ON (VERY IMPORTANT)
SUPL/CP Settings/Server FQDN Type/Custom Config
SUPL/CP Settings/Server/supl.google.com
SUPL/CP Settings/Server Port/7276
SUPL/CP Settings/SUPL Secure Socket/Off
Turning "SkyHook" ON assisted in faster locks with ALL of my tested settings when stationary!
My test results with the above would lock on up to three satellites in under four seconds and between 7 and 10 by eight seconds. Google Maps would locate me in about 6-8 seconds.
Using "Get Position Test" the settings in the three lines above consistently gave the not only the fastest locks and the most locks - but, also STRONGER SIGNALS!
I used at least seven different combinations of the above settings and some of them were just as quick - but, not as strong. Most of them were slower.
If anyone has better information to add then please PM me and I will add it to this top post.
LASTLY, I will make some guesses as to what some of the other settings do as I have heard different information:
Application Settings:
Session Type: Tracking or Singleshot - obvious (use Tracking)
Start Mode: Hot or Cold Start - someone posted on a thread that Hot uses data from your last read to get started. Cold start will start all over. So, Cold start SHOULD increase the time for you to get a lock unless you went left the area to an area that had different satellite to look up.
Test Application:
Performance Test: worked for me - but, I found the test above to work faster and give me quicker results for what I wanted.
Hardware Test/Sensitivity Test: Pretty cool - went on forever and I stopped it.
CNO Test: Seemed to test the average satellite signal strength.
Antenna Test: Never worked for me and I received errors.
H/W Test Settings: Settings for the above tests - I didn't mess with them.
NOTE: WANT TO SEE HOW ACCURATE YOUR ACCELEROMETER/COMPASS/ORIENTATION settings are? Check this out:
Test Application/Show Sensor Data - there is no way to calibrate it here... But, you can see just how sensitive your instruments are!!
Delete GPS Data - I didn't select this button and I don't recommend anyone else doing so either unless someone from Samsung tells us what it does. LOL!
FINALLY: Keep in mind that if you are seeing GPS lock times that are in the 3-8 second range (which was what I was getting) this WILL NOT be how long it takes for Google Maps to get the GPS data! Expect 8-15 seconds or a little longer (but, under 30 seconds) for Google Maps to pick up your location. Although the GPS sensors might pick up the satellites - you still have to give the software time to evaluate the data and apply it to the software.
Hope this helps someone out there.
Update/Additional Information (http://androidforums.com/1194187-post197.html):
Hot Start - The GPS receiver remembers its last calculated position and which satellites were in view, the almanac used, and the UTC Time. It then performs a reset and attempts to acquire satellites and calculate a new position based upon the previous information. This is the quickest re-acquisition of a GPS lock.
Cold Start - The GPS receiver dumps all information and resets. It then attempts to locate satellites and then calculate a GPS lock. This takes the longest because there is no known information. The GPS receiver has to attempt to lock a satellite signal from all of the satellites, basically like polling, which takes a lot longer than knowing which satellites to look for. This re-acquisition of a GPS lock takes the longest.
Thanks to Shadow77895 for the link to this info. I altered the settings above. Doesn't effect my results much at all.
MSBased Operation Mode(http://www.vzwdevelopers.com/aims/public/menu/lbs/LBSFAQ.jsp#GenQues11):
What is MS-Based mode of operation?
In MS-Based mode, the network provides the satellite information to the device, based on a rough estimate of where the device is located, and the device acquires the GPS signals from the satellites and calculates its location. After the initial fix, the device operates like an autonomous GPS receiver, until the satellite information must be refreshed, at which time the device goes back to the network to update the satellite information. MS-Based mode is appropriate for applications that require the device location to be updated rapidly, such as a navigation application.
And email thread regarding using the Google settings for GPS(http://osdir.com/ml/android-platform/2009-08/msg00386.html)
NEW INFORMATION!!!
ALSO! Check out this page: http://www.pool.ntp.org/en/use.html:
As pool.ntp.org will assign you timeservers from all over the world, time quality will not be ideal. You get a bit better result if you use the continental zones (For example europe, north-america, oceania or asia.pool.ntp.org), and even better time if you use the country zone (like ch.pool.ntp.org in Switzerland) - for all these zones, you can again use the 0, 1 or 2 prefixes, like 0.ch.pool.ntp.org. Note, however, that the country zone might not exist for your country, or might contain only one or two timeservers. If you know timeservers that are really close to you (measured by network distance, with traceroute or ping), time probably will be even better.
Find your optimal pool server here: http://www.pool.ntp.org/zone/north-america
For US the optimal server is: us.pool.ntp.org
Reference other threads I (http://ip208-100-42-21.static.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=731462) I recommend you do the following:
Use Root Explorer or some other method (I use Root Explorer as it has a built in Text Editor and automatically backs up the altered file.) to go to here:
system/etc/gps.conf
Use the text editor to alter the gps.conf file to this (if you are in the US):
NTP_SERVER=us.pool.ntp.org
XTRA_SERVER_1=north-america.pool.ntp.org
XTRA_SERVER_2=http://xtra2.gpsonextra.net/xtra.bin
XTRA_SERVER_3=http://xtra3.gpsonextra.net/xtra.bin
If you are NOT in the US go to here: http://www.pool.ntp.org/en/use.html and look at the links in the center of the page to navigate to the closest pool to your geographical location and use that pool for the top server entry.
REQUEST FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
Many are suggesting that we do NOT leave the Secure Socket ON. How will this effect data security with our devices? I don't understand how it could hurt us... But, there must be a reason for it. If someone could let me know I would appreciate it.
Good, guide, think you meant hot start should be faster though.
I'll be linking to this.
Sent from my Samsung Captivate using XDA app
Great, but doesn't address the problem
I need to point out that while this information is helpful it doesn't really address the problem that the GPS is facing.
What the above settings are doing is enabling multiple different A-GPS technologies to help compensate for the Galaxy S's poor GPS performance. A properly functioning GPS unit would not need these crutches except to acquire a faster fix.
I had my GPS outdoors today, with the first set of recommended settings, and was unable to achieve a fix while seven satellites were in view (according to it) with sufficient signal strength. This is a GPS firmware issue!
The above post is very helpful for people to get some better performance - however - the core GPS issues need to be addressed by Samsung.
I hope people will refrain from saying "It's perfect now!" and let up on Samsung. Unless you know what what the following are you're tweaking settings blindly and declaring victory: ephemeris, PDOP, SBAS, WGS-84, 2D fix, 3D fix (And the conditions one is chosen over the other.) and finally SA
I'm betting this phone would never achieve a fix in an SA environment! It's also clear that the person(s) who originated this information knew exactly what they were doing..!
If anyone is interested in learning how GPS works there are tons of great resources on the web that Google will point you to. Of course they're written for all sorts of different levels.
In short, the above settings may help, but please don't become convinced that things are "fixed"!
I'd suggest you read my posts on the subject:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=7244888#post7244888
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=7289539#post7289539
@haydonxda - I agree that this does NOT address the potential problem that the firmware and/or hardware is inadequate! And, we should put pressure on Samsung to fix this issue. However, the phones have already been produced and I'm just trying to do the best with I have.
@Shadow77895 - thanks for the info. Added a bunch of further information after looking into your posts and references from them.
Try this fix (from 4pda.ru), working on Galaxy S, root access required:
$su
#cat /data/gps/secgps.conf > /sdcard/secgps.conf
#rm /data/gps/secgps.conf
#reboot
After reboot, new (correct) secgps.conf appears.
At your own risk!
shaneaus said:
NEW INFORMATION!!!
ALSO! Check out this page: http://www.pool.ntp.org/en/use.html:
As pool.ntp.org will assign you timeservers from all over the world, time quality will not be ideal. You get a bit better result if you use the continental zones (For example europe, north-america, oceania or asia.pool.ntp.org), and even better time if you use the country zone (like ch.pool.ntp.org in Switzerland) - for all these zones, you can again use the 0, 1 or 2 prefixes, like 0.ch.pool.ntp.org. Note, however, that the country zone might not exist for your country, or might contain only one or two timeservers. If you know timeservers that are really close to you (measured by network distance, with traceroute or ping), time probably will be even better.
Find your optimal pool server here: http://www.pool.ntp.org/zone/north-america
For US the optimal server is: us.pool.ntp.org
Reference other threads I (http://ip208-100-42-21.static.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=731462) I recommend you do the following:
Use Root Explorer or some other method (I use Root Explorer as it has a built in Text Editor and automatically backs up the altered file.) to go to here:
system/etc/gps.conf
Use the text editor to alter the gps.conf file to this (if you are in the US):
NTP_SERVER=us.pool.ntp.org
XTRA_SERVER_1=north-america.pool.ntp.org
XTRA_SERVER_2=http://xtra2.gpsonextra.net/xtra.bin
XTRA_SERVER_3=http://xtra3.gpsonextra.net/xtra.bin
If you are NOT in the US go to here: http://www.pool.ntp.org/en/use.html and look at the links in the center of the page to navigate to the closest pool to your geographical location and use that pool for the top server entry.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How do you use the text editor in Root Explorer. I can see the text but it won't allow me to edit it.
Hello, the code:
*#*#1472365#*#*
starts a GPS Test Application.
The settings inside this application are only for this application.
You can test your GPS in different modes.
But the settings are not relevant for other applications.
It is a simple illusion that it helps to manipulate this settings.
GPS is very time-dependent.
And:
I don't know where we can change the default GPS Mode/s...
So when I walk outside my office there are like 7 satellites, and I still cannot get a lock. This is sad.
Out of the box it worked great, navigated from BB to my house with relative ease. Inside my house when I showed my parents it worked great. I rooted and deleted some ATT apps. I have yet to get a lock.
I have also changed the NTP servers and no dice. This is pretty saddening performance.
I still don't get why my Nexus One, sitting right next to my Samsung Captivate, is able to get a aGPS location (via My Location in maps) that is pretty damn accurate despite not having a GPS lock and my Captivate is unable to even get an aGPS location and just says my location data is temporarily unavailable.
Nexus One: Can get approximate location very easily
Samsung Captivate: Cannot even get approximate location using WIFI/Cell Towers.
Foursquare never knows where I am until I go outside in the middle of a parking lot. This is BS.
Won't anyone try GPS NMEA MONITOR App and see if the data sentences are correct? If the GPS chipset is putting out the correct Lat/Lon, then you can fiddle and fiddle what Captivate does with the information
Has anyone tried to contact Samsung about the issue yet? I tried yesterday and was on hold for an hour and half and then my call dropped. I'm joint to try again today.
SkyHook isn't a "feature" persay, it's a corporation: http://www.skyhookwireless.com/
Same one Apple uses. Not sure exactly how it works but they do wardrive and use WiFi and triangulation to pick up your position as well, so leaving that OFF will perhaps be better for calibrating your GPS settings, but you certainly want it back ON when in normal use.
TexUs said:
SkyHook isn't a "feature" persay, it's a corporation: http://www.skyhookwireless.com/
Same one Apple uses. Not sure exactly how it works but they do wardrive and use WiFi and triangulation to pick up your position as well, so leaving that OFF will perhaps be better for calibrating your GPS settings, but you certainly want it back ON when in normal use.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What kind of aGPS does the Nexus One use? I tried to dial the code and it didn't bring up the same menu on the Nexus (it may be different). My Nexus is great at figuring out where I am without a GPS signal.
I changed all my settings last night and it seemed to fix the issue. I was getting a lock within 10 seconds or less. Now I cannot get a lock with the exact same settings and reboot. Has anyone contacted Samsung over this? Anyone get an answer from them? I love this phone but the GPS issue sucks.
Every time I try one of these new fixes it seems to work but then when I go somewher else it is broken again they need to fix this asap. I use that feature a lot
superscientific said:
I changed all my settings last night and it seemed to fix the issue. I was getting a lock within 10 seconds or less. Now I cannot get a lock with the exact same settings and reboot. Has anyone contacted Samsung over this? Anyone get an answer from them? I love this phone but the GPS issue sucks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I just got off the phone with Samsung galaxy s support. They knew nothing!!!!!! Said I was the first one to call with the issue.
I'm thinking about returning the phone... GPS is the most important part of a smartphone to me... I'm very disappointed
Jreitnauer7 said:
I just got off the phone with Samsung galaxy s support. They knew nothing!!!!!! Said I was the first one to call with the issue.
I'm thinking about returning the phone... GPS is the most important part of a smartphone to me... I'm very disappointed
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't know about most important but I agree, it's very important. This HAS to be fixed
Jreitnauer7 said:
I just got off the phone with Samsung galaxy s support. They knew nothing!!!!!! Said I was the first one to call with the issue.
I'm thinking about returning the phone... GPS is the most important part of a smartphone to me... I'm very disappointed
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Don't give up hope, i'm sure that guy doesnt know anything. Engadget and a few sites are aware of the issue and i'm sure Samsung took notice. i'm sure a firmware fix is in the works.
Location
I have tried all the settings. And I don't really notice any difference. I live in the heart of Manhattan, NY., so I am sure roaming around int he concrete jungle trying to get a lock surely has a lot to do with my GPS issue. I do however, get a lock in every setting that has been written up in this forum, and other forums. The difference to me is hardly any, since it always takes many minutes for me to get a lock. I never have used any other GPS device since living here in the city, so I would like to ask other who live in a large city if it is taking them several minutes as well? Because it seems as though people are saying it is taking them only seconds to lock on. Hmmm.....
Greetings fellow developers and/or Android enthusiasts,
I wanted to take a moment to start a thread on for the Android application (2.2+) Backitude: Configurable Background Location Tracking. I would like a place to discuss the app publicly, discuss troubleshooting solutions, bugs, or motivate ideas and improvements.
Check out the Full version, ad-free available for free in the Android Market/Google Play store:
Download here: Backitude: Configurable Background Location Tracking
EDIT: Google Latitude shutdown their API on Aug 9, 2013 which completely changes the makeup of the application. Its sole purpose was to send locations to Google in order to maintain an accurate and timely history with Latitude. Now, it will be more geared towards keeping its own history and integrating with a number of systems or personal custom servers.
Backitude provides a bundle of extended features and functionality for updating Google Latitude locations from your Android device. If you are a Google Latitude user or once had interest in the concept of Google Latitude, then Backitude is an essential addon. Background gps location updating at your own specified time interval is now within your realm. Backitude expands your updating options, accuracy, and even allows you and your friends to force updates on eachother when needed, all seamlessly behind the scenes.
I created this app about a couple years ago to address two issues: I wanted to fix the short-comings of Google Latitude and make it a plausible application for users to enjoy and utilize effectively and efficiently. Also, I wanted to provide Google Play Store with such functionality free of charge. At the time, no such free application existed.
Google Latitude is somewhat inadequate on its own, but this is of no fault of the Google developers. They designed the application with battery efficiency as a number 1 priority. The conserve battery, Latitude on its own does not update locations in the background using GPS for accurate reporting. Instead it relies on Wi-Fi and cell tower triangulation to determine your location. Since many users refrain from enabling Wi-Fi when not stationary in their own network, or since Wi-Fi cannot be obtained while travelling, the resulting location updates are large, inaccurate "blue circles" on the map. Cycling through your Latitude friends, I mostly would see large, city-wide, inaccurate location readings- like I said, therefore truly defeating the purpose of Latitude. Latitude also fails to give the user any configurable options to location reporting. What good is a location history if majority of the values are city level and inaccurate? Backitude, to the rescue.
Backitude was designed to address all of this and put the power back into the hands of the user. You have complete control what, when, and how to update. Power can be a dangerous thing however. Google chose not to give the user a chance to configure their settings and risk draining batteries and having Android or Google products labelled as "battery drainers." Backitude is for the intelligent user, to know how to manage their battery, know their priorities, and know the effect of such functions. GPS polling is a very battery-intensive maneuver!
The final issue and gap Backitude inspired to bridge is updating a friend's location. It is great to have control over your location updates and allowing your friends to see exactly where you are, but what if they haven't updated recently or exactly when you needed to know their location? Backitude has an answer for that. "Fire an Update on a Friend" is the newest feature which utilizes SMS messaging to receive requests from other Backitude users. If your friend is also using Backitude and has this option enabled, you can send a request to their device which will in turn trigger an update at that very moment.
Additionally, there are many, many more features that all serve to give the user complete control of Latitude updates and battery consumption (in the context of Latitude updating). Thank you for checking it out, and I look forward to supplying any troubleshooting information right here for all to find, and hear ideas and feedback from those other enthusiasts out there.
Troubleshooting Topics
Location Updating using Backitude: the application utilizes oAuth2 authentication which is very easy and very convenient for the user. The user is able to grant permission for Backitude to integrate with their Google Latitude account at a click of a button without even having to enter their credentials.
The issue is, some users on some devices have experienced trouble obtaining this permission. It is important that users do one of the following before using Backitude, however, for some users it is required that they do both:
1) Use the Maps application to "activate Latitude for this device" by signing into Latitude. (Additionally, it is suggested that the user change their Latitude location reporting to "set your location". By manually updating your location and selecting an arbitrary position, you will prevent Latitude from wasting unnecessary battery life on updating your location, but still allow your friends to see your location. Backitude can do all your updates for you instead.)
2) From a PC or computer, visit Google Latitude and sign in from your browser. (And not from a tablet or smartphone browser) I do not know why this is required, but for some, to fully opt into the Google Latitude agreement and conditions, this is required.
After doing so, 99% of users are able to update using Backitude. An extreme minority, still have to perform some additional steps. This would include resetting your Google 3rd party authorizing sites, by revoking access from all, and then trying the process over from start. Signing into Maps. Activating Latitude. Installing Backitude..etc Any issues, I am always available via forum or email. Thanks!!
I just started using this app a few days ago after realizing how often Google Maps is polling for location information just to update latitude... Hundreds of times a day, even when I'm not moving!
So far, I'm liking what this app has to offer
Troubleshooting Topics: Location Updating using Backitude
If all else fails to get you updating, the following detailed description may help get you going as a last resort. Again, I'm not sure why oAuth2 can be so difficult for a small handful, and so convenient for so many others.
Start fresh by trying the following steps to reset your Google Latitude permissions
* From your android device, launch the Maps > Latitude application and Sign out. On the latest version, this is accomplished by going to Latitude > Menu > Location settings > Location reporting > Latitude location sharing > Sign out of Latitude
* Next, go into Android > Settings > Applications > Manage Applications > Maps and click the "Clear data" button.
* Similarly, uninstall the Backitude application by completing the following: Android > Settings > Applications > Manage Applications > Backitude and click the "Uninstall" button.
Now, follow these steps from a PC browser to remove access (so that we can then add them back)
* Visit google.com
* Sign into Google using the account you are trying to configure for Backitude
* Go to Google Account settings, or click "Account". (I will post a link directly there when I have the ability too)
* Scrolling down, you see the option to "Visit the previous version of the Account settings screen" which takes you to My Account.
* Under Security, select the link for "Authorizing applications & sites" (accounts.google.com/b/0/IssuedAuthSubTokens)
* Revoke access to any applicable "Android Login Service" entry including those such as "Full Account Access" and "Google Latitude"
Everything is now successfully reset, so perform the following steps in order.
* Sign into Latitude from a PC browser. (It is very important to sign in from a PC browser and not your android device at first). This is required by some devices for authentication purposes, to "opt" your Google account user into Latitude.
* Enable Google Latitude on your device using the Latitude app. If multiple accounts exist on your device, you may have to select the appropriate account by going to Maps > Menu > Settings > Switch Account. Then, or otherwise, sign-in to Latitude from your android device.
* Finally, you can try to re-install Backitude and successfully update your location to Google Latitude.
And that always seems to get the last 0.01% of users updating successfully who couldn't before. Annoying, yes!
Other similar 3rd party Latitude apps appear to be using a variant of oAuth1 authentication, which requires entering your password. I have contemplated implementing the same, to avoid this issue but perhaps future versions of Maps and Android will better activate permissions on those devices.
Backitude: My settings
How do I configure Backitude to run? Personally, with battery efficiency in mind while leaving the highest priority features enabled.
Enable Service: on (this is essentially the on/off switch)
Advanced Settings
Set Priority: Wi-Fi, with GPS/Tower Triangulation backup (One of the most overlooked but favorite options. This setting will abort GPS polling if a Wi-Fi network is present and the Wi-Fi location is accurate. So, in a real-life situation, my phone is indoors at work or at home with Wi-Fi enabled. GPS is enabled but not going to be able to get a fix indoors. Instead of polling for the entire extent of the Polling Timeout, Backitude will abort polling, and update using the Wi-Fi location value, which is all it ever would've gotten anyways. Beyond that, if I am outdoors and away from a Wi-Fi network with the same setup, the GPS will still poll and run its course as normal.)
Settings
Time Interval Option: 30 minutes (if my friends need a more recent update, they can ping me and have backitude fire off an automatic update seamlessly in the background)
Location Polling Timeout: 15 seconds (The longer GPS is allowed to run, the more potential battery gets burned if you can't acquire an easy fix)
Latitude Re-Sync Rate: off (this feature is only needed to prevent Latitude from overwriting your Backitude location update. However, I put my Latitude location reporting to manual so Latitude is no longer detecting my location. Battery saver too!)
Min. Change in Distance: off (I'm not a Location History keeper, so eliminating repeat updates is not a concern for me)
Location Steals: On (This is one of my favorite features. If you're using an app such as Maps, Navigator, or even the Internet, which polls your GPS, Backitude will steal this location and use it to update your location. The battery-intense function is already on-going thru another app, you might as well steal the location value and update your Latitude at very little expense.)
Accurate Update Only: On (You have to think about location "circles" for this option. Circles coming from inaccurate location readings. If your previous location value was more accurate then the current location reading, and the previous location is within the location perimeter of the newest location, it will repeat the more accurate location.
Real-time Enabled: Off (This is for individuals wanting to update at a faster rate when charging their device or docked. Personally, I just change my update interval when I want to update faster)
Real-time Interval: n/a (Users tend to want to poll location and update at a faster rate when their device is docked and battery is no longer a concern)
Real-time Timeout: n/a (When real-time updating, there is a separate timeout value for GPS polling versus the normal timeout. Users may have a different preference if their device is docked so there is a separation configuration for that)
Push Enabled: On (Allow friends to force an update to Latitude on my device by simply texting "Force Backitude update". I can get away polling at a slower rate and save battery because all my friends and fellow Backitude users know they can force an update on me when needed)
Display Message: off
Display Push Notif: off
Status Bar Icon: never
Display Update Message: off
Display Update Failed Notification: off
EP2008 said:
I just started using this app a few days ago after realizing how often Google Maps is polling for location information just to update latitude... Hundreds of times a day, even when I'm not moving!
So far, I'm liking what this app has to offer
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks. I'm currently working on fixing a couple known issues, and hoping to get a new release out this week. Nothing earth shattering though. I noticed you were running ICS... have you noticed any issues? I have not tested ICS compatibility yet, so I was always curious. Using a Bionic myself, I'm still hoping to get an update later this year and try it out myself. Thanks!
backitude said:
Thanks. I'm currently working on fixing a couple known issues, and hoping to get a new release out this week. Nothing earth shattering though. I noticed you were running ICS... have you noticed any issues? I have not tested ICS compatibility yet, so I was always curious. Using a Bionic myself, I'm still hoping to get an update later this year and try it out myself. Thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No issues that I've seen.
I did have a bit of frustration when testing it as I had it set not to update unless my location changed more than 100m, so when I fired a manual update, I assumed that would force an update regardless of the location setting. It wasn't until after I turned that setting off did the manual update refresh with a new location timestamp.
Not a huge issue, but for some time I didn't think that the app was working because the timestamp on the history log never changed after manual updates.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2
EP2008 said:
I assumed that would force an update regardless of the location setting.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I never thought of that. That is probably a fair assumption. I may have to consider re-working that logic, so that like you said- if "Fire Update" is launched, you do not consider skipping the update because of minimum distance rules. Thanks!
backitude said:
I never thought of that. That is probably a fair assumption. I may have to consider re-working that logic, so that like you said- if "Fire Update" is launched, you do not consider skipping the update because of minimum distance rules. Thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The reason I made the assumption was because I use an app called FolderSync, which helps manage cloud file storage services. With it, you can setup rules to sync your files, like what time a backup should be made, if you are plugged into a charger and if you are on wifi, etc. The app has an option for the user to initiate a manual sync, which basically ignores all scheduling rules over the users desire to sync right now. That's why I thought it might be the same for Backitude.
EP2008 said:
...The app has an option for the user to initiate a manual sync, which basically ignores all scheduling rules over the users desire to sync right now. That's why I thought it might be the same for Backitude.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I like the idea. I am going to change that for the next release. The settings for Backitude are pretty intimidating, even for novice Latitude users. I want to make it as user-friendly and straight forward as possible. Thanks for the help!
Still no way to see other people on Latitude? I'm sure it must be an API you don't have access to or something of that nature, but I still don't get the point of this app if it's "write-only". You can't see anyone, only they can see you.
You're correct in that the API is very limited. It only allows you access to your own location and location history, so there is no way to retreive your friends' locations, or even your list of friends. The purpose of Backitude is not to replace Google Latitude, but simply help correct its short-comings. Using backitude, and having your friends use backitude, ensures accurate locations, battery efficiency, and a means to update your friends' locations when you need their location. Once configured, Backitude runs in the background and can remain fairly transparent to your day to day Latitude use.
I'm using your app too in ICS 4.0.4 if you need some feedback. It's working quite well, even better than the other one! Keep the good work.
(Currently testing 2.7) Here is the change log, let me know if there's any more bugs I need to iron out last minute. Thanks!
Backitude: Update release 2.7 Changelog
1. Reported Issue: Backitude just stops running after a couple hours of use. (Unconfirmed but occasionally reported bug) I haven't been able to duplicate, however this could be the result of Android's memory management as an operating system, or the result of a Task Manager, task killer type of process. Users who experience such an issue should add Backitude to the ignore list on their task managers. However, I have made some changes in the code that may help.
2. Enhancement: For IOException, SocketTimeoutException, Read timed out, Unresolved host name. Backitude now has a re-attempt feature that will retry update after 60 seconds from a failed update due to these network congestion exceptions. (As directed to do by Google)
3. Enhancement: Implemented notification for users who cannot update due to permissions problem. (403/503 exception) Instructing user to first login to Google Latitude from a PC browser to "opt user into Google Latitude" and/or reset their Latitude location manually again. Google sometimes implements new terms and conditions and it may be required to re-opt into their agreement.
4. Enhancement: Updated Java Client libraries and Google Latitude libraries. I am hoping this shows improvements with efficiency, speed, memory, and issues.
5. Issue: (GUI) Steals option is not disabling if the Time Interval is under 5minutes. Likewise, it should then enable if the Time Interval is switch to greater than 1minute, similar to the behavior of the Re-Sync Rate option.
6. Reported Issue:*Wifi turns off after an update when Wifi Wake lock is enabled. Backitude now checks to see if Wi-Fi is connected (and therefore not sleeping) before acquiring a Wi-Fi wake lock.
7.* Change: "Fire Update" does not update location if minimum required distance is configured and new location is not outside of the bounds of previous location. Fire Update, since it is a manual update, has been changed to not consider the minimum distance configuration and bypass this validation.
8. Issue: Steals and manual updates (Fire Update) are not resetting the Time Interval clock after a successful update. This issue has been resolved.
9. Issue: Minimum distance calculation not taking into consideration changes in accuracy. If accuracy changes greatly from one location poll to the next, the location centers could be drastically far apart although the device has not moved. Offsetting the accuracy changes will result in better results for calculating change in distance.
10. Change: Push Update notification labels have been updated.
Well thats a nice application. Just starting to use it.
I have a suggestion. As my phone goes at night in a kind of sleeping mode - Wifi off, 3G off, Wifi Off, etc. - i would like to have a function to disable Backitude for certain hours or much better a Tasker Plugin.
What do you think ?
Thomas_BA said:
Well thats a nice application. Just starting to use it.
I have a suggestion. As my phone goes at night in a kind of sleeping mode - Wifi off, 3G off, Wifi Off, etc. - i would like to have a function to disable Backitude for certain hours or much better a Tasker Plugin.
What do you think ?
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Thanks, glad you like it so far!!! It's funny you mention that because I have two main goals for the summer. Tasker integration and off-line storage/sync. I looked into Tasker once before over the winter and it turned out to be a lot more work then expected so I put it off, as this is just sort of a hobby in my free time. But with baseball season upon us, I do a lot of coding with the games on. Go Sox!
In the mean time, there is a setting for wake locks in Advanced Settings for Backitude. You can turn disable the wake locks and Backitude will not run once your phone goes into sleep mode. This means that the gps will not run while sleeping..etc Hope this helps
Nice to read hat you planning a Tasker integration/plug-in.
Yes for the time being i have disabled both wake locks. Disadvantage is that my phone sleeps a lot . I have my display timeout set to 1 minute, so sometimes my phone is sleeping for an hour while walking around in Buenos Aires or Argentina. Anyway for now this is the only solution. Looking forward to your next developments.
Thanks.
Thomas_BA said:
Yes for the time being i have disabled both wake locks. Disadvantage is that my phone sleeps a lot . I have my display timeout set to 1 minute, so sometimes my phone is sleeping for an hour while walking around in Buenos Aires or Argentina.
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Actually, it shouldn't be that bad. Backitude will only cease functioning without wake locks once the device goes into a "deep sleep mode." I am not sure about the specifics of when this occurs, but it's separate then just display timeout. Can even take up to an hour or more from what I read, so as long as you're using it every hour or so, it should continue functioning. Please post your findings though, I am intrigued now.
I will observe the pushing frequency to Latitude and keep you informed.
I've been using Backitude for a few months now.
However, even with WiFi Wake Lock enabled, it seems the accuracy of my updates does not improve. However, when I open google maps with WiFi already on, the accuracy is few meters (I work and live in a dense WiFi area).
Do you think that Backitude for some reason is not turning on the WiFi, or is WiFi based localisation not being picked up by latitude?
Thanks for a great app!
Its hard to describe exactly what's going on but Ive got two completely different android phones, different manufactures and running different android versions and yet I experience the same erratic GPS location issues in OpenCPN, a marine navigation application. The problem is intermittent but serious as I am navigating and the error is significant. With one of the phones I can sometime restart the phone and the error goes away and I get a correct fix for a while.
In an attempt to understand the problem I installed various GPS test apps and I have noticed the error in location does not affect these apps. Ie. The GPS is getting accurate fixes but not the opencpn app.
In opencpn I can observe the nmea data it receives and when the error is present I can see the nmea lat and long do not match the location reported by the GPS test apps.
How can this be? Do apps have different ways to interrogate the internal GPS to obtain the location? Is the NMEA data which the opencpn app monitors not native to the GPS hardware and somehow able to be miscalculated or corrupted?
Any pointers to how I can figure out a solution?
Contact devs of OpenCPN app.