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
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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.
If you are one of the lucky few that owns a Samsung Captivate, please post your impressions of it here. I know only one person that reported ui lag on the captivate so far but the galaxy s forum is swarming with them. Also a gps poll over there indicated that many users were experiencing unsavory searching times and bad signals.
Share good and bad impressions here please.
p.s. a video of UI lag would be most appreciated so others can see what you are talking about and compare their own results.
From the videos that I have seen, occasionally there is some UI lag but it doesn't appear to be real bad. If you install another desktop launcher the phone is quicker so to me it doesn't matter. I could care less if I use touchwiz.
As far as the GPS... I don't know. It'll be interesting to find out though.
go to Androidforums.com to see all of the videos. They have a thread going with everything.
http://androidforums.com/samsung-captivate/120716-official-unboxing-preview-review-thread-post-your-finds-here.html
wow great coverage there, Thanks!. Is the little hickup when transitioning from one screen to another by swiping the "ui lag" that peeps are talking about? Dont get me wrong, i could see how i that could get annoying, especially since this phone deff has the hardware to run smoother than butter on a hot summer day..
Still thats not as bad as i hear some people make it out to sound. Maybe some users experience exceptionally high lag? But you say the diff desktop launcher takes care even of that tiny hickup?
I ask so much because im trying to make an informed purchasing decision .
systoxity said:
wow great coverage there, Thanks!. Is the little hickup when transitioning from one screen to another by swiping the "ui lag" that peeps are talking about? Dont get me wrong, i could see how i that could get annoying, especially since this phone deff has the hardware to run smoother than butter on a hot summer day..
Still thats not as bad as i hear some people make it out to sound. Maybe some users experience exceptionally high lag? But you say the diff desktop launcher takes care even of that tiny hickup?
I ask so much because im trying to make an informed purchasing decision .
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The Androidforums.com have blown up with post since the captivate was announced. You should go read some of the details over there. AndroidandMe also has a video of the different desktops and yes they clear up the lag.
I havn't seen major lag on the captivate in any of the videos posted but I have seen some sluggish UI Experience on occasion. I'm not worried about it all because of the different desktops that you can download from the android market.
Samsung is suppose to be working on a fix as this is a software issue not a hardware issue. Who knows... Maybe Android 2.2. will fix it.
<3. Thats all i have to say.
Now for the record... Is this the most powerful phone on the market right now or what?
I cant find any references to where another phone beats this phone at anything (battery life excluded, haven't seen any info on that) except for that 2d stuff from the droid (which is touted to be meaningless anyway)...
Re: GPS - of all the video reviews of GPS aquisition on the Galaxy S, the speed was as fast or faster than other devices (running Android or iOS), so it should not be a problem. I will report back on the 18th or 19th after I get my Samsung Captivate.
thanks, OKMFT. Really looking forward to your input. I think the GPS is the only thing thats really troubling me now.
I just got to play with this phone in a local ATT store. I do kinda see what the OP was saying. I had an Aria in one hand and the Captivate in the other. The Aria seemed really smooth in transition while the Captivate was fast but seemed jittery. I think it may be more of a trick to the eye because the background moves just a little when you swipe the windows. Otherwise, every app I played with, email, internet, everything was really fast and sharp. The camera takes great pics with very little zoom time (unlike my HTC HD). The phone itself seems well built and extremely light weight. Overall I left very impressed and am planning to pick it up this weekend.
thnx 4 postin that here too. u didnt get a chance to play with the gps too by ne chance did you?
I unfortunately did not get a chance. I only had a couple minutes with it as the sales guy didn't want anyone else to see it because they were apparently not even supposed to have the device yet.
oh wow, nice job then!
I purchased one late Friday afternoon (after having been previously denied by two other stores and several other salespeople), and have taken it running, walking, and driving (using "Runner," "GPS Status," and Google Maps and Navigation).
I have found that it seems overall slower and less secure in GPS signal acquisition than my previous phones (iPhone 4, 3Gs, 3G) but is on par with my old Samsung Blackjack II. It took a while sometimes to get a signal and occasionally lost it when it had a reasonably good view of the sky (especially in car navigation). That being said, the iPhones weren't perfect either and all had trouble at times, so for me, it was just a little aggravating rather than a deal-breaker. Even though I didn't get instant gratification with Captivate's GPS, it never let me down for long and then was able to pick up the signal.
There've been a number of GPS fixes suggested over at Android Forums in the Galaxy S and Captivate areas...take a look and see if any work for you (oh, and report back!).
Summary: this phone is fast and snappy if you adequately manage running programs and widgets, and the GPS is kind of slow at times but not unusable.
I purchased one late Friday afternoon (after having been previously denied by two other stores and several other salespeople), and have taken it running, walking, and driving (using "Runner," "GPS Status," and Google Maps and Navigation).
I have found that it seems overall slower and less secure in GPS signal acquisition than my previous phones (iPhone 4, 3Gs, 3G) but is on par with my old Samsung Blackjack II. It took a while sometimes to get a signal and occasionally lost it when it had a reasonably good view of the sky (especially in car navigation). That being said, the iPhones weren't perfect either and all had trouble at times, so for me, it was just a little aggravating rather than a deal-breaker. Even though I didn't get instant gratification with Captivate's GPS, it never let me down for long and then was able to pick up the signal.
Also, this phone is blazing fast except when too much stuff is churning away in the background. ATK takes care of that.
(Sorry for the duplicate post, as I accidentally posted this originally in the wrong thread and couldn't figure out how to delete it).
just got the phone. Stock just out of the box. I used gps with google maps on the way home. Got a lock in the few seconds it took me to load the map. Gps was flawless all the way home.
i'll let you know if anything changes.
Have had mine since Thursday evening. GPS is slow for me, I haven't actually put it to use yet so not sure how it performs after acquiring signal, I've tried a few of the suggestions in different forums, switching it to network service does seem to help.
As far as the UI, I actually considered returning the phone. Coming from a 3gs I was suprised how little difference there was at first. Then, after using it for a few days found it actually slowed down (adv task killer was one of the first apps I installed and I use it regularly)
However, per a suggestion from someone I installed LauncherProBeta and used it instead of Touch Wiz, what a difference. I mean really it's a different phone now. There are a few other fixes I'll do once I get a new SD card too that should help.
systoxity said:
just got the phone. Stock just out of the box. I used gps with google maps on the way home. Got a lock in the few seconds it took me to load the map. Gps was flawless all the way home.
i'll let you know if anything changes.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Picked up mine at local BB this morn at when they opened! Went from 3gs to this and so far please.
Now only probably I have is since 1100am central time I tried GPS and can't connect. Longest I have left it trying was the 30min drive home. No luck just a crazy icon in status bar that wont connect.
First Droid so I'm new to anymods so it could just be me. Been at this forum since Moto days and love it
This. Launcher pro beta fixed all lag. As for gps, mine catches in 5 to 10th seconds. I experimented with location settings and some were detrimental. Try turning all gps related stuff on or just play with those options to see if any help
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.
Wanted to get a read from folks as to what their Gut feel is. Are you confident that Sammy will really fix this? Any by fix, I mean the following. This comes from experiences with 2 HTC smartphones (Aria, and the Pure):
1. GPS locks in under 5 seconds in clear sky conditions
2. Usable navigation; IOW, 30-50m accuracy, again under ideal conditions.
3. Usable navigation such that it stays locked while driving at highway speeds.
TIA.
I have not experienced any of the above issues (post update) except for the 5 second lock, and even my garmin can't do that. The cog2.2 had my gps jacked up so I reverted back and it works great again.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I897 using XDA App
I did My Tracks for the first time today and was surprised by the results - highway for 15 miles, 15 miles off (obtained the lock at highway speeds as well) But it lost me in this one dead area about a mile from my house - I drop most calls through this one area as well too.. must be a whole in the ozone
However! (Always a however, right?) Tonight while walking the dog around the neighborhood, the phone could see up to 12 satellites.. yet it didn't get a lock for over 5 minutes. <--- This is the biggest problem I have with the GPS on this phone. INCONSISTENT AS HELL.
What causes the inconsistency?? So since I've owned the phone (release day) and it's been this long and inconsistent from the beginning, I am beginning to lose my confidence in a real fix (at least Samsung can make some kind of formal announcement you know?)
My GPS has always worked. Stock JF6. Cognition 2, 2.1, 2.2.1-5. Anything I throw at it, it just works. Freeway, walking, indoors, etc. I think it is partly a hardware issue.
Mine is fixed
I ordered my Captivate from AT&T's online store. GPS did not work, no matter what kind of settings I played with (lbstestmode, etc.). Got the update, no help. Took it back to the AT&T store and replaced it. Got the update and it works fantastically. If yours is still in the 30 day warranty period get it switched out.
Considering that many people had the gps issue fixed with the ota update or with the newly released froyo, yet many still have problems, I think there are some bad phones. I'll try to get mine replaced even though it's outside the 30 days.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I897 using XDA App
I'm on my second Captivate. I have no faith that GPS will be reliable enough to use for navigation purposes or apps like My Tracks or even Layar. The OTA update definitely helped, but turns and changes in direction throw it off by quite a bit.
About all it is good for is telling your weather app what city you are in.
For me, the GPS didn't work from the first day I bought the phone. It got a lot better after the OTA update. However, it's getting mess up again in the last few days. I've heard other people from this forum said the GPS will go bad after a few weeks, I guess that's happening to me now. Moreover, the lag seems to be getting worse too.
I'm running Cognition 2.2 FroYo and for the first time ever I got 11/11 sattelites locked. My ride home it stayed more or less dead on the street i was on, occassionally wavered onto the sidewalk a bit or whatnot in My Tracks. That's using the stock settings (spirent-lcs.com and Standalone, with Use Wireless Networks off). If this does not degrade over time, I'd call it fixed for sure.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I897 using XDA App
Keep it coming folks; seems like for the most part people's gut feel is about in line with mine. Im going to return my Captivate to Amazon and have them replace it to see if I can see any improvement. Not holding my breath though.
waiting4gingerbread said:
My GPS has always worked. Stock JF6. Cognition 2, 2.1, 2.2.1-5. Anything I throw at it, it just works. Freeway, walking, indoors, etc. I think it is partly a hardware issue.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Mine has always worked on both of captivates. It's in no way perfect but it gets the job done.
I just ordered a replacement Captivate from Amazon. I will then update the software to JH7 in the un-mollested state to see what kind of improvements I see, if any.
Crossed fingers............Bottom line, im not too confident.
So I got my replacement Captivate from Amazon. The second I got it, I stepped outside to see if I can get a GPS lock. I stood there for 5 minute, and no lock.
So I did the software update; which worked. It didnt work on my "molested" captivate.
I then went outside for a drive. Locked very quickly I think 5 seconds. Accuracy was very good; certainly on par with the two HTC smart phones Ive owned.
Maybe its dumb luck that I got a good unit; but it seems not overly molesting your captivate is a good idea until people really understand the consequences.
EDIT: The above drive I mentioned was in neighborhood roads, at relatively low speeds. On my way to work it was definitely NOT as accurate as my HTC Pure. It showed me about 1 exit behind; was about a half or three quarters of a mile.
I just want to say that I called Samsung support directly yesterday and the guy told me that "he hasn't heard anyone else who's applied the JH7 update that said their GPS wasn't fixed."
SO CALL SAMSUNG SUPPORT FOR THE LOVE OF GOD. Don't stop calling. They need to know the update didn't fix it!
brandonb81 said:
I just want to say that I called Samsung support directly yesterday and the guy told me that "he hasn't heard anyone else who's applied the JH7 update that said their GPS wasn't fixed."
SO CALL SAMSUNG SUPPORT FOR THE LOVE OF GOD. Don't stop calling. They need to know the update didn't fix it!
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They already know. I can guarantee you that some of their dev team consistently troll these forums.
My GPS works pretty well, especially considering its a phone, since JH7 OTA update.
The problem you're talking about with locks under 5 seconds, isnt always going to happen. It depends on how long its been since the last time gps was used, and how close you are currently to where you last used it.
If you use it and then turn it off, and in a few hours turn it back on, at roughly the last location it was used, it'll get a very quick lock. If you wait days, it wont. If you use it at location A last, then are long ways away from that location when turning it back on, it wont get a quick lock, it has to calculate where its at based on new data from the satellites. Thats the nature of the beast with GPS. My Garmin in my car is the exact same way. If it has to do a cold start it sometimes takes up to 2 mins to get a lock. But once its got it, if I go in a store for a few mins and come right back out, it picks up location almost immediately.
Since JH7 I'd say my GPS performance more than meets my expectations for a mobile phone GPS.
Started out very confident.
Less confident every day.
Tinyboss said:
Started out very confident.
Less confident every day.
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Yeah, I'm with you here.
When it came to the HTC video driver fiasco on many of their phones it was sickening that HTC wouldn't do anything about it, or even tackle the issue on future releases. But at least slower video performance than the hardware was capable of wasn't really a deal breaker when it was still working good. So I could understand why a company wouldn't invest a ton to fix it for already purchased phones.
This however is outright broken. It's not a phone with good video performance that COULD perform better with an update. It's a phone with a broken technology that can hopefully be FIXED with an update.
I don't know how Samsung will avoid lawsuits etc etc by manufacturing a blatantly broken piece of technology unless they can rectify the situation... quickly. I think their window is slowly closing on this type of scenario.
As for myself, the GPS problem just isn't an issue since I don't use the GPS anyhow. So I'm not a consumer frothing at the mouth, but the idea that I spent money on a fancy, but broken, phone leaves a bitter taste in that unfrothy mouth of mine.
I'm very confident. I put the leaked froyo from designgears on one of my phones and the lock was fast, and gps accurate. Drove from Chicago to Kohler, WI the other day (~130 miles) and ran gps on the phone along with my dedicated gps unit to check accuracy. Had no issues at all.
I think once 2.2 is released, all of the gps issues will be resolved if the leaked version is any indication.
I'm guessing it's the sum of several issues causing problems.
1. Basic hardware configuration that results in worse signal-to-noise than other handsets.
2. Non-optimized settings that sporadically contribute to slow or poor locks
3. Some kind of software buffering or other issues that cause freeze-ups where the position doesn't update.
When my phone is working well I don't experience problems 2 and 3, and I can live with problem 1. When that's the case I get consistent tracking 95% of my trip. Sometime 2 and 3 seem to creep into the picture for no apparent reason. I hope and expect they will get those problems solved.
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.
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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.
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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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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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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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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"