Related
I really need to know because I drive an ambulance for a living is the GPS actually fixable? I love the phone but hate the GPS that locks up and is inaccurate, or just doesnt lock on.The tweaks I've tired. No luck. I called Samsung and asked and they have no clue and think the Sept patch worked. I think its a cover up and the first run is just plain defective. What's the probability its hardware and not fixable.
Thanks Travis
Call att and get it replaced. I got a replacement phone and so far the GPS has worked when I needed it. It locks pretty quickly most of the time. Sometimes it takes 20 to 30 seconds but always locks reguardless
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I897 using XDA App
I'm pretty certain it is a hardware problem and Samsung is trying very hard to see if they can fix it, or 'optimize' it, in software to avoid a mass recall of millions of these phones.
Smallsmx - a quick lock is very different from reliable navigation. Driving around using Google Nav as well as analyzing using something like MyTracks is the way to go to see if the GPS is actually accurate.
Here's a track I just created with MyTracks. If you zoom in, you can see that the track jumps between the north-bound & south-bound lanes of the highway several times, as well as veers off of the road several times. These may seem insignificant, but they're the kind of things that play havoc with navigation software (constant re-routing, etc). Also note that I'm in a rural area; i.e. no interference from tall buildings to blame this on...
I'm pretty convinced it is a hardware problem.. I've been through 4 Captivates, and only 1 has worked. The Captivate that has the working GPS works on all ROMs, but works best after JH7 (or the froyo builds). The other 3 Captivates, the GPS doesn't work anywhere.
I wouldn't want to trust my life to the Captivate's GPS navigation! If I found out my ambulance was being navigated by a Captivate, I'd wait for the next one
tblindt said:
I really need to know because I drive an ambulance for a living is the GPS actually fixable? I love the phone but hate the GPS that locks up and is inaccurate, or just doesnt lock on.The tweaks I've tired. No luck. I called Samsung and asked and they have no clue and think the Sept patch worked. I think its a cover up and the first run is just plain defective. What's the probability its hardware and not fixable.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Please don't use the C(r)appy GPS for anything like that! It's just not up to it! Even if the GPS does work from time to time, you'll spend too much time second guessing it. Get a dedicated GPS that you KNOW works so you can concentrate on doing the important stuff like not hitting other cars and saving lives!
foxbat121 said:
I'm pretty certain it is a hardware problem and Samsung is trying very hard to see if they can fix it, or 'optimize' it, in software to avoid a mass recall of millions of these phones.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Agreed 100%. If it was a simple software bug, it would have been fixed in JH7. They initially claimed JH7 fixed it... And then they contradicted themselves and said there was no GPS fix in JH7.
So Sammy is confusing us with smoke and mirrors and hoping they can still circumvent what is likely to be a recall only fix. Imagine the impact of a recall. Cost would be huge. PR would be a nightmare. Impact on future Galaxy S sales would be massive. See how cleverly and deviously Apple avoided an iPhone 4 recall with what was clearly a major hardware defect.
And for those of you that say your Cappy's GPS works perfectly, there is one of two conditions that apply:
1. You got a lock while stationary from > x satellites and assume from that alone that GPS works. A better criteria would be GPS tracking while driving in an urban environment with accuracy < 5m.
OR
2. The hardware defect is an intermittent assembly or fabrication issue that shows up in the majority but not all handsets.
So here's to hoping I am wrong and the official Froyo build is being held up while they correct the GPS problem once and for all. If not, here's to class action. In the meantime, Sammy and AT&T product managers, if you are reading this (doubtful) give us the source for 2.2 (kernel, hardware drivers and all) and let the XDA community have a crack at fixing it (and enable HSUPA, FM radio, native etx4, etc while their at it).
Before i flashed to the JPM and the reorinted 2.1 my gps would not get a lock after 10 mins after I flashed to the i9000 rom and shanged the gps settings to ms based I get a lock after 15-25 sec at 15m. its software related and att's reps are just dumb as dog **** and full of it too
tjsooley said:
Before i flashed to the JPM and the reorinted 2.1 my gps would not get a lock after 10 mins after I flashed to the i9000 rom and shanged the gps settings to ms based I get a lock after 15-25 sec at 15m. its software related and att's reps are just dumb as dog **** and full of it too
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Share a GPS track with us then.....
Tonite I will take screen shots of my gps settings and post them
tjsooley said:
Tonite I will take screen shots of my gps settings and post them
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No need. We have millions of threads for just that. We need the evidence that you actually use it for navigation while driving. That's where it all falls apart (for majority of the Captivate anyway).
I can get a lock no problem as well with no tweeks in settings. But that doesn't mean the GPS is anywhere near usable.
foxbat121 said:
No need. We have millions of threads for just that. We need the evidence that you actually use it for navigation while driving. That's where it all falls apart (for majority of the Captivate anyway).
I can get a lock no problem as well with no tweeks in settings. But that doesn't mean the GPS is anywhere near usable.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
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.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm sure the loss of future sales will cost Samsung more than a recall. My last 3 phones were Samsung and I sure as hell know if they don't fix the GPS issue, whether it be through firmware or a recall, Samsung will never see another dime from me ever again and I'm sure there's plenty of others feeling the same way.
There would probably also be about no PR. Samsung is no Apple. The media and general public really don't give a damn about them. The issue is not so controversial that the news will pick up on it, like the Toyota recalls. At most there would be a couple sentences on the news about it that most people will just ignore because they don't have the phone. Apple got worse PR by ignoring the issue than if they simply would have addressed it with a recall. They got away with it because they're Apple. 90% of the population worships them.
I was just thinking the same thing. My GPS does not work.
I don't understand people who think it's no big deal. It's a major feature and an Advertised feature...not some hack.
I would not have bought the device without GPS. What if you bought a new car that said it had air conditioning...but after you bought it...you realized it didn't work....no big deal or recall?
CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT!
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I897 using XDA App
yea its a cover up
My whole plan and philosophy was that hey Google maps is great and so is Linux so this should, be better than those goofy slow interfaced GPS units.... which always give you the wrong location....
Anyhow I ordered one more..to see if its a dud too.
1ST SAMSUNG AND MY LAST YOU HEAR THAT SAMSUNK.. BTW your customer service is so poor girl who knows nothing about phones and thought the update was "real".
Jupiter fix w/vibrant ROM. Seems like I tried everything. Plenty of sats and locks while stationary. Can't get this thing to maintain lock or be accurate while moving in navigation for the life of me.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I897 using XDA App
I'm hoping for a software fix, but I'm doubtful that we'll ever see one. This is the same GPS chip as used in at least one blackberry where it has no problem. Combine that with the fact that there's 5 different Galaxy S phones that have these issues, each with slightly different layouts of where the chips are on the board, it's more likely a software issue.
If it is a hardware issue, or if it's a software issue that they never get around to fixing, I could see a very nasty class action lawsuit pop up. Personally, I hate class action lawsuits, as the only people who usually benefit from them are the lawyers, but one can always hope for the best.
One interesting thing I did notice was that when in my vehicle (a Jeep Wrangler with a fiberglass hardtop) or on my motorcycle, the tracks are just about spot on... as long as there aren't any tall buildings right next to me. It stops when I stop, it turns when I turn... You know, pretty much what you expect out of a GPS.
On the other hand, when I'm in a friends vehicle (metal roof, no sunroof), my position wanders all over the place. We stop, but the icon keeps on going. We turn, it doesn't. And, of course, there's always fun times when it thinks your a block or two over from where you are. Oh, and can't forget the lag... sometimes it's as much as 5 seconds behind me.
That makes me suspect the filters Samsung has in place for when the signal is weak. Either that, or the antenna design they use might win the distinction of being the most craptastic one of the decade. Hell, maybe both might be the case.
This whole thing with the GPS has me baffled..after reading a bunch of threads...posts..and personal experience, I believe the problem with the Captivate's GPS is the delay in getting a lock. Once it's locked, the accuracy is excellent. Maybe the agps is not functioning properly...these devices really need agps to get a rapid lock. Is the supl server that is built into the device reliable? I believe this is the crux. Anybody having any inaccuracies is the exception to the rule once the device is locked. But a 3-4 minute lock time is fairly unacceptable
Same results as others. If I have the captivate high up in the windshield so it has a larger uninterrupted view of the sky, it will track almost as well as my Blackberry sitting on the center console. Seems the captivate is not nearly as sensitive as other GPS devices.
As for PR, a recall would not be in your nightly news but it would be all over the trade news. The Galaxy S brand has been in the trade news almost daily for the past few months. A recall would put a serious dent in all that positive momentum. That would have a serious effect on future deals with carriers, retailers, etc. Not to mention investors. And finally disaffected consumers.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I897 using XDA App
Mine works with no view of the sky
My GPS is working good after COG Froyo version6. This track is from a mountain bike ride, phone was inside my camelback.
http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?hl=e...16556845834261.00049360088f52c5ed399&t=h&z=16
nice looking track.. is your navigation app good too???
itsjustaphone said:
My GPS is working good after COG Froyo version6. This track is from a mountain bike ride, phone was inside my camelback.
[/url]
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
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"
Hey guys,
Wanted to know if anyone has tried this:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=878970
I was trying to do the same thing on the Captivate realizing that the connector is readily accessible just by opening the battery door. Mine is a 1008 (number below S/N) telling its an August 2010 build so I tried. I am not sure about the results (improvements) and this may be because I am missing something. Want to know if anyone who has 1010 or earlier tried this successfully?!
Also, if that is a true fix which we are hoping, then does that mean the GPS antennae is on the battery door? Is that solid chip looking thing pasted a gps receiver? Experts please comment. And if that is a real antennae on the door, then without the battery cover the GPS should not work at all (with network thing off), but mine did. And if that is NOT the antennae, is it below the screwed down panel below the battery (like the vibrant)?
Just trying help myself and possibly others. Maybe I am going in completely wrong path, but it never hurts trying .
Feedback and comments please.
Thanks!
This would be awesome if it worked but I wanna make one comment. My GPS before the latest Dary 7 roms (The Darky 7/7.5/7.6 and now 7.7 ROMs) has been complete and utter crap. It never could maintain a lock if it ever got one in the first place, but now it is WAY better and even gets a lock when I'm under cover sometimes. Even when I'm driving it is totally usable and feels almost as good as my Nexus One did. I know my phone was manufactured before oct, but try out one of those ROMs before you go modifying your phone physically.
A thread for this fix is located here.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=876179
I have done both, bending the contact up a bit and scraping the film of the other contact off. It definately made an improvement. Now, will that improvement sustain throughout ROM's is a different story. But I definately got locks in 2 different places within 30 seconds. Very accurate locks I might add.
I think that the GPS problem is a hardware issue and not software. Sure, software can make it a little better. I had to replace my phone due to shutdown problem and the GPS on the new phone is absolutely perfect, no matter what ROM I use. That's my 2 cents though.
Sent from my GT-I9000 using XDA App
just wanted to add this to the GPS saga-
my Father In-law has the Sprint Intercept - this just got the 2.2.1 update - I know this is a different phone than the Captivate and the hardware is probably not laid out the same, but I wanted to compare GPS side by side.. before the 2.2.1 update the phone took FOREVER to get a lock and accurate reading.
So his Intercept in my right hand, and my Captivate with JPY ROM (and with the Google GPS files floating around here as well) in the left hand.
Tapped on Google Maps at the same time, and the Intercept phone got to 2meter Accuracy before the Captivate got to 10M accuracy.
This has already been covered 3 or 4 times on this forum. search before posting please.
You guys should try Doc's 6.2.1 Rom. I am getting instant gps lock and it follows quite well.
Thread moved to General.
So I came across this (http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1101066) thread in the DHD forum the other day, and had mixed feelings about it. In theory it makes sense, but in practice it seems kind of scary. Anyway, I've had GPS issues on and off since I got my Inspire, sometimes it would work excellent, sometimes it would kind of work, sometimes it wouldn't work at all. I've tried every software solution I could think of (new radios, gps script, reinstalling locations, wiping EFS partition, etc), and I figured my problem had to be hardware, but I'd never seen a hardware solution offered until I came across this thread. First off I would like to say that I have not tried this fix yet, however I'm inclined to and here's why:
After reading this, I started thinking, "OK, so it's just not getting good enough pressure on the GPS antennae contacts, wonder what would happen if I tried to apply manual pressure?" So I launched GPS Test and watched it find 2 or 3 satellites, but didn't lock after about a minute. So I applied pressure to the battery flash/GPS cover, 1 finger on the top of it 1 finger on the bottom, making sure not to cover the hole. What happened? Immediately it found 9 satellites and locked to 20ft, showing better connections to the satellites than i've EVER seen. I let off the pressure and watched as the signal strength to these satellites dropped intensely, went back to 2 or 3 satellites, and lost the lock. I again applied pressure, got a bunch of satellites back and got an immediate lock.
Before I go about taking my phone apart and trying to fix these contacts from the inside, I wanted to see if applying pressure on the back flash/GPS cover improved anything for anybody else, or if it's just my imagination. Please report back
I havn't had any problems with my gps, but if the problem you are having is what I was having I would be cracking the phone open to fix it...
I dont mind taking things apart
My GPS works, but there's some disconnect between Navigation and the GPS, I sware. If I run Navigation by itself, then I lose signal 2-3 minutes after getting a lock. If I run My Tracks in the background, then it stays locked.
Sent from my Inspire 4G using XDA App
3 Inspires, no GPS issues at all, but it makes sense and doesn't look difficult at all. Go for it.
Well I tried it. I can't say if it was me applying pressure or me just getting lucky with signal and clear skies...but I locked to 7 very quickly and it found my location with in 20 feet here as well.
Interesting...
Sent from my Inspire 4G using XDA Premium App
cwhitney24 said:
Well I tried it. I can't say if it was me applying pressure or me just getting lucky with signal and clear skies...but I locked to 7 very quickly and it found my location with in 20 feet here as well.
Interesting...
Sent from my Inspire 4G using XDA Premium App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
cool deal
not bad and it didnt seem that hard to do, keep checking on it to make sure for the next few days
cwhitney24 said:
Well I tried it. I can't say if it was me applying pressure or me just getting lucky with signal and clear skies...but I locked to 7 very quickly and it found my location with in 20 feet here as well.
Interesting...
Sent from my Inspire 4G using XDA Premium App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Um, I just tried applying pressure and got 8 meter lock on inside my house. My GPS usually NEVER locks on, even outside in clear skies. Wtf.
Edit: And now it's working all the time. I love you.
It didn't hurt to apply pressure to the area where you said the gps contacts are. So I opened up gps status in my home. Let it try and find some satellites on its own. Nothing was happening for a few seconds. Then I applied pressure to where the flash is on our phones one finger above the flash and the other below the flash. It then fixes satellites on my phone. And when I let go the fixed satellites dropped and my radius grew. I tried applying again and then it went back and started to drop. So I let go and it went up so I think the contacts are contacting and now I'm just covering up the gps but it seems to work. So now when I want to use gps ill remember this trick.
Thanks
Sent from my Desire HD using XDA App
I pried out the flash cover and noticed that the antenna contacts on the cover were oxidized except for the part where the corner of the spring contacts landed. I scraped away the oxidation with a sharp object and bent the spring contacts up a little bit to make a firmer connection and I immediately got a boost in GPS reception. I dont' know what metal makes up the antenna in the flash cover but it sounds like oxidation builds back up again after a couple of months. I'll keep an eye on it and post an update.
This is perfect! I just did it, took about ten minutes. After reboot I just locked to under 60ft indoors during Hurricane Irene.
Thanks so much for this, now I can stop reading all these damn gps threads!
Sent from my Inspire 4G using XDA App
Another update: just locked to 24ft outside in less than 15 seconds.
Sent from my Inspire 4G using XDA App
GPS lock
Christ..I dont believe this.. I always have problems with Google Navigation getting satellite lock..and maps is usually like 1500-1600ft +or-... I did the pressure on the spots above and below the flash like you guys said... all of a sudden..boom! GPS lock inside my house..(never happens) and 9 satellites locked..(most I ever saw was 5 before when I was outside in a clear area.)..the GPS nav icon is almost on my house roof!
This issue puts it in perspective how bad the quality is on this device.
Sent from my Desire HD using XDA App
Wow can't believe there are this many people confirming this. I'll be adjusting my gps contacts in a a day or two and ill report back. Definitely seems like its gonna help a few of us anyway
signatures annoy me
I have actually noticed the same issues as you were describing. I have pushed on the back and waited and then found the signal got better. Then released the pressure and it got either worse or just stayed the same. Different results every now and then. I have also taken it apart and tried the DHD fixed that your describing and it worked excellent for a little bit then nothing. I'm returning it now to have HTC fix it. Probably the easiest way. Sucks not having a phone but at least they will give me a phone that does everything its supposed to. They were really nice about it too.
eryk4381 said:
I have actually noticed the same issues as you were describing. I have pushed on the back and waited and then found the signal got better. Then released the pressure and it got either worse or just stayed the same. Different results every now and then. I have also taken it apart and tried the DHD fixed that your describing and it worked excellent for a little bit then nothing. I'm returning it now to have HTC fix it. Probably the easiest way. Sucks not having a phone but at least they will give me a phone that does everything its supposed to. They were really nice about it too.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is a great thread. I fortunately do not have the issue on my device to where I need to mess with it, but experience tells me living in a somewhat temperate / rainly climate the contacts may oxidize / signal degrades over time. Good to know how to address it...I had an iPhone 3G I took apart at the end of its life. I had noticed the GPS was really sucking toward the end. Sure enough, plain old brown rust was evident on the GPS antenna contacts...
****, I wish I had known about this before I exchanged my Inspire at my AT&T store. I couldn't get GPS lock at all. It was a hassle, and I had all but narrowed it down to hardware, so this really makes sense.
The thread about my particular issues: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1203133
Anybody else's gps connectivity generally crap? Seems to take for ever to connect then struggles to keep a connection.
Any known software conflicts? Running stock 2.35 rom.
No trees, walls, flying saucers in the way and Tried various gps info and fixer appear but to no avail.
Starting to really p*ss me off now.
Ta!
Sent from my HTC Desire S using XDA App
Yes, happens to me too. expecially when i go for walks. It takes reaally long time to load. Use Gpsfix ( Google it, Not able to post link because of post count) . It makes to process a lot faster.
khamoshpathak said:
Yes, happens to me too. expecially when i go for walks. It takes reaally long time to load. Use Gpsfix ( Google it, Not able to post link because of post count) . It makes to process a lot faster.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Be warned that gpsfix adds air push adverts to your phone. You may want to also instal add-on detector to find and remove them.
OP: Are you using a case? You may find that without root, you can't change the agps server location (mine was set to Asia by default) so it takes a while to lock pulling satellite info via 3g from the other side of the planet!
GPS Status and toolbox (which doesn't need root) forces an AGPS data download on startup and might help. Make sure 3g is on.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.eclipsim.gpsstatus2
Sent from my HTC Desire S using xda premium
Have observed that the GPS fix times are ROM dependent during my journey through many many excellent ROM's available for Desire S. I have even tried the AGPS fix which is recommended in the Dev section which was indeed helping to get a faster fix but the fix wasnt stable afterwards, especially while using apps like endomondo sports tracker..
The first ROM I saw that the GPS was excellent was in MIUI (GB) - without any AGPS or any other market apps or hacks I began to see a fix within 20 secs. Now, I'm presently on Reaper 2.2 (without AGPS fix) and the GPS continues to be excellent (<20 sec fixes).
I'm using ice cold sandwich with GPS+agps fix and find satellites in 3 seconds
Sent by my fingers to your head.
GPS fix issues can be as simple and HW-related as bad contact between the phone cover that includes GPS antenna (I guess it's the lower cover, but it might be an upper cover too), and the golden connector pin on the board. If you test all possible SW workarounds and they don't help - try to locate the antenna and make sure the connection is firm. Look for Vibrant GPS problems, they had such problem in the early batches.
For me the thread AGPS Patch Desire S 3.1 & 2.2 | GET BACK TO RAPID GPS LOCK, CAN LOCK ONTO MORE SATS helped a lot to get rapid GPS lock. Though, I'm not sure if root is needed for all installation methods. Good luck!
P.S.: The described patch is allready included in some custom roms like Endymion.
Jack_R1 said:
GPS fix issues can be as simple and HW-related as bad contact between the phone cover that includes GPS antenna (I guess it's the lower cover, but it might be an upper cover too), and the golden connector pin on the board. If you test all possible SW workarounds and they don't help - try to locate the antenna and make sure the connection is firm. Look for Vibrant GPS problems, they had such problem in the early batches.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The GPS and WiFi antennas are in the upper (camera lens) plastic cover, and, yes they use sprung pins to (hopefully) make connection. The phone antennas are in the lower (battery) cover.
I have found that many types of case massively deteriorate GPS reception of my phone. What puzzles me is why some users seem to be entirely unaffected; it's almost as if individual phones vary; even as an experienced engineer I cannot expalin it.
Since cases create mechanical pressure on the phone body and the contacts are very sensitive to their cover bending (they usually have a very light touch), it might be one of the reasons for reception deterioration. Sometimes even a hit of a falling phone can either destroy reception or improve it - saw it happening live on friend's Desire HD, it was very funny to see how the GPS that wouldn't lock properly for weeks, after the phone fell, started locking in 5 sec all of a sudden. Pure plastic cases shouldn't matter for reception otherwise, or at least I can't think of how can they possibly interfere.
By the way, Desire S' GPS is a bit on a weaker side - I compared it side-by-side to my MT4G, and it's always several lock seconds and a couple of locked satellites below. It should be plenty powerful for a good fast lock, though, and that's why I suspect disturbance on the HW side, rather than SW misconfiguration.
now that you guys are talking about cases, I was using a case mate barely there case before... long time ago gps fix was on the slow side (around a min).. but somewhere down the line of moving across ROM's I moved to MIUI GB (with the case still present) and the fix improved (without any AGPS patches or GPS fix apps).. now I dont use the case and have moved to Reaper CM7 based ROM and the GPS fixes are brilliant... looking at the build of Desire S I dont think that the contacts for GPS, wifi or phone antennas are at fault or can change with just a fall.. I can't pin the problem but I definitely feel removing the case has helped the gps fixes.
Jack_R1 said:
GPS fix issues can be as simple and HW-related as bad contact between the phone cover that includes GPS antenna (I guess it's the lower cover, but it might be an upper cover too), and the golden connector pin on the board. If you test all possible SW workarounds and they don't help - try to locate the antenna and make sure the connection is firm. Look for Vibrant GPS problems, they had such problem in the early batches.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Seems legit. By so far I am experiencing also constant GPS problem. It really might be the problem. I will make a try and let here know how it goes.
Forwox said:
Seems legit. By so far I am experiencing also constant GPS problem. It really might be the problem. I will make a try and let here know how it goes.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Clining contact did not help..
adding some wires to the antena (made some improvement)..
Than i orderd "new antena" for 8 eur form "Taiwan".
no may fix quick and with 12-18m an i does not lose fix anymore..
(and now i have working gps.. after 1 year of trying roms and waiting for better radio firmwares)
---------- Post added at 08:11 PM ---------- Previous post was at 07:38 PM ----------
fasty said:
What puzzles me is why some users seem to be entirely unaffected; it's almost as if individual phones vary; even as an experienced engineer I cannot expalin it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You have first version of gps antenna which has been silently improved..
I bougt new antena (upper cover) and wifi antena is printed the sesame number, but gps antena has an number increased by 10. (which by my means, mean new version)
And with "new antena" i have reliably working gps now.
(htc service (here in SLO) wanted th have the phone one service for 14 day-s thats teh reason i didnt apply for warranty repair)
on stock rom gps is really slow..i have that experience before,actually one of the reason i rooted mine...now,got gps locked in less than 15 minutes...(my gps always turn off,on when want to use navigation only)
oTeMpLo said:
Clining contact did not help..
adding some wires to the antena (made some improvement)..
Than i orderd "new antena" for 8 eur form "Taiwan".
no may fix quick and with 12-18m an i does not lose fix anymore..
(and now i have working gps.. after 1 year of trying roms and waiting for better radio firmwares)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's awesome! Could you please share a link to that item, please? I am really interested in that. I am still fighting with GPS. Sometimes it works, sometimes it don't...
I remember somewhere somebody reported issue with compass in our Relay.
Now I found that it is somehow related with other sensors and/or modules.
So if your compass not working properly turn off wifi, data transfer and GPS and try.
Regards
Mac
Makes no difference for me. Everything on or everything off, the compass is still hopelessly miscalibrated after a reboot. Then a calibration cycle gets it approximately right until the next one.
for me also no difference, however i try, google maps with gps is usually going sometimes ok. havent got the clue behind yet
Jax184 said:
Makes no difference for me. Everything on or everything off, the compass is still hopelessly miscalibrated after a reboot. Then a calibration cycle gets it approximately right until the next one.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm in the same boat- if I'm driving, it will correct when it uses the GPS, but standing still, it will be off. I think the issues started after updating one of the stock roms. I think the original stock rom was just fine.
I think Nardholio posted something about going back to stock, ripping the battery out with a solid GPS lock and then upgrading.
gee one said:
I'm in the same boat- if I'm driving, it will correct when it uses the GPS, but standing still, it will be off. I think the issues started after updating one of the stock roms. I think the original stock rom was just fine.
I think Nardholio posted something about going back to stock, ripping the battery out with a solid GPS lock and then upgrading.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's only needed if your GPS is totally inoperable.
So the Relay 4G has horrible GPS? Seems to be an ongoing theme with Samsung phones.
Nah, the GPS works fine. It's the compass that's broken.
During the development of our CM rom, it was discovered that the GPS sometimes wouldn't work at all after flashing a custom ROM. This was because the stock ROM had put the GPS to sleep in a way which the custom ROM couldn't wake it from. That's why the battery pull technique was developed. It ensured the GPS was active when you installed the custom ROM.
I don't know if it's still needed or not. I don't think it is. If it is, it would only help you if your GPS doesn't work at all after flashing a custom ROM. If it's intermittent or has poor signal or something, you've got other problems.
Regarding GPS, if I understand correctly, Relay 4G uses both GPS and GLONASS signal, so is the GPS fix considerably quicker than in devices without GLONASS and is the satellite coverage better as well?
I'm particularly interested if there is a noticeable difference in this regard between Samsung Captivate Glide's GPS and Relay 4G's GPS+GLONASS.
Jax184 said:
Nah, the GPS works fine. It's the compass that's broken.
During the development of our CM rom, it was discovered that the GPS sometimes wouldn't work at all after flashing a custom ROM. This was because the stock ROM had put the GPS to sleep in a way which the custom ROM couldn't wake it from. That's why the battery pull technique was developed. It ensured the GPS was active when you installed the custom ROM.
I don't know if it's still needed or not. I don't think it is. If it is, it would only help you if your GPS doesn't work at all after flashing a custom ROM. If it's intermittent or has poor signal or something, you've got other problems.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I...don't know the difference between the GPS and the compass. I thought people were using the terms interchangeably, but apparently not.
Solkan said:
Regarding GPS, if I understand correctly, Relay 4G uses both GPS and GLONASS signal, so is the GPS fix considerably quicker than in devices without GLONASS and is the satellite coverage better as well?
I'm particularly interested if there is a noticeable difference in this regard between Samsung Captivate Glide's GPS and Relay 4G's GPS+GLONASS.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Okay...this is very interesting. Differences between GPS and compass aside, this still seems like good news. At least to me, cause GPS is very important to me, and its my understanding that the Captivate Glide's GPS is very hinky. Seems like if you stick with stock you'll be fine. Now, bluetooth, I have no idea how the bluetooth is on the Relay (stock or custom ROM), but at least the GPS is good and even better with this GLONASS.
The compass is a standalone chip that detects the earths magnetic fields and tells the device which way it's oriented. But Samsung screwed something up, and every time the phone boots it's way out of calibration. You can fix it by taking it through a quick calibration cycle, and then all's right with it until the next reboot.
The compass and the GPS work together for things like maps. With the compass miscalibrated, the indicator on the map will often show that you're facing a compass direction other than what you really are. And it'll sometimes act as though you're walking backwards when moving at low speeds. But the actual GPS position and tracking are correct, it just has no idea what way you're facing. Again, a compass calibration will fix this.
Jax184 said:
The compass is a standalone chip that detects the earths magnetic fields and tells the device which way it's oriented. But Samsung screwed something up, and every time the phone boots it's way out of calibration. You can fix it by taking it through a quick calibration cycle, and then all's right with it until the next reboot.
The compass and the GPS work together for things like maps. With the compass miscalibrated, the indicator on the map will often show that you're facing a compass direction other than what you really are. And it'll sometimes act as though you're walking backwards when moving at low speeds. But the actual GPS position and tracking are correct, it just has no idea what way you're facing. Again, a compass calibration will fix this.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Okay...I've actually been experiencing that lately with my Epic 4G on Cyanogenmod, but I blame that more on the most recent update of Google Maps which changed the entire interface than I do the ROM (I'm on the most recent stable release and before the Google Maps update GPS worked perfectly). But that's still something I'll save for that board. But what you described is exactly what I've been experiencing, the Navigation seems to work, but it takes a while for the indicator (the red arrow) to face the right direction. Since I use it to drive around my own town its not that big a deal, but if I ever go out of town, yeah it could be an issue.
Someone on one of the Relay 4G boards here opened up his Relay 4G and showed exactly where the metal components are, and how with some tweaking it may correct it without calibration...but with my luck I'd break the thing permanently.
I do wonder why the Relay 4G is like this...my only guess is that Samsung was trying to rush it out and didn't have the time to properly test it? I know it was supposed to be called something else (Blaze Q or something). But the funny thing is, even with this "error" (which from the sounds of it is easily remedied), it still seems like more of the spiritual successor to the Epic 4G than I originally thought the Captivate Glide was, or at least an Epic 4G if it was GSM. 5 rows of keys, same shape...I just don't know why this phone isn't more successful than it is. At least you can get it on eBay, new, for about $200-$300. I haven't been inside a T-mobile store in years so I don't know if they regularly keep them in stock or not. But its still available. That Captivate Glide is still available for less than $200, but with its issues with GPS and bluetooth...I don't know, seriously thinking about this phone now.
Anyway, thanks for the response. And by the way, how is the bluetooth on this phone?
EDIT: Herp derp, it was YOU who opened up their Relay 4G! My apologies, sometimes these boards blur together.
Bluetooth seems okay, but I only have one bluetooth device, so I'm hardly an expert.
The guys working on our CM ROM are trying to improve performance when both wifi and bluetooth are in use at the same time. Since they're both 2.4 GHz, they tend to step on each others toes if both are on at once.
You should try a compass calibration on the Epic to see if that helps with the pointer. First step away from large metal and electrical objects, so you're in a fairly clean magnetic environment. Then open up an app that uses the compass, like Metal Sniffer. Then, while keeping the screen on, slowly and smoothly rotate the phone 3 times around each axis. End over end 3 times, then side to side 3 times, then around and around 3 times.
At the end of it, the pointer should now point north.
On the Relay, the values of the magnetic field strength are all totally out of whack before you do this, and they suddenly drop to more rational levels after the calibration.
Jax184 said:
Bluetooth seems okay, but I only have one bluetooth device, so I'm hardly an expert.
The guys working on our CM ROM are trying to improve performance when both wifi and bluetooth are in use at the same time. Since they're both 2.4 GHz, they tend to step on each others toes if both are on at once.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ah okay. Though I can't remember the last time I tried to use both at once. Also, since the Relay 4G actually has a stock JB rom, what benefits would there be getting CM instead? I'm only on CM for the Epic 4G because Samsung/Sprint stopped updating it with Gingerbread.
You should try a compass calibration on the Epic to see if that helps with the pointer. First step away from large metal and electrical objects, so you're in a fairly clean magnetic environment. Then open up an app that uses the compass, like Metal Sniffer. Then, while keeping the screen on, slowly and smoothly rotate the phone 3 times around each axis. End over end 3 times, then side to side 3 times, then around and around 3 times.
At the end of it, the pointer should now point north.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks. The folks on the other board said it was an issue with the updated Google Maps app as opposed to the GPS/compass itself, and suggested a downgrade. I may try both solutions, though to be honest with you there's a huge learning curve with the most recent update to Google Maps (for instance still can't figure out how to get it to record my current location, which came in handy with the previous versions if I ever came across a place or store I wanted to visit again).
On the Relay, the values of the magnetic field strength are all totally out of whack before you do this, and they suddenly drop to more rational levels after the calibration.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Speaking of that calibration trick, where is it described in detail around here?
EpicMikeNC said:
Speaking of that calibration trick, where is it described in detail around here?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That was it! :laugh:
The CM ROM is faster and trimmer than the stock ROM, and fixes a couple of bugs and annoyances. No touchwiz interface, no t-mobile tethering lockout, no samsung bloatware. And while it does have a few bugs of its own, it's under active development by several people, so it's rapidly improving.
Jax184 said:
That was it! :laugh:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Oh. lol Ok, thought what you described for the Epic 4G was different, not the same. Gotcha. :good:
The CM ROM is faster and trimmer than the stock ROM, and fixes a couple of bugs and annoyances. No touchwiz interface, no t-mobile tethering lockout, no samsung bloatware. And while it does have a few bugs of its own, it's under active development by several people, so it's rapidly improving.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well I know from my experience with the Epic 4G, you can remove the bloatware with Titanium backup and tether via an ap (if you mean hotspot tether). But at least there's options, stock or CM.
Still don't get why this phone isn't more successful than it is.
Compass is wacky on mine
On my Relay, the compass is off in bizarro land, and has been since I bought it. Stock ICS/unrooted, or stock JB/unrooted, same problem. It doesn't seem to hold calibration at all, and I can even notice that it very slowly spins as I drive. On those times I've tried Google Maps 7 (yuuuuck!), I've noticed that it cheerfully ignores your GPS heading and points the arrow to your alleged compass heading. Between the large amount of change-for-change's-sake UI stupidity, the compass problem, and its general crashiness, I've ditched the update and gone back to the original version.
I've just rooted it yesterday, but I seriously doubt that rooting would make any difference with the compass.
Bobby Tables said:
On my Relay, the compass is off in bizarro land, and has been since I bought it. Stock ICS/unrooted, or stock JB/unrooted, same problem. It doesn't seem to hold calibration at all, and I can even notice that it very slowly spins as I drive. On those times I've tried Google Maps 7 (yuuuuck!), I've noticed that it cheerfully ignores your GPS heading and points the arrow to your alleged compass heading. Between the large amount of change-for-change's-sake UI stupidity, the compass problem, and its general crashiness, I've ditched the update and gone back to the original version.
I've just rooted it yesterday, but I seriously doubt that rooting would make any difference with the compass.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How did you root by the way? One-Click?
But yeah, based on what you just said, I'm convinced its the update, not the compass. I don't understand how Google went backwards in regards to this so-called update to Google maps. But the Metal Sniffer solution seems to work, 9 times out of 10 anyway.
Also, I keep looking and looking, but unless I'm still missing it, didn't the update take away to ability to save your current location?
The bootloader is unlocked, there is no reason to run a rooting script. Just flash CWM with Odin/Heimdall and then supersu
I'm having a very similar experience here on CM 10.2 nightlies. Calibrating the compass doesn't always work. When it does it doesn't always stick. And when it sticks, it will be very jumpy, skipping from one direction to the other at random. This prevents compass mode in Google Maps, so it's annoying but not such a huge deal.