[Q] Google Navigation shows GPS position off by 200 ft - HTC Sensation

I wonder if others see this too or if my HTC Sensation 4G is broken.
When I'm in Google Navigation I often see the position 200 ft east of the highway.
I might add that I run the phone w/o a data plan so I'm loading the plan over WiFi and then start driving. It does not seem to make much of a difference if I wait for a stable GPS fix or just start driving an let it fix on the road.
The behavior is very annoying, as the Navigation app grabs on to parallel or incoming side roads and reroutes all the time, wasting lots of battery and heating up the device.

PlanBForOpenOffice said:
I wonder if others see this too or if my HTC Sensation 4G is broken.
When I'm in Google Navigation I often see the position 200 ft east of the highway.
I might add that I run the phone w/o a data plan so I'm loading the plan over WiFi and then start driving. It does not seem to make much of a difference if I wait for a stable GPS fix or just start driving an let it fix on the road.
The behavior is very annoying, as the Navigation app grabs on to parallel or incoming side roads and reroutes all the time, wasting lots of battery and heating up the device.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Do you have a case on your phone? If so, try the app without the case to see if you get the same results.
I get about 20 ft error (average). But it can jump up to 50 or so. But I have a MIUI installed. Also adding that I am on a data plan and I believe using cell towers in conjunction of gps narrows down the error.

No case
Thanks, really good question, but my phone is naked so to speak. I don't use any case.
Unfortunately I have learned that Assisted GPS (AGPS) is a feature that does not work with cell towers, but with a data connection. Only if a data connection is present can the helping hand of assisted GPS (search Wikipedia for assisted GPS) work to find you a faster GPS fix.
Do you use Google navigation and do you see similar issues, like position jumping off the highway and attempting to enter the highway from a side road?

PlanBForOpenOffice said:
Thanks, really good question, but my phone is naked so to speak. I don't use any case.
Unfortunately I have learned that Assisted GPS (AGPS) is a feature that does not work with cell towers, but with a data connection. Only if a data connection is present can the helping hand of assisted GPS (search Wikipedia for assisted GPS) work to find you a faster GPS fix.
Do you use Google navigation and do you see similar issues, like position jumping off the highway and attempting to enter the highway from a side road?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Once and a while but I cannot reproduce it.
You can try some of the fixes from crypted in the dev section. Just keep a backup of your gps.conf file if you want to test it. But the fix is for AGPS use.
What you can try is possibly sygic, but it's not free. I think its like 17 bux. But you can try it for a week.

Related

GPS on AT&T Fuze with ROGERS?

Hey ive unlocked and flashed to a sweet NRG rom and love it. I just want to use google Maps (or something similar) to find my position on a map (turn by turn maybe?). I remember with my iPhone when I first had it the GPS worked great then one day I was never able to get my actual position (just within a certain amount of meters).
Did rogers shut down GPS?
Now on my new phone when I goto "GPS location" in google maps it searches for a satellite but doesnt seem to get my position (0)... Is there a setting I can turn on to allow GPS or do I need to cal rogers and rip on someone? LOL
keep up the great work guys!!!
- Eddy
I just turned 3g on and did the HTC GPS tool. I opened the port and started the test and then menu-Information and I dont seem to have a position.
any ideas guys? seems like rogers problem.
eddyg519 said:
I just turned 3g on and did the HTC GPS tool. I opened the port and started the test and then menu-Information and I dont seem to have a position.
any ideas guys? seems like rogers problem.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
GPS on the HTC is using the basic GPS Signal coming from satellites. Are u outside or near a window to a fix ?
Look http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_Positioning_System
What u used was A-GPS what is assisted GPS with help from Cell Phone provider. It gives faster fix and a pseude gps in buildings.
Go outside with ur cellphone with clear sky view, start the htc gps tool and u should get position fix within some minutes or even seconds. There is no need for 3g because the gps itself does not need any cellphone connection. It takes satellite signals to calculate the position.
When u update quick gps it is faster in the position fix because it already knows some basic sat data. But still no phone connection necessary for using GPS.
The google map u then only see with data (3g or wlan) not because of the GPS but because of the drawed map graphics wich have to be loaded.
ok i will try the outside thing although I have the phone pointed to the window pretty much. Checking rogers website both phones only have a-GPS but I still cant get an actual location on either. Only about a 4 block square or circle.
EDIT: ok i enabled A-GPS on the touch pro and still no luck with google maps. It still seems to be looking for actual GPS
OK im managed to get it working. I changed the port to com5 and scanned found some sat's I had to change the bit thing to 56700 on com5 within google maps. Seems to be working like a charm!

GPS - will this work

Hello All,
Junior Newb here.
I'm thinking of purchasing an HTC Touch Pro(1) Sprint model from someone here. I am not planning on getting a sub from Sprint. I am purchasing the phone mainly to use as an GPS for when I am motorcycling as I do not have a mounted GPS on the bike. I am unclear on how GPS actually receives its signal? I have read and best I can decypher is GPS units gets their signal from various satellites. I have also read were various cell phone companies have their own spin on GPS software of their own creation? Am I going to be able to use Google maps on this phone and have it do what I want it to do? I am eons behind times,in case you hadn't guessed that by now. Also will the GPS be readable if I have the phone stuck in my chest pocket and pull it out going down the road? Can someone chime in on how long battery life would be with this scenario as well? I know the battery life listed in spec sheets are usually not even close in the real world.
Thanks,
Barry
Right!
GPS works by checking the different time stream data from several satellites - the receiver (in this case the phone) uses this to produce your position (and by changing position over time - speed).
Honestly - for 99.9% of people, this as it is - is useless. You then need to put this info into mapping software. Google maps is ok, but IMO itsnt very good for using while driving (prob much less for while on a bike!). Personally i use tomtom for in car and google for walking (so if you're checking your position & local roads, then riding - stop & repeat then google maps will prob be fine).
If you read more on the forums (and the web in general) you will come across 2 other "types" of GPS:
aGPS - assisted GPS - works by using your known position (roughly) from mobile/cell towers, this allows the GPS receiver to get a lock quicker.
quickGPS - this downloads the almanac data from the web so youre device knows where the satellites are. If you dont do this, it will download the data from the satellites themselves, but this takes longer.
Neither are any use on their own - they simply improve GPS lock times (from turning on, to having your position).
Battery life - depends on many things including your rom & radio, software, battery condition etc etc.
Remember - for google maps to work you will need a data connection (watch the cost if its not part of a deal).
If all you want is a hand held or bike GPS - then i think you're looking at a very bad choice in the touch pro! if you want a phone, pda, web browser, gps etc etc then it will probably do everything you want.

Quick GPS fix. From Samsung!

Samsung just wrote that apparently the use wireless networks, which is the option above use gps satellites must be selected to get proper locks.
I was skeptical because i just assumed that when I went exploring I selected it, but it actually wasn't.
Put it on, and agreed to the disclaimer and then right away the maps got my location and the live wallpaper map got my location.
you'll get an email saying google knows where you are and yeah its pretty ****ty that you have to do this, but it does work. at least for me.
not a real fix, I've had that on forever and still dont get a proper lock
Confirming that this does seem to work. It might merit mentioning that I've also messed around with my GPS settings quite a bit as well.
Regardless, I got a lock within two seconds after opening Google Maps. Cheers!
-deuX`
The phone used networks to locate you. Not GPS.
PuffinNugz said:
The phone used networks to locate you. Not GPS.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Oh, good to know. Thanks for the info!
-deuX`
This is to assist in the GPS lock. This is not a fix.
True it isn't a real fix, hence the "quick" fix in the title.
it's just another way to help maps get a lock.
obviously this won't help in no service zones but if you're using the data anyways might as well use it to help.
plus it unlocks all the fun location based services, and that maps live wallpaper is pretty freakin sweet!
This will only give you the location of the nearby cell tower. Unless you live under the cell tower all the time, I don't think this is useful. It might be useful for things like check the nearby stores and attractions. But will not give you navigatable fixes and does not speed up your GPS lock. If you're using Google maps, try to zoom out, and you will notice a big circle. Your location is anywhere inside that circle.
That's Samsung tip is pure BS and Engadet should be ashamed to even believe in that BS.
I not only allowed the use of wireless networks for location, but also changing the GPS setting to MS Based to allow for simultaneous use of triangulation and assisted GPS... before this change I NEVER got a successful GPS lock...after I changed the settings I finally can get a GPS lock after about about 3 minutes with direct line of sight outdoors.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I897 using XDA App
foxbat121 said:
This will only give you the location of the nearby cell tower.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not quite. its actually doing cell tower triangulation, using the signal of all nearby towers your phone sees. In the city, this can be pretty accurate and is rarely off by more than a couple blocks. To see the accuracy, turn off GPS and click 'locate me' in google maps. The blue circle around your location shows the margin of error. The more towers you are in range of, the more accurate the fix.
As far as helping GPS, all this location can really do today is help you grab the most appropriate gps almanac/ephemeris info - if youve got an internet connection. I suppose it could possibly also be used in conjunction with the gps error in some kind of a filter to improve accuracy, but as far as I know that is not being done.
I actually started getting quicker locks with just using the GPS and having the wireless networks unchecked
Just an update:
I changed the SUP/LCP setting to Auto-config and the Operation mode to MS Based. I tend to get a gps lock within a minute or two with it sitting on my dashboard. I also tried it with the"Use wireless networks" setting turned off and it worked the same.
Also, I did try out the MS Assisted SUP/LCP setting and I was able to get GPS signal while indoors, but it was less accurate all around.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I897 using XDA App
I'm not saying it's completely 100% accurate, but much in the same vein that an iPod Touch can get a location using just the wi-fi this is using much the same.
it uses whatever a-gps it can and then it helps with the cellular data. triangulation. it's useful and if it keeps getting me a signal then its all good

A GPS Grading System

Well it seems the GPS on our Captivates has been improving over time due to adjusted Jupiter files, ROM updates, improvements in some leaked builds, and now a new GLGPS Daemon port, etc, but still seeing posts by lots of folks who still have trouble achieving good results. So, while the improvement quest continues, was thinking it might be helpful to have a common scoring or grading system for people to use when reporting on their gps results.
Would appreciate any comments on the usefulness of this, or agreement or disagreement with the descriptions. Just seems to me that currently it is often difficult to know what someone means when they say their GPS is good, best its ever been, or terrible.
(Note - to be most helpful to others please post your grade/results and anything you've done that has improved the gps performance.)
It would go something like this:
Captivate GpsGrade
A Common Way to Report GPS Effectiveness
Grade = A. Description – Performance is excellent at all times and very consistent. Applications such as Maps, Copilot, Google Nav, MyTracks always perform perfectly. Tracks as recorded by MyTracks consistently show the route accurately. GPS Locks are quick – under 30 seconds, and accuracy shows 5 to 10 meters or better as measured by lbstest, or GPS Test applications. When used for navigation, there is no drifting off of the road, no lag, and no overshoot of intersections. In short – its how we would want it to be.
Grade = B. Description – GPS function often works as expected, but occasionally does not. Usually no problem seeing several satellites and get locks within 30 seconds but always under a minute. Navigation apps are usable but sometimes there is a small bit of drift and sometimes will lag or show overshooting of intersections. Tracking via MyTracks is often accurate to the route taken, but sometimes off by a bit. Locks are sometimes lost but the system usually locks on again in just a few seconds. Accuracy often around 30 meters. Its not quite what we would like, but can live with it. Might call it pretty good.
Grade = C. Description – system achieves locks but often takes 60 seconds or longer. Locks are sometimes maintained while moving, sometimes not. Erratic performance. Can sometimes get Apps like Maps and Nav to work, but often have trouble with them or the system shows being on the next road or off the road. Routes recorded by MyTracks show inaccurate performance – route shown is close to the one taken but has occasional gaps with loss of lock. Accuracy is between 30 and 50 meters. In other words, performance may be good enough for location based services to be used, but not too useful for map or navigation functions. Mediocre.
Grade = D. Description – system sometimes gets a lock but cannot maintain lock. GPS Apps are not useable do to poor performance. In GPS Test or lbstest can sometimes see a couple satellites, but trouble getting a fix. Basically the GPS Icon is flashing pretty much the entire time. Awful would describe it.
Grade = F. Description – system does not work at all – cannot get locks, and cannot use any GPS Apps such as Maps or Nav, ever. Its just horrible.
good idea.
The problem with this, is most people have no idea how to properly test anything. For this to have any meaning, all tests should be conducted as follows:
Using multiple devices - not just a Captivate but another phone as well on another run
Not holding the phone in your hand - we know this can cause signal issues
Repeatable routes (testing on the same route)
Driving - walking does not allow for fast enough position change to reveal problems
No other apps running on phone - try to reduce any type of processor or storage contention issues
1. Mount device in car mount in the front windshield - other windows may have tint that interfere with signal reception
2. Launch Google mytracks - start driving after 10 seconds (fixed time for lock - equal for all)
3. Drive route with local and highway speeds and turns
4. Repeat with another device
5. Compare MyTracks recordings
Turn-by-Turn nav is a nice way to view accuracy BUT it has no way to record measurements. Comparing devices with a tool like Googles MyTracks is the only way to show that the captivate GPS sucks or not - maybe other phones suck too in certain environments.
This same methodology should be used before and after any mods as well - otherwise it is all hearsay.
alphadog00 said:
The problem with this, is most people have no idea how to properly test anything. For this to have any meaning, all tests should be conducted as follows:
Using multiple devices - not just a Captivate but another phone as well on another run
Not holding the phone in your hand - we know this can cause signal issues
Repeatable routes (testing on the same route)
Driving - walking does not allow for fast enough position change to reveal problems
No other apps running on phone - try to reduce any type of processor or storage contention issues
1. Mount device in car mount in the front windshield - other windows may have tint that interfere with signal reception
2. Launch Google mytracks - start driving after 10 seconds (fixed time for lock - equal for all)
3. Drive route with local and highway speeds and turns
4. Repeat with another device
5. Compare MyTracks recordings
Turn-by-Turn nav is a nice way to view accuracy BUT it has no way to record measurements. Comparing devices with a tool like Googles MyTracks is the only way to show that the captivate GPS sucks or not - maybe other phones suck too in certain environments.
This same methodology should be used before and after any mods as well - otherwise it is all hearsay.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Are there actually people that have GPS that is consistently accurate to 10 meters or less? I can't even get a lock like that standing in one spot on a sunny day. If I don't enable wireless networks, my GPS icon will flash forever.
ChaoticKinesis said:
Are there actually people that have GPS that is consistently accurate to 10 meters or less? I can't even get a lock like that standing in one spot on a sunny day. If I don't enable wireless networks, my GPS icon will flash forever.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, many of us has GPS that works fairly well. I have had my phone since launch and running the stock GPS config.... it works OK.
My GPS is an A. I got a replacement and has worked perfectly since.
Sent from my GT-I9000 using XDA App
ChaoticKinesis said:
Are there actually people that have GPS that is consistently accurate to 10 meters or less? I can't even get a lock like that standing in one spot on a sunny day. If I don't enable wireless networks, my GPS icon will flash forever.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Results are extremely variable. Your phone sounds like mine. By trial and error I have gotten mine to an "A", but only by doing these four things 1) flashing new ROM - Assonance (5.0), 2) installing Da_g's GPS fix, 3) Removing the rear cover and just using my Bodyglove cover, and 4) when in the car plugging into car charger.
There are other solutions and reported good results from other ROMs and methods, but these are the things that work for me. I have done extensive testing with each of the four items, including MyTracks recordings, to validate the impact they each have. Good luck with yours - it IS possible to get a working system.
Mines grade b at most.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I897 using XDA App
Where can I get this Da_G fix? I'm using Assonance 5.2 and it works fairly well - about a C+ or B I guess. I tried searching XDA for the Da_G fix and couldnt find anything
PixelPerfect3 said:
Where can I get this Da_G fix? I'm using Assonance 5.2 and it works fairly well - about a C+ or B I guess. I tried searching XDA for the Da_G fix and couldnt find anything
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can get Da_G's fix at the post below. Three options - I have been using the Google version and had good success with it.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=881941

GPS Issues?

I'm currently travelling abroad and I'm therfore on roaming with data traffic disabled. I experience that the GPS is unable to find my position under these conditions and remains on the last known position (or it might take even longer than the few minutes i was willing to wait).
Whereas with data enabled or wifi i get a really fast lock.
Can anyone confirm this behaviour. Imho it should also be possible to get a lock (although slower) without any data connection. At least this is the way it works on my ios devices. It might take a minute or two but it works.
Any thoughts/experiences on this?
Some_One_Else said:
I'm currently travelling abroad and I'm therfore on roaming with data traffic disabled. I experience that the GPS is unable to find my position under these conditions and remains on the last known position (or it might take even longer than the few minutes i was willing to wait).
Whereas with data enabled or wifi i get a really fast lock.
Can anyone confirm this behaviour. Imho it should also be possible to get a lock (although slower) without any data connection. At least this is the way it works on my ios devices. It might take a minute or two but it works.
Any thoughts/experiences on this?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If the phone's been moved a dramatic amount of distance, the GPS almanac data will be really off. The data/wifi connection helps it locate your position and give the map a hand in finding you.
If you can get data somehow, you can try getting the "GPS Status and Toolbox" app from the Market, and then one of the menu options, perhaps advanced, is to download the GPS almanac data. That should give you quicker locks.
distortedloop said:
If the phone's been moved a dramatic amount of distance, the GPS almanac data will be really off.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It was only a few hundred meters from the last known position. That's why I'm a little bit concerned?
Thanks for the tool tip will definately have a look at it.
Some_One_Else said:
It was only a few hundred meters from the last known position. That's why I'm a little bit concerned?
Thanks for the tool tip will definately have a look at it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Oh, yeah, that sounds like a problem. Even several miles shouldn't make that big a difference.
go to starbucks or some restaurant/bar/cafe with free WiFi
then use the phone there, and turn on GPS to get it updated
I was experimenting a little bit today and it seems to me that this is primarily a google maps problem.
It seems that google maps falls back to the last known position if you have no gps fix. For a strange reason however this last known position is not neccesarily the effective last known position but the last position when I had used google maps with an active internet connection position (which makes no sense imho).
This does not happen always and as long as you have an active data connection you will probably not run into this issue.
Some_One_Else said:
I was experimenting a little bit today and it seems to me that this is primarily a google maps problem.
It seems that google maps falls back to the last known position if you have no gps fix. For a strange reason however this last known position is not neccesarily the effective last known position but the last position when I had used google maps with an active internet connection position (which makes no sense imho).
This does not happen always and as long as you have an active data connection you will probably not run into this issue.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That makes some sense, since Google Maps relies on WiFi for it's initial fix if you have the enhanced location settings checked on.
Not really, does it? Example:
Pos1: wifi, hotel no GPS
Pos2: showing Pos1, after GPS fix showing correct position
Pos3: showing Pos1 (i would expect Pos2 now) after GPS fix showing correct position
Pos4: showing Pos1 again, whe no GPS fix
i would expect it to always show Pos(n-1) when there's no GPS fix and not always again Pos1. This is the way it works on ios devices which i think is correct.
Further i noticed that the blue circle (that should br really big if position is uncertain) does not grow respectively reflect this uncertainty by its size.
Therfore i guess: --> Defect in google maps 5.0?
Some_One_Else said:
Not really, does it? Example:
Pos1: wifi, hotel no GPS
Pos2: showing Pos1, after GPS fix showing correct position
Pos3: showing Pos1 (i would expect Pos2 now) after GPS fix showing correct position
Pos4: showing Pos1 again, whe no GPS fix
i would expect it to always show Pos(n-1) when there's no GPS fix and not always again Pos1. This is the way it works on ios devices which i think is correct.
Further i noticed that the blue circle (that should br really big if position is uncertain) does not grow respectively reflect this uncertainty by its size.
Therfore i guess: --> Defect in google maps 5.0?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I just checked on mine to confirm, but for me I recall Google Maps ALWAYS opens to the last position I was on with the app open, not my current position. It's cached for sure. Even with WiFi off just now, it opened to that, but within under a minute it jumped to my actual position via the actual GPS.

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