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Hi Guys,
Got myself a Casemate Tough. Brilliant case & I love the feel of it. Makes holding the phone so much more easier. I always felt without the case I was going to let the HD slip
Anyways, as with some people I have noticed a real drop in GPS signal with the silicone part on. The hard back makes no difference. Without case I have maybe 20ft error, with the case this can rise to over 200ft error & it maybe loses half the sats.
I have read the reviews on the Tough & Pop, but must say I prefer my Tough.
My question is, does anyone know where the GPS antenna is situated in the phone. I am just going to take a stanley blade & trim some silicone out around the affected area. It appears to be mid to low down, but I want to remove as little as possible from my case.
Any gurus out there had one of these in pieces yet.
Cheers guys, Shane
I don't know where the GPS part is located but I have also a case-mate case and I have no problems to get GPS signal.
But I read that some people have the same problem with the metalic case.
Hi lilil
It is strange.
How long have you had your case. I wonder if it is a manufacturing date change or something equally weird.
Cheers, Shane
I have a case mate pop on my DHD since 3 months and no problems with gps signal strong and fast as ever...really weird problem!
Hi Guys,
I have just ordered a case mate Pop tonight, so I will see what that is like when it arrives.
Cheers, Shane
my casemate pop doesnt seem to have issues though.. I read that the gps is at the top of the phone too!
Glad you like the Tough case its my favourite case also.
Can't say I have noticed any issues with location, its dead on where I am and the case mate Tough is always on my phone.
Sent from my Desire HD using XDA App
I was using this case before switching to the Otterbox commuter. As far as I remember I did not have any GPS problems with the Tough. I read that the GPS receiver is behind the rubbery part around the flash LED.
This is very weird. I have the Tough and I also have a great drop in signal with it on. Is it possible that the firmware version of the phone might have something to do with it?
Removing my case increases a faster gps fix.
Although the newest leaked radio does a great job too.
The gps antenna is situated at the bottom, I read somewhere
Doctor.Who said:
Although the newest leaked radio does a great job too.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Could you be a bit more specific, please - a link would be even better Also, how's the battery life on that radio? Any difference?
el_commandante said:
Could you be a bit more specific, please - a link would be even better Also, how's the battery life on that radio? Any difference?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
04th April 2011: Radio_12.48.60.23U_26.08.04.07_M3
http://www.multiupload.com/LMGHQ26L1R
batterylife is a bit better in my experience
For info......
The GPS antenna is on the back of the SIM/Sdcard cover, remove the cover and you'll see it.
As for the radio, I agree with the above, Radio 12.48.60.23U_26.08.04.07_M3 is for me the best radio I've tested both for signal and battery life. Be aware though that different radios perform differently for different people and is dependant on location (country), carrier, etc. Try different radios to see which works best for you.
Hello,
just for infomration a solve doubts the GPS is in the backside of the Flash Leds.
Look this video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JfatoeWbMRk
Thanks
Gps antenna is under the flash cover.
I have a tough case, and yeah i realise that in certain places, my positioning is way off. But here in Trinidad GPS has no real functionality (sucky EDGE network), so not a big deal for me.
If you are going nuts because of a problem with your GPS signal, make sure you remove the candyshell case because it masks the antenna. Inside with no case when I try to get the first fix, I can get 8 satellites in view with GPS test. It isn't enough that AT&T has to throttle your speed; they also have to kill your GPS.
Wow, I have a hard rubber /placstic two piece case from best buy and I have had the hardest time locking into GPS. In the car it can be very glitchy at times. Inside no signal at all. I started the gps test app and had case off and got perfect gps signal. Keeping phone in the exact same location I slowly slid on the case without touching the phone and it indeed killed my gps to no signal at all and did not recover. This was inside also. With the case on it must be perfectly placed in the window to get decent reception. That sucks. I hate taking my case on and off
I was wondering what the deal was. My buddy has a moto droid of some type from verizon. He was in the back seat of the car today and he has some case from verizon, I want to say its rubber or silicone and he was getting instant perfect gps fix while mine was struggling.
I have speck candyshell case and do not have this problem. takes at most 5 seconds to get signal.
This seems to be a problem after you flash a rom and are trying to get the first fix after reboot. Once you get the first fix, it works ok with the case on. So my advice is: for the first fix, take the case off. And if you have a case and you feel like you are getting substandard gps signal, try it with the case off and see.
simulatordos said:
This seems to be a problem after you flash a rom and are trying to get the first fix after reboot. Once you get the first fix, it works ok with the case on. So my advice is: for the first fix, take the case off. And if you have a case and you feel like you are getting substandard gps signal, try it with the case off and see.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
For me it lasts after the first fix. Even after it has built a cache of all the satellites it stil give issues with the case on trying to get a fix in the car sometimes.
Same here. This is starting to feel like the Captivate. GPS on this phone is definitely flakey with or without a case, though that Speck case seems to make the issue worse.
I've already exchanged the original. The second one worked flawlessly for about a week and now rarely locks on straight away and usually with 30m accuracy.
OTOH, the Atrix would lock on instantly, indoors and accurate to 3m.
Strange things, these devices...
Wow. Thanks for the case tips. Took mine off and so far so good.
Fix for Speck GPS Problem
My HTC Desire HD GPS quit working when I installed a CandyShell case. The GPS signals virtually disappeared (using GPS Test app) when the case was on (or even partially on) but worked just fine with the case off. I only paid $5 for the case, so I thought I would have a stab at fixing the problem. I peeled off the rubber liner behind where the GPS antenna is located on the phone. That resulted in only a very sleight degradation of the signals!
I have always looked at Zagg invisibleSheild style cases... Now i know they dont have one for the DHD but i did buy an off brand one that i do like. The less bulk you add to the phone the better imo.
I've never had a reliable GPS signal on the two years of ownership of this phone.
Sent from my Inspire 4G using xda premium
Good to know, I wonder if this will be the same problem with the Otterbox Defender case
dfmalone said:
Good to know, I wonder if this will be the same problem with the Otterbox Defender case
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Absolutely not. I can not see any difference in signal strength between Defender on or off. I posted pics in a thread in accessories section. I still have pics but don't remember which is which.
Sent using the power of the dark side
Desire HD's GPS antenna is okay, the connection from the antenna to the motherboard is a piece of **** that is terrible.
Any case that covers up the plastic LED flash cover will degrade GPS signal.
This is pretty unrelated to cases, but I highly recommend this GPS fix. Worked like magic on my Inspire and now I get a lock in less than 30 seconds with or without my Otterbox.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1442032
Hi there,
some time ago I compared some cases for the Desire HD and focused on the GPS signal. I uploaded a video to youtube.
Just search for 'HTC Desire HD case GPS test ' on youtube.
Comments are welcome!
Nice video,
Keep in mind the Case-mate Barely There Mirrored Silver case blocks the signal. This video and other people have noticed GPS does indeed work with the black case, but the silver case is bad news.
I've contacted case-mate about the mirrored silver model, and I'm hoping they send me a matte black version to compare. If they do, I'll be sure to post my findings!
interesting... I have a CaseMate Tough (silicone plus hard matt plastic)
I was sat in the attic of my house, underneath a skylight winidow.
I did get more satellites visible and locked without the case. I got 8 on average (max 10), whilst without the case I got mostly 4 (max 6).
The silicone skin did not make any difference.
Still acceptable, in an area of good-poor visibility of the satellites.
But should this really be a surprise since the GPS signal is very weak anyway, and it has difficulty passing though material?
The strange thing for me is the fact, that some cases do not block the signal, but others do. There are reports that not all silicone cases block.
Sent from my HTC Desire HD using XDA Premium App
GerdJ said:
The strange thing for me is the fact, that some cases do not block the signal, but others do. There are reports that not all silicone cases block.
Sent from my HTC Desire HD using XDA Premium App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I forgot I had a Barely There which I don't use (since as cases go, it doesn't offer much protection )
Took the CaseMate Tough off, the signal went from 6 to 9 satellites locked.
Put on the Barely There - the signal dropped to JUST ONE in view/use (average 2).
So, this Barely There case doesn't offer protection, and stops the GPS function!
Sorry, black or silver bt?
Sent from my HTC Desire HD using XDA Premium App
good point - silver for the barely there case
paul c said:
good point - silver for the barely there case
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for grabbing the old case and testing it. I hope we can get some more input from people with the other color variations to see if it's something to do with the paint/material/finish...
Good idea. I will get some other cases for testing maybe. If so I will post the results.
Sent from my HTC Desire HD using XDA Premium App
A quick update with another case...
This case purchased off ebay:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=260746755524
It does block GPS, not as much as the case-mate mirrored silver, but enough that I won't be using it whenever I try to use GPS function.
paul c said:
interesting... I have a CaseMate Tough (silicone plus hard matt plastic)
I was sat in the attic of my house, underneath a skylight winidow.
I did get more satellites visible and locked without the case. I got 8 on average (max 10), whilst without the case I got mostly 4 (max 6).
The silicone skin did not make any difference.
Still acceptable, in an area of good-poor visibility of the satellites.
But should this really be a surprise since the GPS signal is very weak anyway, and it has difficulty passing though material?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's interesting. I also have the Case-Mate Tough and it seems to block a great amount of signal. While having it on and sitting inside a tram I can't get a fix at all. After taking it off and waiting a minute I do a decent signal. Same happens while using it inside a car. Sometimes I do get a signal with the case on, but very slowly and the signal is much weaker than with the case off. What ROM are you using?
very nice video
White Barely There Case
Hello,
Does anybody know if the white Barely there case causes the same reception problems as the silver one? I was just going to buy it when I've stumbled on this topic.
very nice vid i like it
internet4o said:
Hello,
Does anybody know if the white Barely there case causes the same reception problems as the silver one? I was just going to buy it when I've stumbled on this topic.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well, case-mate doesn't even officially offer the mirrored silver anymore, so that might suggest the white one is ok.
**** i have the silver one XD
totaly agree, had a white rubbery silicone case and GPS was virtually disabled.
SensationStyler said:
**** i have the silver one XD
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Keep in mind, you can visit case-mate's website and contact them. They allowed me to RMA my mirrored silver case, and promptly shipped me a matte black case as replacement.
Case-Mate Pop case
Hello,
my black Pop case reduces the GPS signal of my Desire HD: the Error in the "Gps Status" app come from 3m (DHD naked) to 41m (DHD with Pop case) ..
I've also found this video, that exactly prove my test:
search for "Case-Mate Pop significantly degrades HTC Desire HD GPS performance"
Incredible!!!
Since no one did a review I guess I will be happy to do one.
I love the design of it, the way it fits the phone perfectly. BUT there is one disadvantage which is the magnetic strip interferes with the GPS signal as one user stated in this topic (http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2187199&highlight=zenus). As you can see in the picture where the paperclip is pointed that is where the magnetic area is slightly pulling the paperclip. Every time I put this case on the GPS signal does not lock on at all. As soon as I take it off the GPS signal locks on.
If GPS use not an option for you then this case is fine for you. If GPS is a necessity then this case is NOT for you. I have returned the case. It was an easy process.
If your willing to still buy it. It's worth $35 on amazon.com.
I am thinking of getting one of these. Does it still close well with 2 credit cards and a bit of cash?
Shame about the GPS, someone on Amazon claimed that the mobile signal is affected as well. This is not true, right?
AnonymousPenguin said:
I am thinking of getting one of these. Does it still close well with 2 credit cards and a bit of cash?
Shame about the GPS, someone on Amazon claimed that the mobile signal is affected as well. This is not true, right?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It closes fine but some credit cards have raised indentations. When you close the case with items in it, it is a pretty tight fit to the point where it may scratch your screen when hard cards are inserted. Since the cover does move a tiny bit causing any hard cards to rub against the screen. Paper items are fine since it wont scratch the screen as well as money. Ill say the most that you can fit is one credit card in the top pocket and one in the bottom or 2 paper cards. Any more will bulge the case when it's close and may increase the chance that the cards may rub against the screen causing a slight mark.
As for the mobile signal I was not sure I had no problems making a call on 1-5 bars while I am outside but when I put the case on I notice it did drop 1 to 2 bars less from 5. It is the GPS signal that does not lock on when this case is on.
I have a screen protector on anyways so I was not worried.
Glad I found this post! Bummer about the GPS lock issue. I was getting ready to make a purchase on this case as well, but I use GPS every day, so it's not suitable for me.
I just took some pictures of my Galaxy S5 with a Draco Supermova on it. I also have the Samsung qi charging back on. Enjoy!
how does it look in ur pocket?
db loss
I used an aluminum bumper on my s4 and had a large signal loss. How is it with that case?
I don't really see any signal loss. The case is slippery and makes the phone heavier. It also does not "grip" very well. It looks awesome but the sweeping bulges interfere with using the phone. I am happy with the way it looks but not with the use of the phone with it on.
It fits in my pocket fine but it does make the phone very wide. I think it is bigger than a note 3 when in this case.
That's Nice ! :good:
I really like this but would be worried about signal loss.
Wow thats very nice looking.
GPS
I find the aluminium bumper affects GPS reliability. Even till a point where maps isn't usable on the S5.
Cell signal is affected adversely by around -10 dBm with the aluminium bumper on as well but I'm in the bush so signal is usually bad.
Vin.
Carrier posibly an impact?
I have a similar setup. However instead of the Draco Design Supernova, I have the cheap (~$12) Love Mei knock off called the "Slim Waist Bumper".
Finish is not as good as the Draco (all the milling marks are still evident, rather than the quality finish of the Draco, so you get what you pay for. A cheap prices for a cheap case).
Note, I'm not sure but possibly the Wireless Charging Back is helping? Besides the charging pad, there's an extended antenna for the NFC (normally from the battery). Perhaps it's used for more than NFC and thus negates some of the metal case impact?
I do see from the FCC images for T-Mobile, Verizon and Sprint that antenna layouts differ between those devices. Perhaps this impacts the signal as well.
That said, I found that I still have extremely close to the same amount of phone signal, no appreciable Wi-Fi impact (I use 802.11ac, but it's been solid everywhere I use wireless) and the GPS shows accurate to 16 feet when using the GPS testing software. Removing the case yields a stronger GPS, but the accuracy seems to be similar (14 feet). So perhaps it's where I'm located and the number of SATs in view (15).
Downtown Seattle, GPS is pretty spotty but I suspect the skyscrapers blocking line of site is the reason. But in urban and suburban locations it's pretty solid. I've used the Google Navigation functions multiple times with the phone and case and have arrived to my destination every time.
The use of a glass screen protector, this case and the official Wireless Charging Back have provided me a nice looking phone.
Thank you for your review SeaFractor.
jspare, SeaFractor, I heard that the Wireless Charging cover is thiker than the original one and many cases will not fit.
Does it affect how Draco bumper sits on the phone?
wildguess said:
Thank you for your review SeaFractor.
I heard that the Wireless Charging cover is thiker than the original one and many cases will not fit.
Does it affect how Draco bumper sits on the phone?
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Click to collapse
No, it fits fin as the wireless back is thicker, just still has that rounded back on the sides. There's enough slope that it doesn't interfere with the case. It actually looks designed for it. I've removed the back and put on the original and it looks good either way.
Obviously I enjoy using the wireless charging as I was worried about the USB port cover eventually getting damaged from use.