[Q] Rom Suggestions (with a good GPS) and CM9 - AT&T Samsung Galaxy S II Skyrocket SGH-I727

Hello,
I've been MIA on these forums for quite some time so I'm very rusty and out of date on the ROM scene. I flashed a ROM back in March or so and and haven't touched my phone since, despite the fact that my GPS after I flashed has been horrendous; my phone cannot and will not keep track of where I am for more than 10 to 15 seconds and takes up to 5 minutes to re-locate me. Sometimes it will work continuously, but rarely.
So with that said, how is CM9's GPS? Also, is there a list of issues that have not been resolved since the Beta 1 release?
Or can anyone suggest a ROM (ICS) that they use where their GPS works like on stock?
Thanks!

The GPS I use a lot is either Google's Navigator or Navigon (by Garmin) and I used it a lot all last week and I'm using CM9, it finds me really quick. Someone on the forums linked me to this as well and it patches the GPS to use more satellites so you can try that one as well and it helped me when my GPS was sluggish.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1438129

Try Sky ICS UCLF6 Att official by seanzscreams. Great rom all around. I use Google nav and it works great
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I727 using xda app-developers app

Related

So my GPS went to hell...Do I need to replace it?

After flashing to Cognition 2.3, I've never got a loc again, and now cog2.4, still no loc. and between them I've tried Doc's i9000 roms, none of them can find even one satellite in the sky.
My GPS used to work, although always took 30 seconds to get a fix, it worked most of the time, and now it's totally in hell.
So I'm asking, is it because leaked roms don't have optimized GPS settings or is it just my GPS chip broke sometime? I'm really thinking about replacement...
I think it has to do with cognition as dg doesn't implement any gps fixes. This happened to me too when I was running cog but as soon as I switched roms (with some lbs tweaks) my gps was fine again. Run another rom and apply some fixes and you should be good to go.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I897 using XDA App
Go through and experiment with LBSTESTMOD configurations. That is all I had to do with Cognition 2.4, and it worked.
I have had the same problem with that cog build. The only real time I use the gps is when I go for a run. I have never had a problem getting a lock on my run but with this version i have almost no chance of getting a lock at any time. So my opinion is the gps problem Is only related to this version.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I897 using XDA App

GPS and CM7 based ROMs

I've been (mostly) lurking on XDA boards for a couple of years, having had a Droid X, Droid Charge, and lately an Inspire. I am a confirmed flashaholic, and historically rarely stick with one ROM for longer than a few weeks.
The Inspire though, presents an interesting and somewhat frustrating problem. In a nutshell, I am unable to hold a GPS lock for longer than 3 minutes at a time on anything other than a Sense ROM. In digging around on the boards, it is clear that this is a known issue on the Inspire (Desire HD too) running anything built off of CM7. Now, for the average user this might not be a huge deal, but I drive a tow truck for a living and rely heavily on GPS for trips, every night.
I have attempted each and every fix available for this problem, with no lasting success. It's a shame because on occasion I love to run pure CM7, and the Inspire has a superb CM7 hybrid available in Absolution. And now the AOSP ICS builds are nearing completion, but they still present a problem due to the CM7 parts used. Why am I stuck with Sense on this device in order to use Navigation effectively?
To be clear, I love this phone, not going anywhere, and I've got Sense 3.5 growing on me just fine, currently running Mikrunny, but I do miss the stripped down speed of CM. Why was this never addressed by Cyanogenmod's team? It's documented, even on CM's own boards. Can't blame the devs here, they are working off of source that is inherently bugged, or deficient, IMHO. Have tried countless market app fixes, GPS Test, GPS Status, etc. Found a great thread on the Desire board that greatly improves the number of satellites visible to the device and the speed of the fixes, but none help hold a lock longer than 3 or 4 minutes at a time. Frustrating.
Purpose for this thread? Well, to vent a little I guess, but more importantly to see if anyone with deeper knowledge than me on the topic has further insight...a HEAVY GPS user like myself perhaps?
Sent from my Inspire 4G using Tapatalk
the problem lies in google maps. least from what ive read and experienced. if you use different navigation or gps software theres no problem at all.
give Waze a try
OK. Will give Waze and/or Sygic a shot. Thanks for the reply.
Sent from my Inspire 4G using Tapatalk
If you toggle your gps off then back on after you've opened and gotten a lock in navigation and it will
Stay locked.
Sent from my HTC Inspire 4G using XDA App
I'm having very good fixing and holding on black ice ROM with crypted's agps fix ( http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1252011), specifically the "at&t flavored" option.
I am also using CM7 and I found that modifying my gps.conf as described in this thread really helped me. I was having troube getting a lock at all, would try for 10 minutes, but now I can get a lock in under 1 min.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1239713
I use GPS Status to get the A-GPS data.
https://market.android.com/details?...wsMSwxLDEsImNvbS5lY2xpcHNpbS5ncHNzdGF0dXMyIl0.
I've also found that turning the gps off and back on at the initial signal loss works well. I field tested my inspire using an ics rom on a 2.5 hr road trip. It did lose the signal within the first 2 minutes, but toggling the location services button fixed it. After the first drop I kept the signal for the entire trip, both ways
I may have found something, but I need a few others to try it out and see if it is reproducible.
If folks here are comfortable modifying their build.prop file can anyone give this a shot and post back here if it worked for them?
Change
ro.product.model=Desire HD
to
ro.product.model=Inspire 4G
Reboot.
Test the GPS without toggling.
A couple of caveats. I'm running on the BlackIce ROM (a CM7 derivative which does have the gps toggle issue still) and I have applied crypted's AGPS patch (which improved the lock considerably but did not fix the toggle bug).
Dubbee said:
I may have found something, but I need a few others to try it out and see if it is reproducible.
If folks here are comfortable modifying their build.prop file can anyone give this a shot and post back here if it worked for them?
Change
ro.product.model=Desire HD
to
ro.product.model=Inspire 4G
Reboot.
Test the GPS without toggling.
A couple of caveats. I'm running on the BlackIce ROM (a CM7 derivative which does have the gps toggle issue still) and I have applied crypted's AGPS patch (which improved the lock considerably but did not fix the toggle bug).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Doesn't make a difference. Download GPS Status from the market. Before you fire up Google maps run GPS status first. As soon as it downloads the assisted gps data fire up Google maps and you will be good to go.
GPS Status is useful but it doesn't address the toggle annoyance.
Did you actually try the build.prop edit?
I also use blackice with crypted's 3.1 gps patch. Google navigation is buggy, but I like to drive my very light car out in the stocks on the twisties where their is edge, gprs, or nothing. So, I use Navigon. It's gotten better now that garmin bought them and the routing engine is leaps and bounds better than Google. It works flawlessly.
Sent from my Desire HD using xda premium
DeathmonkeyGTX said:
I also use blackice with crypted's 3.1 gps patch. Google navigation is buggy, but I like to drive my very light car out in the stocks on the twisties where their is edge, gprs, or nothing. So, I use Navigon. It's gotten better now that garmin bought them and the routing engine is leaps and bounds better than Google. It works flawlessly.
Sent from my Desire HD using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Are you serious? Its a $40 freakin app! https://market.android.com/details?id=com.navigon.navigator_checkout_us&hl=en
I'm dead serious. It's worth every penny if you need gps and don't want to be subject to the propagation of radio frequency for your map data. It works very well. Some people ***** about it not working, but my guess is that they are incompetent. Also, navteq has the best map data for North America. I can uncheck a box and it'll route me on rural roads that would require a custom rock crawler to traverse.
Also, I tend to get the best gps and everything else results with radio 12.65.60.29U_26.14.04.28_M.
Sent from my Desire HD using xda premium
I dowloaded GPS status, turned on my navigation ap, then toggled my gps on and off and it worked for 30 straight minutes
Sent from my Inspire 4G using xda premium
Forgot to add I am using Revolution
Sent from my Inspire 4G using xda premium
tepeee said:
I dowloaded GPS status, turned on my navigation ap, then toggled my gps on and off and it worked for 30 straight minutes
Sent from my Inspire 4G using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
But the question is, will it come on by itself without having to toggle it off and on? Mine gets a fast fix and will stay connected so long as I toggle it off and on and don't let the screen time out or close the program. Any of that happens and I have to toggle it again. This is with CM7 nightly 260.
I am using a stock Inpire 4g (for now). FWIW, If Google maps/navigation is the first app to attempt to access the GPS after the GPS has been turned on, it will never get a signal lock for me. I have to run GPS Status (a great app) before trying anything else. Sometimes this means toggling GPS off and back on, running GPS Status, waiting for lock, and then resuming Google maps/navigation. Even if I start Google, realize my mistake, and then run GPS Status with Google still in the background, GPS Status will "see" as many as 10 satellites with strong signals, and never get lock. I only have to run GPS Status once after GPS has been turned on. Then, if I leave the GPS on, I can use any other app as much as I want with no problems.

Is GPS on captivate good enough on ICS

My current phone got stolen, so I need something on a budget for the meanwhile. I was thinking of getting a captivate since it has lot of development with stable ICS builds..
My only concern is the GPS ? I had heard there were problems initially with early galaxy S units, resulting in poor GPS performance. Do they still exist in ICS roms or were they fixed ? Also if anyone know were these on hardware side or if they were just software bugs?
Mafioso said:
My current phone got stolen, so I need something on a budget for the meanwhile. I was thinking of getting a captivate since it has lot of development with stable ICS builds..
My only concern is the GPS ? I had heard there were problems initially with early galaxy S units, resulting in poor GPS performance. Do they still exist in ICS roms or were they fixed ? Also if anyone know were these on hardware side or if they were just software bugs?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There are several threads on the gps problem and it's not related to rom, per se. I am on GB and changing the etc/gps.conf file has made my GPS reliable. The position of the GPS antenna inside the phone is far from ideal and samsung didn't ship it with best settings in the gps.conf file.
if you search for 'gps.conf' you will find the threads. it is pretty simple to replace the gps.conf file or edit it.
Some ROMs include the gps.conf fix.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I897
I love many things about my captivate, but the GPS is not one of them. There are fixes that help some, but it still seems too unreliable. If I'm driving it loses signal all too often.
Gps
For a decent gps signal I flash H3llstorm GPS Fix after flashing a Rom... Still Doesn't compare to other devices signal strength, but makes gps usable
It works on CM9, AOKP and MIUI
-Sorry for bad English
GPS, also, depend on your baseband version.some baseband firmwares consumes more battary charge, but gives better GPS signals. I use XXJVT modem and have no issues with GPS signal.
I figured out something cool. If I hold my captivate up to the windshield it will lock on nicely, whereas if it's in my lap when driving it won't. Then I have a windshield mount where I keep it. It's been working better. This has been true on AOCP and jelly bean.
Running aokp kang build 4 GPS locks normally < 30 sec
Sent from my SGH-I897 using xda premium
After flashing to latest stable Cyanogenmod 9.1 my GPS is very good. I get 8 out of 9 satellite lock in about 5 seconds where it used to take 30-40 seconds with stock ROM and about 20-30 with 2.3.5 ROM I used for a while. That's in exactly the same spot right in front of my house.
that's the only thing i hate about Captivate @@
GPS is unbelievably weak, it has to combine with gps from mobile network, i can never use pure gps with only satellites @@
The GPS is my least favorite component of my Galaxy S.
I do use my Captivate as my GPS while geocaching.
I find that for best reception I have to hold the phone so the back is pointed up. To do this is is slightly over my head and I have to look up at it. Going though some trees and leaning over the phone it will loose connection. In the car driving I only find occasionally it will loose connection. In the mount on the dash it is in the ideal orientation.
My Transformer Prime tablet has an even worse GPS but the update external GPS add-on improves the GPS to be much better than the Captivate.
If it realy matters you can get a blue tooth GPS that can work with this and probably any phone you might upgrade to in the future.
I am running ICS on my phone and under Location Services there is GPS source to select different GPS. I just tried to connect using bluetooth to my Garmin car GPS but the only bluetooth functionality it has is to send sound to car stereo. and I could not even pair the Garmin with the Captivate.
Lots of bluetooth GPS receivers to choose from on eBay.
This thread might give you some more information of some of the units others have tried.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1122688
I am going to stick with the GPS in my phone. It has worked good enough for two years and will be updating my phone in Feb or March.
Jim
Honestly, you don't choose the Captivate for its GPS. Although, many ROMs have GPS fix and makes it usable. I can't say I had much issue with mine, it does the job it needs to do but depending on your connection, it might not be optimal. I did lose signal for a few seconds while driving but never lost signal to leaning over it tho eh
I almost want to say that the Captivate has the worst GPS out of most phones but I don't have much experience with other phones. The captivate is decent though and I think with the latest versions of JB, it seems to operate much better.
Hi all, I have a question. Why my GPS get fix fast and strong in gpstest apk and dont get a good fix running the google Navigator?
Enviado do meu SGH-I897
^
Try this... http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=19422197
Sent from my SGH-I897 using xda premium
4-2ndtwin said:
^
Try this... http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=19422197
Sent from my SGH-I897 using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Is It works for CM10 stable (JB 4.1.2)?
^
Sorry, but nope. Just good for samsung stock gb roms or those based on that. Should have mentioned that before. My bad.
Sent from my SGH-I897 using xda premium
igorgomez said:
Hi all, I have a question. Why my GPS get fix fast and strong in gpstest apk and dont get a good fix running the google Navigator?
Enviado do meu SGH-I897
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've noticed that the google nav app maybe sensitive to the accuracy of the system time. When the clock is off by more that a few seconds, it seems to consistently report my position incorrectly, by 50 meters or more, in the same direction.
For example, when driving southbound, it will show me driving south, but 100 meters off the road to the east and this offset will persist until the clock is corrected.
I've installed clocksync app and set it to sync time every hour. It seems to help: Google nav doesn't give the persistant offset, but it does lose lock sometimes. I just toggle gps enable in the status bar and it recovers.
My gps.conf file uses the hellstorm fix. I am running GB debloated stock rom with Corn 7.06a kernel.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I897

[Q] which ROM doesn't have GPS issues?

Good morning guys,
I've tried every 'fix' under the sun to make my GPS work 'better' (takes 5 minutes to lock my loc), but to no avail.
(I'm on Scott's amazing CM10 JB rom)
Is every JB rom having these issues? Would it be better to just goto ICS?
I travel for work, so Maps is my best friend lol
Thanks in advance,
Sent from my SGH-I997 using xda app-developers app
Scotts latest CM10 initial locked for me in 1 minute 24 seconds.
So, GPS isn't broken across the board. Sometimes there are issues, and sometimes it works fine, but by and large, the issues are local to the individual user.
If GPS is that important, I would suggest that you go back to stock and work your way up. Or just stick with stock.
Understand a solution is important, however not a good idea to create duplicate threads.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1902360
I love the work scott has done, and i realize it isn't across the board. It just stinks that I can't use his masterpiece as a daily driver
Sent from my SGH-I997 using xda app-developers app
use cm9. every jb rom on this phone has issues with agps. weird thing is it is running but not helping to find sats. with gps.conf mods even the "use ref loc" feature seems to work which is network triangulation to help it figure out a rough location for a starting point but the phone still seems to use the standalone gps to find sats.... i tried logging it but nothing really gave me a clue to the actual problem. the gps isn't broken but it doesn't work so well for most of us without agps working to it's full potential.
It works well in ICS. Currently running cm and GPS locks in less than a minute.
In jb it would take 20+ minutes and sometimes say I was a mile away.
GPS has always been bad as far as I'm concerned. I've actually had better luck with the JB roms from late August onward than I have with Froyo or Gingerbread. Have you actually been able to rely on GPS for directions with this phone? I always end up having to ask at a gas station!
brian Marshall said:
It works well in ICS. Currently running cm and GPS locks in less than a minute.
In jb it would take 20+ minutes and sometimes say I was a mile away.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Turn off Google location. It might be nice to have Google now but its the worst for navigation. You need real GPS location for maps. Problem is that with jb agps doesn't work correctly so the GPS lock takes forever, leave GPS on with the screen on for another 15 minutes after the first loc for the ephemeris data to download. that should last a few days before you have to do it again.
ICS on the other hand has absolutely impeccable GPS performance for me. Much better than what came from Samsung on my phone.
Cypher rom
I used Cypher rom, and it has great GPS lock.
atrix4nag said:
I used Cypher rom, and it has great GPS lock.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
first of all, i appreciate that GPS works fine for some people -- why are you reading this thread then?
i'm not even going to list everything i've done to troubleshoot, but before you say 'people posting things and not checking it out themselves' i can tell you that i have tried EVERYTHING, spent hours working on the GPS issue with my phone and come to the conclusion that JB does not have proper GPS on SOME infuse phones, whether it be by region or some latent hardware defect that the ICS or GB roms compensate for, my GPS dosen't lock. i've been through like 20 gps.conf files, read about every setting in the file and tried every variation thereof, gone back to GB, gone to ICS, back to JB, multiple times, testing the result, my phone locks in 5 seconds in ICS or GB, not in JB. had same results in cm10, cypher, remICS, th3bills aokp, his miui, etc...
if my hardware was bad, i wouldnt lock in 5 seconds in GB.
one of my pet peeves is everytime you ask a question in a forum being told you're in the wrong thread when it would have taken less time to provide a helpful answer. posts telling people to move to another forum are also noise, and then further posts telling people they didn't try hard enough, or 'mine works so you're wrong' are also just noise, and not helpful to anyone. the other pet peeve is being told, after spending hours working on an issue, to stop whining because it's being worked on, when you were just trying to help in the first place. or when you read the first sentence of my post and tell me to do something i clearly stated i had already tried in my post.
nobody is whining, we just use infuse phones, and like our GPS to work.
also to be clear this isnt really directed at atrix4nag in a negative way, i just happened to reply to his message.

Aosp GPS issues

Just wondering why GPS is wonky at best?
I love having the newest software but its a major letdown
Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk 2
Different ROMs have different issues... I'm on the CM10 and tested it earlier this evening and it's fine. A little slow to lock on but I think that had to do with the fact I was inside and nowhere near a window or anything.
Which one are you running?
I've tried almost every jb rom over the last few montgs .....if I flash back to a tw rom its golden.
Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk 2
JB ROM's in general are going to have more issues that TW. There is no real code for our variant yet so all the devs are doing a patch job basically. A good one, but still it's not the code that works best with our phones they're kinda 'working blind'. That being said, some ROMs work perfect for some people and not so perfect for others. CM10 seems to have very few people having problems.
I am running one of the cm10 versions and had the same crappy GPS. I fixed it by going into settings while in my maps app and making sure the GPS isn't trying to work via a Bluetooth gps connection. Once I checked that off the GPS worked just fine.
Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk 2
I've been running AOSP roms since around 9/5 and my GPS works sorta fine. It will lock like nobody's business in all the market apps and google maps. In Google navigation, however, it will lose lock after 15 or twenty seconds. Switching to a third party app will re-acquire the lock almost instantly, but it makes navigation almost useless. I've taken note of multiple other people having the same problem, but nobody seems to have found a solution.

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