Database Users

HTC Snap, GPS not detecting satellites

I can't get a satellite lock on my HTC Snap.
I have enable "use GPS" in google maps. google maps will search for satellites and after sometime come back saying weak signal & some recomendations to look for clear view of the sky.
Garmin XT also can't search GPS satellites. I install GPS Test, it seems that there's a GPS hardware but somehow the signal reception is super weak.
I have sent my Snaps to HTC service center and the best thing they can do is change the mainboard. This also show no result.
Anybody, please help. i'm starting to get frustrated with this GPS issue...

Bing GPS
I use the Bing app and have similar issues establishing GPS signal. This is my first GPS device so I'm not sure if this is normal, or if the phone is crap for GPS, or if I'm doing it wrong. I try to keep the QuickGPS updated, but that doesn't seem to help. I thought AGPS was supposed to be fast, but faster compared to what? Maybe this is 'fast' for GPS. I have seen friend's full on GPS devices and they seem to pickup pretty quick. So... who knows?

One thing to definitely try is make sure quickgps is up to date and automatically downloading. garmin could NOT find my location without that up to date and it would show one red bar signal strength. once i loaded up quickgps, updated it, and ran garmin again, full green signal.

It's The GPS Hardware ...
I've tried it all with my Dash 3G -- and concluded that it's the GPS in the phone that is garbage. I've since switched back to my trusty OnCourse Bluetooth GPS and I get a lock in Google Maps in less than 30 seconds and in Garmin XT in less than 10. IMHO, the GPS is certainly a weakness on this phone.
It finally sunk in for me when I lost signal 9 times while walking a few miles down Beacon Street in Boston. Holding the phone in my hand it kept dropping the signal over and over again. So I gave up. Built in GPS is handy in a pinch (when you have 30 minutes to wait for it to find a signal) but for serious navigating I use my Bluetooth GPS exclusively now.

No true at all. the gps in the Ozone is amazingly fast.

drewcam888 said:
No true at all. the gps in the Ozone is amazingly fast.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I completely agree. Simply because something is not working like it should for these others does not mean that the GPS is not good. I use garmin xt with my ozone and its is extremely fast at updating my position as i'm driving along.

Problem solved
Let say that i'm in a really bad luck. this is my first GPS device and its not working. After the 2nd time come out from the service center (2nd concecutive mainboard), then the GPS is functioning, normaly....
my maple can get lock on GPS signal quite fast. with AGPS updated, it can get signal lock within seconds (given you have a clear sky view). i found that it could takes some time for Garmin XT to get GPS signal, so I use GPS Test to speed up the process then start the Garmin XT.
so for those who can't get GPS signal. it's definitely your hardware. I also found that the online customer service officer at HTC is just a mere lips service / useless. they keep telling me to be patient and patient without real action.

There's a free GPS testing tool for Windows Mobile called GPS Test. Once that set up, you can find out which serial port is used by the GPS receiver in your Windows Mobile, and set Google Maps GPS setting accordingly. Once it's set up, Google Maps can easily find multiple satellites if you're on open space. Once it's using GPS, your location on Google Maps will be a pin point, rather than a large circle denoting your approximate location.
PS: Found out with GPS Test that my GPS receiver in my Snap is using COM4 port at 9600 bps
Sincerely,
Paul Pambudi

WIND Mobile HTC Maple users not getting GPS working PLEASE READ!
I went through four HTC Maples (two accounts each 1st phone was a warranty exchange for another non-related problem). Each of the four Maples could not lock in single GPS satellite. WIND tech support had no clue after many calls and tests run at their tech support offices in Toronto. WIND recommended that I get in contact with HTC directly to see if they might have a solution.
One call to HTC started the ball rolling and setup a trouble ticket. Within 3 days and about seven call backs to trouble shoot, HTC had the solution and both of our Maples now have fully functioning GPS with Google Maps.
The problem was in the ROMs that had an old version of Google Maps (both their WM 6.1 and WM 6.5 HTC Maple ROM for WIND accounts).
Solution: using the Maple's browser go to m.google.com/maps and install the latest version. Problem solved!
HTC customer service in North America ROCKS!!!!!!!!!!
Will I buy another HTC product? HELL YA!!!

Here's a gem!
My Snap used to take 30-40 seconds on a cold start to get a location lock (with aGPS turned on).
I installed the attached CAB (which just adds some registry keys, also found here: Here), which makes the phone use Google's aGPS server, and got a cold start GPS lock in 7 seconds... indoors!

arpitp said:
Here's a gem!
My Snap used to take 30-40 seconds on a cold start to get a location lock (with aGPS turned on).
I installed the attached CAB (which just adds some registry keys, also found here: showthread.php?t=544421), which makes the phone use Google's aGPS server, and got a cold start GPS lock in 7 seconds... indoors!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The thread you listed for registry key changes doesn't appear to work.
Any chance you might be able to list it again?
Thanks.
AE!

AquiEsta! said:
The thread you listed for registry key changes doesn't appear to work.
Any chance you might be able to list it again?
Thanks.
AE!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sorry, the link was bad. I'm used to posting links in that format from another forum. Anyhow, it's fixed in the last post, and here it is as well:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=544421

arpitp said:
Sorry, the link was bad. I'm used to posting links in that format from another forum. Anyhow, it's fixed in the last post, and here it is as well:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=544421
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for updating the link.
I have tried both of the CABs for the non Nokia and both make no difference if you
can't get a GPS lock. AGPS simply does not work using the latest Google maps CAB
available.
The "FF Ultimate aGPS Tweak_supl.google_Generic.cab" actually makes Google Maps
take forever to just start up after being installed and still no location is updated
indoors. Also, the phone will not snyc now with the desktop and this is after three
soft resets.
Even worse is the fact the phone now runs slow as hell. Everything takes forever
to open and is VERY sluggish.
Installed the other CAB "FF Google aGPS Settings Generic.cab" and still the same
problems. What could be the problem?
Finally got fed up with the POS CAB and uninstalled it. So far I've notice that the
phone has recovered its speed opening items and the right ones not like before
with that POS CAB which would cause all kinds of problems. Snyc now works
and so this looks like I'm back in business minus the fact I still can't get the aGPS
to work.
Oh well, you can't win them all...
AE!

gps wont find anything

so I bought a htc hd2 using it to type this, however gps wont lock (and kb Really is bad lol) im on o2
any ideas..

Re gps won't find anything
Hi,
A couple of questions. What software are you using? (like Google Maps). You say you can't get a lock, are you able to access any satellite? Have you selected Google Maps Use GPS Option. Have you enabled QuickGPS (Start/Tools/QuickGPS). There is a setting there to let you download Satellite data using your PC connection during Activesync which might help you if you have data issues.
Now, silly question, are you indoors or outdoors when you are trying to get a fix?. Im not always able to get a satellite fix from my living room).
Regards.

Re: gps won't find anything
Hi,
A couple of questions. What software are you using? (like Google Maps). You say you can't get a lock, are you able to access any satellite? Have you selected Google Maps Use GPS Option. Have you enabled QuickGPS (Start/Tools/QuickGPS). There is a setting there to let you download Satellite data using your PC connection during Activesync which might help you if you have data issues.
Now, silly question, are you indoors or outdoors when you are trying to get a fix?. Im not always able to get a satellite fix from my living room).
Regards.

sorry took so long to reply (keyboard really has issues ... or maybe i have the issues and just cant use it) so i came to pc to reply.
i was indoors at the time (trying to show my gf how great my phone is and shes with her iphone getting a gps location in seconds) so i was indoors , i have tried outside however and it dont seem to work, i had the same (and still do) with my xda ignito and just give up on it , but this is a new phone and i just want to be able to sit in my house and go oooh phone says im here haha.
i used quickgps however that has not helped

LOL, knowing that you couldn't get it working on your other phone might have helped in your original posting . Have you talked to O2?

gps does not care about the carrier...
BTW: What the iphone does (and your phone can do too) is the self positining using the google api. that works over the cellular network, using a table of positions where the antennas are lokated and not gps!
GPS indoors is not possible with a antenna like the HD2 or the Iphone has, aslong as you live in a "normal house" and not in some weird mobile home ect...
If it cant get a fix using google maps or tomtom outside of your house within 2minutes of not moving somewhere on the street, or the gps tuner did not even find one satellite, think of hard-resetting your phone and then try again.
if you sill can find anything your antenna might be broken so you need to return your phone to warrenty and get a new one, or yours fixed!
greetz

Intereseting, I've never actually seen a phone using nagigation software without data services from a carrier. I must live a really sheltered life. Good luck.

Usually, every GPS phone has trouble locking from inside houses, with the exception of when you are standing next to a window sometimes. My HD2 however locks in seconds when outside.
I would suggest running QuickGPS (or something along those lines) from Start->Tools, it updates the locations of the satellites so the GPS takes less to locate them when locking.
All the best,
shpatar.

cMMY69 said:
Intereseting, I've never actually seen a phone using nagigation software without data services from a carrier. I must live a really sheltered life. Good luck.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
what are you talking about? tomtom, garmin etc. never use the carrier to get a fixed gps position. thats why you call it gps, because it uses it and gps is not run by any phone carrier but by the us. forces... so you dont need any dataservice or even simcard to get your gps position with your gps-enabled phone...

larrytango said:
sorry took so long to reply (keyboard really has issues ... or maybe i have the issues and just cant use it) so i came to pc to reply.
i was indoors at the time (trying to show my gf how great my phone is and shes with her iphone getting a gps location in seconds) so i was indoors , i have tried outside however and it dont seem to work, i had the same (and still do) with my xda ignito and just give up on it , but this is a new phone and i just want to be able to sit in my house and go oooh phone says im here haha.
i used quickgps however that has not helped
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Are you using igo8? I know i had to manually set the correct com port (COM4) within igo settings before it would work.
Also you can manually set it in google maps. Try setting it to COM4 baud rate of 4800
The carrier locating in my area is useless when i am inside my house. Says i am like a mile away in the middle of a field! lol.

larrytango said:
sorry took so long to reply (keyboard really has issues ... or maybe i have the issues and just cant use it) so i came to pc to reply.
i was indoors at the time (trying to show my gf how great my phone is and shes with her iphone getting a gps location in seconds) so i was indoors , i have tried outside however and it dont seem to work, i had the same (and still do) with my xda ignito and just give up on it , but this is a new phone and i just want to be able to sit in my house and go oooh phone says im here haha.
i used quickgps however that has not helped
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
As others have replied- the iPhone uses a different method of getting your position, as its GPS receiver is pretty poor (which is why TomTom needs its own GPS receiver in a dedicated cradle to work properly )
The HD2 has the best GPS receiver I've yet seen in a mobile device- no longer than 1 minute even from cold start in most cases- and I've used it in UK, Italy and Slovenia in the last 6 weeks. However, if you are indoors it will struggle.
Which software are you using to try and get a fix? Maybe it isn't initiating the GPS correctly.
The Ignito is also pretty good, so maybe you are in a 'dead' area? Have you tried in a different location?

brandi said:
gps does not care about the carrier...
BTW: What the iphone does (and your phone can do too) is the self positining using the google api. that works over the cellular network, using a table of positions where the antennas are lokated and not gps!
GPS indoors is not possible with a antenna like the HD2 or the Iphone has, aslong as you live in a "normal house" and not in some weird mobile home ect...
If it cant get a fix using google maps or tomtom outside of your house within 2minutes of not moving somewhere on the street, or the gps tuner did not even find one satellite, think of hard-resetting your phone and then try again.
if you sill can find anything your antenna might be broken so you need to return your phone to warrenty and get a new one, or yours fixed!
greetz
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i said what network i was on to imply what rom i was on (was first day with hd2 and i was typing using it .. and i wanted to make it as small as possible - hate the kb lol)
and my gf iphone does actually pick up gps in the house , mine doesnt tho.
i got a signal once since i started this when outside after about 20 mins.
i understand what you mean with regards to cell network etc and obviously that works fine .. however gps seems to not like me

GPS Wrong - Google Map Not Accurate

Why does Google Map tell me that I'm 1000m from my current location? It's useless if I need street directions.

a_ok2me said:
Why does Google Map tell me that I'm 1000m from my current location? It's useless if I need street directions.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is strange. I have the same problem with my Rhodium. My HD2 has the best GPS I have ever owned.
I use Waze not Google maps though. Last night I was on the highest bridge of a multi road exchange and took a 90 degree turn that confuses every GPS device I have ever used but this time Waze made the turn with me.
Are you using the stock ROM?
Does Google maps support GPS?

Snarksneeze said:
This is strange. I have the same problem with my Rhodium. My HD2 has the best GPS I have ever owned.
I use Waze not Google maps though. Last night I was on the highest bridge of a multi road exchange and took a 90 degree turn that confuses every GPS device I have ever used but this time Waze made the turn with me.
Are you using the stock ROM?
Does Google maps support GPS?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well...I no longer have the hd2 because it does not pick up 3G 95% of the time and it can't find a GPS satellite. Google Map supports GPS. It was also stock ROM. I must have done a million hard resets. Basically, it didn't work for $450 + $50 tax.

Did you even turn on the GPS option in Google maps? If not then it was finding your location throught GPRS which is triangulation from cell towers.
I have both a Fuze and HD2 and both work just fine for me. Also when was the last time you tried runner Quick GPS to update the tracking files?

Google Maps, by default, won't connect with GPS, but find your estimates location from cell towers. that's why you're always a little off.
press menu and use GPS, and the GPS will track your location accurately from there on.

rickyoon.vegas said:
Google Maps, by default, won't connect with GPS, but find your estimates location from cell towers. that's why you're always a little off.
press menu and use GPS, and the GPS will track your location accurately from there on.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Close but the newer version is Menu/Options/GPS

Wil Badger said:
Did you even turn on the GPS option in Google maps? If not then it was finding your location throught GPRS which is triangulation from cell towers.
I have both a Fuze and HD2 and both work just fine for me. Also when was the last time you tried runner Quick GPS to update the tracking files?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
rickyoon.vegas said:
Google Maps, by default, won't connect with GPS, but find your estimates location from cell towers. that's why you're always a little off.
press menu and use GPS, and the GPS will track your location accurately from there on.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes I turned on the Google GPS option. It just tries to find a tower forever, but never finds anything. I also ran Quick GPS after the Google GPS option didn't work. Similarly, I rarely ever get 3G. But, stick in my sim card to my old phone and everything is fine.
I think there is a big issue with the HD2.

a_ok2me said:
Yes I turned on the Google GPS option. It just tries to find a tower forever, but never finds anything. I also ran Quick GPS after the Google GPS option didn't work. Similarly, I rarely ever get 3G. But, stick in my sim card to my old phone and everything is fine.
I think there is a big issue with the HD2.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have read that leather cases have something to do with this sometimes. Are you using one?

MirasHD2 said:
I have read that leather cases have something to do with this sometimes. Are you using one?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes & no. Yes, I do when I'm on the road. But, no because I would try it at home - without any case - to see if it's accurate but it can't pick up any satellites.
I was only able to get a reading of my home position the first 2 days of owning it.

a_ok2me said:
I think there is a big issue with the HD2.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think you mean with your particular HD2. Because as I said before, I've never had a better GPS device... ever. Any GPS device that can actually follow me on a 90-degree turn without missing a beat is just lightyears beyond anything else I've found so far.
Even with stock ROM there could be a number of things causing trouble:
You could have a bad phone. It happens. Manufacturer's defects will occur in even the best runs, that's why there are warranties to cover it.
Something may be interfering with your GPS receiver. Even if other devices perform flawlessly in the same location in your vehicle, one device may be more succeptible to radio interference than others.
You could have battery issues. A bad battery can cause all sorts of problems. When your phone can't get a good cell reception, it just boosts juice to the hardware, which in turn drains your battery faster. A bad battery just can't keep up. Again, this is why there are warranties.
Please don't just assume that the HD2 is a bad phone just because you had problems with yours. I've heard of people curse a phone maker because they got two or three bad phones in a row. The thing to remember is that when a plant makes a bad batch, the entire shift's production could easily be sent to the same area, meaning that multiple returns for the same issue from one customer are not unheard of.
I would return it and get a replacement. It may take a few times of swapping around, but you should get things worked out. Trust me, this is the best phone on the market today. Hands down.
#ListMaster

Snarksneeze said:
I think you mean with your particular HD2. Because as I said before, I've never had a better GPS device... ever.
Please don't just assume that the HD2 is a bad phone just because you had problems with yours. I've heard of people curse a phone maker because they got two or three bad phones in a row.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well...conversely, you can't assume the other direction because many, not only my phone, can't get 3G. Further, my phone can't pick up satellites even after many hard resets and no non-OEM apps installed. As I keep on reading threads, it tells me the HD2 is poor with reception. There's something to be said about this.
After selling my phone, I'm tempted to buy another one. But I'll hold out for awhile as more feedbacks come in.

MirasHD2 said:
I have read that leather cases have something to do with this sometimes. Are you using one?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
[OFF-TOPIC] Congratulations on your 100th post! You're a Senior Member now [/OFF-TOPIC]

a_ok2me said:
Well...conversely, you can't assume the other direction because many, not only my phone, can't get 3G. Further, my phone can't pick up satellites even after many hard resets and no non-OEM apps installed. As I keep on reading threads, it tells me the HD2 is poor with reception. There's something to be said about this.
After selling my phone, I'm tempted to buy another one. But I'll hold out for awhile as more feedbacks come in.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The lack of 3G can't be blamed on the phone, you know. I live in the center of Austin, TX and my 3G is constant. I've driven 100 miles south to a small community there and couldn't get anything higher than Edge.
Also, T-Mobile won't kick you from a tower that doesn't belong to them. At least, I've never been able to catch them doing it. I always get the closest tower and best reception possible. Problem is, T-Mobile simply doesn't have enough money to ensure that every corner of every city has third-generation towers.
This is the same gripe coming from iPhone users; they say that AT&T just isn't investing enough in putting out more towers.

Snarksneeze said:
The lack of 3G can't be blamed on the phone, you know.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, but the thing is - as I originally mentioned - I get 3G on my BlueAngel using the same sim card. Without this test, I would not have been able to point my finger at the HD2. The BlueAngel is something like the first PDA/phone ever and I still get 3G with it. I can't believe PDA technology has not advanced so much until now that I'm still using it after all these years.

a_ok2me said:
Yeah, but the thing is - as I originally mentioned - I get 3G on my BlueAngel using the same sim card. Without this test, I would not have been able to point my finger at the HD2. The BlueAngel is something like the first PDA/phone ever and I still get 3G with it. I can't believe PDA technology has not advanced so much until now that I'm still using it after all these years.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I see. Well, I certainly can't say what the problem is. As I said before, you may have just gotten a bad phone, which would suck but it does happen.
I've never dropped 3G here in Austin since I've gotten my HD2 in. Of course, the icon switches between [3] and [H] all the time, but it won't drop to [E] unless I manually turn off the "Data connection" toggle under Settings->Comm Manager.

Sorry but, our GPS on our Hd2 only works when in 3g? Just wondering because im on Edge at home and it dont work. havent tried in 3g coverage yet though.

starkall said:
Sorry but, our GPS on our Hd2 only works when in 3g? Just wondering because im on Edge at home and it dont work. havent tried in 3g coverage yet though.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't know. I was associating poor 3G reception with my phone's inability to find a satellite.

i live in long beach, ca and my phone finds gps even on edge. It also connects to 3g and has a stable connection. try replacing ur phone by using ur warranty.

starkall said:
Sorry but, our GPS on our Hd2 only works when in 3g? Just wondering because im on Edge at home and it dont work. havent tried in 3g coverage yet though.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No, GPS has nothing to do with 3g or your cellular connection. The GPS will work even if you have no sim card in and don't use it as a phone.
Also, I have to say, the GPS on my HD2 is one of the best I've used. I've had 4 other GPS enabled phones, 2 handheld standalone GPS devices, and 3 different bluetooth gps devices and the HD2 is definitely as good or better than all of them. I was very impressed... never thought a phone could work so well with gps.

google maps
GPS CONNECTION ERROR??!
am i the only one ?
No GPS receiver was found maake sure you have a gps receiver (built in or bluetooth that is turned on and configured towork with google maps for mobile. ??
UMM? is this so that i can bluetooth a tomtom or something like that and use their satelites ? cuz i ran quick gps why wouldnt gmaps use that ? my location is a little off but i am inside a brick apartment building. and its only off several blocks?
any way to configure gps to gmaps ?

[Q] Anyone Elses GPS Aweful?

I have never had my GPS locate me via google maps. My Phone has no issues. Anyone else have GPS issues? any tips? Hopefully a software update fixes it? I have a friend who has the same issue.
[Should have read "awful", not aweful]

Nothing wrong with my gps. Have you upgraded to the latest firmware? Downloaded the A-GPS data (you can get this by using an app called GPS status)? Switch OFF wifi after you do, then leave it to get a full signal lock (takes up to 15minutes or so with a clear view of the sky).

toddmp said:
I have never had my GPS locate me via google maps. My Phone has no issues. Anyone else have GPS issues? any tips? Hopefully a software update fixes it? I have a friend who has the same issue.
[Should have read "awful", not aweful]
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Make sure you are outside with a clear view of sky when you test. It can take any GPS up to 10 minutes to acquire the ephemeris information (satellite position at a certain time) and lock up. You phone cheats this by using the cellular network to provide a general location of where your are and therefore where to look for certain satellites.

thanks so much for the info guys. I had a feeling it had something to do with no cell phone band helping out. thanks!

GPS works fine here, as other have said the closer you are to the sky/window the better.

yeah..give your TF a few minutes to lock up sat positions (if you've never done this)..
this applies to most pure gps devices..cellphones can use cellular network signal to quickly locate your position but the data isn't really from gps itself.

http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1088120
Hope this helps
Acid lestitious 2.0. Fugumod 2.4 800 mhz

jerrykur said:
Make sure you are outside with a clear view of sky when you test. It can take any GPS up to 10 minutes to acquire the ephemeris information (satellite position at a certain time) and lock up. You phone cheats this by using the cellular network to provide a general location of where your are and therefore where to look for certain satellites.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I wonder if it does the wifi cheat like maps for android phones, where it uses the known APs to determine location? I say that because when I first fired up my transformer yesterday, after connecting to wifi, I screwed around on maps and it found me inside my house in less than 30 seconds.

toddmp said:
I have never had my GPS locate me via google maps. My Phone has no issues. Anyone else have GPS issues? any tips? Hopefully a software update fixes it? I have a friend who has the same issue.
[Should have read "awful", not aweful]
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
its the reverse for me! in the same room of house i often cannot get a fix on my Optimus 2x. i use GPS Staus app. but i often get fix within 30secs. as a test i have both machines running the app next to each other and the transformer always gets regular fixes.
..... hmm just realised as i type this that i have a phone called optimus and tablet called transformer, and they both run android!!!

I get fixes with no wifi (ie: only GPS) within 30 seconds.

Quite the opposite, mine is extremely accurate. After it gets a fix on maps that little google person is standing right in my front yard in the satellite view! Better than my Droid!

Mine is almost instantaneous. Just tried it at home based on this thread and had a read in probably 5 seconds.

I have not been able to obtain a GPS lock until today when I set my location to use wireless networks. To me this is really stupid because the GPS shouldn't have to use any location settings to obtain a lock in my mind. That is if the GPS chip in the TF is a true GPS chip it should not to rely on a wifi signal to obtain a lock. If the GPS is turned on then it should lock.

I tested sygic gps navigation 11 and signal lock and quality was better than my galaxy s was pretty accurate
Sent from my Transformer TF101 using XDA Premium App

Works fine for me, apart from one minor detail. When I switch from Google Maps to another app, even for a few seconds, then the tablet has to get a lock all over again. There appears to be no way to set the GPS to keep a lock while Google Maps isn't the active program.
That, for me, makes Google Maps near-useless in a moving vehicle. Hopefully other third-party apps won't have this issue.

Google Maps is prety much useless on the Transformer for GPS navigation as a data connection is need. I have heard of people caching a route before hand but ..... Copilot Live 7 is out for android so that is one option. However if the GPS relies on a wifi signal in order to obtain a lock then it is about useless too.

toddmp said:
I have never had my GPS locate me via google maps. My Phone has no issues. Anyone else have GPS issues? any tips? Hopefully a software update fixes it? I have a friend who has the same issue.
[Should have read "awful", not aweful]
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Gps works fine on mine....unlike my icons or Samsung...both returned

gps does use wifi to help gps locate, theres options to turn this off in settings, i went to pick up my dock today and couldn't get a gps lock while in the car with the transformer in my lap(gps status app showed 3 sats but none would lock) just lifting it up 12 inches closer to the windshield made 7 satellites pop up and instantly started getting locks
i think proximity to a window/line of sky is a big factor, and the transformer does have a true gps chip for those who seem to doubt it, also the navigation app keeps running in the background, its better to use that than google maps

No issues with gps here. The bastard finds me every time!

jadesse said:
However if the GPS relies on a wifi signal in order to obtain a lock then it is about useless too.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It doesn't rely on WiFi for a lock, it just uses it to allow a faster connection if you don't already have current ephemeris data downloaded. That's a limitation of all GPS receivers -- it takes a fair while to download the ephemeris data if you're out of date or have travelled a significant distance, and without it the device can't get a GPS fix.
You can think of the WiFi location system as analogous to a cellphone being able to use tower locations to help position itself while waiting for GPS ephemeris data.

Why is our Focus' GPS so slow???

Why is the Focus' gps so slow? I don't know what's wrong with my focus, I mean it just takes so long to get the coordinates of my location. I even have to go to a open sky area then wait for few minutes before it can successfully get my coordinates. Its just so annoying, this is a post ipad product, how come an ipad 1 can get my coordinates even inside the room without any difficulty?
Is this a hardware issue or just a firmware fix is due?

my focus gets a very quick lock about 90% of the time, every so often it will take a mintute or so to lock, but i've had this happen with pretty much every phone i've owned, so it seems about average to good for me...
the ipad1 (unless a 3g + wifi model) uses your network to locate you, which is why it's quite fast.

We have 2 Focuses, one AT&T and one Rogers. With both I get about the same time to get a fix, and that's slightly under a minute, in my location (several tall buildings near).
With what app do you check your GPS? I recommend GPS App

It's an AT&T. My ipad is a 3G+Wifi. It gets gps coordinates via gps chip and not A-gps. Most of the time the ipad gets coordinates very fast in span of 20-25 seconds, boom you know where you are in the map.
I am using the built in MAPS software to track my location. Does the software matters? I mean if the chip is really weak, what can the software do ?

jtphl said:
It's an AT&T. My ipad is a 3G+Wifi. It gets gps coordinates via gps chip and not A-gps. Most of the time the ipad gets coordinates very fast in span of 20-25 seconds, boom you know where you are in the map.
I am using the built in MAPS software to track my location. Does the software matters? I mean if the chip is really weak, what can the software do ?
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Sometimes it does. To give you an example why: GPS without efemerides take several minutes to get a fix. GPS with efemerides take 20s to 1 min to get a fix. Efemerides are downloaded via software.
As for the app I found it to be good enough for testing the GPS part.

I can agree with you. Sometimes while driving if I take a different route than the one the phone provided for me, it will either fail to locate where I am for a few minutes or just fail completely.
I think it's time for a small update.

Is it just a minor driver issue? I hope so , otherwise, we have to live with it or change to another device.

jtphl said:
Is it just a minor driver issue? I hope so , otherwise, we have to live with it or change to another device.
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Again, other people (including me) haven't experienced any issues.
In fact, it works great for me with Turn by Turn Navigation, even inside the car on the passenger seat (not near the windshield).

Try changing some GPS settings in the focus diagnosis app
Sent from my SGH-i917 using XDA Windows Phone 7 App

what are the settings in GPS I have to adjust to make it perform beyond expectations? Which specific diagnostic option I have to tweak?

Did the OP ever find a solution to this? I'm having some slow locks and the occasional non lock.
I know in the diagnostic app you can get to the GPS with*#1575# but I'm unsure of what data can possibly be changed.

I'm having the same issue on my Focus (Rogers). It never connects to sattelite and always uses aGPS. It's very annoying. I tried many different gps apps and get the same behavior - very innacurate. Garmin allways says "Can't connect to sattelite", gMaps always shows cell tower icon. My phone is unlocked using original Chevron method (not Chevron labs). I also tired to change settings in *#1575# and turn ON/OFF TLS and GLONASS but nothing helps. Should I try hard reset?

Ecstatic12 said:
I'm having the same issue on my Focus (Rogers). It never connects to sattelite and always uses aGPS. It's very annoying. I tried many different gps apps and get the same behavior - very innacurate. Garmin allways says "Can't connect to sattelite", gMaps always shows cell tower icon. My phone is unlocked using original Chevron method (not Chevron labs). I also tired to change settings in *#1575# and turn ON/OFF TLS and GLONASS but nothing helps. Should I try hard reset?
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I did a hard reset last night and it seems to have cleared up. I also installed this app, have to click the link in the post, searching for it didnt work.http://www.wpcentral.com/new-samsung-high-fidelity-position-enhances-gps-modifies-settings
Not sure if it's a placebo or not, but it seems to be working better.

is Focus GPS native chip or just a-gps?

Coelho_rj said:
is Focus GPS native chip or just a-gps?
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Assisted GPS, which includes standard GPS in Standalone mode, so it's better than any native GPS.

after my hard reset the GPS locked much quicker for about a week, then it started acting up again.
my new solution seems to be much easier than a hard reset. Just briefly switch to airplane mode then re-enable your data and open maps up again. Been working great for me.

Faster solution that's been working for me. Turn on and off location services. My phone never locks without this, which is sorely annoying.

I had this problem on 7392 rom. After updating to mango 7720 and 8107, I get fix in 3 to 7 seconds in my room Tested with gpsinfo, it's real satellite data, not agps. I have also installed high fidelity position settings app. Don't know if it's helping.
Sent from my SGH-i917. using Board Express