First off, I'm aware this phone is riddled with GPS problems, so I'm not asking the typical questions. But pretty much everything I hear from people about their problems are how they never get a lock, or it takes several minutes to get one. That's not my problem.
My problem is after I get a lock (which is usually pretty quick) and am driving following my Google Nav directions it will CONSTANTLY lose the satellites. Seems to be every couple of miles that it starts searching for satellites for about 2-5 minutes before refinding them, only to lose them a few minutes later, and usually right when I need to exit the freeway. Also it takes it a good minute or so to realize it's lost the satellites, so it will keep me frozen in the same spot on the map for this time, not giving me the convenient button to access the list view.
Has anyone else experienced THIS specific problem, and do you have any advice?
What android version are you on? I had problems like this on eclair but my GPS on froyo is as good as my wife's evo.
Sent from my Evo Killer!
Froyo, Quantum 2.5. In fact this problem has really only been since Froyo ROMs. My GPS was solid in Eclair.
So... nothing? Not even a "no, nobody's having your problem?"
I've had this problem from time to time, but it seems to be inconsistent; I use google nav a few times every day. Hasn't happened lately though and I've been on the same ROM for 5 days now.
I have this issue and i'm on the latest bonsai rom. I think it is a problem with Google Nav personally because with Sprint Navigation it happens less often for me. Or Perhaps I just have a bad GPS chip. I'm going to run stock di18 for a few days and see if it is just Froyo and my Phone that bugs out. Maybe it is just my phone and I need a new one.
Yeah remember google nav is still in beta form
You're better off using sprint navigation
I never lost a lock and I'm on froyo stock dk28
And sprint nav is free..I can see why people on tmo and verizon use google nav but not sprint folk lol
Sent from my SPH-D700 using XDA App
Happens to me all the time (bonsai 1.1.4).
A quick work around is to use the GPS toggle in the notification area.
Disable it long enough for it to say it lost GPS, enable it finds it quickly (for me), but it's hella annoying.
=]
Update from my previous post,
Google nav worked for 20 minutes all the way home yesterday and today on my way to work it dropped out after 5 minutes then worked for another 15. I'm pretty sure this is just Google nav being buggy and Epic GPS internals are not the greatest. All in all Sprint Nav seems to be working a lot better. If you still continue to have problems try getting a replacement phone from sprint. I hear that some of the epics out there have better luck with GPS. You Could have gotten a bad one like me. WHen i've asked this question in the past on the forums a lot of people just have the big issue of not getting GPS Locks. Never see to many having the GPS drop signal issue. Everyone else's post that i've read say they have perfect GPS. Its funny because I get locks instantly but gps drops randomly like yours... so so lame.
Also try out the new Bonsai4all rom because after I've installed it i'm having a lot less GPS drops with Google Nav and i'm still testing Sprint Nav. Good Luck.
EDIT: I have been testing GPS driving to work and back home. Not one single GPS signal lost. This GPS issues might be in the past. I'm not sure if its Mammons Bonsai Rom that fixed it but If I were anyone having the same issues I would try a fresh wipe of your SD card and Odin epic back to di18, get gps signal in Google Maps, Odin to dk28- get signal in Google Maps, and CWM3.0.0.5 and then flash BOnsai. Good Luck
I don't know what is in bonsai 1.1.4 rom but my gps is perfect now and it was buggy with every other rom I've tried on dk28. I've tried a lot. Midnight,viper,epic experience.
Sent from my SPH-D700 using XDA App
I had this problem all the time. It was especially bad last week when I was down in Tucson for work. It was what finally motivated me to get rid of the Epic.
I have the same problem OP. I actually finally just posted about it today, see http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=921935 and my post is #4. I still don't have a solution, but am willing to try Bonsai 1.1.4 if it would fix things...
Such an annoying problem. I haven't been trying Sprint Nav lately as it is removed in Nebula 1.0.6, but I could try adding it back in and seeing if there is any improvement...
Try the phone reset with the msl code also. Many people are having luck with it. Good luck.
Sent from my SPH-D700 using XDA App
Had the same problem for weeks. So do many others, as this is on numerous threads throughout the boards (and Android Central too). On the latest Bonsai Rom (and others based on it like Midnight), they list a gps fix. Using Midnight 2.9 fixed it for me.
Also, when I was having problems, Sprint Nav worked much better than google Nav.
The more this happens to me, the more I think it's a Google Nav problem, not a hardware/firmware problem. When it happens I see that the GPS icon in the notification bar is solid and not "searching" for a signal. That to me points to the software as the problem. Either way, it's REALLY annoying.
I was never particularly happy with the Sprint Navigation app which is why I've avoided it. Google Nav always worked so well for me before. Also I've been trying to cut down on apps on this phone, especially carrier crap.
I may try Bonsai, although I've generally liked Quantum well enough that I didn't want to switch camps. Several people stating they're using it and not having this problem is a good trail to follow, though.
Still, pretty darn frustrating.
EDIT: All right, I just switched to Bonsai. All I can say is thank you for giving me the push to switch. I don't know about nav yet (although Maps lock was quite literally instant instead of the several seconds I wasn't too bugged by before), but the overall kernel is so absurdly faster I'm shocked. Thanks.
Here is what happens to me. I can get a very accurate GPS lock easily. When I am navigating, however, the GPS lock drops after a few minutes of use, as if GPS were turned off. If I have just rebooted the phone, the GPS lock lasts about 15 minutes, and then it happens again. I can toggle the GPS on and off from the pull down menu to fix it temporarily. But, it keeps happening, and it gets more frequent. I've been this problem on every Froyo ROM I have tried . . . Bonsai, Nebula, etc. It is NOT only on Google NAV. It seems to be even worse on NAVIGON.
I never had these problems on Eclair. The fix on Eclair was not as accurate, but it never just dropped.
This only happens to me when I lose signal. Which usually means I'm out in the middle of nowhere and need my gps.
Thinking of getting a back up offline gps for this reason.
Silent25r said:
This only happens to me when I lose signal. Which usually means I'm out in the middle of nowhere and need my gps.
Thinking of getting a back up offline gps for this reason.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is not my issue. I am in the middle of strong 4G coverage when it happens + Navigon works offline (when you have a sat lock).
I didn't have issues before switching to DK28/Froyo/Nebuls 1.06, but now the GPS is awful ... even after doing the MSL reset. Frustrating is an understatement.
Related
I've been having the same trouble as many have with the Epic 4G Touch's GPS. It takes forever, if ever, to get a GPS lock. I can have a GPS lock, go into McDonald's and come back out and it will be cold starting again. Ridiculous performance.
Rebooting the phone is a pain but seemed to be the only thing that worked every time. After reading a lot of different forums about this problem, I noticed a conservation that speculated that the problem wasn't specifically the GPS itself, but rather was location services. Apparently there are some more recent location services being flashed to phones and the GPS works great. It would make some sense that this is the problem because after a reboot I would think that the phone would reset location services when it turns back on. Further comments in those threads suggests that turning the phone to airplane mode and back also works around this problem.
I've been playing around with this for awhile today and it does appear that going to airplane mode and back helps the situation. I used Tasker to create a task that does this: turns on airplane mode, waits 20 seconds, turns off airplane mode, then launches GPS Test automatically. I created a widget icon for this task. I never attempt to get a GPS fix indoors. What I do is that when I walk outside on the way to the car I hit the widget. I let the phone do it's thing and by the time I get in the car and ready to go, I've had a GPS lock every time today. When I get in the car, I close GPS Test and start whatever app I want to navigate with.
So far, this method has yet to let me down. We will see how the weekend goes.
That's very interesting, I'm gonna try that and see if it helps. I also noticed that getting a lock by starting Navigation right away is almost impossible. It always helps me to Getty a lock with another app first. Telenave seems to work best for me.
This (among the countless others) workaround is fine and I thank you for it.
However I'd really like to know just what the hell is going on with the gps on these phones.
Some folks are fine with the gps working fine in any circumstances. While others have to wave dead chickens and performance some sort of incantation to get gps to be even reasonable. Still others have some issues but can work them out via flashing of modems and what not. Some had to replace their phone with another e4gt and it was fine there after. WTF?
The gps on my old GS2 i9100 was awesome. I never had to give it a second thought or worry about it losing gps lock or taking eons to get even a meager lock. This is entirely not the case with my current E4GT. Damn thing. If the update doesn't fix anything then I'm gonna replace it.
Is there just a batch of bad hardware out there? Is the gps sleeping when it shouldn't? Why does one fix seem to work for one phone but not another? Talk about manufacturer inconsistentancy, geez.
Does the sprint version of the galaxy nexus have these sorts of issues?
Heavy sigh.
Try GPS Status, it's available on the market. I just got a lock on 8/8 satellites within 5 seconds inside my apartment.
Google maps seems to take a little bit longer obtaining a GPS lock but after running GPS Status it seems much faster.
I believe that it does not require root, and the best part is that you do not have to flash back to GB, to get a lock so that you can flash ICS again.
Sent from my SPH-D710 using xda premium
I would flash back....worked ever sense i did
It's my phone...any mis takes...sry
tubasteve said:
I would flash back....worked ever sense i did
It's my phone...any mis takes...sry
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Why flash back when this is easier?
There is no reason to have to flash back to GB, check out this article I found with a quick google search.
http://m.lifehacker.com/5873007/how-can-i-fix-my-androids-crappy-gps
Sent from my SPH-D710 using xda premium
I'm blue in the face over this issue. Invariably, you get "I get a lock on 12 satellites from my concrete bunker 12 feet underground" responses (not helpful, BTW), yet I can't get a lock in the wide-open spaces. UNLESS, I reboot, start up GPS Test or GPS Tracker, or bounce back and forth from airplane mode, murder a chicken, or whatever.
It's totally hit or miss with this device. Yes, I can get a GOOD lock indoors, but only after I reboot, run GPS Test, and then go back inside. Not exactly convenient when you're hurtling down the freeway at 70mph.
It's frustrating to hear of the great experiences of other users when my experience has been so inconsistent. I rely on my GPS for directions, and for tracking my morning runs. It's a real pisser when it takes 4 minutes for the GPS to finally lock, which ruins any useful statistics for Runkeeper.
I know this is just a rant, but at least I feel better.
Try what I mentioned with GPS Status from the market. It might not be a permanent fix but it will help with getting a lock on your location.
1. Download GPS Status from the market.
2. Turn on GPS.
3. Open GPS Status.
4. Bring up the menu and select tools.
5. Manage A-GPS State.
6. Turn off GPS from the toggle in the status bar.
7. Select the option to Reset.
8. Select the option to Download GPS assistance.
9. Close the application.
10. Turn GPS back on and watch it lock on.
Sent from my SPH-D710 using xda premium
I had this exact same problem after 2 visits to Sprint they swapped my phone. The new one has had perfect GPS no matter what i flash. I just think there is batches of phones with faulty hardware
Sent from my SPH-D710 using xda premium
can you tell us how you did this in tasker?
thanks
jalanjkcarp said:
I've been having the same trouble as many have with the Epic 4G Touch's GPS. It takes forever, if ever, to get a GPS lock. I can have a GPS lock, go into McDonald's and come back out and it will be cold starting again. Ridiculous performance.
Rebooting the phone is a pain but seemed to be the only thing that worked every time. After reading a lot of different forums about this problem, I noticed a conservation that speculated that the problem wasn't specifically the GPS itself, but rather was location services. Apparently there are some more recent location services being flashed to phones and the GPS works great. It would make some sense that this is the problem because after a reboot I would think that the phone would reset location services when it turns back on. Further comments in those threads suggests that turning the phone to airplane mode and back also works around this problem.
I've been playing around with this for awhile today and it does appear that going to airplane mode and back helps the situation. I used Tasker to create a task that does this: turns on airplane mode, waits 20 seconds, turns off airplane mode, then launches GPS Test automatically. I created a widget icon for this task. I never attempt to get a GPS fix indoors. What I do is that when I walk outside on the way to the car I hit the widget. I let the phone do it's thing and by the time I get in the car and ready to go, I've had a GPS lock every time today. When I get in the car, I close GPS Test and start whatever app I want to navigate with.
So far, this method has yet to let me down. We will see how the weekend goes.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
to: rgregg504
rgregg504 said:
I had this exact same problem after 2 visits to Sprint they swapped my phone. The new one has had perfect GPS no matter what i flash. I just think there is batches of phones with faulty hardware
Sent from my SPH-D710 using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I agree, after all my research and attempts at fixing my phone; the only option left to me is replacement. I'm tired of reading forums about it (yet here I am) and it's whole thing is just silly.
I don't suppose you have any documentation on the serial number for the phone that had a ****ty GPS? It would be awesome if there could be some sort of documentation of which patch of phones is bad.
Hello,
as my mt4g slide was stolen recently and I was dissatisfied with the inability to a) change the language of the physical keyboard and b) the keys on said keyboard I am looking into the Glide as an alternative. Obviously, there is a lot less development going on for this phone and I still cannot help, but the price of the phone is a big plus.
BUt I read of several GPS issues without any closer description what isnt working - so I ask: could those ICS GPS issues be a deterrent for me? I heavily rely on GPS on my phone for navigation and hiking. What do you say?
If you want, I can test the GPS for you. I hardly use it and haven't used it since ICS came out.
sent from my captivate glide running ICS (NardROM 0.4 Rooted)
I've used google navigation quite a few times now. Intially it takes timeto acquire a GPS fix but there are no other issues that i've encountered.
i've used gps on my glide a LOT and it's always been good.
a lot of that usage is out in the boonies, it's been very handy...
a few times i've had to turn gps off and back on 1 or 2 times to get signal....
sometimes a few dozen feet off when it says turn here....
but all that is kinda par for the gps course, yes ?
typically, i have GPS and music player going while driving, and no issues.
My GPS use to show my location here at home off by a few miles initially when first turned on & then finally moving to the correct location after a few mins. Since upgrading to ICS it starts out exactly where I am now.
sent from my Rooted SGH-I927 Stock ICS using XDA-devapp
I can't complain about the GPS on ICS either. I did have the GPS crash once the first week after flashing, but it took all of 15 seconds to reboot and fix it. I use the GPS almost daily, often for an hour or more at a time, in places ranging from downtown LA to middle of nowhere in the socal deserts, and it's always quick to lock.
A lot people forget that a GPS needs its almanac data, and that getting it (without cellular network assistance) can take 10-15 minutes. I wouldn't be surprised if it lost that data after a factory reset our simply not isn't the GPS for a while.
Sent from my Nexus S using xda app-developers app
Sorry if this is a known issue or there are topics about it already, my search hasn't found any answers that have worked
My GPS was pretty wonky when I was on Gingerbread (what came with the phone). Sometimes I'd have to restart the phone then it would work. After the ICS update (FF18 I think?) it actually worked really really well, but a ton of other **** was bugged. So the FH13 rolls out, fixes a ton of the bugs and I'm like cool!!. Welp, same day i'm driving somewhere and need my GPS, doesn't work, at all. Greatttt, so I have to use maps instead. I forget this happened when I get home and so I didn't post about it then. After that my GPS actually worked decently well till today when it totally ditched me in a time of need today. So i'm on the freeway and I leave it searching for GPS signal for about 10 minutes, nothing. Restart, nothing. Shut down all the way, take the battery out (hell if I know why), start back up, nothing! I left my phone searching for the entire car ride, it drained from 100% when I left at 1pm to almost dead after dinner. My GF's ****, also Samsung and on the same network phone picks it up fine! My GPS also has never ever worked in my room but hers does, maybe not related but it's annoying having to put in addresses while driving 100% of the time because I can't do it inside my house.
Any way to fix this? Should I just pray it works till the next OTA update happens? Should I try to like reinstall FF18 manually somehow?
TLDR: Day of updating from FF18 to FH13 my GPS didn't work (would just search and search). Worked after that most of the time (few times where it didn't but I knew where I was going so I didn't have a chance to be 100% sure it was totally dead) till today when it totally crapped out. Any ideas?
I've had gps issues as well, but it fixed for me after flashing a new modem with odin. Now oddly I'm back on my stock modem and it locks all the time.
Sent from my SPH-D710BST using Tapatalk 2
Also get your MSL and go into dialer. Type ##gpsclrx# enter msl code and reset GPS. This has always worked for me.
Sent from my SPH-D710 using Tapatalk 2
Hi anyone experiencing multitouch and/or GPS issues?
My friend is in Canada and just bought one for me. She's coming back to Singapore in 2 weeks and is helping me test it first in Canada. The unit prompted to update when started up which she did. I'm waiting for her to reply me what build it is at now.
I told her to download the Yet Another Multitouch Test and she tried dragging her fingers around. With a single finger a red blob follows her finger around but sometimes a blue blob appears right next to it briefly. With 2 fingers, when she was dragging 2 fingers around a green blob appeared a few cm away once. She did say she noticed sometimes using it normally that it was a bit unresponsive/slow.
For the GPS, I wasn't sure how to test it. I got her to use either maps or GPS Status and Toolbox. The first time she said it looked like the gps fix was ok for 45minutes (in maps). She DID NOT REBOOT and it managed to relock. The 2nd time was on GPS Status 18 minutes. The 3rd time the fix lasted for 19 minutes. But after that one, the 4th time it couldn't find a lock even after waiting more than an hour. She was testing it indoors so I asked her to leave the gps status toolbox on while driving to have a better test. Anyone experienced this? I thought that the GPS issue was such that once you lost the status, you couldn't get it back without reboot. But my friend said the relock was successful at least twice (indoors).
I also told her to try clearing the AGPS data and refresh data using the GPS Status and Toolbox, she will try that later.
quarian said:
Hi anyone experiencing multitouch and/or GPS issues?
My friend is in Canada and just bought one for me. She's coming back to Singapore in 2 weeks and is helping me test it first in Canada. The unit prompted to update when started up which she did. I'm waiting for her to reply me what build it is at now.
I told her to download the Yet Another Multitouch Test and she tried dragging her fingers around. With a single finger a red blob follows her finger around but sometimes a blue blob appears right next to it briefly. With 2 fingers, when she was dragging 2 fingers around a green blob appeared a few cm away once. She did say she noticed sometimes using it normally that it was a bit unresponsive/slow.
For the GPS, I wasn't sure how to test it. I got her to use either maps or GPS Status and Toolbox. The first time she said it looked like the gps fix was ok for 45minutes (in maps). She DID NOT REBOOT and it managed to relock. The 2nd time was on GPS Status 18 minutes. The 3rd time the fix lasted for 19 minutes. But after that one, the 4th time it couldn't find a lock even after waiting more than an hour. She was testing it indoors so I asked her to leave the gps status toolbox on while driving to have a better test. Anyone experienced this? I thought that the GPS issue was such that once you lost the status, you couldn't get it back without reboot. But my friend said the relock was successful at least twice (indoors).
I also told her to try clearing the AGPS data and refresh data using the GPS Status and Toolbox, she will try that later.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I had the GPS issue that was fixed with a software update. Prior to the update, when I tried to use Waze or Google navigation, it would lose the GPS lock within 15 minutes, often sooner. After the update, I have never lost GPS lock during navigation. My longest drives are about 2 hours. Tell your friend to test it during a long drive, but if you got the software update, you should be all set.
I can't comment regarding the multi touch issue, I haven't noticed any such problems on either of my N7 tablets (WiFi, and LTE), and haven't tested for it.
Sent from my GT-P7510 using xda app-developers app
multitouch problem seems very common, since I have read a lot of complaint related to the touch screen, I checked my screen as soon as I got it , and tested with Antutu which is a universal test tool, the result was frustrating as well-- UPPER PART of the screen functions insensitively compared to the lower part. It is a hardware malfunction clearly. What the hell did Asus react to it? We'll wait and see.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
Well update..my friend brought the nexus 7 out for a drive. Just a normal journey, not a long one. Am I right in saying the ones with problems cannot relock without rebooting and if mine can relock without reboot it means it's got normal working GPS?
Also, the build (after the initial update) is JLS36C. Which according to this Deb thread: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2448352 should be the latest I think.
If you're locked into as many as ten satellites is there any reason to have erratic GPS performance?
I got a refurbished S3 from Sprint and the GPS is a freaking mess. I can be standing perfectly still and the map starts moving around erratically, sometimes even straight backwards. Other times I'll be driving and it will show me on a totally different street or moving in a totally wrong direction. Sometimes this is going on when I'm locked into as many as ten satellites.
Shouldn't that be enough to get a good fix? Does this suggest that the GPS receiver is working well but there is a software problem? Or is this a hardware problem that can't be fixed?
I reset/downloaded agps data with GPS Status, I've tried TopNTP and I've tightened every visible screw. Nothing has helped. I also can't get a fix indoors like I used to be able to with my original S3.
Any suggestions on other things I can try to make my GPS work or is this a hardware problem that can't be fixed?
This is the fourth or fifth refurbished Android phone I've received from Sprint over the years and not a single one has worked right. It's like they don't ever really address the reported problem. They just factory reset the phone, give it a cosmetic facelift and then ship it back out without any testing.
uscpsycho said:
If you're locked into as many as ten satellites is there any reason to have erratic GPS performance?
I got a refurbished S3 from Sprint and the GPS is a freaking mess. I can be standing perfectly still and the map starts moving around erratically, sometimes even straight backwards. Other times I'll be driving and it will show me on a totally different street or moving in a totally wrong direction. Sometimes this is going on when I'm locked into as many as ten satellites.
Shouldn't that be enough to get a good fix? Does this suggest that the GPS receiver is working well but there is a software problem? Or is this a hardware problem that can't be fixed?
I reset/downloaded agps data with GPS Status, I've tried TopNTP and I've tightened every visible screw. Nothing has helped. I also can't get a fix indoors like I used to be able to with my original S3.
Any suggestions on other things I can try to make my GPS work or is this a hardware problem that can't be fixed?
This is the fourth or fifth refurbished Android phone I've received from Sprint over the years and not a single one has worked right. It's like they don't ever really address the reported problem. They just factory reset the phone, give it a cosmetic facelift and then ship it back out without any testing.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What Rom are you using ? Did it behave like this before rooting ?
prboy1969 said:
What Rom are you using ? Did it behave like this before rooting ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm totally stock 4.3, just rooted. I rooted it pretty soon after I got it so I don't remember if it was like this right off the bat. I believe it was.
Weird thing is that today I tried turning of Google location services and that seemed to help a lot. It doesn't seem to be getting a lock while indoors but when I'm driving around I'm not getting the erratic map behavior I had before. No idea if it will work for long, there have been a few other times when I thought I fixed the problem and it came right back.
I know on my previous phone I had Google location services on and it worked like a charm. Anyone have an idea why turning location services off helps and what I can do to make GPS work right with location services off?
Any real downside to keeping location services off?
I've always kept it on. But if your Stock rooted, and have that big an issue with GPS. I would almost be inclined to say it's a hardware issue. You could always Nand, and flash a coherent Rom. Just to see if it resolves the issue.
TEAM MiK MikROMs Since 3/13/11
After driving extensively with Google location services turned off I did not experience any more erratic behavior. Problem solved but I'd like to have location services on.
Tonight I turned location services back on and it still seems to be working fine with no erratic behavior. I haven't given this as thorough of a test but I'm optimistic.
I have no idea why turning location services off fixed things but if anyone comes across this thread looking for a solution to GPS problems try turning Google location services off and see if that helps. It looks to have done the trick for me.