Worth flashing the radio? - Droid Incredible Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting

is it really worth flashing the radio?

I don't think anyone on the radio will see you flashing them.
What radio are you thinking of flashing? It all depends on where you live. Flash each one, spend a couple of days with it, and see which one gets the best signal/battery life for you.

g00s3y said:
I don't think anyone on the radio will see you flashing them.
What radio are you thinking of flashing? It all depends on where you live. Flash each one, spend a couple of days with it, and see which one gets the best signal/battery life for you.
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Buwahahaha!
yes, i am one who likes to flash then flush

bongholio said:
is it really worth flashing the radio?
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Click to collapse
No one can answer that question but you. It's kind of like asking someone "will I like this kind of food?" Baseband performance is going to depend on your unique circumstances.

I have flashed all the radios and have found that they really don't make that big of a difference (for me anyway). I am running the 7.28 and it works just as good as all the rest of them. Just my opinion.

I found my radio dbm's fluctuated up and down. ymmv. I'm back at stock 7.28.

Related

Noobs,and Everyone Alike(Update Your Radio)

I know a lot of you out there are obviously updating to newer, cooked ROMs. This by far is the best bet when spending the kind of money we are on these phones. You get much more out of your new phone than it is capable of doing from the factory or retail store.
I want to instill in everyone's mind how truly important it is to check out the new radios available for the phone. It takes literally 5 minutes or less start to finish to flash a new radio. You won't lose your newly flashed ROM or any settings that I have found. So, please take notice to my advice. Below is the link for all the newly updated radios for our device. Check out a few of them and make some calls, use your gps. I believe you will be much happier with a new radio, because frankly the stock radios are garbage.
My call signal strength is maxed out in my home whereas it only had 2-3 bars before. My gps doesn't lag behind me anymore, and My Location works perfectly since flashing a new radio. So, try one out. It definitely can't hurt. Below is the link to the thread with all of the newer radios. ENJOY!!!
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=549939
i never knew what the radios purpose was, i had a hunch i was something like what you described here but now that im sure id like to say thank you and ill definitely be changing my radio
outerdepth said:
I know a lot of you out there are obviously updating to newer, cooked ROMs. This by far is the best bet when spending the kind of money we are on these phones. You get much more out of your new phone than it is capable of doing from the factory or retail store.
I want to instill in everyone's mind how truly important it is to check out the new radios available for the phone. It takes literally 5 minutes or less start to finish to flash a new radio. You won't lose your newly flashed ROM or any settings that I have found. So, please take notice to my advice. Below is the link for all the newly updated radios for our device. Check out a few of them and make some calls, use your gps. I believe you will be much happier with a new radio, because frankly the stock radios are garbage.
My call signal strength is maxed out in my home whereas it only had 2-3 bars before. My gps doesn't lag behind me anymore, and My Location works perfectly since flashing a new radio. So, try one out. It definitely can't hurt. Below is the link to the thread with all of the newer radios. ENJOY!!!
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=549939
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You're TMO-US, right? Which radio did you use?
sixsevenco said:
You're TMO-US, right? Which radio did you use?
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He mentioned in another thread that the radio he flashed to is the one ending in .57, and that's the one I'd suggest you start with. I happen to have it already because it's the one that comes with the stock T-mo 6.5 ROM...but if you've running any ROM's with a different radio, you'll want to give this one a shot. A few other T-mo users have reported good results with the .77 radio, but I'd still start with the .57 if you haven't already.
thanks outerdepth...
I have always figured I should update my radio, but never bothered/got around to it. Your post re-motivated me, so I updated from .25 to .77 and...
100% improvement!!
My gps accuracy used to be off by about a city block, which I attributed to the fact that 'oh well its a cel phone, what can I expect', now is accurate within a meter or two.
My data speeds are much improved, and I dunno if its my imagination or not, but calls even seem clearer and have a better sound quality to them.
Dont know about battery drain yet, but its not really important to me cause I'm a truck driver, so I can leave my phone plugged in most of the time in the truck
Thanks!!
So this might be a dumb question but are these radio updates official? They overwrite ROM so I'm kinda always wary to ever try this. I have the official HTC ROM from their website and I assume you can flash it back but I'm not sure.
The ROM will stay, all your contacts/text/etc will stay, and you SHOULD NOT have to worry about losing anything. You can use a program like SPB Back Up or Sprite back up if you are worried though.
Which radio to use on TP2 on Sprint?
Does my location and company plays any part on this issue of the radios?
I have a 6.5 AT&T Rom in Puerto Rico
kbradio said:
Which radio to use on TP2 on Sprint?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You want to head over here
http://forum.ppcgeeks.com/showthread.php?t=90342
I switched to VZW 1.88 and it is about the same as the PCS 2.32 in my area but I put a bunch of radios on my SD card in case I travel and have no bars so I can use this method to flash on the go.
EdAmsterdam said:
Does my location and company plays any part on this issue of the radios?
I have a 6.5 AT&T Rom in Puerto Rico
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Click to collapse
The thread about TP2 Radios tells you how to choose the ones that will work for you, just look for the ones that say AT&T and start there.
Furious911 said:
So this might be a dumb question but are these radio updates official? They overwrite ROM so I'm kinda always wary to ever try this. I have the official HTC ROM from their website and I assume you can flash it back but I'm not sure.
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Click to collapse
The radio-roms are "official". However, in order to flash one you have to first do the HardSPL, which isn't official....and may not be completely reversible, depending on what carrier-branded (if any) phone you have.
The only reason this SPL issue may matter is if you have to return for warranty return. If they swap the phone for you in a store then surely nobody in a store will know the difference...but if you have to send it to HTC then non-stock tampering may be evident.
That being said, it hasn't stopped me from taking full benefit of what this site has to offer and make full use of what is possible with my TP2.
Good advice for everyone.
Some of the newer cooked roms require a particular radio...or at least will work best with a particular radio. Before flashing any new rom, read to see if the chef suggests a certain one.
Tanks sirphunkee
Does my phone have to be unlocked to install a new radio as is the case with installing a new ROM?
gotvet said:
Does my phone have to be unlocked to install a new radio as is the case with installing a new ROM?
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No, the security lock only prevents you from switching carriers. Shouldn't affect the radio.
And in any case the phone doesn't have to be unlocked to install a custom ROM, it has to have a different hard SPL.

How do I know if I need a New Radio?

My signal is pretty bad and my wifi is too but I only deal with roms, not radios and people are constantly updating their radios. I have one of Josh's roms so what radio should I get, and if I were to get a new radio would it clear all the info on my device as if I were flashing to a new rom? Thanks
gabriel713281 said:
My signal is pretty bad and my wifi is too but I only deal with roms, not radios and people are constantly updating their radios. I have one of Josh's roms so what radio should I get, and if I were to get a new radio would it clear all the info on my device as if I were flashing to a new rom? Thanks
Click to expand...
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You might do. Make a note of your current radio so you can go back if things get worse. Try the latest one for starters and see what results you get. You can Flash Radios from your SD Card and not lose any data. I used to keep all the Kaiser ones on my phone and keep flashing until I found a good one.
What radio is best for you? Well, there is no answer I can give. It depends on where you live, on what network, and what ROM you're using. From what I've read, latest is best (I'm not on the latest yet, but when mine was the latest it was the best I'd tried).
Dave
gabriel713281 said:
My signal is pretty bad and my wifi is too but I only deal with roms, not radios and people are constantly updating their radios. I have one of Josh's roms so what radio should I get, and if I were to get a new radio would it clear all the info on my device as if I were flashing to a new rom? Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
ALWAYS flash a new ROM, just search for the newest Radios in this TOUCH PRO2/TILT forum or the wiki. There are always newer updated radios. It takes minutes to flash a new radio from start to finish. THIS CANNOT BRICK YOUR PHONE!!
So, experiment. I did and found 2 radios that were better than a stock radio. I went from 2 bars in good areas and 1 bar in bad ones to 4 bars in good areas and 2-3 bars in the bad areas. It just depends on your region and carrier.
Check my sig for the radio I am using. It seems to work the best for T-Mobile, my gps, wi-fi, and phone signal dramatically improved after flashing a new radio. So, trust me, spend the time to flash a new radio and you'll most definitely see a difference from the stock radio. Let me know how this works out.
outerdepth said:
THIS CANNOT BRICK YOUR PHONE!!
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Click to collapse
No, but if you flash untested radios you can have problems unless your device is security unlocked. Some buggy radios cannot be removed, and if they are poor quality, you're in a world of pain .
Moral of the story, always read the feedback, and don't flash untested radios unless you know and understand the risks .
Dave
I went from having No signal in the back corner of my first floor apartment to 1-2 bar 3G Thanks! (No sarcasam intended)
What radio did you flash? I have T-Mobile and only get 2 to 0 3G bars at work. It is really interfering with my music streaming. Would love to get mor bars.
Just want to subscribe to the thread.
Radio Version: 4.49.25.57 (HTC, T-Mobile)
gabriel713281 said:
Radio Version: 4.49.25.57 (HTC, T-Mobile)
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From where did you get the radio and have you noticed any improvement in your 3G number of bars?
thebrenda said:
From where did you get the radio and have you noticed any improvement in your 3G number of bars?
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Click to collapse
Just search this Touch Pro 2 forum or the Rhodium wiki here and you will find all the radios available for download. If you use T-Mobile, the one in my signature below is the best I found and apparently Gabe here too! So just search, it only takes a couple minutes.

[Q] Best radio in terms of battery and signal?

I don't know what radio to pick, any help would be appreciated!
Tell me what your favorite is!
Thanks in advance!
You have to try it yourself, There is not one best radio, different people different needs and conditions
TheGhost1233 said:
You have to try it yourself, There is not one best radio, different people different needs and conditions
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Click to collapse
Ok then i'll put it this way, what is YOUR favorite radio?
32.49.00.32U_5.11.05.27
The latest radio from Telus OTA, it works great on my Telus phone haha, I dunno how it would be with others.
I have no difference in ANY radio I use but I try to stick to the latest as a matter of sorts

Best radio for the dinc?

What is the best radio for the dinc. And what real does the radio help with. Sorry but I'm not too familiar with the radio.
Dinc
The best radio is the one that gives you the best overall combination of signal strength and battery life. No one but you can answer which one will work best for your individual circumstances. If you want a definitive answer, there is no substitute for giving each version a test drive and seeing which one suits your needs.
That being said, I'd emphatically advise against messing with the NAND until you're more familiar and comfortable with what it entails.
snapper915 said:
What is the best radio for the dinc. And what real does the radio help with. Sorry but I'm not too familiar with the radio.
Dinc
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Click to collapse
Honestly I wouldn't go flashing radio's. Next to hboot its the second most dangerous thing you can mess with on your phone.
DINC // CM7 RC2 // SLAYHER#9
Oh ok. Is it any different then flashing roms. Reason why I asked its because I dnt get great signal at my house.
Dinc
For starters, you might want to tell us what radio you currently have. (Settings > About Phone)
Speaking as someone who also has poor reception most of the time (at home, I stick around -103dB signal), I had upgraded to the supposedly latest and greatest EVO radio. BUT, I kept dropping calls. Dropped back to the Incredible baseband ...09.01 and haven't had a dropped call since. It was very repeatable. Many people swear by the EVO radio though, so as others have said...try them out for yourself. It's not hard to do, and I believe the chance of bricking your phone is pretty minimal. Read up on it though.
.07.28 is the radio I'm on now.
Dinc
snapper915 said:
Oh ok. Is it any different then flashing roms. Reason why I asked its because I dnt get great signal at my house.
Dinc
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Click to collapse
No, its exactly like flashing a rom.
DINC // CM7 RC2 // SLAYHER#9
wildstang83 said:
No, its exactly like flashing a rom.
DINC // CM7 RC2 // SLAYHER#9
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Click to collapse
As long as you have a somewhat recent radio then flashing a new one won't do much or anything to your reception.
Ok. So if its just like flashing roms is .07.28 a good radio.
Dinc
Flashing a radio is different from a ROM. You flash it through HBOOT, ROMs are through recovery.
Sent from my Droid Incredible running Myn's Warm TwoPointTwo RLS5.3.
Oh ok. Got u. Is. 07.28 a good radio.
Dinc
If it works for you. No one can answer that except for you. Different radios have different results on different phones in different areas. Its all circumstantial.
Sent from my Droid Incredible running Myn's Warm TwoPointTwo RLS5.3.
Ok partner, I want to help you out. Please read this thread for where to get the radios and how to flash them. http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=886129 Please follow every instruction in that thread or you will brick your phone!
And for you and anybody else that thinks flashing a radio (without paying attention to directions of course) can't brick your phone please read this thread: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=738155
Just to make it really clear, make sure your phone is fully charged. During the flash DO NOT pull your battery for anything!!! Even if you think your phone is frozen or shut off. If you do your phone will be instantly bricked.
And again my quote from earlier...
wildstang83 said:
Honestly I wouldn't go flashing radio's. Next to hboot its the second most dangerous thing you can mess with on your phone.
DINC // CM7 RC2 // SLAYHER#9
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Click to collapse
Radio flashing is very dangerous to those who have no patience. I myself wont do it even though i dont get the best signal every time im about to i think about if this goes wrong and i have to go back to my blackberry storm i might kill myself. But its your choice just make sure that if you do never pull the battery wait and wait and wait.
Ok. I will definitely read up on it. I just don't get good service at all in my house that's y I was asking about flashing a new or different radio.
Dinc

[Q] Point of flashing a new radio...

I was just wondering why someone would want to flash a new radio? I don't have any problems with the one I am running and would like to know the benefits of running another radio. I wouldn't say I'm new to this, but my main phone for the longest time was the Fascinate and the only reason we had to flash new radios was for new firmware updates (official and otherwise). Just wanted to know potential benefits and drawbacks. I like to tinker so basically is it worth it, or is it just going to cause me a headache?
For most there is no need to update a radio, for others in outskirts of cell area or those who are having issues, it can have some good/bad results. I know on the latest EVO radio it did several a world of good with GPS lock and accuracy.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1035955
My results from the radio update.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=12966263&postcount=114
If you're not sure about flashing a radio... DON'T!!!!! It's one of the easiest ways to screw the pooch and brick your phone.
Mainly if you aren't having problems with your phone the way it is then probably try to steer clear of radios for tinkering purposes.....like the guy right above me said it can be very dangerous and result in a brick.....if you ever start having signal problems on any sort of transmission in your phone ie cell 3g WiFi gps etc then maybe look into it. But for right now just ignore em lol
Sent from my Incredible using XDA App
flashing the radio really isn't worth the risk imo. it's the easiest way to brick your phone, and the likelyhood of you gaining anything from it are minimal. tinkerers like to tinker, and tinkerers will tinker with what is tinkerable.
So how exactly do you brick your phone flashing a radio? I've flashed several radios and its pretty damn easy..
Sent from my ADR6300 using XDA App
Alright. Thanks guys. I live in a pretty well covered area. Well that saves me lots of trouble.
k_nivesout said:
So how exactly do you brick your phone flashing a radio? I've flashed several radios and its pretty damn easy..
Sent from my ADR6300 using XDA App
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Like to know that as well.
I say tinker, I was so afraid to flash a new radio, because so many threads made it sound so dangerous, and basically what I learned from all the threads, 1) check the md5 sum to verify the files integrity before using, 2) make sure your phone has adequate charge, and 3) do not pull your battery while doing it or if you think it is not doing anything, give it sufficient time before attempting to do anything else. Other than that I feel it is pretty painless, and has always taken me no more than a minute or so to do! I say have fun, just research and understand what you are doing, before attempting anything!
My understanding is that:
If the file integrity somehow is screwed up and you try to flash, brick.
If you flash it on a low battery and your phone dies mid-flash/during the first boot, brick.
If you pull the battery mid-flash/during the first boot, brick.
MD5 sum is your friend. Always check yours with the one provided and make sure they match. They're risky, so I hear, but I try every new radio that comes out lol... Running the 11.19 one atm.
Sent from my Droid Incredible running CM7.
It seems like if you use common sense (check md5, don't flash with low battery, don't pull battery when flashing (duh!)) then you should be just fine..
Sent from my ADR6300 using XDA App
I've had to pull the battery after flashing a radio. Phone froze. But I was sure to give it 10 mins
So its not really that dangerous. Good news!
It's always just scared the heck out of me. I stay away from radio flashing. The only instance I've heard of a true brick was flashing the same radio 2x
patsfan1130 said:
It's always just scared the heck out of me. I stay away from radio flashing. The only instance I've heard of a true brick was flashing the same radio 2x
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Click to collapse
Also heard this was a myth. Don't really want to test it out though.
Sent from my ADR6300 using XDA App
patsfan1130 said:
It's always just scared the heck out of me. I stay away from radio flashing. The only instance I've heard of a true brick was flashing the same radio 2x
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's a perpetual bit of misinformation that flashing the same radio twice results in a brick. It only applied to a single leak that was released as a .diff patch. The basebands that we are working with are full versions that include error checking. The same radio can be flashed over itself with no ill effects.
That being said, the only bricking from flashing a radio image that I've ever come across is a case where a user pulled the battery before it was finished.

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