Develop Bugs

[Q] Why is there a barometer in the Galaxy Nexus?

I cycled for about 37 km today, and according to MyTracks, my altitude went up and down between 180 m below sea level, to 150 m above, and my total altitude gain was just over 3000 m.
In fact, I cycled in flat as a pool table Holland, probably between 5m below and 5m above sea level; I'm sure my total altitude gain was far below 100 m.
Apparently, the Galaxy Nexus doesn't use the barometer to improve the GPS altitude calculation.
So why is it there? Not just so you can install a barometer app, I presume?
(Also, it might be my imagination, but it seems like GPS reception is worse since 4.0.4. During this trip, apparently I lost GPS reception 25 times, I don't think this used to happen.)
Thanks,
– Michael

Its there to improve location with GPS.

it just to help you to lock on gps faster.

I think the GPS has wild fluctuations at first which maybe skewed your altitude readings. Just like how when I run the my tracks app, before it gets a full lock it approximates my location from the cell site. Then when the GPS fully locks, my location zooms over to the proper spot very fast, and my tracks logs my speed at like 200 MPH cause it incorporates that false data. Could this be what happened with your erroneous altitude readings?
But yes the barometer is supposed to help the GPS location.

Also, your altitude via GPS is not determined by your height above sea level but rather by a geodesic that is the average of the earth's mass. At sea level in California my altitude will often read in the negative. There are reference maps that you can use to determine where the geodesic is in your area.
Sent via Galaxy Nexus

[WANNA BUY] GPS tracking question?!

Hello boys and girls
I would like to buy this smartwatch, but I am on half way between Moto 360 and SW3.
This thing can decide, so I have really important question:
as I am playing soccer/football a lot (outside) I would like to track my distance and top/average speed and things like that. Is that possible with this piece of tech?
Thanks

Yes the SW3 will let you track your distance, tune, etc since the watch has built in GPS. The measurements you record would likely be determined by the app you use.
One caveat is the potential GPS errors people have gotten (including myself) once they start to sweat. There's something about moisture on the back of the watch that can cause the GPS to go haywire. I have alleviated the problem by wearing the watch over a wrist sweatband while running. Check out the ghostracer app thread in original Android development under this SW3 list of forums. The app is great and there's a lot of discussion on the sweat/GPS problem.
Sent from my Nexus 6 using XDA Free mobile app

Thanks for replay, I don't sweat that much, only problem about that GPS is accuracy. When I am playing/running I make short fast runs 10-20 meters. If you have watch if there is chance check GPS location accuracy please. Also I am concern about refresh time of GPS location, because that's key factor to get accurate speed in "real-time".
Maybe I will try tracking with with Ghostracer and my Nexus to see how that looks like.
edit:
I find app called "Wear GPS Status" that can get data about GPS accuracy. Please check that for me

I've heard of the wear gps app but have never used it. As far as accuracy goes, in my few runs I've had with it, I'd say the watch is as accurate as my Nexus 6. Yesterday I had a 4 mile run. I intentionally ran 2 miles and turned around and took the same course 2 miles back. The distance and map tracking were both almost identical. This route had quite a bit of heavy tree coverage and I didn't lose gps. I haven't yet tested it in heavy cloud coverage.
Sent from my Nexus 6 using XDA Free mobile app

I would add, that AFAIK, the moto360 does not have built in gps.

I was in a similar position as you between moto 360 and Sony SW3 - I've had the SW3 for 3 days and I've gone for 2 jogs with it ( around 4.5 km each). I'm using Endomondo for tracking and Google Play Music for tunes while I jog (with a Blueant Ribbon bt for my headphones). So far I love it! The GPS tracking is really good so far - I have to turn on Endomondo on the watch for about 2 minutes to get a good GPS signal and then I start my music and GPS tracking and start jogging.
It uses about 15% battery during my jog. Also, if you do decide to buy the SW3 and think you'll eventually want the metal band (I do!!) then I would suggest getting the metal band version of the SW3 and then buying the silicon strap extra. The reason being that it's almost impossible to buy just the metal band afterwards...
I can update you with my experience after a week or so if you like.

Thanks for all info. I would like to see accuracy of GPS. I test GPS tracking on my Nexus 5 and it's impossible. Accuracy is 15 meters... It's really bad. Everything above 2 meters is bad.

Many apps change the settings on gps to be less accurate in order to save battery power. Backcountry navigator allows you to adjust the sensitivity and the refresh rate, but as of now, it does not run standalone on the watch. I have not tried ghostracer, but it may allow that too.

Ghostracer will run standalone on the watch or from the phone. It does allow setting the recording interval for time and distance. Time allows for 1 second up to a minute. (app recommends 2 seconds as default) . Distance allows intervals of 1 meter up to 100 meters (10 meters is the Rev recommend default) .
I've never changed the default recommendations and have had good results for GPS accuracy on Watch standalone mode.
Sent from my Nexus 6 using XDA Free mobile app

Mate 20 has dual gps, someone tested gps accuracy?

In the GPS tests, apparently he advises quite well.
The Mate 20 uses BeiDou, Galileo, GLONASS, and GPS including A-GPS and SBAS for location services. Most smartphones rely on band L1 for finding a satellite fix, but the Mate 20 also uses band L5 for a more accurate satfix. The Mate 20 was able to locate it almost instantaneously and for four metres at a time. Our test device utilised its two frequency bands well and achieved a location accuracy of up to four metres both inside and outdoors.
We also took the Mate 20 on a bike ride to compare its navigation accuracy against the Garmin Edge 500, a professional navigation device. Our test device plotted a route that deviated by just 30 metres compared to the one that the Garmin recorded. Both devices struggled for accuracy on certain points of our route, but overall the Mate 20 is accurate enough for all general navigation activities
https://www.notebookcheck.net/Huawei-Mate-20-Smartphone-Review.372216.0.html

Good news.
Emui 9.1 with huawei p30 pro.
Has full dual gps-l1 and l5 support.
Gpstest already detects l5.
Now we are waiting for emui 9.1 for mate 20 / mate 20 pro

Oppo Reno 10x hybrid zoom version uses dual-frequency GPS.
Today, OPPO’s Vice President, Shen Yiren, discussed a few details about the OPPO Reno series. Shen Yiren said on Weibo: “The 10x hybrid zoom version uses dual-frequency GPS.” The dual-frequency GPS function provides more accurate positioning. Another Chinese manufacturer, Xiaomi, was the first to apply the technology to mobile phones. The Xiaomi Mi 8 supports L1+L5 dual-frequency positioning and its accuracy is at least 3-5 times better. It is more resistant to multipath and reflected signals in urban scenes and has higher immunity to interference.
https://www.gizchina.com/2019/04/04/oppo-reno-10x-hybrid-zoom-version-uses-dual-frequency-gps/

GWA 2 unreliable pulse measurement

All since I got my watch active 2 during the automn 2019 the puilse measurement has been extremely unreliable. I have tried a total reset of the watch and also been hoping that there is a SW error that will be fixed in next firmware update (but there ARE no updates).
I have also read on the web and experimented with where on the wrist to carry the watch. Nothing helps. During sleep it often gives "OK" readings and most of the times also if I watch TV or work at the office. However. part of the whole idea of having a "Galaxy watch ACTIVE 2" is to use it during training and as a fitness tracker. A few examples from the last 48 hours.
1) Watches TV and I know that the pulse is somewher between 55 and 70. All of a sudden during a period of maybee 10 minutes the watch says my pulse is around 140.
2) At the gym. Doing squats (5 repetitions/set). The watch gives a max pulse of 210 bpm (real valute is somewhere between 100 and 120).
3) Goes and to some hight intensity interval training, real pulse 170 -180 in the peaks and in bestween 150 - 160. Watch says 82 - 94. AFTER doing the interval training when stretchingh the watch all of a sudden (this is 5 minutes later) starts to say 150- 160 as pulse but by then the real pulse is around 80.
The real measurements above is measured both by "pulse-band" around my chest and with the cycle (samre readings) and that is also what a manual count shows.
SO: The watch gives sometimes MORE than 100% error which make "pulse zones" completely useless. IT also adds an extra dimension of uselessness that it is not even consequent in the way that a higher reading corresponds to a higher actual pulse.
Question:
Are your GWA2's equally useless when it comes to measuring pulse during activity?

Are you using continuous hr monitoring?
Actually, I have tested mine compared to a professional blood pressure monitoring device and both heart rate and blood pressure (BP lab app) were pretty close.
I cannot confirm tho that it gives good results throughout the day, only when tested. Some times I find the peak values of the day to be high enough, yet I am a guy with high resting hr, compared to other people.
Sent from my CLT-L29 using Tapatalk

thanito said:
Are you using continuous hr monitoring?
Actually, I have tested mine compared to a professional blood pressure monitoring device and both heart rate and blood pressure (BP lab app) were pretty close.
I cannot confirm tho that it gives good results throughout the day, only when tested. Some times I find the peak values of the day to be high enough, yet I am a guy with high resting hr, compared to other people.
Sent from my CLT-L29 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi and thanks!
Yes I use continous HR monitoring.
Mine often gives accurate HR readings if I try when sitting still at my desk or just testing in the kitchen. It is during activity it is extremely unreliable. Did you test at any time during any type of excercise?
(mine is sometimes unreliable even when sitting still or watching TV but in thoose case the "normal" is that it gives correct measurements on HR)

Hi, I handled it in to Samsung and a few weeks later I got it back, they said some hardware was bad and had been replaced (so I lost the info in Samsung Pay and the LTE-connection). Reinstalled everything and started using it for training.
While stretching it constantly showed a puls between 140 and slightly above 160 (actual pulse was below 70). Did thereafter some training with cycle indoors and did intervalls and then Watch Active 2 said the pulse was aorund 90 BPM (actual value here was from 160 to 178 in thoose intervalls).
That leaved me with a "fitnesswatch" that only gives correct readings when watching Netflix so I have now handled it back to Samsung and claimed my money back. There is a lot of good things to say about the watch but there is a limit to how bad a key function of a product can be.
I would still be interested to see if other people have made it work fine during training or not.
BR

Is it possible to get higher update-rate on the gps for higher accuracy?

Hi! I've done some cycling and running with the watch active 2 (high accuracy enabled) on one arm and a garmin vivoactive 4 on the other arm. The garmin is basically just as accurate as the GPS on the phone but the galaxy watch seems to have a much slower update-rate, cutting corners quite aggressively. Samsung seems to try to adjust for this in software by simply adding some extra random distance, so even if GWA2 shows a shorter distance on the map, its reporting a longer total distance than both the phone and the garmin.
Is it possible to get the watch to update the gps-position at an even higher rate? Does using another app than samsung health give a higher accuracy?