I have a few apps that rely on an accurate compass (Geocaching, etc.). Not only is my Epic clueless as to the true heading, but it doesn't rotate as I do. In other words, if I'm facing east and turn around, the phone still reads east.
I know there are issues with the GPS, but I wonder if I have something else going on.
There is a separate magnetometer sensor, so the main compass functions that way. And most apps that show compass bearing use that.
Some apps may not align automatically by the compass bearing.
Make sure your magnetic compass is calibrated.
"Wave your phone around in a figure 8 pattern 4-5 times"
Thanks. I'm a dummy. I've never did the figure eight dance long enough. I figured you did it for a while and then hit OK. I continued until the prompt disappeared and it appears to be better.
Related
I thought it's worthwhile to mention that a digital compass is built-in to the Atrix and it works fairly well -- if you calibrate it. There are plenty of free apps in the android market for compasses. The one I tried and stuck with is the free Compass app from catch.com (I'm not associated with them in any way). They have an analog interface, a digital interface and a combo compass/gps interface, all for free.
A tip for calibration -- search youtube for the videos on how to wave your phone in the figure eight pattern required for calibration AND make sure you tap the button that says "Calibrate" either in the Compass app or from the phone's settings menu, but do NOT tap the button that says okay/close in the calibration pop-up menu. INSTEAD make sure your start the calibration and then wave the phone in the figure-eight pattern AND then the phone will vibrate when it is calibrated and it will clear the pop-up calibration menu by itself.
I kept tapping the calibrate button and then pressing the Okay/Close button and then trying to wave the phone around and accomplished nothing. I was always wondering why the digital compass was off by sometime 30 degrees or more.
Oh and if you really need the Compass app to be very accurate, you will need to do the calibration process at least once per day before you use it. If you calibrate and then use the compass again a week later, it's probably worth the 10 seconds to run the calibration again before your intended usage.
After correctly understanding how to do the calibration and making it stick, the Atrix now seems just as accurate as my hiking magnetic compass with the signalling mirror.
About the figure-eight pattern, it's a 3-D figure eight, NOT a flat figure eight. Watch a youtube video and you'll get the idea right away. Ignore the iPhone 3GS videos about calibrating their digital compass and waving your phone like a steering wheel -- that may work for goofy iphones but I know that doesn't work for the Atrix nor I suspect any other Android phone.
Just recently acquired a MyTouch4g for my wife. Tried using Google Sky Map but it was locked onto one screen view. Even using our finger to navigate, the screen didn't move. Also tried using GPS Status to calibrate the compass and it is frozen at due North. Looked at the user manual but I don't see any way to unlock the compass so that it will work other than turning Compass Mode on in Street View of Google Maps. And that didn't work either. What am I missing to make the compass work. Thanks in advance.
Well, it looks like I was able to determine the problem. The accelerometer in the phone is not working. Even with the auto-rotate checked, the screen does not flip for navigation or viewing pictures in the gallery. Looks like I will have to exchange the phone for another that works.
Edit: Upon further investigation, I found that when my wife's new flip case arrived, the temporary case which we knew blocked the proximity sensor, was actually the cause for the Compass, Google Sky Map, Navigation problem. Once the proximity sensor was clear, the compass, Google Sky Map, etc. now works properly. Didn't realize that blocking the proximity sensor causes compass, etc. issues. Just an FYI for others experiencing compass issues.
I just noticed that the direction indicator in Maps always points the same direction when my phone is upright, but when I orient it horizontally (lay it down), it works as it should. I used the Ulysse Gizmos to check the compass operation, and it is showing that the magnetic sensor is working when the phone is upright. I can't find a setting in Maps to do anything with the compass. It's not a function-breaking issue, but it's a little weird and annoying to look at.
**FIXED IT**
Needed calibration.
Hi,
Tried to use Google Sky Map, and found it very jerky and also inaccurate. So downloaded some compass app, and noticed that it has no idea of real north and I can turn phone (while flat on table) to make compass say true south would be north.
Anyone else seeing similar behavior? I've tried calibrating compass by turning phone but it doesn't help. In Sky Map it seems to behave better when holding phone portrait, while horizontally it behaves like compass and doesn't really detect change when turning around.
jpalo said:
Hi,
Tried to use Google Sky Map, and found it very jerky and also inaccurate. So downloaded some compass app, and noticed that it has no idea of real north and I can turn phone (while flat on table) to make compass say true south would be north.
Anyone else seeing similar behavior? I've tried calibrating compass by turning phone but it doesn't help. In Sky Map it seems to behave better when holding phone portrait, while horizontally it behaves like compass and doesn't really detect change when turning around.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I just tried my compass and it was like you said so I did a quick calibration (moving phone in figure eights) and it behaved correctly
the compass I used was smart compass by smart tools. Give it try and see if it helps? I also tried google sky maps and it was also jerky, but I didn't try it before so don't know if that's normal or not.
There is a thread on the Google Help Forums about this. It still isn't clear if that is permanently fixable.
https://productforums.google.com/forum/#!topic/nexus/SK7gbrV5MhU
Just like the title says literally 99% of the time i go into Google maps the little blue marker is pointed in the wrong direction and I have to do the compass calibration where you tilt it front back side side then twist it. About 50% of the time Google maps tells me to do that.
Is there anyway to have the compass calibration stick?
krolla03 said:
Just like the title says literally 99% of the time i go into Google maps the little blue marker is pointed in the wrong direction and I have to do the compass calibration where you tilt it front back side side then twist it. About 50% of the time Google maps tells me to do that.
Is there anyway to have the compass calibration stick?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
not as far as i know this happens to me too it also happened on my nexus 6 to pretty sure this is a google problem it also happens on the 5x https://productforums.google.com/forum/#!topic/nexus/SK7gbrV5MhU so yeah best advice is to try moving phone quickly when calibrating if its off restart and try try again
My problem is the damn Gyroscope! (not the accelerometer nor the magnetometer)
the compass works perfectly fine but it rotates to the left constantly due to the gyro having the wrong calibration at 0.6, 0, 0.1 rads/sec(X Y Z, yaw roll pitch respectively)
which causes the phone to constantly think its rotating to the left(when on landscape) whenever i press the compass button in street view it shows the exact direction as reality but as soon as i stay static it rotates constantly. and whenever i press the compass button it shows the real direction.
This is a gyro problem in my case that renders google maps unusable for heading readings...
easily fixable by software but there is no recalibrate button(ota doesnt do the trick still like this in andorid 7)
I'll try a factory reset tomorrow.