Related
Conclusion: There IS Accelerometer, only they call it G-Sensor, thanks for all the feedback!
Dear fellows,
I was unpleasantly surprised to find that Touch HD does NOT have an accelerometer, rather only a G-Sensor. (Some more detail: Accelerometer is supposed to sense "acceleration," typically in all three dimensions x,y and z. With software support, orientation sensing can be done as one usage. G-Sensor is an inferior sensor that only gives information about orientation, no velocity/acceleration sensing). Although it can be argued that most typical uses are covered by G-Sensor (like screen orientation), but the key word is "most" Accelerometer is definitively more useful in gaming, and potentially other applications. I searched several other threads and found many people equating G-Sensor with accelerometer. I hope this thread can add some clarification.
To me it looks like another effort by HTC to cut on a few bucks. Anyway I still consider it as a minor setback to me in my overall enthusiasm for Touh HD Just missing one good argument to an iphone user (no iphone debate wars intended here )
Best regards.
waqarz said:
Dear fellows,
I was unpleasantly surprised to find that Touch HD does NOT have an accelerometer, rather only a G-Sensor. (Some more detail: Accelerometer is supposed to sense "acceleration," typically in all three dimensions x,y and z. With software support, orientation sensing can be done as one usage. G-Sensor is an inferior sensor that only gives information about orientation, no velocity/acceleration sensing). Although it can be argued that most typical uses are covered by G-Sensor (like screen orientation), but the key word is "most" Accelerometer is definitively more useful in gaming, and potentially other applications. I searched several other threads and found many people equating G-Sensor with accelerometer. I hope this thread can add some clarification.
To me it looks like another effort by HTC to cut on a few bucks. Anyway I still consider it as a minor setback to me in my overall enthusiasm for Touh HD Just missing one good argument to an iphone user (no iphone debate wars intended here )
Best regards.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
another victim fallen to the marketing gimmick of a "buzz word", accelerometer, despite its name doesn't necessary mean it must detect acceleration, iphone's accelerometer doesn't do that. none on the market do that. if in the future there's a similar device that can detect acceleration, then it may fall into the "accelerometer" category, or market people will create a new buzz word to highlight its features.
but g senor, motion sensor and accelerometer are the same thing as the market/technology stands now. i made the same mistake and was corrected as well:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=436592#7
buggybug0 said:
another victim fallen to the marketing gimmick of a "buzz word", accelerometer, despite its name doesn't necessary mean it must detect acceleration, iphone's accelerometer doesn't do that. none on the market do that. if in the future there's a similar device that can detect acceleration, then it may fall into the "accelerometer" category, or market people will create a new buzz word to highlight its features.
but g senor, motion sensor and accelerometer are the same thing as the market/technology stands now. i made the same mistake and was corrected as well:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=436592#7
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks. Well if this is indeed true (that iphone and others also only have a G-Sensor) I dont think I can call it marketing gimik. It is plain dishonesty. An accelerometer is a well understood term, misusing it is... well!
But have you checked that for iphone. I will check that tomorrow with one colleague who has one. Wikipedia gives different info here, I quote:
"For example, Apple uses an LIS302DL accelerometer in the iPhone, iPod Touch and the 4th generation iPod Nano allowing the device to know when it is tilted on its side."
LIS302DL is indeed a full blown accelerometer, not just g-sensor! So lets recheck and compare our notes. Thanks for the feedback!
I think the proof is in the fact that you cant do anything with the Iphone's "accelerometer" that you cant also do with the HTC "g-sensor" If there was a fundamental difference in their capability it would have been exploited by now.
WILD9 said:
If there was a fundamental difference in their capability it would have been exploited by now.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
http://www.CarTrackApp.com/
fallenczar said:
http://www.CarTrackApp.com/
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
And in response... [APP] gMeter for HTC Touch Diamond/Pro [Second release]
edit: damn beaten to it!
waqarz said:
Thanks. Well if this is indeed true (that iphone and others also only have a G-Sensor) I dont think I can call it marketing gimik. It is plain dishonesty. An accelerometer is a well understood term, misusing it is... well!
But have you checked that for iphone. I will check that tomorrow with one colleague who has one. Wikipedia gives different info here, I quote:
"For example, Apple uses an LIS302DL accelerometer in the iPhone, iPod Touch and the 4th generation iPod Nano allowing the device to know when it is tilted on its side."
LIS302DL is indeed a full blown accelerometer, not just g-sensor! So lets recheck and compare our notes. Thanks for the feedback!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
These two apps prove you wrong.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=431965
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=422662
Surur
surur said:
These two apps prove you wrong.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=431965
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=422662
Surur
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Wake up ppl, all these applications discussed above are using GPS signal in conjunction with G-sensing. So this discussion is not relevant to this topic!!
Doing some more digging here and the source code shows my first post is accurate. There IS a FULL LIS302DL accelerometer in iphone, and we are stuck with G-Sensor of HD.... means we cant "shake things around" literally.
waqarz said:
Wake up ppl, all these applications discussed above are using GPS signal in conjunction with G-sensing. So this discussion is not relevant to this topic!!
Doing some more digging here and the source code shows my first post is accurate. There IS a FULL LIS302DL accelerometer in iphone, and we are stuck with G-Sensor of HD.... means we cant "shake things around" literally.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No they don't use GPS for Accel, it is impossible to measure short time Accell with GPS accuracy.
G-Sensor is just another Name for Accelerometer. Both Sensors (IPhone and HD) have nearly the same accuracy in there API, so if you look to the source of the IPhone you should also look at the Sensor-API of the HTC's ;_)).
So HD/Diamond/Raphael has not only a "Tilt-On/Off"-Sensor as you try to explain, it is indeed a "full"-Accelerometer. You could just install one of the mentioned Programs to prove that the indeed are measuring acceleration .
And if you are really interested you should look at: http://www.koushikdutta.com/2008/07/using-htc-touch-diamond-sensor-sdk-from.html
to learn how to program the Accelerometer.
BTW Gyroscope-Sensors are brand new, and no phone to date has one , the should be cheaper and more accurate as the today build in Sensors.
Rivendel is absolutely right. The applications wouldn't work without a proper accelerometer.
Originally, micromachined accelerometers would have been very expensive, but now there is so much demand for them that they can be bought for about a dollar in large quantity.
Rivendel said:
No they don't use GPS for Accel, it is impossible to measure short time Accell with GPS accuracy.
G-Sensor is just another Name for Accelerometer. Both Sensors (IPhone and HD) have nearly the same accuracy in there API, so if you look to the source of the IPhone you should also look at the Sensor-API of the HTC's ;_)).
So HD/Diamond/Raphael has not only a "Tilt-On/Off"-Sensor as you try to explain, it is indeed a "full"-Accelerometer. You could just install one of the mentioned Programs to prove that the indeed are measuring acceleration .
And if you are really interested you should look at: http://www.koushikdutta.com/2008/07/using-htc-touch-diamond-sensor-sdk-from.html
to learn how to program the Accelerometer.
BTW Gyroscope-Sensors are brand new, and no phone to date has one , the should be cheaper and more accurate as the today build in Sensors.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
OK, yes I guess you are right too; Pocket GForce register lots of Gs just moving the device sideways without tilting it much, so some measurement of acceleration is there. Then may be, HTC ppl should upgrade and call it accelerometer!
waqarz said:
OK, yes I guess you are right too; Pocket GForce register lots of Gs just moving the device sideways without tilting it much, so some measurement of acceleration is there. Then may be, HTC ppl should upgrade and call it accelerometer!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well G-Sensor does allude to acceleration if you take name to mean a sensor which measures G-Force....
G sensors and accelerometers are exactly the same thing.the former is more of layman and commercial term while the later is the more appropriate technical term.what it does is measure acceleration as its name suggest.this device can be position in any axis(x,y,z).a complete system should consist of 3 accelerometers in exact tangent to each other in those 3 axis so that it can sense vertical,horizontal and lateral accelerations.since acceleration is measured in "meters/seconds squared"the value of acceleration when integrated once will give u distance and when integrated twice will give u time.this is the basis of any stand alone navigation or guidance systems but it must be coupled with a 3 axis gyroscopic system to give attitude information.in the phone,the accelerometers measure the gravity force which has an acceleration of approx 10 m/s squared.the resultant output will determine the phone's orientation
it has an acceltomater, with diamonds vr hologram, if you lay it on a flat surface, and push it artound, it wil stil move
Rivendel said:
BTW Gyroscope-Sensors are brand new, and no phone to date has one , the should be cheaper and more accurate as the today build in Sensors.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Some Nokia phones have had Gyroscope-Sensor for over year by now, it rotates the map in the navigating software real time when u spin around, its very handy when navigating by walking.
I think that's a digital compass in the Nokia phones. A lot of the recent ones don't have the compass though (N95, etc.)
can anyone make such app - or - anyone any clue were to get a compass for our win mobiles http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rlKvW89Q7Z8
As a wm power user, you should know that a compass is hardware, not software
Fitz said:
As a wm power user, you should know that a compass is hardware, not software
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
yea i thought about the gsensor aint that enough for te hardware part
Gsensors don't always point north...
well if u no of any compass's i can try via gps send me the site but would be beter if we got one like the assphone
Most higher end GPS units have "electronic" compasses. It is not just something that can be enabled through software, there needs to be a hardware component as well.
As a side note, my garmin vista Hcx has an electronic compass and it makes geocaching so nice
Like this?
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=524294
Go to the link in the first post.
you may like this
http://htcdriver.com/index.php?page=richesse-GPS
and i also have such feature on my mapking GPS app
Any GPS app for windows mobile has a "Compass" by seeing which way you are moving and comparing that to north. A real compass can be stationary and point north more accurately. This is a hardware feature that no WM phones have. Maybe the Touch Pro 3 will have it.
Yeah, buy a real compass buddy. Its more accurately and never run out of battery and you never fear of losing GPS signal.
Oh, btw, I do have a real compass. and never use it.
Tomtom, GPS cycle, any navigation software would have a compass.
If that doesn't satisfy can always use the good old, sun rises in the east and sets in the west strategy. or go watch a few eps of Man vs Wild or survivor man and they'll show you how to find the direction.
rungvang said:
Oh, btw, I do have a real compass. and never use it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Exactly my thoughts. Who needs yet ANOTHER gimmicky app that has no real purpose? In my time on this Earth I have never needed a compass or ever even thought '**** I wish I had a compass for X task'. So why would we need a digital one in our pockets ?
The sun sets in the west and rises in the east. There's your compass.
Don't you guys sleep facing the north? After the sun has set, how do you align your salt and pepper accurately? The hardware component is a magnetometer, pigeons have them, get a pigeon!
No sorry guys, a compass can be usefuill for a lot of Apps like navigation or Games, and the IPhone ist the most powerfull mobile divice ever build compared with a stabil and smooth operating system and a gigantic and cheap Appstore with 50.000 Apps.
And half of the Apps here are just wannabe iphone-Apps.
Thats fact, and sorry that i must tell you the truth : Windows Mobile is ulgy, slow and not state of the Art.
this is a littel preview to demonstrate you the Power of the "old" iPhone 3G (the brandnew 3Gs is getting much bette/faster and has a graphics chipset similar to xBox)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IWDDPAmZd5k
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o3TeX4OCfLc
dickenz said:
Exactly my thoughts. Who needs yet ANOTHER gimmicky app that has no real purpose? In my time on this Earth I have never needed a compass or ever even thought '**** I wish I had a compass for X task'. So why would we need a digital one in our pockets ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think lot's of people, of which you are probably one of them, don't have a clue to the purpose of the compass feature several new phones have. Apple clearly wouldn't emphasize on this feature if it were only useful to tell you where north and south are relatively to your location.
More and more apps are becoming available, which give you a view through the camera of your device, overlaying certain information, such as where the nearest ATM is, where you can find a particular shop, etc. (this technique is called Augmented Reality and it really doesn't work as good without a compass, as with a compass). There are a dozen apps available for Android at the moment using the build-in compass. That's where you need such a piece of hardware for.
Yes,
While going hunting I always take my compass, cell phone, gps, SUV, remington gun and a small atomic device...
You only need a compass if you are in the army. For night time LEARN the sky and if you get lost in the woods???during the day and need to go north??? for some reason than an application on a cellphone is the least of your problems
dickenz said:
Exactly my thoughts. Who needs yet ANOTHER gimmicky app that has no real purpose? In my time on this Earth I have never needed a compass or ever even thought '**** I wish I had a compass for X task'. So why would we need a digital one in our pockets ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Obviously you weren't geocaching yet . In the forest it can be quite difficult to say where the sun is (especially if the weather isn't that good), so a "real" compass could be really helpful. There are also a lot of other things a "real" compass is good for.
As far as I know the HTC Magic (running Android) has got one, hasn't it?
And please stop this "Iphone vs. WM" talk, I think it was covered so many times in so many threads already ...
I don't understand these people claiming that their Iphone is so much better, but actually they are using a WM device and using forums for WM devices. That's quite strange, isn't it?. My suggestion: Get an Iphone and let us enjoy our WM devices please!
So when do you think we'll see a game that uses the Six-Axis sensor in the Vibrant, or any of the Galaxy S phones for that matter? I've tried the six-axis controls in Gameloft's Nova, for iPhone4, and it works very well. You can aim your sight by moving the phone which gives you much greater precision. They also just released Star Battalion that takes advantage of the sensor. I'm hoping Gameloft or someone else gets on-board with the GalaxyS and six-axis support.
Anyone else excited?
Does galaxy s have six axis sensor?
Sent from my SGH-T959 using XDA App
flunik said:
Does galaxy s have six axis sensor?
Sent from my SGH-T959 using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes.
But I Haven't Been Able To Comprehend This Function... Whats Better An Accelerometer Or Six-Axis?
Ok I Know Its Six-Axis But I Mean What Is It Used For?
I Know What it Does And What It Is.
chadti99 said:
So when do you think we'll see a game that uses the Six-Axis sensor in the Vibrant, or any of the Galaxy S phones for that matter? I've tried the six-axis controls in Gameloft's Nova, for iPhone4, and it works very well. You can aim your sight by moving the phone which gives you much greater precision. They also just released Star Battalion that takes advantage of the sensor. I'm hoping Gameloft or someone else gets on-board with the GalaxyS and six-axis support.
Anyone else excited?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That would be sweet. I have Nova on my phone now... aiming via movement would be sweet.
chadti99 said:
So when do you think we'll see a game that uses the Six-Axis sensor in the Vibrant, or any of the Galaxy S phones for that matter? I've tried the six-axis controls in Gameloft's Nova, for iPhone4, and it works very well. You can aim your sight by moving the phone which gives you much greater precision. They also just released Star Battalion that takes advantage of the sensor. I'm hoping Gameloft or someone else gets on-board with the GalaxyS and six-axis support.
Anyone else excited?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I believe we only have 3 axis because all we have is the accelerometer. The iPhone has 6 axis because it has an accelerometer and gyroscope.
Sent from my Samsung Vibrant using XDA app. Running Bionix 1.9.1 with JAC's OC/UV/VOODOO Kernel.
amd_203 said:
I believe we only have 3 axis because all we have is the accelerometer. The iPhone has 6 axis because it has an accelerometer and gyroscope.
Sent from my Samsung Vibrant using XDA app. Running Bionix 1.9.1 with JAC's OC/UV/VOODOO Kernel.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nope, all the Galaxy S phones have six-axis.
The only reason we haven't seen support is that the Galaxy S line may be one of the only Android platforms with this sensor. I'm guessing developers won't work too hard at this until there's enough of a user base to take advantage of it.
Kubernetes said:
Nope, all the Galaxy S phones have six-axis.
The only reason we haven't seen support is that the Galaxy S line may be one of the only Android platforms with this sensor. I'm guessing developers won't work too hard at this until there's enough of a user base to take advantage of it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Really? I wasn't aware of that. That's pretty cool then but I don't know how much user base they'd need with 5 million Galaxy S phones sold.
Sent from my Samsung Vibrant using XDA app. Running Bionix 1.9.1 with JAC's OC/UV/VOODOO Kernel.
I'm searching a developer who can build an app to read the sensor data oit of the galaxy tab. Cause I wanne know of there is an gyroscope sensor on bord or not, samsung site is a joke with its tec specs. In my mind btw its even not clear what kind of display is build in, s-lcd or more likely a ips, but what kind of ips?
May someone can help me out.
ps:are there any games or apps actually using a gyrocope sensor in android?
Thanks
The display is a first gen ips, aka super tft.
ftgg99 said:
The display is a first gen ips, aka super tft.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
yeah like I thought, because of the battery lifetime
you can find detailed specs here: http://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_p1000_galaxy_tab-3370.php
also, the tab has a three-axis gyro sensor
ftgg99 said:
you can find detailed specs here: http://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_p1000_galaxy_tab-3370.php
also, the tab has a three-axis gyro sensor
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Click to collapse
I know that there are some spec out, first it said there would be a AMOLED but now its an ips, so I dont trust extern spec cheets, I wanne se it work!
i am holding it right now and its ips... there are lots of very detailed spec sheets out already - google is your friend!
ftgg99 said:
i am holding it right now and its ips... there are lots of very detailed spec sheets out already - google is your friend!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Im holding it too right now, its not about the display I know that this is an IPS but befor I have not seen the gyro in action I wont trust those specs, whats is their source? Just want to confirm it
Ive used gsmarena for years. They are always correct. Also backed by Sotovik, a analytics company in Russia that belongs to a electronics retail group. They are trusted resources.
Also, online flash games at m.kongregate.com require a hardware sensor to function, you can test it yourself if already own the tab!
ftgg99 said:
Ive used gsmarena for years. They are always correct. Also backed by Sotovik, a analytics company in Russia that belongs to a electronics retail group. They are trusted resources.
Also, online flash games at m.kongregate.com require a hardware sensor to function, you can test it yourself if already own the tab!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I dont think you actually know the difference between accelerometer and gyroscope, like mentioned before: use google!
And pls back to topic, anyone out there who can read the gyroscope data out?
NightFire123 said:
I dont think you actually know the difference between accelerometer and gyroscope, like mentioned before: use google!
And pls back to topic, anyone out there who can read the gyroscope data out?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
indeed youre right i did not... no need to be snippy however
Sorry if it reached you so, but when someone want to correct me and dont know about what I mean I could became somekind "snippy".
To tell u what a gyro does: it recognises the turning of the phone like when u look around in a n egoshooter with your mouse. The accelerometer can only recognise the g-force of the earth so as you know you have to turn your tab in so position that apps reg. the movement at all. So the compass is what you think of it. You can imagine that the gyro is a kombined compass and a accelerometer, buts its another thing, with all the things compass acc and gyro kombinated you cann do everything like in a pc ego
best to see this iphone video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=youtube_gdata_player&v=GkO_pGSNH-E
According to http://www.isuppli.com the galaxy tab uses the STMicroelectronics L3G4200D, essentially the same chip as in the iphone 4.
The difference between accelerometer and gyroscope is that the former detects translation and the latter rotations. Both are implemented by MEMS integrated circuits.
You can also get information about rotations from the digital compass...
Volker1 said:
According to http://www.isuppli.com the galaxy tab uses the STMicroelectronics L3G4200D, essentially the same chip as in the iphone 4.
The difference between accelerometer and gyroscope is that the former detects translation and the latter rotations. Both are implemented by MEMS integrated circuits.
You can also get information about rotations from the digital compass...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for that, this was the info I want to hear! Many thanks
NightFire123 said:
I'm searching a developer who can build an app to read the sensor data oit of the galaxy tab.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There are several apps in the Android Market for this: Sensor Test (ctsr.android.SensorTest) works fine and shows gyro, too.
I'm more wondering, where the proximity sensor is - on my tab, it never changes value...
XNeo2001 said:
There are several apps in the Android Market for this: Sensor Test (ctsr.android.SensorTest) works fine and shows gyro, too.
I'm more wondering, where the proximity sensor is - on my tab, it never changes value...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
all I know taht there is no need of a proximity sensor, or do you want so hold it like a telephone to your ear that the screen has to hybernate? Dont think so ;-)
NightFire123 said:
I'm searching a developer who can build an app to read the sensor data oit of the galaxy tab. Cause I wanne know of there is an gyroscope sensor on bord or not, samsung site is a joke with its tec specs.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am the developer of "phone tester". This app allows you to test sensors, wifi, gps, battery, the multitouch screen and gives you information about the system. Currently doesn't support giroscope sensor, but yes in next update, probably in this weekend.
it has a gyro. I installed NOVA today, which recognized this ability and asked if I want to use it. I can confirm that I was able to operate the game on the horizontal axis.
Khisha said:
it has a gyro. I installed NOVA today, which recognized this ability and asked if I want to use it. I can confirm that I was able to operate the game on the horizontal axis.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
sorry for not posting it here, but already knowing that it got one :
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=820006
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=9210740&postcount=1
Hi,
Does anyone else find that the gyroscope is useless on this phone. In street view or Google earth, if I use the hardware sensor to control movement the movement is really jerky and all over the place. Even the compass seems to be screwing up as a 360 turn only seems to have 3 or 4 discreet steps rather than being smooth.
I've installed phone tester and monitored the sensor output and even on a stable surface the values are all over the place.
Is this normal or am I going to have to get the phone replaced?
Cheers,
Phil
Sent from my Nexus S using XDA App
you have to wave the phone in a figure 8 pattern to calibrate the compass. I'm not sure why, but I have to do this every day. My Nexus S seems to lose its compass calibration everyday.
Is anyone else experiencing this? Or is it a hardware problem on mine?
sagech said:
you have to wave the phone in a figure 8 pattern to calibrate the compass. I'm not sure why, but I have to do this every day. My Nexus S seems to lose its compass calibration everyday.
Is anyone else experiencing this? Or is it a hardware problem on mine?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've had mine about a week and this is the only thing that had upset me so far. Google Sky Map was exhibiting this same problem. It was fine on n1 and g2. hopefully it's a software/driver issue. I would have expected a fix by now though if it was.
Has google said anything yet of substance besides 'we'll talk to X team/we're looking into it...'?
Sent from my Nexus S using Tapatalk
I've also noticed this - maybe a hardware issue?
phillevy said:
I've also noticed this - maybe a hardware issue?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Plz oh plz let not be a hardware issue, cause it would mean it can't be fixed. I really hope is driver problem, since the NS it's the first google phone to have a gyroscope (as far as I know) so they didn't pin down the little brat.
Sent from my Nexus S using XDA App
gratti said:
Plz oh plz let not be a hardware issue, cause it would mean it can't be fixed. I really hope is driver problem, since the NS it's the first google phone to have a gyroscope (as far as I know) so they didn't pin down the little brat.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's not the gyroscope. It's the compass. The compass in our phone is extremely bad and subject to lots of noise/interference. It's very unlikely this will be fixed in a software patch, unless Invensense updates their library.
So to confirm this appears to be a general hardware fault with the compass? I can't believe that everyone has this problem on the Nexus S, it's a huge problem and I would have expected more fuss to have been made about it. I have used phone tester to determine what sensors I have on my phone:
Compass: AK8973 Orientation Sensor (Asahi Kasei Microdevices)
Magnetic field sensor: AK8973 3-axis magentic field sensor (Asahi Kasei Microdevices)
Accelerometer: KR3DM 3-axis Accelerometer (STMicroelectronics)
Gyroscope: K3G Gyroscope (STMicroelectronics)
It would be great if anyone who does not experience this problem could let us know and post what sensor they have to see if there are hardware variations around?
@chadrockey Where does Invensense come in? I've seen that they have produced new generation sensor but it appears that the Nexus S doesn't include it.
Invensense supplies the gyroscopes in the Wii MotionPlus and quite possibly the gyroscopes and some additional hardware in the Nexus S.
They also developed the sensor fusion algorithm in the new gingerbread APIs:
hhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C7JQ7Rpwn2kOsg
It's more or less a problem with compasses in general and probably weak software applied to calculate heading.
Compasses also vary significantly in area, so the closer to the equator you are, the fewer problems you should have. You can also try indoors/outdoors away from dumpsters, cars, computers, anything metal.
All compasses are notorious for noise and having issues with anything metallic. Like computer cases, magnets, fridges, or even our NFC antenna.
ditto, compass sucks. it gets better when i move it away from speakers, computers, monitors, etc. also, i'm in toronto so it generally sucks everywhere. when i was in HK it was pretty good though.
Nexus' compass is totally borked: +/-30° deviation with back cover (nfc antenna), +/-20° without. (90° turns). My old htc hero performed MUCH better ...
[hfm] said:
It was fine on n1 and g2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
chadrockey said:
It's more or less a problem with compasses in general and probably weak software applied to calculate heading
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So, is it a software or hardware issue??
I cant confirm that. In maps the compass shows the exact direction im looking at. But i can confirm that none of the compass apps i downloaded showed it right most of them showed me south (i pointed to north) i turned 90° left and they showed sw another 90° and i saw se and next 90° showed me east. Same for sensor testing apps my phone lies on the floor and the values for acceleration, magnetic, gyroscope and compass where going crazy but i i couldnt see them bouncing more than +-2%
Sent from my Nexus S using Tapatalk
Same problem by me on LG Optimus One, I think it's Android or generally compass sensor problem. After every launch of some compass app, I need to re-calibrate it in figure 8 movement...
I'm currently on my fifth nexus s.. The compasses on the last four were pretty much unusable. The fifth one is noticeably a lot smoother. On a different note, every single nexus s i used was great in some areas and lacked in other areas. The first one i had was solid but every now and then when i was taking pictures the whole screen would turn red. I would have easily kept it. Dropped it hard, replaced it. Second one had an completely crapped out back button. Third one had that weird can't make a portable wifi hotspot problem. It would almost never turn on and the speaker sounded blown out. Fourth one was all busted.. it had the hotspot problem and the screen was popping up. Plus it got unusually hot. My other ones never got that warm. On the fifth one, the live wallpapers slow the home screen scrolling and app drawer so much I don't use them but the rest of the phone works flawlessly, including the compass. The other phones were never affected by the live wallpapers. Am I a little bummed that a $550 device isn't perfect, ya. Especially if your obsessive like I am, but at this point I've learned that no NS is perfect (in my experience anyway). Even after all that stuff i went through (which might be an extreme case) I still love this phone and I'll have it until the next nexus comes out. I just hope I don't drop this one Holy crap this is a long post...
Mine had issues back on 2.3.2 and CM7 RC1. Flashed RC2 and it wasn't jerky anymore. Not really sure why.
I had my device repaired by Samsung service recently, just got it back 2 weeks ago. I'm not 100% sure it is still the same device, only with a new screen, or a replacement (although the S/N and IMEI are the same as before). However, since I got it back I also noticed this compass weirdness. I definitely didn't have these issues before. But then I also didn't have 2.3.3 before. There is also a thread in Google's forums where people complain and some think it started with 2.3.3 (I'm not yet permitted to post the link here though).
I just hope this is a software problem and will be fixed in an update. In the current state Maps is basically unusable for me, the little blue needle always points in the wrong direction and even directly after calibrating the compass (which seems to last about 5min max) the direction is always off by some 10-15 degrees and also reacts very jerkily to any movement. My HTC Desire never had such problems.
please report this bug at here:
http://www.google.com/support/forum/p/Google+Mobile/thread?tid=37f2dd3261d20d1f&hl=en
and add a star if you have this issue as well here:
http://code.google.com/p/android/issues/detail?id=15999
check my issue video here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l-9lehX8u2U
Google please fix this!!!
I have the following weird phenomenon.
Nexus S users, please confirm you have this problem too.
This problem does not manifest itself on a Nexus One.
I have both Nexii.
Open Google Sky Map.
Move the phone around as much as you can in all directions and orientations.
Select Back or Home.
Open Gallery.
Tilt the phone from portrait to landscape
Do you lose the orientation function?
Infact, I lose orientation function across all apps after that. It is as if the phone is "locked" into a certain orientation or loses the function altogether.
This problem corrects itself after a reboot.
More info: Gingerbread 2.3.2 with LauncherPro
Update: If you change the sensors Speed and Damping to HIGH for both, the problem goes away...
I don't think it uses the gyroscope.
I guess it just uses the Compass to find out which direction your pointing, and the accelerometer to measure up and down
i think the problem is most apps aren't built for gingerbread features. and gingerbread has gyroscope support built in. when an app developer asks - basically - for the direction, android will either use 2 or 3 (compass, accellerometer and gyroscope - the gyroscope adds the smoothness) sensors depending on what api lever (android version) the app is built for.
so, make sure the app is built for 2.3? just throwing it out there. this would explain why google earth (that is shipped on the device) is incredibly nice and smooth (compared to earth on a desire). and, would explain why apps downloaded on the market are jerky too probably.