Hi all, I am about to go on a trip where I will probably need to use my GPS more than ever.
Thanks to a brilliant developer tytung we now have AGPS on Android Gingerbread, but I have not yet been able to have the same results as I've had in WM 6.5.
What is your experience, is Android GPS on this device as good as in Windows Mobile?
I would like to use it on a wonderful island called Cyprus. I have already downloaded the iGo with the map, but so far GPS on Android with this phone has not convinced me.
Let me know what your thoughts are on this subject, and if I should try to use Android with the GPS or just flash WM6.5 for this trip.
Thank you all in advance.
On my TMOUS phone that uses Hyperdroid CM7 v2.1.0, it is as fast as I remember WM6.5 and is certainly as fast as my wife's MyTouch4G when finding the GPS signals. But I am using a customized gps.conf file that I optimized for my area. Checking AngelDeath's GPS thread, there isn't a Cyprus file to download. He suggests using the Europe or Turkey gps.conf files. Using Tytung's v1.7 NMEA file is working very fast. My first lock with the phone off overnight is now under 10 seconds. Relocks during the day are 5 seconds or less. I am not sure how fast a lock you would receive since you will be using a more "general" gps.conf file. But judging what others are experiencing on their Gingerbread builds using a much more general gps.conf that myself, I would suspect using your phone in an Android mode for GPS should work fine. But if have any doubt, then I would make sure to have WM6.5 operating on your phone.
Using the Tytung 1.7 libraries, my Android GPS performs equal or better than when I was using WM6.5.
Combine the suggestions of robrob777 (Tytung 1.7 libraries - from: http://forum.xda-developers.com/show....php?t=1100114, whether NMEA or RPC pends on your ROM) and slbenz (......a customized gps.conf file, information available on http://www.pool.ntp.org/en/ , your performance will be same or even better.........enjoy you trip !!
As for AGPS goes... I think there's no difference between WM and Android anymore.
However, depending on the place you will go, you might want to take into consideration the GPS software available.
In my area, Garmin is the best, but it's not available on Android.
First of all I want to thank you all for contributing to this topic. I must try a new ROM with those updated libraries, to test it decently. So far I have been a MIUI adept and hopefully the new versions have better GPS support.
As I already said before, I will be using iGO my way, as it is the only off-line GPS software for which I was able to get the maps of Cyprus. I'll try to use it here in Belgium as soon as I download the Belgium map.
One thing that I liked on the WM6.5 was the quick GPS option, where you could just connect to any Wifi connection and update the file which would last for 1 week.
Any such option in the Android builds? I hope the roaming charges just for the AGPS aren't that high.
Anyone has any experience in this field?
Try gps status: tools-agps data-download
or the tool tytung provided in his thread, you can find it when you read the last five pages.
Sent from my HTC HD2 using XDA Premium App
Related
I have a question on these files along with GPS on the Titan. The question that i could not find the answer to is does anyone know if the Titan or WM6 actually does read the packedEphemeris.ee file? Does this happen at boot-up, when the GPS gets activated, throughout the day, etc? Does anyone actually know? It seems that all of these apps are arguably a placebo effect on GPS signal acquisition. I would just like to know if anyone has even found any piece of Titan or GPS app code that tries to look for this file?
Thanks,
JD
Just responding in support of any answer to this. I loaded QuickGPS, did the registry hacks and the exe hack, it downloads and "installs" the quickGPS files just fine. Says I have 7 days before the sat positions expire. But when I go outside, GPS acquisition is just as long as ever.
I have a feeling this really is a placebo effect. Oh well, it was a nice thought.
JD
The GPS driver itself has to be capable of looking at this file not the individual applications.
QuickGPS works great on the TyTnII (AT&T Tilt) but I personally have not seen it work on the Titan. I installed the new Windows Mobile 6.1 ROM on my Titan and it fixes much more quickly than the 3.16 based ROM's. I installed QuickGPS anyway JIC but I somehow think the GPS drivers in the beta Titan ROM's are not built to look at the data files.
hi,
i don't now if this is the right forum to ask for this question
i have installed froyo 2.2 on my hd2, i have one problem, and that is with the Gps i can't get any signal it just seeking and seeking, when i go in to google maps or navigation, could anybody help me with that problem
Did you make sure that GPS is enabled? Do you have a clear view of the sky? What build of froyo specifically are you running? What radio?
I'm running Bangsters 1.2a and it takes forever to find a GPS signal, but especially with Google apps. Waze seems to fair a bit better, but no where as fast as back in WinMo.
polo735 said:
Did you make sure that GPS is enabled? Do you have a clear view of the sky? What build of froyo specifically are you running? What radio?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
yes i turn gps on and i can see in top op the screen that it is seeking, i have tried outside, inside but same result.
iam running this http://gamesquare.co.uk/froyo.html but it stands version 2.2 in my phone. and radio 2.12.50.02_2
but can it be because i run dutty's leo sense as winmo os
Thats strange. If I were you I'd just keep trying different radio/rom/android build combinations. If you never get it working then it may be a hardware issue.
Where are you located? In many (most/all?) builds if you're not in the U.S. you have to edit the gps.conf file to give the gps your region.
Start here and see if it helps.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=7278623&postcount=1
It's probably related to the gps.conf, search for more information if it still doesn't work. The HD2 gps locks on quite fast with the a-gps assist. Faster than all of my pnd and golf gps devices except Garmin with its hotfix.
I've got a HD2 on the way and plan to load nand on from the get go. I need a working GPS though. Does copilot live 8 work on android 2.3?
I know theres something with editing a config file to get GPS working, whats the deal with this? is it still required? how often does it need to be done? Just trying to figure out the current situation with GPS. from the searches ive done, it doesn't work for some people. Is GPS working for most people, or is it hit or miss?
thanks.
Yes it works and yes on 2.3 and no you don't need to edit that GPS conf file any more.
thanks. my buddy is using MDJ's CyanogenMod 2.5, and his gps doesn't work. is there anything i can tell him to make it work? google maps only uses the cell towers to figure out the area he's in, he's let it try to get his exact position for 30+ minutes.
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I used GPS on builds as early as 2.0 and it has all worked without any configuration - I have gpstatus installed and download a-gps data.
Google maps has locked to GPS in 10-30seconds 90% of the time, especially when stationary and sky relatively clear.
Usually longer if cloudy, indoors or moving - up to 3mins. But I would expect that tbh.
Copilot live 8 works fine on 2.6 for me. used it today - nice bit of software once POIs removed!! I still prefer GarminXT on WM6 for it's routing and display.
Gabe3 said:
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Everything should be working on that build
but theres a 2.6 update that works flawlessly for me worth a try
or
try this ginger build better than mdj in my opinion and has the gps fix included
JDMS beta 2.2 everything works and is faster than mdjs too
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=782301
I know this topic has been discussed previously, but I haven't been able to find the answer yet so here goes:
As I understand it, GPS is working in all/most sense and cm based builds however AGPS seems to be an issue all have in common. From what I understand AGPS is just a helper function for quicker GPS locking so even though AGPS isnt working, you should still be able to get a lock.
Now, since before we got nand based ROMs for HD2 I used haret to load android from my SD card. Back then I used GPS depended applications like c:geo for geocaching and car navigation progs, as well as progs for finding nearest resturant when I visit other cities/countries.
Been a while since I had the need for it, but recently with the nice weather geocaching for example have become an interest. What I see now is that none of the ginger/cm/non-sense builds I have tried have given me a GPS lock. I have tried the GPS fixes, flashed Norway.zip for tweaking my gps.conf, installed gps-status but no chance in getting a lock. and yes, I have been giving it quite some time, outdoors.
Anyone else having these problems? I see from screenshots on for example the HyperDroidCM7 ROM that you can get a lock, so its not a problem for everybody. Is my assumption on what AGPS is, correct? Any worarounds to get GPS functionality working? Strange to have these problems now, since it worked kinda well before
EDIT: tried now with [10.MAR.11][CWM] RAFDROID HD 4.0.2|Fastest Full DesHD|DATA2EXT|[Rafpigna 1.8 OC], still no lock
There's no driver support for AGPS, so the best we can do for now is to tweak our gps.conf and use gps status. If you can't get a lock at all, it could be a HW problem. If geocaching is a necessity for you, you could go back to WM and sd Android, use WM to grab AGPS data, then boot into Android.
Sent from my HTC HD2 using XDA App
I use that rom, but the 4.0 (really not much of a difference for me between the 4.0 and 4.0.2), and I always have a lock quickly.
1) Did you try installing the GPSFix.0.1 apk file and running it? that downloads a criticial file xtra.bin into your data folder.
Also try the 1.2 files and see if you have any luck, because I know in the 4.0 of Rafdroid, the gps works very well.
Same as Angeldeath, I use Rafdroid and it works ok.
Mine was faulty a couple of weeks ago and HTC warranty had to swap the board (and also did the screen, keys etc). In the end it would still lock but after a while it would freez or have no reception anymore.
But to be honest I don't like the GPS receiver at all in the HD2. There are numerous tests and other people to back me up on the tremendous jitter the receiver has which makes you jump all over the place.
A nice test is to place it in the car and switch on the cruiscontrol at 100km/h, or even worse at 180km/h. The thing will jump atleast 10% in speed.
When I need to drive or walk long trips I use my iBlue 747A+ 66 Ch Bluetooth GPS Logger which you can buy cheap on ebay.
That thing logs, is fast, deadly accurate and with the free 'bluetooth gps' on the market you can even use it on the HD2
huggs said:
There's no driver support for AGPS, so the best we can do for now is to tweak our gps.conf and use gps status. If you can't get a lock at all, it could be a HW problem. If geocaching is a necessity for you, you could go back to WM and sd Android, use WM to grab AGPS data, then boot into Android.
Sent from my HTC HD2 using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The AGPS thing on WM and then booting into Android is a myth, there's an extenvise work being done to make AGPS work on Android for our HD2s, but they have not managed to get it working yet.
Android on our HD2 simply doesnt have any commands to load AGPS, and the chip itself doesnt save any data. In the remote case it saved anything, there's nothing on the GPS Driver itself to read it
Quick tip to get your GPS to work:
Load Google Maps, let it try to get a lock, if after 1 or 2 mins it doesnt get any lock force close the app, turn off then back on the GPS and reload Google Maps. If you still cant get a lock, let it sit for at least 5 mins, then Force Close it again.
after that it should get you a lock in less than 10 secs.
Easiest way to FC it is enabling the "hold back to FC app" option on CM builds.
Hello people,
I've a question, especially for the Dutch (Noord-Brabant) people on this forum.
My GPS on my HD2 is extremely slow, i'm getting a first GPS lock in about 15-30 minutes. Sometimes it won't work at all! On the WindowsMobile days I had the feature to download (A-)GPS sattelite posisitions (QuickGPS if i'm right) but this this isn't possible for Android. I think have to manually edit the gps.conf file, but i don't know what the best values are.
I've tested my GPS locks in the car, garden, inside my house and at the beach.
Maybe we can start a thread where people can share their configuration to help the people like me, sorted by country.
Can anyone help me?
I have the app GPS Status.
It downloads GPS settings when you open it.
No problems with GPS, I do not use it often but fix normally under 5 min (cold start)
Further search for a thread that explains how to edit the GPS config file, maybe that will help.
I have AmericanAndroid (SD), I do not know what android version you have?
SD / Nand?
Thanks for the fast reply!
I'm running Typhoon's CM7 nand build, the newest. In the thread of this build on XDA I can read this:
Known issues:
......
-AGPS does not work, this does not work in any ROM currently.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've already downloaded the program GPS Status and downloaded the GPS information (on startup indeed) but I don't think it's really downloading this information.
I had success with the fasterfix application setting the pool to
be.pool.ntp.org, for NL it will be nl.pool.ntp.org
Afterwards I used GPSstatus app to check how the fix on the Satellites are and to download the A-GPS statusses.
As far as I know our gps connection can be affected by weather, your own possition (outdours / indoors) and the android build you are using.
Last night I had a good satellite fix in less then a minute (outdoors/clear sky and BE gps pool)
Android: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1062881 (honeycomb V20)
I'll test changing the pool! Thanks for the advise!
I've tested the GPS many times on different places and 2 days ago on the beach (clear sky and very hot )! So I don't think my problem isn't related to the weather or constructions / houses.
this might be worth checking out aswell http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=953630
Haven't tested it yet
I'm also from Noord-Brabant (Ehv). Just tested my GPS time to fix, lying in my hammock in the garden . It's about 60 sec in cold start and 5 sec. in hot start with GPS Status.
I'm using Tyween CM7 3.2.0 and radio 2.15.40.xxx. I'm using standard gps.conf but changed the NTP server with fasterfix. There is no need to use AngelDeath's settings.