Database Users

Signal Strength

Is there any way to boost the Signal Strength on these phones, I am sitting here with the Siemens ver of this phone in one hand, a Nokia in the other. The Nokia is 100% where as the Siemens is 10%
Thanks in advance.

You may find that the accuracy of the signal level indicator is not very good. If you have a good connection when calling or talking I would use that as a gauge rather than the very suspect indicator on the pda. Having said that, there is a very cheap device that you stick to your phone and is supposed to boost the signal significantly. Heres a link, they are sold in lots of places and are only pennies on ebay.
This ebay link is selling 3 for 99cents in usa.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=48491&item=5719616810&rd=1
You may need to remove the back of the xda to install this device, its worth a try though if you want a better signal. To remove the back you will need a small flat blade screwdriver and a No 6 Torx screwdriver.

Those stick-ons have been shown to have either no effect at all or to actually make the signal worse. Been proven over and over. Save your money.

I heard that too but at 99cents for 3 it might be wirth a try. A piece of string will probably give a better signal but its all about trying different ideas.

Just to let you know, this is a fake product. The only function this device has is to make your wallet a bit lighter. Dont spend your money on this.
If you want better signal on your phone, then you have to extend the build-in antenna via the antenna connector on the back, which normally are for carkits.
Try to place a bit of wire (4 - 16cm) in the hole. Keep your phone in the same spot and see if the signal gets better if you shorten the wire.
This is just an idea so dont blame me if the signal does'nt improve.
Your provider is most likely the problem.

BobBob said:
Try to place a bit of wire (4 - 16cm) in the hole. Keep your phone in the same spot and see if the signal gets better if you shorten the wire.
.
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Click to collapse
!!!!!
That strikes my interest
!!!
Could you be a little more specific. Which hole are you talking a bout ?

cant remember if xda1's have that option

There is no hole. Maybe a 7 element Yagi motorised directional beam mounted on a head cradle would work. Might give you a stiff neck though.

tynt with integrated gps

I cant beleive the trinity will not have a keyboard. This still leaves on my quest to find the perfect device. Instead of waiting for HTC i decided to do some looking around. I found this gps receiver. http://www.pocketgpsworld.com/holux-gr240.php . I was wondering if it would be possible to input this inside the tytns casing. Its been a while since my electrical courses but i think the logic would handle the power issue if we got rid of the battery and just piggybacked it off the tytns board.It even has a slider switch so it would be easy to input it somehwere out of the housing. has anyone ever opened up a tytn and seen if theres any space to fit the gps anteena and the baord. any comments?

benfica88 said:
I cant beleive the trinity will not have a keyboard. This still leaves on my quest to find the perfect device. Instead of waiting for HTC i decided to do some looking around. I found this gps receiver. http://www.pocketgpsworld.com/holux-gr240.php . I was wondering if it would be possible to input this inside the tytns casing. Its been a while since my electrical courses but i think the logic would handle the power issue if we got rid of the battery and just piggybacked it off the tytns board.It even has a slider switch so it would be easy to input it somehwere out of the housing. has anyone ever opened up a tytn and seen if theres any space to fit the gps anteena and the baord. any comments?
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Click to collapse
hi, not opend my tytn yet...
but i dont think theres any space free...
not so much like the platine and the cabels and the antenne needs...
maybe when there is an big accupack available like von the vpa compact 2 with a bigger accucover then you have space...

I was looking at the 8525, it's rumored to have the front camera removed, maybe some space opened up there...

Guys, come on!
Some of the best new GPS receivers are TINY!
I've got a GlobalSat BT359, and you could velcro attach it to the back of your TyTN. It wouldn't look any bigger than a phone with an extended battery. BTW, I didn't choose the BT359 for size (rather for performance). I'll bet you can find smaller still...

goestoeleven said:
Guys, come on!
Some of the best new GPS receivers are TINY!
I've got a GlobalSat BT359, and you could velcro attach it to the back of your TyTN. It wouldn't look any bigger than a phone with an extended battery. BTW, I didn't choose the BT359 for size (rather for performance). I'll bet you can find smaller still...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ya, but I don't want to velcro it there. I want my phone to still fit in my leather holster. If we can get it onto the board you also don't have to worry about charging to devices as the gps will piggyback power off of the tytn.

Good luck with that!

goestoeleven said:
Good luck with that!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've done a lot harder projects than this!

Well, in case anyone is still paying attention to this, ive gotten one step closer to maybe getting this to work. I ordered a gpslim 240 and checked out it guts. Ive succesfully got it to run off a k-jam battery. My concerns were the voltage being 3.7 to 3.3 on the gps. Everything works out fine and the logic on the board seems to handle evrything else. The only problem so far is stuffing it into the case. i opened up my k-jam case and there seems to be some room in there,but im waiting for the 8525 to test. I tried to get it in my buddys 6700 but there is no room in there at all. Hopefully the tytn is more like the k-jam and some space is availble. Hopefully all said and done with removing the stock gps battery and stuffing it into the tytn board, there will be only one device to carry and charge.

Remember to take pictures while you are doing all this!
It will make me cringe to see a tytn pulled apart like this but I see want to see it

yup,plan on taking lots.just need cingular release the 8525 already! i would feel more comfortable doing this with insurance.

you are joking about the insurance aren't you? there is no way an insurance company would ever pay out if you broke your phone whilst trying to mod it. Unless of course you're thinking of "losing" the phone should it break.

herman3101 said:
you are joking about the insurance aren't you? there is no way an insurance company would ever pay out if you broke your phone whilst trying to mod it. Unless of course you're thinking of "losing" the phone should it break.
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Click to collapse
exactly... ive never had insurance before, but apperently this is one of the best benefits of the program that im mising out on.

8525 Camera
The 8525 has the front camera covered up by the faceplate -- the camera itself is still there, just hidden. They also disable it in their ROM...
(At least that's the case when it comes to the 8525 I saw last week -- we stuck a pocketknife blade under the adhesive metallic faceplate and peeled it up a little)
So.. you're not gaining any extra space under there for a GPS receiver.

benfica88 said:
exactly... ive never had insurance before, but apperently this is one of the best benefits of the program that im mising out on.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Unfortunately, Cingular doesn't offer insurance on PDA phones. You'd have to go with a third party company like SafeWare or your homeowners/renters insurance.

Wow, this would be very cool indeed!
I guess with the 8525, if the front camera is disabled anyway, you could just remove it yourself and free up some space for the gps unit. I own a vario II with the front cam enabled, but if i could replace it for a GPS i'll readily do it.
Good luck & keep us posted!

Breaking news on GPS capabilities: The TyTN is verified to have a Qualcomm MSM6275 radio chip. Here's a quote from Dr. Sanjay K. Jha, executive vice president and president of QUALCOMM CDMA Technologies with regards to the MSM6275:
...This integrated solution also includes support for QUALCOMM's gpsOne(R) position location technology....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What is gpsOne? Here:
http://www.cdmatech.com/products/gpsone.jsp
Now for the kicker. The MSM6275 is one of the most advanced GPS enabled radio chips that Qualcomm makes. It has fast satellite acquisition, standalone mode and enhanced navigation support built in. Here's the datasheet describing this:
http://www.cdmatech.com/products/gpsone.jsp
The relevant table is on the last page.

jmat said:
The 8525 has the front camera covered up by the faceplate -- the camera itself is still there, just hidden. They also disable it in their ROM...
(At least that's the case when it comes to the 8525 I saw last week -- we stuck a pocketknife blade under the adhesive metallic faceplate and peeled it up a little)
So.. you're not gaining any extra space under there for a GPS receiver.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
hmm...do you think this could only be pre-production models? I could always remove the camera, seems it would be a while before its widespread over here
Unfortunately, Cingular doesn't offer insurance on PDA phones. You'd have to go with a third party company like SafeWare or your homeowners/renters insurance.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Crap, ill juts have to be more careful!
And in terms of the qualcomm chip, from what ive seen there no antenna in the tytn. So is this traditonal gps,agps, or something new?

@benfica88: see the latest comments in this thread, it is being discussed / researched over here:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=279151

Poor Quality Tilt Car Cradle Review

Review of AT&T Tilt GPS Car Mount form JustPal at justpal.com purchased on eBay.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dl...rksid=p284.m183&_trkparms=its=S%2BI%2BSS%2BSD
This is not directed at JustPal other than their typical shipping policy. They do have a generally good record. I did get the same item that was advertised on eBay at other retailers for 10-20 dollars more than their price of 35.99. Other retailers use the same picture so I would imagine it is the same unit. The shipping was $10.95 (now it is $12.65) which was lower than most also. Also their shipping was fast.
Their return policy is similar to others on eBay which is they don't credit shipping so I would have to pay return shipping and new shipping (which has now gone up)and thus the cost is prohibitive to exchange it. Plus I destroyed the packaging opening the item and that would void the return. It would be cheaper to just buy another and have it sent immediately and not have to wait for them to examine the package and perhaps tell me I am not eligible for an exchange. I would be out the return shipping and still pay new (higher) shipping.
My quandary is this: should I chance another one as this may be a fluke of a defect or it may be a trend. Or should I wait for one that is probably twice as much and purchase it from someone with a better shipping and return policy along with hopefully better quality. Perhaps someone else will take the chance on one and it will be ok.
Here are my issues with the Cradle:
1. At first I didn't even think it was going to match up with the USB on the bottom of the Tilt and I was a bit reticent to force it as that is a weak link. I wiggled it quite a bit but it finally slide on with a fair amount of pressure. I had the thought that perhaps the stylus was causing it to be offset a bit so I removed it and it did go on easier but still requires some fiddling with it. It may loosen up a bit in the future with some use but the fit of the cradle is fairly tight which is a good thing. The unit has a label that states CM-A8925 which would indicate that someone thinks it will fit but they must have not tried it.
2. I didn't plan on using he suction cup mount so I didn't try it as I wanted to use the vent mounts because I travel and rent cars frequently. Unfortunately they do not fit very secure in my Toyota Matrix. Others with more and flatter louvers may be better.
3. Now for the REAL PROBLEM; when I first plugged it in there was a noticeable buzz in the speaker. It seemed to change as I opened and closed items and then when I started up TeleNav, which has an icon that resembles a spinning propeller, the speaker "popped" each time the propeller fin rotated. It would appear that there is some type of shielding needed between the speaker and the Tilt. VERY Annoying!!!
4. Well, annoying that was while the speaker lasted!! I unplugged and re-plugged the "hands free" wire (a short wire with a microphone that plugs into the upper unit and the speaker) a couple of times and the speaker quit working altogether. Now I have gone being from annoyed to completely disgruntled. After inspecting the unit it was found that the upper connection was loose and wiggled with the connector plugged in. If I did hold the connection in tight, it would again cause the speaker to work, albeit with the same annoying fizzing and popping. Finally it quit altogether.
5. A "tab" which is used to glue the front and back together on the side with the defective connector is not as smoothly mated with the side piece as the one on the other side.
6. A small clip on the vent mount that is meant to "snug" it up fell off inside the vent and now rattles while I drive.
7. The mount which connects to the base unit and either the vent bracket or the suction cup was very difficult to get on and once on damn near impossible to get off.
That is about it. I guess I don't need to say I would not recommend this to anyone. A $46.46 lesson which I can't say was worth the money just to publish this review. I really expected at least something functional. Oh well, I have a speaker (poor that it is) and a USB connector to play with and see what I can do with them.
Hope this helps others.

what i did to get it to work
Hello i to bought 1 of those mounts not from them but somebody else on ebay. I wanted to use the mounts for the vent too, so when i got it i took it out of the box it looked good so out to the car i went while going down the steps to get outside i heard something hit the floor and it was that little mounting thing that supposed to keep it tight on the vent .. So now at closer look they will not work so i decided to use the suction mount which i think works great , now on to hou i got my tilt to fit the case mine also would noy slide into the usb mount it took me awhile to get it in .... and i was think wow this is not good going to break my phone right off ..
So i took it into my shop and got a dremel tool out and went to work on the inside off the mount on the sides i kept taking a little of both sides untill it slide in easy and perfect now it fits great and i think it will not harm the usb deal.
On to the speaker mine also makes all kinds of noise but it deos work great with tomtom and navmaps if you mess with the wire and get it just perfect the noise will go away i can live with a little noise also when my phone is by my computer at home the noise also comes through my speaker ...
just thought i would add my 2 cents worth if i new what i know now i would of not bought this mount but i did get it to fit perfect after a hour or so with the dremel tool
Al
'

Thanks for the tips. If I can get the speaker to work again I will try the shaving trick. I don't think I will try another one of these but wait on someone to try some other vendors.

i bought the oncourse 3 mount for the tilt from buygps.com and it has a FM transmitter built in. I comes with only the suction mount.
It works as advertised. I used this last weekend while driving and found that over all it is a nice product. I was like $40 inluding shipping or something. I like the FM trnasmitter BC i can now listen to my podcasts on my radio rather than using headphones or such.
it definately isnt perfect but it does work.
my 2cents.
http://www.buygpsnow.com/Product/On...andT-Tilt--HTC-P4550TyTN-II--Kaiser__958.aspx
it got it on sale last week.

Hmmmm ... so it arrived broken? Irregardless of what their return policy is, I'm pretty sure they have to replace it or offer a solution unless it is listed as "as-is". I'd check Ebay/PayPal on that. You shouldn't be out the funds to replace an item that was broken to begin with.

I ordered one of these too. How is the charger? I heard the brodit ones fry the device. Does the speaker interfere with bluetooth handsfree?

Hmmm
Had exactly the same problems with a very similar sounding mount. It was very difficult to get it to mate up (too difficult to use regularly), it screamed when I did get it in, then the device went into a soft reset loop like something was permanently pressing in the reset recess.
I shall be returning mine for a refund and I'll wait until they get a new / better batch.
Hmmm.

Just got mine and I have the same problem with the connector not aligned. I think I will swap it for the one with the FM transmitter. I don't need the FM since I have a bluetooth stereo but I can use it in other cars.

New Item I found
well even tho i got mine other 1 to work with the dremel tool i think i will get this 1 instead..
http://www.tiltdepot.com/seidio-g4700x-charging-vechicle-mount/3A78A3465.htm
AL

adidas4275 said:
i bought the oncourse 3 mount for the tilt from buygps.com and it has a FM transmitter built in. I comes with only the suction mount.
It works as advertised. I used this last weekend while driving and found that over all it is a nice product. I was like $40 inluding shipping or something. I like the FM trnasmitter BC i can now listen to my podcasts on my radio rather than using headphones or such.
it definately isnt perfect but it does work.
my 2cents.
http://www.buygpsnow.com/Product/On...andT-Tilt--HTC-P4550TyTN-II--Kaiser__958.aspx
it got it on sale last week.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I too, bought this same unit. I really like mine. I've had no problems with it.
The only thing that dissapointed me, was that the quality of the sound from the FM broadcast from the unit. It's definately strong and clear, but it sounds muddy. It's not great for music. It works just fine for GPS though.
I use it with TeleNav and I have no issues with it. It's a good, solid unit.
I've not tried connecting the audio via a cable yet, however. I don't have a stereo in my car that accepts input that way. I plan on upgrading though.

G4700x NOT for TILT
NinJak101 said:
well even tho i got mine other 1 to work with the dremel tool i think i will get this 1 instead..
http://www.tiltdepot.com/seidio-g4700x-charging-vechicle-mount/3A78A3465.htm
AL
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I had also considered tht one until I read this:
Hi Nick,
We’re sorry for the confusion. The G4700x car kit for PPC6800 is only compatible to use with the HTC mogul with Sprint and will not compatible to use with Tytn II, Kaiser or Tilt. We’re still working on the Kaiser car kit, but at this we do not have an ETA.
Thank You for contacting Seidio
Kelvin Chung
Technical Specialist
Seidio, Inc.
And I got this response back from Seidio asking to put on a list for when the TILT car kit comes out:
Dear Jim,
Thank you for your inquiry at Seidioonline. We will be happy to assist you with your concern. The car mount will not be coming out any time soon. We do not have a list for those requesting this mount; therefore, the best way to be updated is checking our site www.seidioonline.com
So, I guess we are back to trying various ones that "claim" to work until we find one that does work.

On a side note, one of those sites had this:
*Notice to Drivers in California and Minnesota:
State law prohibits drivers in California and Minnesota from using suction mounts on their windshields while operating motor vehicles. We recommend the use of Arkon AP020 90mm Circular Disc w/ 3M Adhesive [SKU 961] to transform any windshield mount into a console mount. Easy PocketNAV, Inc does not take any responsibility for any fines, penalties, or damages that may be incurred as a result of disregarding this notice. (See California Vehicle Code Section 26708(a); Minnesota Statutes 2005, Section 169.71)
I'm in California, but I think I'd still roll with one of those suction cup ones with the FM transmitter... looks like a quality product.
Ticketz be damned.

Very Good Mount Found on E-Bay
This is my first post, I usually read and try to soak in as much information as I can. I was reading this post and had to contribute;
I recently purchased a mount from GPSLot, an E-Bay store, I opted for the "Buy it Now" at $10.00 + $5.00 shipping I figured I couldn't go wrong. I also purchased a mini USB and 3.5mm Stereo Audio Adapter, which allows you to charge your Tilt II and you have the stereo jack (my Nissan Titan has an input jack in the dash). I received both items in 4 days at $22.00 shipped!
I am very happy with the mount. My truck has a very long dash, so I put the mount on the dash because my windshield is just too far away. It is has 2 different axis' to adjust and the cradle rotates letting you turn your Tilt II on either side or leave it straight up. The phone is held in place by a spring loaded catch that tilts back to let it slide right in. I was afraid it was going to be one of those stiff plastic cradles that put alot of pressure on your device as it is being installed or removed, but that isn't the case.
My wife has a Tom-tom One, and I have a Mio Digiwalker c220, so I have something to compare this mount to. I like the way this one sits and the adjustments much better than either of the actual GPS mounts.
You can browse the store and see what you think,
http://stores.ebay.com/GPSLot
I don't know how long this following link will be good but have a try,
http://cgi.ebay.com/HTC-TyTN-II-Til...ryZ75447QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Back of the epic

Was looking at the back of my epic and saw 4 holes labeled R1/G, W1, R2 and W2. What exactly are they?
Sent from my SPH-D700 using XDA App

either voltage testing points or external antenna ports.

Saw that when I first got it and was wondering too?

Four points for voltage testing seems a little weird to me.
I'm pretty certain they're antenna ports for the various antennas in the phone (WiMax, 3g, 1x, and WiFi).

They sure look like antenna connectors...
Which makes me wonder why there aren't backplates with extra antenna inlaid.

When I had my epic apart I was curious about these, they LOOK like connectors but when I tried to connect a wifi antenna out of an old broken laptop they definitely aren't actual connectors. I'm guessing they are just test points.

They ARE antenna connections. There are several small antenna connection types, and the ones that you find on mini pci-e wifi cards aren't them. Samsung sticks with one type, and I'm just too lazy to post what they are. I'll go ahead and finally order that external 4G I've been putting off for so long....9db gain may extend the range quite a bit. This question pops up every 5 weeks or so

NoSoMo said:
They ARE antenna connections. There are several small antenna connection types, and the ones that you find on mini pci-e wifi cards aren't them. Samsung sticks with one type, and I'm just too lazy to post what they are. I'll go ahead and finally order that external 4G I've been putting off for so long....9db gain may extend the range quite a bit. This question pops up every 5 weeks or so
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Please post the link. I would be interested in this as well.

[Q] Reception, how to improve?

So, we have probably all noticed that even compared to other phones the xperia line (and the Play in specific) seem to suffer from lower reception capability.
Putting them side by side, my Motorola Droid (A855, OG Droid 1) gets a better signal both in DB measurement and in bars. Same thing for WiFi signal. I'm guessing there is an issue with design of the antenna array in the device that causes for lower reception/broadcast quality.
I don't wish to shell out $300 for a cell repeater or $300 + monthly for a femtocell that will eat my internet bandwidth (which is pathetically limited). With that in mind, I went and started looking over the device, its teardowns, and its schematics. I was looking for something as a diversity jack for an external antenna. Now I noticed, next to the battery connector, there is a small semi-covered coax input. It appears that if you pulled off the rest of the sticker, or even if you just pushed a coax prong into there you could potentially be an antenna. However, it is not specifically labeled as such on the system board or the chassis, and the schematics were largely electrical diagrams and not system board schematics. Is there any answer for this? On pretty much every smartphone I have ever owned, there is an auxillary or "diversity" coax jack for adding an external antenna or doing signal injection.
Does anybody have any input on this? I would love to be able to boost my phone's reception quality, even if only in the car or at home (even if it means a custom modded case for ease of connect/disconnect).

Cant help you with your specific question but i can throw a tip.
- Switch your phone to GSM only. It will strengthen the signal. The downside is you are stuck with G/E data speeds (slower than H).

dsswoosh said:
Cant help you with your specific question but i can throw a tip.
- Switch your phone to GSM only. It will strengthen the signal. The downside is you are stuck with G/E data speeds (slower than H).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sadly, with the US-CDMA variant and its firmware, I believe that is not an option. I'm specifically using the R800x. However, the board layouts are essentially identical.

I don't see the problem if you arnt getting any dropped calls. Wrap your phone in tin foil lmao
Sent from my XPlay using XDA App.

Deoxlar said:
I don't see the problem if you arnt getting any dropped calls. Wrap your phone in tin foil lmao
Sent from my XPlay using XDA App.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well that is sort of the problem. I live in an area that its hills are filled with lead and other heavy minerals. Dead zones and limited signal zones are rampant, especially while driving. I _DO_ get dropped calls, and more importantly dropped data. Heck I even get dropped data from the router in the house through only one wall just a room away.
Basically if I can find out where exactly the aux/diversity port is for antennas, then I could design and fabricate a better back cover to either allow for external antennas, or to integrate better antennas into the cover (like the Thunderbolt sort of does).
Side note: Wrapping it in Tin/Aluminum Foil would make it worse, I believe (yes I have limited sense of humour).

you can easely remove the rubber in front of the coax port (atleast it definitly looks like a coax port). Would like to see a back case with better antenna in it (also being able to harbor an extra fat battery).

svenk919 said:
you can easely remove the rubber in front of the coax port (atleast it definitly looks like a coax port). Would like to see a back case with better antenna in it (also being able to harbor an extra fat battery).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The problem is that there are several coax ports. The one near the battery connector is the most obvious, but there are some more that are under the secondary cover or behind more stickers. Trying to find out which one is which or what they do is not easy. I have some basic electronics schematics, some teardown pics/video, and a really really sparse parts replacement guide, but not much else to go on.

Plug in an antenna and see if it improves?

svenk919 said:
Plug in an antenna and see if it improves?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
*laughs* I suppose that would be the easy/simple way to find out, wouldn't it?
I'll see if I can find a matching pigtail adapter and see if I can plug a big fat antenna into and see if the DBM improves for either Cell or WiFi. I wanted to see if anybody could confirm before I attempted to mod this thing.