i9515: compass not working properly - Galaxy S 4 Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting

Hi,
I am very disappointed by the compass quality of my i9515 S4 value edition, because no matter what I do, whatever direction I turn my phone to, the compass only changes by about 2 to 10 degree, and has the wrong direction most of the time.
This is Android 5 stock ROM.
I have made a video to illustrate the behaviour.
http://youtu.be/g6jcmLf8L3A
What I have tried:
- enter the calibration dialing *#0*#, which passes, but does not change anything
- reboot
- try different compass apps
- switch of energy safe mode
Nothing helps. Is this a general bug with the i9515, or is my compass sensor broken?

I wouldn't trust my life in the compass on those phones. I'd rather look for moss on the trees )

Related

[Q] Does the compass work...?

I've yet to find a Compass app that works on my Omnia7. I don't know if it's the lack of a GPS signal (been trying it indoors) - my old Hero used to work fine with no GPS signal as does my Wife's iPhone.
Has anyone else found a Compass app that works on the Omnia7 without GPS signal? I'm wondering whether my phone is faulty or whether the phone just doesn't have the hardware to get a Compass reading without GPS.
Isn't there a diagnosis code to test this?
Ya, pretty much.
One in the test menu, Not sure it's working 100% tho when i checked, so maybe any apps running off it's readings might be wrong. *guessing*
I read that there isn't a Silverlight API for the compass yet, hence no apps.
*#0*# from the Diagnosis app takes you to the LCD Test screen where there is a Compass tile, which gives you a functioning compass
oweng said:
I read that there isn't a Silverlight API for the compass yet, hence no apps.
*#0*# from the Diagnosis app takes you to the LCD Test screen where there is a Compass tile, which gives you a functioning compass
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Makes sence, Call me silly, but which way up is best for the compass, Flat on phones back, Or Back of phone Facing away from me.
As i seem to get two diffrent readings and havn't got a "normal" compass to compare too.
Having the phone horizontal will give you the best results - if you just rotate your position, the needle should point in the same direction. I've tried it in two locations and it seems accurate enough
oweng said:
Having the phone horizontal will give you the best results - if you just rotate your position, the needle should point in the same direction. I've tried it in two locations and it seems accurate enough
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Note to self *test outdoors before saying anything again about compass *
Thanks for the *#0*# trick - works fine, so it's just the apps that don't work as is suggested above.

Compass accuracy?

It seems like my compass is somewhat off. I've downloaded a compass app from the market and used its calibration function several times, but it still seems off. This appears to be somewhat problematic when using google maps 5.0 in compass mode as well, since the actual compass directions don't line up with the calibration of the phone.
What's the most accurate way to calibrate the compass? Is there an app, or some other way, to manually adjust the calibration if its off?
In what way does the compass seem off? I have no problems with the compass on my end.
in maps 5.0, is so OFF!
Tested actually a few hours ago, my compass was like 30 degrees off.
ArcticWolf91 said:
In what way does the compass seem off? I have no problems with the compass on my end.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Like the previous poster said...using compass mode in Google Maps 5.0, the direction of the map is off compared to how I'm holding the phone (if that makes sense).
Omg I know what you guys mean in the new maps 5.0 the compass is showing for me that its pointing a couple of degrees to the right. So has anybody figured out how to fix it?
Make sure when you're checking the accuracy of the compass that you are not using it around something that would be causing interference, especially the MyTouch Car Dock that T-Mobile sells. For some reason, that thing causes major interference, and makes my compass think it's 90 degrees off.
... Ironic for a Car Dock designed to help the phone act as a GPS device.

Omnia compass in Mango - total crap?

As many others, I have updated to official Mango yesterday. And i was really surprised by compass - its accuracy is much worse than simply guessing "where the hell could that north be" . Do you experience the same?
Majority of applications I tried required "calibration" - shaking Omnia in 8 shaped movement, but I found this absolutely useless. Even if the pointer is in north-south orientation, it usualy swaps north and south part of the pointer.
I tried:
Compass 7 from Redtalon - points north in 1 from 10 cases, usualy points towards west. Rotating phone makes this absolutely crazy
123 Compass from Agulhas Solutions - sometimes points north, but pointer is shaking as hell, most usual direction is south-west. Rotating your phone means rotating pointer anywhere. No sign of pointing towards north...
Compass from KanzSoft - this one looks to be the most promising. It shows at least basic knowledge where to point, but is oscilating in +- 10°
Maybe I just found wrong applications - do you have any suggestions?
I totally agree...
It sucks and they didn't even implement it in bing maps, that's the only thing I miss from the iPhone.
I tried the first two compass apps and the first one was stuck at north until i shook my phone, the second is not better than the first...
Agreed. My compass is utterly useless.
The compass that is included in the diagnosis app by entering *#0*# works pretty well over here. It does oscillate quite a bit though...
If I understand well the Mango SDK docs, our crap compass doesn't manage to pass the calibration test made by the devs. Only the Compass app from KanzSoft seems to use results even if the sensor is not calibrated.
I'll try to play with the sample as soon as i find so time to.
As far as i'm concerned, I didn't even know that the Omnia7 came with a compass, so it's a good news.
well, not for me - for me, it does not do anything - diag version 0103
Marvellou said:
If I understand well the Mango SDK docs, our crap compass doesn't manage to pass the calibration test made by the devs. Only the Compass app from KanzSoft seems to use results even if the sensor is not calibrated.
I'll try to play with the sample as soon as i find so time to.
As far as i'm concerned, I didn't even know that the Omnia7 came with a compass, so it's a good news.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hey.. Remarkable. I tried the app. I won't get passed the calibration. But in the background you see a compass and it's working quite well (best I've seen so far). So if Samsung just fixes this calibration issue, we could actually have a proper working compass on our Omnia7. They fixed a lot of issues in the Mango driver update package. I hope they're gonna fix this one too.
Heathcliff74
Optimus 7 too....
Something, somewhere is completely screwed
Through the engineering menu, compass works fine (a bit jumpy - but at least points to North!)
But...every compass app I've tried points the the wrong way, usually by 10-20 degress
Even the official Scansearch app is ropey - allthough it it does seem to get it right eventually after rotating the phone a few times
(often gets N/S flipped)
Mango RTM + latest firmware (1.0.13.10)
Confirm: mine pointing west too.
how to fix ?
Deleting and reinstalling the diagnosis app made mine run much better.
However, mine is 180 degrees inverted (i.e. North shows as South)....
illuzn said:
Deleting and reinstalling the diagnosis app made mine run much better.
However, mine is 180 degrees inverted (i.e. North shows as South)....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well you guys are upside down, down under! Sorry couldn't resist!
---------- Post added at 08:29 AM ---------- Previous post was at 08:26 AM ----------
On a serious note though - My compass is pretty rubbish too. It may point vaguely in the right direction. I wouldn't trust it though, I do a lot of hiking and fell running and i'm not about to trust this and go without a real compass!
Freypal said:
Well you guys are upside down, down under! Sorry couldn't resist!
---------- Post added at 08:29 AM ---------- Previous post was at 08:26 AM ----------
On a serious note though - My compass is pretty rubbish too. It may point vaguely in the right direction. I wouldn't trust it though, I do a lot of hiking and fell running and i'm not about to trust this and go without a real compass!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That was a cheap shot haha...
It more for a stargazing app I use - Skymap... check it out its pretty good... it uses the compass and telemetry data to orientate the map on the screen so it knows where you are looking.
Try Compass VO, it's the most accurate one compare to my actual compass.
It looks like the compass on the Omnia 7 is off by 10* according to Compass VO accuracy fix.
http://www.windowsphone.com/en-us/apps/5b51fa9c-14c7-4dce-92ec-f12649076e7d
edit: so, compass is confirm to be crap. Rotation is in consistent.
I used to have heading at least in diags, but no more. I've got only those XYZ values. However it doesn't change the fact that I never got trustworthy readout from compass. Sometimes it was correct heading, but I never knew that until I compared it to real compass. And when I turned 90 deg compass heading changed only little bit, like 20 to 40 deg or sometimes it didn't changed at all.
I have to say it's quite disappointing and I'm thinking about trying luck with RMA.
On my Focus, at first all compass apps didn't worked correctly. After I read this diagnose menu, I tried to enter. The XYZ changed as I change my direction, but the compass didn't move at all.
Then I tried the compass app again (from Kantz something), It now pointing in a consistent direction and rotate (keep pointing in the north???) as I rotate my position.
Dunno what really happened here ...
Ok, this is my first post. But I hope this willl help some Omnia 7 owners.
I tried also a lot of compass Apps but without luck. There was no App which showed the correct cardinal direction. Then I read in another Forum someone had reinstalled the diagnostic tool and after that everything was fine. So I tried this also.
And...after the deinstallation of the diagnostic tool the 'My Compass' Apps works perfect. Now the app didn't ask again and again for reinitialization of the compass.
I didn't installed the samsung diagnose tool again and I didn't tried other compass apps but this was for me a first step.
Omnia 7
Mango 7.5
OS: 7.10.7720.68
Firmware: 2424.11.8.5
Hardware version: 3.15.0.4
Bootloader: 5.8.1.9
Unbranded and official Mango update process
"My compass" works well after installing the diagnostics & proving that it actually worked.
it seems to be reading backwards until you set it to "rotate face"
firmware 242.11.9.3
timbuktu said:
Ok, this is my first post. But I hope this willl help some Omnia 7 owners.
I tried also a lot of compass Apps but without luck. There was no App which showed the correct cardinal direction. Then I read in another Forum someone had reinstalled the diagnostic tool and after that everything was fine. So I tried this also.
And...after the deinstallation of the diagnostic tool the 'My Compass' Apps works perfect. Now the app didn't ask again and again for reinitialization of the compass.
I didn't installed the samsung diagnose tool again and I didn't tried other compass apps but this was for me a first step.
Omnia 7
Mango 7.5
OS: 7.10.7720.68
Firmware: 2424.11.8.5
Hardware version: 3.15.0.4
Bootloader: 5.8.1.9
Unbranded and official Mango update process
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
hey! That actually works! Weird, I did reinstall the diagnosis app after the Mango update and the Samsung KH5 update. But I just tried it again. Immediately opened Diagnosis and dialled *#0*# and tapped compass. Then it worked! I tried another compass app and that one worked too. Thanks!
EDIT: Cool! My Reality Scanner in Navigon 4.0 works now too!!
Heathcliff74
Something else... Calibration!
From this article: http://blogs.microsoft.co.il/blogs/alex_golesh/archive/2011/05/24/windows-phone-mango-what-s-new-new-sensors-amp-tooling-enhancements-part-3-of-8.aspx
In addition, compass sensor enables application to subscribe to the Calibrate event, since magnetometer sensor which used to implement the compass is subject to external interference. Metal obstacles, high-voltage electrical installations and some electronic devices could interfere with Earth’s magnetic field and change the local magnetic field’s values. In case the sensor needs to be calibrated and the compass API fires the Calibrate event. When this event fired the application have to present the UI with instructions to perform sensor calibration. Sensor calibration performed by waving the device in figure 8 pattern.
The API doesn’t provide any “CalibrationComplete” notification, and it is up to developer to decide when data accuracy sufficient to the application. In general, HeadingAccuracy below 10-15 degrees should enough for most applications.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Most compass apps have a calibration function. I couldn't get this to work. Didn't matter how I moved the phone in a "figure 8". Then I tried Youtube and found this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sP3d00Hr14o. It's for an iPhone, but it works the same. The guy in the video wave just once to calibrate it. I had to do it a few times, but then the app said: Calibration complete!
I now finally have a working, calibrated compass in my Omnia 7!
That also means I can use all apps that need the Mango Motion-sensor. Omnia 7 doesn't have a gyro, but with compass and accelerometer combined you have a fully functional Motion-sensor (although slightly less accurate than newer devices that also have a gyro).
Ciao,
Heathcliff74
Compass-VO update
stan2 said:
Try Compass VO, it's the most accurate one compare to my actual compass.
It looks like the compass on the Omnia 7 is off by 10* according to Compass VO accuracy fix.
edit: so, compass is confirm to be crap. Rotation is in consistent.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Actualy Compass VO works very well on my Omnia 7 .. once the phone digital compass is calibrated (8 shape) I have no issues with rotation, pointing magnetic and geographic north.
I like it because it allows you to set a map (topographic) in the background and use it together with compass to navigate. Not to mention multiple themes + other features ...
Really recomended.
Cheers,
Clody

[Q] Please help with checking Wear compasses

Hi,
I am working on an app which requires the watch compass. While it seems to work as expected on Samsung Gear Live I get nothing than problems when running it on Sony SWR50 Smartwatch. Same happens with all tested apps from Play Store. There are situations where the compass works as should, but just minutes later it displays just crap or the value displayed is almost frozen. And it got even more worse from firmware version 4.4W2 to 5.0.1. No idea about behaviour of the other watch models actually available.
For getting a more clear view on usability of watch compasses in general I have written a little app named CompassTest which implements all three methods of reading the compass which I am aware of. All three results will be displayed together on one screen:
- sensor TYPE_ORIENTATION (no longer recommended for new apps)
- sensor TYPE_ROTATION_VECTOR
- sensors TYPE_ACCELEROMETER und TYPE_MAGNETIC_FIELD
If you want to support me then please install CompassTest onto your phone, start the app on your watch and check the results being displayed for plausability. All three values should be almost the same, the flicker on the 3rd value is normal as there is no dampening built in.
Please also calibrate your sensors by moving the watch several times in shape of an 8 and in all three axis.
Check the displayed results against a normal compass or the north direction if you know it from elsewhere.
Please report your results here with your watch model and short description of behaviour.
Thank you in advance,
Gerd

Compass and Level Calibration

Hi All,
Have you tried compass and level tools among ZTE tools? First of all I waved 8 I don't know how many times till it was "calibrated". If it really was. I have doubts because result is far from the accurate. Secondly I tried level tool and spirit level is not needed to say that it shows wrong values. Thirdly camera in manual mod displays a spirit level which also incorrect. Do you have bad or good experiences with these tools? Can anyone know how can level be calibrated?
I have the same problem on my Axon 7. The Y axis is about 5 degrees off.
I can't find any way how to calibrate without root. Did you find a solution or can anyone else help?
Hi,
It looks that compass works correctly more or less. Regarding spirit level. No I haven't got permanent solution. All program can calibrate level. Some of them can store calibration result but of course it isn't effective generally. I tested all sensors with different programs and they seem good. I don't have other A7 so I can compare the values to other brands. Try GPS Status and Toolbox to test sensors.
I worry a bit that VR won't work correctly but I think it will have own calibration method.

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