Bad compass on the Epic?

[imekul]

Has anybody had issues with the compass? Using Google Maps Places, the arrows that point to a particular restaurant/store don't work anymore. In the past, they would rotate as you moved the phone to point in the direction of the location.

Also, when using a compass app, the direction seems off oftentimes...

Anybody else experience this??

 

[flunkn]

Yes, I have, with a compass app. It was always at least 30 degrees off, so I deleted and reinstalled with the same result. Annoying.

 

[BlackHawkA4]

Mine works fine on google maps. Never had luck with the compass app though.

 

[boomerbubba]

Yes, I have, with a compass app. It was always at least 30 degrees off, so I deleted and reinstalled with the same result. Annoying.

Did you calibrate it with the figure 8 motions?

 

[KC2UUZ]

Something important to remember, when calibrating an electronic compass. The figure 8 must be rather large. You can't simply move the phone in a figure 8 pattern.

 

[imekul]

KC2UUZ: Does it matter in what direction you wave the figure 8? I've always started at the top, and then proceeded as if I was writing a 2 and then completing the 8.

 

[smithe68]

Do you hold the phone flat or upright? It made sense to me to hold it flat, mine is really jittery, but mostly points north.

 

[imekul]

Good question. I've always assumed to hold it upright and wave it vertically in the 8. But maybe it's supposed to be flat.

 

[werkx]

what compass app do you use? i have installed the one from catch(dot)com, but their calibrate instruction doesn't say to hold the phone flat/horizontal to the ground during the figure 8 motion. i remembered reading that somewhere, but could not find it on their site.

 

[xtn]

Do not hold the phone upright or flat and simply move your arm. The phone needs to be rotated through all three axis. Fly the phone through the air as if it were a toy airplane. Or if you prefer, as I am sure some of you will, imagine yourself flipping nunchuks side to side.

 

[KC2UUZ]

Hold the phone Horizontal. Im not sure the direction of the figure 8 matters, but i usually imagine i'm standing in the middle, and make my first turn to the left. the point, is to make the device point t ALL points of the compass.

 

[buzzardjrt]

i did it like a race car driving a figure 8 track and it worked well. i did it horizontal

 

[imekul]

Anybody else having compass issues? I'd love to hear some folks say their compass has been flawless. Maybe I just have a bad Epic.

Thanks!

 

[KC2UUZ]

Once calibrated properly,mine has worked flawlessly

 

[imekul]

Maybe I'm not calibrating properly, but the compass still seems really quirky. It will point one way when it's laying flat and facing forward, but then if I turn it up, facing towards me, the compass moves all around.

KC2UUZ: Are you using the calibration in the compass app made by Snaptic?

 

[boomerbubba]

Maybe I'm not calibrating properly, but the compass still seems really quirky. It will point one way when it's laying flat and facing forward, but then if I turn it up, facing towards me, the compass moves all around.

Don't do that. If you treated an ordinary magnetic Boy Scout compass that way, it would move all around just like that. But holding it flat, it works.

 

[amnchode]

Found this video on a "calibration method" and it works like a perfectly. For your review: YouTube - Best Compass Calibration Method (iPhone/G1/etc.)

 

[HeyBeerManTX]

Ok, so the only compass using apps I have are google maps, sprint nav, and gasbuddy. I have definitely noticed last week using walking navigation in NYC that the compass always had me going the wrong direction, and noticed this week using gas buddy that it is almost 90 degrees off.

How does one calibrate the compass using either the phone settings, or one of the above programs? Is the only way to calibrate to install another app and calibrate from there? Will that calibration carry over to all other programs?

 

[buzzardjrt]

Ok, so the only compass using apps I have are google maps, sprint nav, and gasbuddy. I have definitely noticed last week using walking navigation in NYC that the compass always had me going the wrong direction, and noticed this week using gas buddy that it is almost 90 degrees off.

How does one calibrate the compass using either the phone settings, or one of the above programs? Is the only way to calibrate to install another app and calibrate from there? Will that calibration carry over to all other programs?

do what this guy said. he included a video to watch. that makes it simple.

also it should carry over to other programs as i have not had any problems since i calibrated.

Found this video on a "calibration method" and it works like a perfectly. For your review: YouTube - Best Compass Calibration Method (iPhone/G1/etc.)

 

[HeyBeerManTX]

do what this guy said. he included a video to watch. that makes it simple.

also it should carry over to other programs as i have not had any problems since i calibrated.

I understand the hand motion, even prior to the video. What I don't understand is how to get to the point of calibrating the compass? I'm looking for what menu combination takes me to the point that I need the hand motion?