LBS Test Mode/GPS Fix (post-OTA patch)

[baseballfanz]

Figured it out. Thanks Joey Bear. I was trying to launch it from within the SGS Tools, which wasn't working. Didn't realize you can get right to it with launcher pro. Excellent tip!

The GPS is also resolved. I updated my wifes Galaxy and hers picked up 8 sattelites in seconds. I figured it must have been the various "fixes" I had tried in the last few weeks to get it going. Some searching around on xda yielded the default settings for LBS Test Mode and after a reboot it was up and running. Yay!

For anyone who might be in the same scenario:

Application Settings:

Session Type: Tracking
Test Mode: S/W Test
Operation Mode: Standalone
Start Mode: Hot Start
GPS Plus: On
Dynamic Accuracy: On
Accuracy: 50
Use Skyhook: Off
Use PC Tool: Off

SUPL/CP Settings:

Server FQDN Type: Custom Config
Server: supl.google.com
Server Port: 7276
Supl Secure Socket: Off
AGPS Mode: SUPL

YMMV

Thanks everyone.

Awesome post, thank you.

My Captivate out of the box would not get a lock even after 30 minutes.
Google lead me to a few sites that showed how to fix the GPS mainly throug the LBSTESTMODE settings.
After following directions got my lock time down to about 2 - 5 minutes.
Your post however showed Supl Secure Socket: Off (other post show that to be ON).
With this new settings I got lock within 10 seconds.

 

[TheBronze]

Excellent!

 

[ragnarokx]

Great thread guys, I'm going to sticky this.

 

[s2h2golf]

I finally got a chance to test the GPS on my Captivate against another phone to see how well it works and if there is some truth out there about how much better other phones are in comparison. My wife now has the iPhone 4. To make sure the tests were standardized as much as possible, I used the same program - CoPilot Live. I downloaded my region map to my Captivate and the same map to the iPhone 4 and then set off for a drive. We entered in the end point location in both phones - about 4 miles away. As I drove around, both phones would tell me when to turn at the exact same time (got a little annoying after a while as they were talking over each other). I think that was a fairly good test of the accuracy of these phones.

Note: as far as location goes using Google Maps, my wife's iPhone 4 finds my location quicker, but in the end (after about 1 minute) they are both on the same location, inside or out.

 

[johnner1999]

why wouldn't samsung or att want to use google as the source vs spirent ?

 

[aarik9]

Figured it out. Thanks Joey Bear. I was trying to launch it from within the SGS Tools, which wasn't working. Didn't realize you can get right to it with launcher pro. Excellent tip!

The GPS is also resolved. I updated my wifes Galaxy and hers picked up 8 sattelites in seconds. I figured it must have been the various "fixes" I had tried in the last few weeks to get it going. Some searching around on xda yielded the default settings for LBS Test Mode and after a reboot it was up and running. Yay!

For anyone who might be in the same scenario:

Application Settings:

Session Type: Tracking
Test Mode: S/W Test
Operation Mode: Standalone
Start Mode: Hot Start
GPS Plus: On
Dynamic Accuracy: On
Accuracy: 50
Use Skyhook: Off
Use PC Tool: Off

SUPL/CP Settings:

Server FQDN Type: Custom Config
Server: supl.google.com
Server Port: 7276
Supl Secure Socket: Off
AGPS Mode: SUPL

YMMV

Thanks everyone.

Thanks for this post! This fixed the GPS in my phone

 

[myk26]

Word of caution...

Those settings aren't the miracle cure for everyone. Make sure you write down whatever you change so as to revert back a lil easier.

Tried pluggin in those suggestions and went from find 9-11 Sat's (pre-suggestion) down to no more then 3 Sat's (post-suggestion)

 

[fldude99]

Just changing the supl server to google and turning supl secure socket to off made quite a difference for mine. I never had a complaint about the accuracy..but lock time is down to seconds now as opposed to minutes

 

[hellosailor]

The old LBS TestMode code *#*#1472365#*#* doesn't work after the JH7 FOTA patch. The new code that you can enter after the patch is:
*#3214789650#

If part of your GPS "fix" shows "AGPS Mode: SUPL" that probably means, contrary to the selection of standalone mode, that you are in fact using Assisted-GPS with assistance from the Google GPS server, if you updated the server entry as well. The fact that JH7 still ships with a DEAD server address (there's a domain name parking service there now) indicates that neither Samsung nor AT&T is really paying any attention to the GPS problem. You don't include dead internet links in a code update, if you've actually TESTED THE UPDATE.

And if your SKYHOOK is on, you're not testing the GPS, all you are doing is confirming that you are getting a WiFi signal from a router that the Skyhook project has mapped. So, turn that stuff OFF if you want to test the GPS ITSELF, which is what counts here. The rest of that assistance won't always be available.

For a real objective comparison, run an app like GPSTest and look at the signal to noise (s/n) figures from each satellite. On the Captivate you will see s/n figures typically of 30-35db. On a real GPS or a better cell phone, you will see numbers +50db, indicating they are "hearing" the satellites much louder and clearer than the Captivate is.

And that, my friends, indicates an objective, confirmable, and repeatable problem with the GPS as implemented in the Captivate.

Not "I fixed it" or "that's good enough for me" or "beats my old phone" but objective signal to noise ratios, confirming the Captivate is having trouble hearing the GPS satellites--right next to other phones and GPSes that aren't having that deafness.

If Samsung said "Well, the GPS is weak but we chose an inexpensive GPS chipset to keep the price of the phone down" I could understand the point, even if I disagreed with it. But for Samsung and AT&T to say "Ignore the man behind the curtain...." that's just wrong, plain wrong.

In grade school, we were taught to call that LYING.

 

[loraque]

No change for me with these settings. I can lock onto 9 sats in under a minute if I stand still using LBtest. All with ~35 db or less signal strength (some much less). The heading will change 30 degrees every few seconds, just sitting there not moving (assuming that is BAD). I open up Google Maps or Nav, and as soon as I move, it does the usual bounce all over, wrong direction thing.

I wasn't using my old phone for GPS, so I am not missing it much, but I sure hope Samsung comes out with something eventually to resolve it. If it is resolvable.

 

[Griffspen]

No change for me with these settings. My GPS basically doesn't work at all. Rarely locks at all and if it does it never tracks my location.

 

[makks]

I used the following settings and where I used to get only 1-2 satellites, I now instantly get 8-10 while INDOORS! Night and day difference! Please try these out and see what you get.

Application Settings:
Session Type: Tracking
Test Mode: S/W Test
Operation Mode: MS Assisted
Start Mode: Hot Start
GPS Plus: On
Dynamic Accuracy: On
Accuracy: 50
Use SkyHook: Off
Use PC Tool: Off

SUPL/CP Settings:
Server FQDN Type: Custom Config
Server: supl.google.com
Server Port: 7276
SUPL Secure Socket: Off
AGPS Mode: SUPL

 

[hellosailor]

makk-
I'm not sure what "GPS Plus" is but I expect it means you are not reading the GPS, you are in assisted-GPS mode.

"Operation Mode: MS Assisted...
GPS Plus: On Dynamic Accuracy: On
...
...Server: supl.google.com
...AGPS Mode: SUPL
"

Performance in the assisted modes is not the issue. Solo GPS performance is. So if you would, note the s/n numbers (30db, 35db) of the satellites, disable all assistance (AGPS mode: Standalone or Off) and then see if the GPS still works--without the assistance of Google's computers and the data networks. FWIW, when you are in assisted mode, you're also using your cellular data plan to constantly chatter with the servers.

 

[makks]

makk-
I'm not sure what "GPS Plus" is but I expect it means you are not reading the GPS, you are in assisted-GPS mode.

"Operation Mode: MS Assisted...
GPS Plus: On Dynamic Accuracy: On
...
...Server: supl.google.com
...AGPS Mode: SUPL
"

Performance in the assisted modes is not the issue. Solo GPS performance is. So if you would, note the s/n numbers (30db, 35db) of the satellites, disable all assistance (AGPS mode: Standalone or Off) and then see if the GPS still works--without the assistance of Google's computers and the data networks. FWIW, when you are in assisted mode, you're also using your cellular data plan to constantly chatter with the servers.

As far as the db measurements go, they remained consistent throughout enabling and disabling the settings you just mentioned, however it took longer for the test to run without the assistance features. I suppose I will go ahead and keep things on assisted mode since it's at least getting the job done. I do wish that the GPS itself was a bit stronger, but I guess I'll take what I can get.

Thanks for your feedback!

 

[ap1618#AC]

so MS assisted has the best results?

 

[makks]

so MS assisted has the best results?

I thought so at first, but I seem to be getting random and spotty results with pretty much anything I use...

 

[thehockeydude44]

For some reason when I go to change my settings I cannot find the option to use Skyhook or PC Tool... does anybody know why that is? Could it be because I flashed Cognition?

 

[makks]

For some reason when I go to change my settings I cannot find the option to use Skyhook or PC Tool... does anybody know why that is? Could it be because I flashed Cognition?

I use Cognition and have those options available. Try to make sure that when you're in Application Settings, you have it set on S/W Test Mode, Standalone Operation, GPS Plus On, and see if that enables you to see the Skyhook and PC Tool options at the very bottom of the screen. Not sure if the settings I mentioned have anything to do with those options being available, but give it a shot, as that's what I'm using. FWIW, my Skyhook and PC Tool options are set to OFF.

Samsung, why did you have to put such a completely useless GPS into a phone that is better than iPhone in every other way? I could have smack talked my iPhone buddies with much more effect if you hadn't gone the cheap route on your hardware....

 

[thehockeydude44]

I use Cognition and have those options available. Try to make sure that when you're in Application Settings, you have it set on S/W Test Mode, Standalone Operation, GPS Plus On, and see if that enables you to see the Skyhook and PC Tool options at the very bottom of the screen. Not sure if the settings I mentioned have anything to do with those options being available, but give it a shot, as that's what I'm using. FWIW, my Skyhook and PC Tool options are set to OFF.

Samsung, why did you have to put such a completely useless GPS into a phone that is better than iPhone in every other way? I could have smack talked my iPhone buddies with much more effect if you hadn't gone the cheap route on your hardware....

Nope, nothing... My GPS gets a fix but then drops it. I might just re-flash Cog, we'll see.

Couldn't agree with you more about smack talking my iPhanatic friends...