Who is having successful GPS locks quickly?

[stayqued]

Seems that this is widespread issue with the GPS. I have a fascinate, and so does my girlfriend.

On both phones, it takes minutes in GPS test to get a fix, and I've never seen the fix get into the green (high signal) zone.

Is this a hardware issue, a software issue, or both?

Is anyone having success with their GPS getting a fix quickly?

I have GPS services and google services checked, vzw unchecked, and usually test outdoors in clear view of the sky.

When it does lock (after anywhere from 3-10 mins), I get great accuracy, but the wait time is killer.

 

[area52]

Download "gps status" from the market (its free) once its installed open it goto settings click on gps & sensors Then manage A gps state. apparently there is a software issue with all the Samsung phones. this fixes it. I've tried it on both the at&t and Verizon versions and have had the gps lock accurately within 5 seconds.

 

[shanky]

I actually went on my local golf course and using the GolfLink app for Android, had no issues acquiring GPS.

Seems weird that some people are having issues and some aren't. Sounds like it could be a defective part in some phones.

 

[area52]

I think it has something to do with the software not keeping or using the a gps information. a gps or "assisted gps" is what locks instantly and the information come from the towers. I think there is also information the gps chip uses to find the satellites. Gps status allows you to download that information thus fixing the issue with the other gps apps not getting a lock. either way I know that works and it allowed Google maps to lock instantly indoors

 

[PJnc284]

The GPS Status trick hasn't worked for me. Still takes 3 minutes or so to get an initial lock if I haven't used GPS in 12hrs or so.

 

[egg_head]

My GPS is pretty rock solid.

I added a custom activity to my desktop that takes me into the GPSSetup.apk if I need to force a lock.

I created a separate thread about it. I'll bump it if anyone hasn't seen it..

[tapatalk on android]

 

[imsofinite]

I'm also having great luck using GPS Status. Before I installed it, it would take a few minutes to get a lock on my location. Now it takes perhaps 30 seconds at the most. It starts off about a block away, which for anything I would ever need it for is completely acceptable anyway, but within a few seconds in gets more accurate.

 

[PJnc284]

For those that aren't having location problems, how are you testing it? Just opening up maps and hitting the My Location button? Let the GPS sit idle for about 12hrs+, go into Maps-Directions and then choose an address to get Driving Directions. How long does it show "Searching for GPS"?

 

[astraelraen]

I generally only have problems if I am inside. It will lock inside, but it takes forever. Outside it doesn't seem to have any problems.

 

[sgtmack]

I am really hoping one of these fixes will work for mine. I tried the unchecking the VZW services idea. No change. I tried this idea. No change.
Some times opening GPS Status or GPS Test first will get a lock quicker, but most of the time it takes 4-6 minutes to get a lock.
I just started GPS Status after downloading A-GPS data. It saw 3 sats right away, but had 0 in use. It sat for 5 minutes like that, then all at once went to 7/8 in use. My son's Droid takes 5 seconds to find 8 sats sitting next to me.
I just tried resetting the A-GPS data, and it only took 5 seconds to get a fix after the reset. So, at least on mine, the A-GPS data has no effect on how quickly I can get a fix. It acts just the same as if I had not done any thing with GPS Status.

 

[stayqued]

Should have mentioned that I already have GPS test and the GPS setup link available through LP shortcuts on my phone.

They still take minutes to lock, though, again, when they do I have a good signal and it will maintain for a bit.

I suppose this point towards it being a software issue.

I've heard mention of the issue possibly being because the GPS doesn't cache info, but this is out of my breadth of knowledge.

 

[jaekim717]

The GPS Status trick hasn't worked for me. Still takes 3 minutes or so to get an initial lock if I haven't used GPS in 12hrs or so.

me as well, nothing i have found in this forum has worked for me yet. i am getting seriously frustrated with the gps issue on the phone and thinking of returning it before my 30 days are up.

 

[jaekim717]

For those that aren't having location problems, how are you testing it? Just opening up maps and hitting the My Location button? Let the GPS sit idle for about 12hrs+, go into Maps-Directions and then choose an address to get Driving Directions. How long does it show "Searching for GPS"?

i have tried both using google maps or opening the navigation program directly. i have tried both suggestions in this thread and am lucky to get a fix in 5 -10 minutes (and this is outdoors!).

 

[KB3MMX]

NO task killers here and getting a very fast GPS lock.

I wonder how many with "problems" are using a stinking
"task killer" or have another app causing the grief....?

 

[hawkphotography]

mine locked in in less than 30 secs with the GPS status installed. It was way slower before, even outside.

 

[namebrandon]

Anyone try the dialing code and set to "cold boot" yet? I've made the change, but haven't had a chance to test it out yet.

 

[Destination Moon]

No task killer here either but my phone takes several minutes to lock too. Just got off the phone with VZ. They are not reporting a known gps system "issue" with this phone. I asked for and got a replacement on the way. I'll report back after I get it set up.

I love the phone and have learned to fix the Bing issue but the GPS is a real problem for many of us..... Call VZ and let them know!!

 

[SteveC]

There is evidently either a difference in Fascinate units in the GPS or in the way some come set up for GPS out of the box. I'm on my second Fascinate. The first one was dead on accurate right out of the box. If I went to the middle of the road, I could tell what side of the yellow line I was on. The second one simply refused to work anywhere close to acceptably. Multiple minute location fixes that may have been off by a mile or more. I have had had had used GPS Status for a year or so. When I got the second fascinate I did the GPS Status>menu>settings>GPS & Sensors>Manage A-GPS. It didn't work. It didn't work that is until about the sixth or seventh time I had done that. I had removed root and uninstalled all root related apps and was going to go back to Verizon and plead for a different unit. Well, I checked GPS Status what I thought was one last time, and lo and behold it seemed to be working. The location was off by a hundred feet or so, sometimes less, but at least I was close enough that My Tracks and Navigation were spot on. I went into GPS Status settings again and checked GPS required and I checked strong filtering as well. The strong filter said it would slow the lock time down and it did, from three seconds to four seconds and I was again able to get close enough with the GPS location to tell which side of the road I was on. By the way, it did not work any differently initially with root removed, I just removed traces of root to avoid the whole root thing if I went back to the Verizon store, which began to look inevitable.

Now I have no idea what is going on here, except that maybe it just took several A-GPS reloads to finally either get a good file, or maybe just download it properly. So I'd be a bit persistent with the GPS Status A-GPS management.

The one thing common to both Fascinates where I am is that they both had a very annoying tendency to drop data connections, something that almost never happened with my Droid 1. So maybe I was having dropped data connections at just the wrong moment and the A-GPS file did not download properly.

Now I HOPE this keeps working.

 

[Jonegross]

My GPS was great for the first few weeks. But now every time I use it, it takes longer to get a lock. Today it took maybe 10 min to get a lock. Not sure what is going on, but it is getting worse. Did a battery pull, no effect. The unit gets somewhat hot while running gps, I wonder if it damages the chip? Once it locks the turn by turn works fine though.

 

[hawkphotography]

maybe you know this already, but I had to have the VZW location switch set to on and my GPS locked far more quickly than without. I also have 3rd party and google location services turned on.