The Samsung Galaxy S24
know1's profile

Teacher

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21 Messages

Friday, July 23rd, 2010 1:46 PM

Captivate - GPS Issues

Anyone else experiencing basically no GPS lock?

 

I've seen it mentioned in plenty of other forums, but not here. I've tried all kinds of fixes and settings and the GPS on my unit is basically useless. I can get a very poor lock using just the wireless networks, but GPS never locks.

Contributor

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1 Message

14 years ago

Thanks Tony, This worked for me immediately! I wasn't having trouble using ATT's maps/navigation, but google nav could not locate me -- now it works flawlessly!

Teacher

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18 Messages

14 years ago

Okay, did the driving test, drove over 250 miles city, burbs, and country and never lost my lock once. I have not modified my settings (Did not do Tony's post) but did download the GPS test by Chartcross. My gps lock never takes longer then 3 seconds. But having said that, it appears that apps like google map and att maps do not  call a routine on initial launch to find gps signal. I cannot tell what app or ui actions call the routine (other then tapping "my location" key but it is clear that it does not happen on initial launch with these apps but does with the Chartcross app and Androids power manager app. Once I am locked in, I never lose my lock and tracking speed was perfect at 80 mph. So my point is, this is a software problem not a hardware problem. So I would say keep your phone and find an easy way to call the correct routine either within the app you are using or my using the power manager toggle app or the Chartcross app.

Teacher

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28 Messages

14 years ago

Let's not forgtet that 'geotagging' of pictures is an absolute ZERO.  I'd say about 95% of my pictures had no location info on them at all.  So if this feature means anything to you, it's 100% broken.

 

I should also note that Tony's fix did not work at all.  I saw two different versions of this 'fix' and neither worked.  GPS is broken, period.

Voyager

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2 Messages

14 years ago

>People are confusing network location information with an actual GPS Loc.

 

I am amazed at how few people understand the difference. 

Tutor

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8 Messages

14 years ago

Good Luck everyone... I have a bad taste left in my mouth still from the Samsung Epix ordeal...

Took them almost a year to create a patch for the phone locking up (slog dump issue).  Then that patch broke GPS...  It took them two years from date of purchase to fix both slog dump and GPS issue with windows mobile 6.5 rom update.  The phone wasn't even forsale that long at AT&T.  Samsung is not a very good cell phone provider anymore...

The Epix still does not provide true 3G speeds... the built in LED never worked as it should... no patch has ever fixed these issues.

 

I am really interested in seeing how they respond to the Captivate issues... I was even debating getting one, but based on the above experience I had I am very gun shy at this time.

Tutor

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4 Messages

14 years ago

I returned mine yesterday and got an HTC Aria.  The screen is not as great, but everything works perfectly.  The GPS is flawless, there are no lag issues, even though it is only a 600mhz processor.

After getting this phone I  also feel that the Samsung has serious issues with motion in general. Balance games are much more responsive and true to reality on the Aria, than the Samsung.  Didn't realize it was an issue until I had something to compare it to. I miss the large screen, but nothing else.

 

The store did admit that it is all Captivates that have the GPS issue.  I then heard a salesman tell a new Captivate buyer that "he just wanted to him that there was a slight problem with the accuracy of the GPS". It was very hard to keep my mouth shut on that comment.

 

By time all was said and done, the Aria cost me a total of $50.00, the balance was rufunded that was paid for the Captivate.

 

Teacher

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14 Messages

14 years ago

I get great gps locks, I have tried three different golf gps aps and tested the distances against the results of a laser range finder. All three aps were within 2 yards of the range finder results. I'd say that's pretty good. I've also used google maps and the navigator beta version from google. Traveling on interstates or regular roads I get outstanding accuracy. I shouldn't admit this but I watched my blue dot cross over intersections as I was driving through them several times and every time it was spot on. The only time you lose gps lock is when you put your phone too far away from the windshield where it loses sight of the sky. (News Flash: a $500 garmen does the same thing when it has a roof over its head.) I would say this is more of a user issue than anything else.

Master

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2.7K Messages

14 years ago

It is not a user error. Otherwise, Samsung won't admit it openly. The GPS driver in the phone is obviously broken. It will never lock on to more than 8 satellites, can't lock on the satellites with snr < 20 and often lost lock. Results may vary depending on your location. The biggest problem is the accuracy stinks. If you're using Google Navigator, you will see a blue shadowy circle surround your arrow. That's the amount of inaccuracy your GPS currently has. Ideally the circle should be so small that it is invisible.

 

There is now a leaked firmware for Captivate which has the fixed GPS driver. It can now allow the GPS lock on to as many as 11 satellites with snr as low as 12. Unfortunately, this firmware also removed some favourate features in the original firmware as well as added additional restictions to app marketplace. Not sure if this one will be the final release or just an alpha/beta test. 

Scholar

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159 Messages

14 years ago

Sadly, if this doesn't get fixed by my 30 days, I will have to take it back.  I can't be stuck with a phone for 2 YEARS that doesn't have gps.  (I'm also disappointed with the camera).

Teacher

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21 Messages

14 years ago

 


@wamccoy wrote:

 I would say this is more of a user issue than anything else.


And you would be very wrong in that statement.

 

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