All Things GPS

[the1who]

No, work in a local avionics shop here.

We have HSPA+ up here, 3g is definitely nice. Been to an area, the Ozarks, that doesn't have 3g, it worked ok, just you could tell the difference for sure. Hopefully some day they will be upgraded Here is a link to the coverage to show that T-Mobile makes KC metro officially HSPA+:

Get Fast 3G Network Coverage with HSPA+

Click on the HSPA+ & 3G tab, scroll down to header Expanding to 185 million people, in that paragraph there is a link to "See cities with HSPA+" click it and you can see their metropolitan areas with HSPA+ that has gone active.

Well, I looked closer at this map, my area in Gardner isn't covered. We just have 3g here currently, wonder if there is a way to have them spread it just a bit. I'll have to make a trip to try out the faster speed:

Unsupported Browser <--- must be aspx providing the unsupported browser line, link works though

I guess that makes sense because I have been running speedtest.net app and haven't seen much to claim about with the tower in use here.

 

[Contraus]

This is ludicrous. The Vibrant does GPS and does it well. I can't believe so many are complaining. YES, occasionally but rarely it is slow to lock up for me, but guess what? My dedicated Garmin GPS is occasionally but rarely slow to lock up as well! Once locked I've not had any issues with the Vibrant GPS. I'm not saying you aren't having trouble, just that if you are, why get pissed? Just exchange your phone.

This phone does so many things so well that it's worth the effort IMO to get a unit you are satisfied with. Or maybe everyone who is complaining is testing their GPS indoors? Could it be that simple?

Don't insult my intelligence. Testing the GPS inside??? Really??? Come on man. Give me a little more credit than that please. I'm tired of people like you that haven't experienced REAL GPS like we had on the G1. The G1 would lock in 2 to 3 seconds at most, and it was ALWAYS 100% accurate when there was no big blue circle. I understand that you're not always going to get a strong GPS signal. Sometimes it has to estimate, hence the big blue circle telling you what AREA you are in. But when my Vibrant takes 2 to 3 minutes to lock, and then tells me (with no big blue circle) that I'm in a location on the other side of town from where I'm actually at, then we've got problems. So do us all a favor Mr. Glass Half Full.....STFU! The GPS is a serious flaw with this phone.

 

[Contraus]

Actually you are wrong... GPS test shows yellow when the GPS turns on... It shows green when it gets a location lock. I have a Captivate, and My wife has a vibrant. Both have faulty GPS, but the Vibrant never shows any satellites in use (even when it has a GPS location lock) The Captivate will show how many satellites are in use. That could be a glitch in her vibrant but it appears the post I was commenting on has the same issue.

Also, FYI - GPS test does not use wifi or cell towers in it's geo-locating. It only uses satellites. So if you see an accuracy reading and a green light.. The GPS has a lock.

I attached a screenshot from my Captivate and you can see the yellow indicator next to "GPS On." I cannot provide a screen shot for my wife's vibrant, as it does not have root.

So I ask you... What planet are you from?
Bye the way... No need to be a dick next time.

Explain this then: if the GPS is locked and has a green light on because of it, then why is it showing ZERO sats in use? And if your argument is, the app is wrong and is just not showing that it's using any sats, but it is locked....then why when I flip over to Google Maps is it showing me across the street from the bank on Russell Parkway, when I'm actually 2 miles north east of that?

So I ask you sir, what planet are you from? People need to understand, this isn't as simple as an error with a third party app called GPS Test. It's an error with the GPS on the phone. Face it people, it's f***ed up. Whether you want to admit that your perfect phone has a major flaw or not...it won't change the fact that the GPS does NOT work properly.

 

[the1who]

Different chip makers have different expectations...go back to your G1 if you would prefer it, my GPS works for me. If it is such a big issue, get a dedicated unit, TomTom or Nuvi, I mean, that is logical.

 

[Contraus]

Dude! I wouldn't trust ANY GPS with my life. But to each his own. Both the GM Navigation in my Chevy C6Z06 and my Garmin have led me astray on more than one occasion. If "my life depended on GPS" I wouldn't be here. If you are placing your life in the hands of ANY GPS unit perhaps it is your head that needs to be extricated from your 4th point of contact.

Perfect example of somebody taking a SAYING too literally. It was a hypothetical example stressing the differences of ability between the GPS on the G1 phone and the GPS on the Samsung Vibrant. And by the way, your first problem is that you drive a Chevy. But that's another argument for another forum.

 

[Contraus]

Okay thats being over dramatic. I don't think anyone is saying their life depends on GPS. Nor is anyone expecting the vibrant to navigate them out of the jungle when a pack of hungry wolves are after you. People just want to be able to use the GPS function on their phone to find the local starbucks and navigate quickly there, simple. Or maybe i'm stuck in traffic and I want to find a different quicker route. Or maybe i'm driving and someone calls and says "hey meet me at Shanghais for dinner," since I never being there i want to just use my phone for quick navigation. Nothing about life and death or being lost in the grand canyon.

Thank you sir. At least somebody understood what context I was using that example in.

 

[the1who]

Why don't you summarize everything you have to say into one post!

 

[Contraus]

...I also stated that sometimes you do get a fix indoors with GPS devices but that this is not the norm. It's a lot easier for a GPS device to get a fix on you if for example you live in a ranch style house, but you shouldn't expect your any GPS device to get a fix on you if you live in a Colonial type style house. If you check most if not all manuals that come with GPS devices, they state that you need a view of the sky for them to work properly.

I believe that's what AGPS is for. The A stands for assisted, as in wireless/cellular networks can assist the GPS when satellites don't have clear LOS. Don't quote me on that, but I'm pretty sure I remember reading about AGPS somewhere, and that's what it said.

 

[Contraus]

First off... forget that Gators joke. We all know they will be worthless again now that Tebow is gone.

Second, go Ducks!

Umm, actually John Brantley is a very good QB. In fact, he broke Tebow's records at the same high school. Plus, Brantley is more of a traditional style QB, so we should see more downfield passing this year.

Second, the Ducks??? Really??? Ah man. I do feel sorry for you though. It's not your fault your star QB turned out to be a career criminal. I know, that was a low blow. I apologize for that one...LOL.

 

[spiz]

Well that's still awesome. I lived in Gardner for a while but didn't have a smart phone at the time. We'll be living in Olathe/Lenexa this time around, so that's good to know that I'll be in the HSPA+ zone.

 

[spiz]

Umm, actually John Brantley is a very good QB. In fact, he broke Tebow's records at the same high school. Plus, Brantley is more of a traditional style QB, so we should see more downfield passing this year.

Second, the Ducks??? Really??? Ah man. I do feel sorry for you though. It's not your fault your star QB turned out to be a career criminal. I know, that was a low blow. I apologize for that one...LOL.

Hey that's okay... he's an idiot and I'm glad he's gone. Now we finally get to see our Dennis Dixon-like QB... assuming he gets the job this year.

Anyways, sorry to hijack the GPS thread. Carry on.

 

[Contraus]

I'm not going back and forth with you. If someone is not bright enough to try rebooting their phone when they run into a problem, then maybe they shouldn't own a smartphone. I never personally attacked you, but you seem to have gotten very upset ever since I said people should protect their screens to prevent scratches. You seem to be the one in denial.

Hey Mark if you havent tried common sense stuff, follow the suggestions the rep gives you on the phone first. It might fix your problem.

one last thing, i've been like the only one on this thread from the beggining saying this is probably a software issue and no reason to exchange your phone for the gps yet. So i'm not in denial, i've actually been very confident that this problem will be fixed with gps. While others have done multiple exchanges, i still have my original unit, because i still believe its just software. So whos in denial?

This is exactly the reason I haven't exchanged mine. I've read comments/reviews about people exchanging theirs only to recieve another Vibrant with the same GPS problem. Everything else seems to work ok on my Vibrant other than a few common software bugs that will most definitely be fixed with an update. So why would I exchange mine only to risk getting another phone with worse problems?

@robo21: And don't suggest that I return it please. I don't want go back to the G1 after using this beautiful screen. That's why we're so irritated that the GPS doesn't work properly. We don't want to give up this phone because they couldn't manage to get ONE piece of it working correctly. That one capability is so vital to some people. I use my GPS all the time. I take trips out of state and rely on my GPS to get me there. I go on TDYs for the Department of Defense to various locations all over the United States and the rest of the world too. I NEED my GPS to work 100% of the time.

If I didn't like the Vibrant, I would not be posting on this forum. I would turn it in and go back to the G1 and forget about it. But I LOVE the Vibrant. That's why I want them to work this GPS issue out. That's why so many people are complaining, and as you call it....whining. We have to in order to be heard. We have to in order to get Samsung to understand how serious an issue it is. Enough said.

 

[Contraus]

OK, here you go. Keep in mind this was shot indoors at my desk so the accuracy is not that hot. I downloaded GPS Test, installed it, and ran it the good news is I got an immediate lock on 4 birds out of 10. My GPS was turned off prior to install the ap turned on the GPS for me and produced the following result:

And did you happen to notice that two of the four "birds" your GPS is locked on have a signal to noise ratio of ZERO? ZERO means nothing dude. It means you might as well be locked onto a flag pole. Nice try though. Your GPS appears to be failing by the looks of your screenshot buddy.

 

[joker331]

If I didn't like the Vibrant, I would not be posting on this forum. I would turn it in and go back to the G1 and forget about it. But I LOVE the Vibrant. That's why I want them to work this GPS issue out. That's why so many people are complaining, and as you call it....whining. We have to in order to be heard. We have to in order to get Samsung to understand how serious an issue it is. Enough said.

I decided to vote and make myself heard by RETURNING my vibrant. I was in the same boat as you are in. Loved the Vibrant, sans the GPS issue, and did not want to return to my G1.

However, at the end of the day, all evidence points to Samsung not caring or not being able to provide a fix for this GPS issue. Being stuck in a 2 year contract with a phone which has a non-functioning GPS was not something I was willing to do...despite the beautiful screen and fast processor.

Keeping your phone, but complaining about the issue is the worst way to actually get Samsung to do something about it. Forum posts on the internet, tech support chat and calls can easily be brushed under the rug. "Oh yeah, we're aware that the GPS does not work in certain cases. We promise a fix is coming soon." Right. Remember how Samsung handled the GPS issues with the Moment? Or their awesome support with the Behold II?

Best way to make yourself heard is by returning your phone. That way, Samsung is tangibly hit where it hurts most... their pocketbooks. Lost revenue is not as easy to ignore as a forum post somewhere on the internet.

If Samsung gets a fix out, then great. I'll re-purchase the phone. Rather than staying with it and keeping my fingers crossed that Samsung will get their act together..

 

[Mark27]

No, up in Olathe area.

I have the opportunity to pursue aeronautical engineering at Wichita State University. Which they are rated top 3 in the country and number 1 in some stuff. Just wondering if you knew about.

 

[jmreed97]

he is very confident the 1st update will improve the GPS etc.

You think you can trust a store manager saying "very confident?" If it is the same store where you bought it, a return could affect his bonus... Managers will say anything to prevent returns. And "he said he was very confident," won't get you very far if a fix doesn't come through.

 

[robo21]

@robo21: And don't suggest that I return it please. I don't want go back to the G1 after using this beautiful screen. That's why we're so irritated that the GPS doesn't work properly. We don't want to give up this phone because they couldn't manage to get ONE piece of it working correctly. That one capability is so vital to some people. I use my GPS all the time. I take trips out of state and rely on my GPS to get me there. I go on TDYs for the Department of Defense to various locations all over the United States and the rest of the world too. I NEED my GPS to work 100% of the time.

If I didn't like the Vibrant, I would not be posting on this forum. I would turn it in and go back to the G1 and forget about it. But I LOVE the Vibrant. That's why I want them to work this GPS issue out. That's why so many people are complaining, and as you call it....whining. We have to in order to be heard. We have to in order to get Samsung to understand how serious an issue it is. Enough said.

NO way, keep your Vibrant. I am so spoiled by everything on this phone except for the occasionally slow GPS lock there is no way I would suggest you return it. Squeaky wheel gets the grease. Good luck Contraus, I hope that the first update turns all Vibrants into to devices that all owners will love.

 

[jmreed97]

Explain this then: if the GPS is locked and has a green light on because of it, then why is it showing ZERO sats in use? And if your argument is, the app is wrong and is just not showing that it's using any sats, but it is locked....then why when I flip over to Google Maps is it showing me across the street from the bank on Russell Parkway, when I'm actually 2 miles north east of that?

So I ask you sir, what planet are you from? People need to understand, this isn't as simple as an error with a third party app called GPS Test. It's an error with the GPS on the phone. Face it people, it's f***ed up. Whether you want to admit that your perfect phone has a major flaw or not...it won't change the fact that the GPS does NOT work properly.

Look... I'm not saying the GPS works... It doesn't. I understand that it shows you on a quarter mile away. That happens on my wife's vibrant and my captivate. But your phone is using satellites... Incorrectly. But it is using them. What you are seeing is exactly what my wifes vibrant does even when it is working properly and giving a correct location... It always says 0 in use. But if the light next to GPS is green, you are locking on at least two satellites. It is not possible to have any location (including a wrong one) without at least two satellites in GPS test.

Again... I agree that the GPS is broken... but you are locking on at least two satellites... AND THE LOCATION IS STILL WRONG. Which is why samsung needs to fix this.

FYI - you and I are on the same side. we both agree the GPS is F**ked!

 

[robo21]

And did you happen to notice that two of the four "birds" your GPS is locked on have a signal to noise ratio of ZERO? ZERO means nothing dude. It means you might as well be locked onto a flag pole. Nice try though. Your GPS appears to be failing by the looks of your screenshot buddy.

Define "failing". To me "failing" means I have no ability to navigate from point A to point B, or my location cannot be pinpointed with any degree of accuracy or that GPS connection is being dropped. Since none of these conditions are true then your statement is false and my GPS is not "failing." At least by my definition.

And THANK YOU Contraus for pointing out that 2 of the locked birds have no SN ratio. This further proves my contention that GPS Test sucks as a diagnostic. After all it was GPS Test showed 4 locked birds.

 

[robo21]

Don't insult my intelligence. Testing the GPS inside??? Really??? Come on man. Give me a little more credit than that please. I'm tired of people like you that haven't experienced REAL GPS like we had on the G1. The G1 would lock in 2 to 3 seconds at most, and it was ALWAYS 100% accurate when there was no big blue circle. I understand that you're not always going to get a strong GPS signal. Sometimes it has to estimate, hence the big blue circle telling you what AREA you are in. But when my Vibrant takes 2 to 3 minutes to lock, and then tells me (with no big blue circle) that I'm in a location on the other side of town from where I'm actually at, then we've got problems. So do us all a favor Mr. Glass Half Full.....STFU! The GPS is a serious flaw with this phone.

I apologize if I insulted your intelligence. I was trying to eliminate obvious pitfalls as a troubleshooting step and never intended any offense.

But shouldn't you consider that GPS may be working on some Vibrants? Especially, since you are knowledgeable and technically savvy. I have repeatedly stated that my GPS will pinpoint my location on Google Maps and get me from point A to Point B, not 95% of the time but 100% of the time and without dropping connection to the satellites. Yes my GPS is slow to lock sometimes and that is annoying.

I am very familiar with "real" GPS technology and how it should work. I've owned a dedicated GPS device of one form or another for the last 5 years. So please don't assume I'm unfamiliar with the technology because the GPS on my Vibrant happens to work better than other Vibrants.

Finally, it is you that is being insulting here with your "Mr. Glass Is Half Full and STFU" remarks. That is insulting and offensive. "STFU" is not conducive to a balanced discussion, which is I believe, the mission of this forum.

 

[spiz]

You think you can trust a store manager saying "very confident?" If it is the same store where you bought it, a return could affect his bonus... Managers will say anything to prevent returns. And "he said he was very confident," won't get you very far if a fix doesn't come through.

A fix is coming. And my source is way above any store manager.

 

[OfTheDamned]

Ok folks, I notice that many of you are new here so I am going to take this opportunity to point out the rules of the forum along with the zero tolerance policy. Each can be found through the links in my signature. We are serious about these rules and we expect you to follow them. Any more disrespectful posts or personal attacks will result in infractions. If you find that you will be unable to post or reply in this thread in a clam manner then please just move along to another thread.

 

[Mark27]

Ok folks, I notice that many of you are new here so I am going to take this opportunity to point out the rules of the forum along with the zero tolerance policy. Each can be found through the links in my signature. We are serious about these rules and we expect you to follow them. Any more disrespectful posts or personal attacks will result in infractions. If you find that you will be unable to post or reply in this thread in a clam manner then please just move along to another thread.

I think many of us were beginning to think you people didn't exist, haha.

 

[SamsungVibrant]

I think many of us were beginning to think you people didn't exist, haha.

Does anyone remember the good old days, before forums, and before the internet exploded, people posted onto bulletin boards instead of forums. You had to dial into the bulletin board with your slow modem, and everything was text, no browsers back then, instead you used terminal.

Back then there were no moderators, and everyone respected eachother, and if someone did get out of line, well who cares its just free speach! No offense to the moderators, but at times I think moderators can take away from the experience more than they contribute. I've noticed some are even biased and abuse their power, not saying any on this forum, just in general.

Gosh I'm not even that old and I rememember those bulletin board days(~15 yrs ago). Yikes i'm slowly getting old.

 

[the1who]

I remember those days, it was the end of the life for them and AOL was the mainstream use then . God I hated having to watch how many minutes I was using on the internet...

Back to subject, I was testing between the software GPS test and the built in gps test that we all know how to probably get to, *#*#1472365#*#*, When I was running it, it's accuracy said down to I think 12m, it had one or two satellites * next to it, so I assume, new to using that, it meant that I had only two satellites it was referring to, not sure, anyways, accuracy of this level can't be achieved with only two or 3 satellites. I opened up maps and I was like two streets over, I then opened up navigation and somehow it put me back on my street, though starting out one street over. It is precarious how it all works for sure. I have had accuracies down to 6m, again it can't be achieved unless there is 4 or more satellites with a lock. I am interested in confirming the gps test app I got from the market and confirming it's atlas map to the nuvi 350 I trust with the WAAS chip enabled. On the Nuvi I can get 6ft (1.8m) accuracies. Anyways, I am just interested in seeing what the difference, if any is, in the atlas the Vibrant is looking at, according to the app.