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GPS After Update - Same or Better?

After updating to the UCJH7 firmware, has GPS on your Captivate improved?

  • Yes, I noticed an improvement that persists even after 3 days

    Votes: 33 35.9%

  • No improvement after 3 days

    Votes: 39 42.4%

  • After 3 days, GPS is even worse

    Votes: 11 12.0%

  • Update fails and won't install for me.

    Votes: 9 9.8%
  • Total voters
    92
I noticed it performs better when I put it on the dashboard under the windshield. I just lean it against my sunglasses. It seems to lose its gps signal less often that way.
 
Non-rooted Captivate, updated yesterday without a hitch. GPS Test 'saw' 2 sats immediately, over the next four minutes it found anywhere from 6-10, took five more minutes to lock the first sat and then bounced back and forth from 4-7 sats fixed. SNR never went above 35 (but I don't know how critical that is). So it took almost 10 min to get the first solid fix. Not great performance. Maybe the fact that I was outside on a nice sunny day factored into the crummy performance. Normally I was getting locks in 2-3 minutes (not actually timed, just guessing) so this performance was disappointing.
 
My GPS seemed like it improved at first. It was actually great last night after the update, however, this is not the reality I woke up to today.

I have been trying to get a lock for over 10 minutes with nothing. I also tried several times in the morning with no luck at all. What's more interesting is that now it shows that I only have 1 satellite in view where in the past I had up to 10 and 13 at times, just without any in use. Last night I was getting about 8 or 9 but almost all of them were in use except for 1 or 2.

Someone suggested to return the settings to stock for the GPS, which I did, and it didn't help almost at all. Now I see 2 satellites. I rebooted the phone also and deleted the GPS data.

If someone could post what all the original settings were under "Application" That would be great because I did a lot of tinkering in there and I want to make sure everything is correct. For example: I don't remember if it's supposed to be cold or hot start. TIA.
 
I was getting no signal, set settings back to stock, rebooted and now it is perfect. I'll see how it goes over the next few days though.
 
ok my gps is completely useless now..i got the update yesterday and today i cant even get a lock...not even one lock anywhere...even in places where i used to get locks..so now i dont know what to do..i really dont use gps alot but i do use it from time to time..so do i return it and move on to a diff phone or maybe even get a verizon android..i dont know..this is pissin me off:(
 
I thought my results were unique, but... my entire phone seems to be worse after the update! Laggier, bottom buttons are less responsive, AND the GPS is completely useless! It was tolerable before, but now can't see satellites (most of the time) and forget about a lock or finding me.
 
I drove to work today and had Google Maps running the entire time (35 minutes). No lock whatsoever. It had no idea where I was. You'd think with the Wireless Location thing turned on, it would at least have some kind of a freaking approximation. Nope. It's entirely useless.

I've given up on this. My phone, the Samsung Captivate, simply has no GPS. That's how I choose to look at it.
 
Original phone had "sporadic" GPS success. I use it mostly when golfing and previously it did not work well for that. Yesterday I used it exclusively and I can say that it was very good most of the time (within 1-3 yards of physical markers on the course). So I would have to categorize the update as an improvement. I still have trouble locking in "maps" though so I don't understand why the difference.
 
GPS was almost non existent before update, only found me a couple of times, briefly, then after the update seemed very improved for one day, then when I tried it again yesterday was back where it was before the update, where it occasionally found me for only a moment, but didn't stay locked on me. Was hopeful for a bit. It's stock, no changes made to settings.
 
Today is day 3. So far so good.

I would suggest that if your phone is still not working to head down to your local AT&T store and test it against another Captivate (make sure it has been updated to JH7). If yours doesn't work and the one at AT&T works then you'd have a legit reason for warranty exchange I'd think. You might have to make a stink about it but I'm not sure I would hang on much longer waiting for a fix if yours doesn't work, especially if this latest fix is deemed "the one".
 
Thought GPS was bad before update...it is horrible now. Locates maybe one sat over the course of 20 mins (gave up)...standing in the middle of an open yard..forget getting a location fix. Complete fail with regards to the GPS but unit does seem to run "snappier". Stock.
 
txtigah said:
Thought GPS was bad before update...it is horrible now. Locates maybe one sat over the course of 20 mins (gave up)...standing in the middle of an open yard..forget getting a location fix. Complete fail with regards to the GPS but unit does seem to run "snappier". Stock.
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Yep. I get 3-5. Forget a lock. I got it once, and once only.
 
For all the.folks who believe your Gps is working, have you tried it with navigation? Mine gets a good lock in about 30 seconds when sitting still. But when moving in a car, I drop the lock any time I start moving. I slow down or am stopped at a light, I can sometimes get a lock again. Once I start driving the lock is lost in seconds...

I can tollarate this because I have a navigation unit in my car, I only use the gps for location based apps. I still sucks that it doesn't work propperly and that Samsung dropped the ball on this. It certainly soured my perception of Samsung. When upgrade time rolls around and if I am still stuck with att (family plan) I hope there will be other good android choices other than Samsung.
 
We, Captivate users, all have the same software, OS, firmware, and apps.

So why does gps work for some of us and not others?
 
To answer the question posed by the OP, I'd say we are seeing placebo effect. Based on the level of "GPS knowledge" I've seen on the forums, I think many folks are happy if they can load Maps and have it show their location.

The true test IMO is using Navigation on a regular basis to see how it performs.
 
My point exactly, and for me, navigation is a total fail, Only locks when I am still, start driving and its screwed
 
Infinite-t said:
My point exactly, and for me, navigation is a total fail, Only locks when I am still, start driving and its screwed
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I tried it today on my way home from Ukiah (about 10 miles south of me) to Redwood Valley on Hwy.101, I got it locked before I left and other than a couple of 2 second burps early in my journey it stayed locked the entire way home, and even into the house.
 
lordhamster said:
To answer the question posed by the OP, I'd say we are seeing placebo effect. Based on the level of "GPS knowledge" I've seen on the forums, I think many folks are happy if they can load Maps and have it show their location.

The true test IMO is using Navigation on a regular basis to see how it performs.
Click to expand...
I can assure you it's not a placebo affect. I was one of the most vocal about having crappy GPS and I demand accuracy down to 5 meters.


  • I've checked the accuracy on Google Maps and it's now 5-10 meters.
  • GPS Test tells me I'm locking onto almost all sats seen with accuracy ranging between 32.8 and 16.4 feet accuracy.
  • I've tested Google Nav and it works. Puts me right at the intersection when I'm there and re-routes me quickly when I veer off the suggested directions.
  • I've tested locking onto sats indoors and it works.
  • I've tested locking onto sats while moving in a car and it works.
  • I ran the LBSTest sat test and it locks onto sats quickly and with 5-10 meter accuracy.

So far, I can say without a doubt that the GPS works very well for me. I'd prefer it be accurate to 5 meters or less all the time but 5-10 meters is good enough for me. Tomorrow I will test a golf GPS app against a laser rangefinder and report back the accuracy.
 
vilamonster said:
I have seen no improvement on the GPS Navigation. However, since my car has GPS Nav, I do not really use it that much. I mostly use GPS for Foursquare and that is on and off accurate.

I do have a question for the group. Anybody uses the WAZE application? It is a user-based real time traffic application. It works like a charm, always reports my location dead on, even when google navigation does not work.

Just wondering why this app works and not others. :confused:
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I loaded this waze thing and it is dead on and it seems to make nav lock as well inside house.
 
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