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Help GPS issues?

Yep, the XEE release has definitely been pulled, just tried it myself. A definite answer as to why would be nice. Trouble is telephone support is very low down in the chain, and they firmly and consistently claim they are unable to communicate with anyone higher!
 
spark001uk said:
Yep, the XEE release has definitely been pulled, just tried it myself. A definite answer as to why would be nice. Trouble is telephone support is very low down in the chain, and they firmly and consistently claim they are unable to communicate with anyone higher!
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Peculiar. Maybe another quality control issue. Seems as if Samsung likes to put products on the market before applying any form of quality control.
 
I am one of the people in Denmark who got the update. I had heard about the problems with the GPS before so just before I updated I tried to run MyTracks. (just sitting by my computer) It was all over the place jumping 10 to 30 yards from my position (in seemingly random directions) and then back... staying there for a while and then jumping again. The small compass arrow swaying wildley as if a drunk man was holding it... (mind you I wasn't drunk at the time)
Now after the upgrade to 2.2 (and a factory reset) I immediately downloaded and ran MyTracks again at first it stayed put with the small arrow not turning as wildly as before the upgrade (a bit more sober you might think) but then it jumped... not as far as before I think... I exported the files as CSV (don't ask me why... It felt right at the time) and now I can only view the latest track. (I have the CSV files but have absolutely no idea what to do with them...) It might be me wanting it to be better Im not sure but it feels a little bit less jumpy.

I also tried getting and running the GPS Status app and it takes about 10 sec. to start seeing Sattelites, 15 to start logging on and then it starts loosing fix on them, regaining new ones, getting fix to those, then dropping trou... eh dropping fix and seeing 6-7 but not getting fix on any... (or something along those lines) Its was dropping fixes before the "fix" and it still is. And I can confirm that screen lock and/or hitting home drops all locks on sattelites and its back to start...

I'm trying to make a small video of it and will post it here as soon as it's done... (Was listening to some music when I recorded it and youtube flagged it... go figure!)
 
Thanks for all your hard work on this Beards.
Latest. I heard back from Orange. Their people at the 'sharp end' ie those that us mere mortals can access, are not being informed of this problem. I talked to one guy who tried on his 19000S and guess what? It didn;t get a lock. I am chasing this up as I think, if Orange and Samsung are going to sell this device, they should 'man up' and face the fact it's NOT a GPS device and take it off the packaging and blurb. It's blatant mis-selling in my opinion.
 
AlexanderA said:
Does anyone else find that when you do have a lock, it drops it as soon as you touch the home key? It can have a 5m fix with 8 sats in use, but just hitting the home key makes the seemingly strong fix disappear instantly and loses view of all sats, without exception. Not that keeping your hands off will prevent the signal from being dropped but still, it makes me wonder.
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This may be a deliberate app related action, when the app isn't being used the gps connection is dropped to save battery, that said should only happen with back key not home. At this stage I'm getting more convinced that it's the controller chip rather than anything samsung have done, thus it's likely that the manufacturer will have to release a firmware upgrade specifically for that, my only hope now is that once froyo is released this will follow.
 
o.maille said:
This may be a deliberate app related action, when the app isn't being used the gps connection is dropped to save battery, that said should only happen with back key not home. At this stage I'm getting more convinced that it's the controller chip rather than anything samsung have done, thus it's likely that the manufacturer will have to release a firmware upgrade specifically for that, my only hope now is that once froyo is released this will follow.
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Well, with GPS Test at least (and I confirmed it with the author) when the screensaver kicks in or you press the home key, it disconnects from the API providing the GPS status, so when you switch back it needs to attach again to get the satellite info...hence the apparent 'lost' satellite locks.
 
o.maille said:
This may be a deliberate app related action, when the app isn't being used the gps connection is dropped to save battery, that said should only happen with back key not home. At this stage I'm getting more convinced that it's the controller chip rather than anything samsung have done, thus it's likely that the manufacturer will have to release a firmware upgrade specifically for that, my only hope now is that once froyo is released this will follow.
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Yeah I think samsung is only able to fix the cant-get-fix issue that early versions of the device had. The other issue, stability/reliability/accuracy, can either not be fixed at all or atleast not by samsung, at this time.

From the reports I've read, quite a few of them reported noticably WORSE gps performance and have reverted back to 2.1. One can only hope that they screwed up something preparing the release build and withdrew it when they realized. But thats pretty optimistic I suppose. Though I do wonder what happened to cause withdrawing a released firmware.

It's a bit sad cause it's such an amazing device in every other aspect, and I don't really want to get rid of it. I wish samsung would get their act together on this issue and how to handle it.
 
Right....... I'm hearing mutterings (and they are only mutterings) that the Froyo release that appeared on the Scandinavian servers was a 'cock-up' in communication!!
It was released by error and after realizing was promptly removed.
Further, the trouble is they are still at best a week if not longer from releasing it 'again'.

I'm trying to ascertain the accuracy in this but it may take a while before I manage to track down the right person......

Now please excuse me whilst I go disappear up my own Ace-Hole.
 
Bit depressing isn't it. What with the press release, the twitter page, the facebook page all pointing to a release.

Samsung really are a mess.
 
Beards said:
Right....... I'm hearing mutterings (and they are only mutterings) that the Froyo release that appeared on the Scandinavian servers was a 'cock-up' in communication!!
It was released by error and after realizing was promptly removed.
Further, the trouble is they are still at best a week if not longer from releasing it 'again'.

I'm trying to ascertain the accuracy in this but it may take a while before I manage to track down the right person......

Now please excuse me whilst I go disappear up my own Ace-Hole.
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LOL! Samsung really needs to get a grip on this. According to Samsung Sweden, its offline because the servers are down (translated quote from FroYo-uppdateringen f
 
After hearing some people claiming it was working I made sure to try some more phones, I've converted a few people so it was easy enough. I had three Galaxy S, one the 16GB version all together and tried the GPS test.

All three which were not on the same firmware were useless, managed 3-5 locks in the office.

So took out my HTC Legend and straight away got 10, I know somebody else who has one and I have yet to try his but it doesnt look good, are all phones in the UK in this "bad batch" then? :D

Is there really a "good batch" out there with working GPS? I don't think so.
 
Shocky said:
After hearing some people claiming it was working I made sure to try some more phones, I've converted a few people so it was easy enough. I had three Galaxy S, one the 16GB version all together and tried the GPS test.

All three which were not on the same firmware were useless, managed 3-5 locks in the office.

So took out my HTC Legend and straight away got 10, I know somebody else who has one and I have yet to try his but it doesnt look good, are all phones in the UK in this "bad batch" then? :D

Is there really a "good batch" out there with working GPS? I don't think so.
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I don't think there are any "good batches" of the SGS. I think the later builds are atleast able to get a lock, unlike the early ones. And I think a number of people just aren't very critical and probably never use their GPS in a real life scenario, they just try it sometime and find their location is being determined fairly quick and accurate, and consider their GPS functional without ever having really used it for tracking.

On a side note, I get more sats and faster re-locking when I use Tracker Booster from the market. Needless to say the accuracy is still terrible but it certainly helps a bit, as does enabling wifi. This app also prevents dropping the sats when you hit the home key. Certainly not a solution but for now theres not much else to be done :(
 
AlexanderA said:
I don't think there are any "good batches" of the SGS. I think the later builds are atleast able to get a lock, unlike the early ones. And I think a number of people just aren't very critical and probably never use their GPS in a real life scenario, they just try it sometime and find their location is being determined fairly quick and accurate, and consider their GPS functional without ever having really used it for tracking.

My sgs is pretty much the same as my iphone and almost as good as my garmin gpsmap60csx except under trees or other overcast areas. I use it for geocaching. My first one went back because it was useless. It is an early unbranded vodafone 16gb one I have
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Okay..... Froyo is NOT coming this week... nor next week.
If I were to say Samsung have 'ditched' the ROM and are working on a new 'Fast ROM'?? what would you say......

Expected date (which I've totally thrown out of the window btw) is end of Nov.
 
Sigh - are they even going to make any kind of statement about what has happened?

Their disregard for their customers is astonishing.
 
Beards said:
Okay..... Froyo is NOT coming this week... nor next week.
If I were to say Samsung have 'ditched' the ROM and are working on a new 'Fast ROM'?? what would you say......

Expected date (which I've totally thrown out of the window btw) is end of Nov.
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Beards, what does that mean for those of us that have already upgraded to Froyo? Does it mean we are walking around with a potential bomb? Would be be able to upgrade to this other ROM you speak of?
 
karnka said:
Sigh - are they even going to make any kind of statement about what has happened?

Their disregard for their customers is astonishing.
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You wouldn't believe the amount of times I have stressed this to them...
"Hands are tied" is all you will hear.
 
krillo said:
Beards, what does that mean for those of us that have already upgraded to Froyo? Does it mean we are walking around with a potential bomb? Would be be able to upgrade to this other ROM you speak of?
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No Idea...... No idea whatsoever.... If they had another Brain Cell it would be lonely!
 
If you want 'my' take on what is happening here it would be:-
Samsung now know the present Robust File System does not work (we have all been saying this all along) and are looking into changing it... To what I have not a clue but the very fact I heard they will be changing the ROM to a faster ROM would tally with what I am thinking.

Again, this time it is my own opinion and not from Samsung or any of their representatives.
 
Beards - sounds like a reasonable take to me.

I know I'm harping on about this but do Samsung not realise they have days at best until the big tech sites (engadget etc) cotton on to what's happened and crucify them?
 
Hi Beards,

Re your 'fast ROM' comment, is that something you've heard any sort of independent confirmation from with your Samsung contacts? - or is that just based on the xda/samfirmware rumours?

My personal view is that I'd prefer to wait for something impressive, than get a mediocre Froyo rushed out of the door. But I realise this is a worrying development given Samsung's track record.

cheers
 
karnka said:
Beards - sounds like a reasonable take to me.

I know I'm harping on about this but do Samsung not realise they have days at best until the big tech sites (engadget etc) cotton on to what's happened and crucify them?
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Don't worry... your not harping on... I honestly, honestly do feel every frustration for all of you so feel free to go on and on and on.. it won't change any opinions I have. You all are my first and last priority.

As to your question ~ It is very clear Samsung will have outside sources attention breathing hard down their backs and Samsung need a stategy plan. I don't know what their relationship is like with these outside sources but if I were a betting man I wouldn't hold too much on Samsung's stock.

phaedrus said:
Hi Beards,

Re your 'fast ROM' comment, is that something you've heard any sort of independent confirmation from with your Samsung contacts? - or is that just based on the xda/samfirmware rumours?

My personal view is that I'd prefer to wait for something impressive, than get a mediocre Froyo rushed out of the door. But I realise this is a worrying development given Samsung's track record.

cheers
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Can you provide me the link please..... Not had time to bounce where you have seen this.
 
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