Build-in SiRF III GPS receiver for Blackjack II

Build-in SiRF III GPS receiver for Blackjack II, Build-in SiRF III GPS receiver for Blackjack II

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Wizkid69

Jan 29 2008, 23:19

Post #61

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Joined: 7th January 2008
Member No.: 341,910

Well... here is my observation and you can use your own judgement to get your GPS to work:

I hard reset the device, but did not unlock the device. Using the Chartcross GPSTest to initialize, I got the GPS to work on Google Maps, but never on WLS. However, the GPS location is off by 1000-1500 meters.

After unlocked the device, and couple of hard reset... I got my GPS to activate within 30 seconds using either the build-in GPSTest or the Chartcross GPSTest - either one are the same to initialize the GPS driver. Personally, i prefer to use Chartcross GPSTest as it provides more information on the lat/long info page... Now my GPS location is pretty accurate.. perhaps off a bit by 2-3 meters.

I also tried this - I exit out the GPSTest program completely, after I'm done for the night. In the morning after, without using either GPSTest, I ran Google Maps or Live Search - within 30 seconds Google Maps get a lock on GPS signal and there I have it, but not WLS. Some occasion, I opened both GM or WLS - the GPS failed to load miserably, even though I started GPSTest (build in or Chartcross) none of these are working. WLS will only work when either GPSTest is running. strange??

So, I think, based on thelostsoul's assumptions. He is right. The GPS driver got corrupted some how when you are trying too many things at the same time. So a combination of hard reset and unlocking the device should just work perfectly with GPSTest running.

Hope this helps.

( I will try to write a small Google Map program on my laptop to communicate with BJII via bluetooth COM port. Anyone want to join the discussion here?)

Wizkid69

Jan 29 2008, 23:19

Post #62

Newbie

Group: Posters
Posts: 14
Joined: 7th January 2008
Member No.: 341,910

Well... here is my observation and you can use your own judgement to get your GPS to work:

I hard reset the device, but did not unlock the device. Using the Chartcross GPSTest to initialize, I got the GPS to work on Google Maps, but never on WLS. However, the GPS location is off by 1000-1500 meters.

After unlocked the device, and couple of hard reset... I got my GPS to activate within 30 seconds using either the build-in GPSTest or the Chartcross GPSTest - either one are the same to initialize the GPS driver. Personally, i prefer to use Chartcross GPSTest as it provides more information on the lat/long info page... Now my GPS location is pretty accurate.. perhaps off a bit by 2-3 meters.

I also tried this - I exit out the GPSTest program completely, after I'm done for the night. In the morning after, without using either GPSTest, I ran Google Maps or Live Search - within 30 seconds Google Maps get a lock on GPS signal and there I have it, but not WLS. Some occasion, I opened both GM or WLS - the GPS failed to load miserably, even though I started GPSTest (build in or Chartcross) none of these are working. WLS will only work when either GPSTest is running. strange??

So, I think, based on thelostsoul's assumptions. He is right. The GPS driver got corrupted some how when you are trying too many things at the same time. So a combination of hard reset and unlocking the device should just work perfectly with GPSTest running.

Hope this helps.

( I will try to write a small Google Map program on my laptop to communicate with BJII via bluetooth COM port. Anyone want to join the discussion here?)

adam.smith1

Jan 30 2008, 04:44

Post #63

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Posts: 2
Joined: 26th January 2008
Member No.: 349,185

Device(s): BlackJack 2

I have installed the Modaco hack, the GPS Tester, the GPSID Settings, and Garmin XT and I cannot seem to get the GPS device located. I can't find the intermediate driver setting which could be part of the problem because I don't know what that means, or maybe that I downloaded the torrent of Garmin XT and installed the wrong file. Any help to any of these issues would be greatly appreciated.

This post has been edited by adam.smith1: Jan 30 2008, 04:53

ice5192

Jan 31 2008, 21:14

Post #64

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Joined: 26th January 2008
Member No.: 349,473

Device(s): blak jack 2

i have done step by step and it wont work

i need some help thanks i have a big trip coming up and i want to be able to use it

This post has been edited by ice5192: Jan 31 2008, 21:22

PASchmitt

Feb 1 2008, 07:19

Post #65

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Joined: 1st February 2008
Member No.: 351,621

Device(s): Blackjack ii

Okay, call me crazy, but after reading this entire thread I'm still content to use my OnCourse BT with my new GPS enabled <sigh> BJII. Sure, I have one more thing to carry with me, but it WORKS when I turn it on!!

Just another reason to overthrow the carrier regime and get to the point when devices do what they're intended to do without requiring users to become device engineers. 'Cuz once I figure it out, I have to to do if for everyone I know

Sed8ed

Feb 1 2008, 12:46

Post #66

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Joined: 18th December 2007
From: The land of the Kangaroo
Member No.: 334,419

Device(s): Blackjack II, Windbook Air

Seriously it's not that hard.....If you follow the thread properly it will show you what does and doesnt work..........just keep to what works. For some the GPSID setting works fine. For others it's the COM port 4 Modaco thread. With Garmin XT as your navigation it works without any hacks. It really depends on your software...

Matt13

Feb 2 2008, 01:51

Post #67

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Joined: 28th January 2008
Member No.: 350,323

I've had my BJ II for a few weeks now and have tried all the methods on this site, and a few others, for getting the gps to work but have had no luck. I downloaded the 30 day trial of telenav today and it didn't work either.

I called telenav support and was told that the gps chip needs to be reset and the only way to do that is to pull the battery and leave it out overnight. The tech told me if this doesn't work then the gps is probably defective and I'll need to return the phone. I'm not thrilled about my phone being down for 6+ hours but I'm going to try it.

The reason I'm posting now instead of waiting to see if it works is to give others a chance to try it as well. I'll post back tomorrow with my results.

Matt13

Feb 4 2008, 16:22

Post #68

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No luck. Still doesn't work. I'm returning it as defective.

Matt13

Feb 6 2008, 00:18

Post #69

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I returned my BJII today. I insisted on testing the gps before I left the store so the salesperson fired it up and it picked up 4 sats from INSIDE the store. I went outside, restarted the phone, and started google maps. 7 sats in 40sec. So if you are having a lot of problems with your BJ II gps I recommend exchanging it.

JDMinPDX

Feb 6 2008, 01:22

Post #70

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Device(s): BlackJack II

Ive given up on the GPS in this phone. I am waiting for the Samsung i780 to come down. I have read that this device is VERY solid and there are no issues. Thanks for butt f*****g the rest of us ATT. And yes, in case you missed it, I am pissed about buying a device that is crippled. Having to hard reset countless times, having to install certain apps to make the test is pure BS.

Sed8ed

Feb 6 2008, 01:23

Post #71

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Joined: 18th December 2007
From: The land of the Kangaroo
Member No.: 334,419

Device(s): Blackjack II, Windbook Air

Just wanted to mention something a friend and I did on a flight home 2 days ago...

Fired up Garmin XT...sat lock before boarding flight. Window seat....recorded top speed of 586 Klm/h...before losing lock!!!....this was after 17 minutes of flight. Probably not to accurate and probably illegal....phone was in silent mode and turned of after childish experiment. Great laugh though. Top speed stays in phone until you either reset it or you gain a new top speed...Aircraft was a Boeing 737....Basically if my son says "how fast have you gone dad?" I can definitely say "well look at this" and his reply will be..."WOW!! COOL!!!"

Zoomed out and watched us crossing ocean and then land...was going to plot a course to next airport to see estimate time of arrival as predicted by Garmin.....Lost lock though. Would have been a laugh if the voice went "turn left in 600m" LOL. I could imagine people sitting around us going "what tha"....I know I'm not the first to do this and probably not the last but my old bluetooth reciver never picked up the sats in the plane...BJII did though!!! Maybe a little more sensitive than i thought.

horsius

Mar 5 2008, 22:33

Post #72

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Joined: 5th March 2008
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[Hi,

Does anybody manage to make this app possiblle on HTC dual touch with Garmin XT app?

If yes please explain a little how you make it. I didn't manage. Does anybody know what is the combination of buttons to press for hard reset on HTC DUAL TOUCH?

Mike Y

Mar 16 2008, 18:42

Post #73

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Posts: 1
Joined: 3rd March 2008
Member No.: 363,043

Device(s): Samsung Blackjack II

QUOTE(thelostsoul @ Jan 9 2008, 19:46)

There is one, all blackjack IIs have one. By default, it's hidden though. You either need to locate it using ActiveSync's explore on your PC and create a link, or get a new file manager that'll let you show hidden files.

But to help ya out, attached is a zip containing a shortcut to the GPSTest program. Just c/p it to your /windows/start menu folder and you can run it with that.

Thanks for the shortcut. Works. I wonder why Samsung had to hide the GPSTest like this.

My BJ2 GPS now works without any hacks. If LiveSearch is slow getting a fix, I run the test and less than 30 seconds later I get some reading. When I re-launch LiveSearch, the fix is immediate.

PrettyPistol555

Mar 30 2008, 23:19

Post #74

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Posts: 1
Joined: 30th March 2008
Member No.: 373,421

Device(s): BlackJackII (W/working GPS!!!)

tried all this s*** a million times, was pissed at the world and satellites/samsung/att/radioshack/god/etc....

did hard reset, installed windows live search, didn't work, used gps unlocker, restarted, used wls, still no work, installed gmaps (no reset) and wtf do u know, it worked, the only thing different was the hard reset. then i tried wls again and it worked too. i was about to give up. btw, my mgm is letting windows determine connection, i can only hope others finally get theirs to work too. and that mine keeps working,

before now i have had 0 connections, and when it did work io was getting 4 sats right away, with up to six sometimes. it is off by about 30ft, but whatev.

YIPPPEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

sory, needed to let that out, the BJII is not goin back. yet...... still love SE better. can't wait for the w760i.

good luck all!

Dispatch

Apr 7 2008, 13:42

Post #75

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Device(s): i617

I'll post my experience too.

I received my BJII on Friday 04/04/08 and stumbled across the MoDaCo forums looking for the GPS business. I had/have no interest in paying for TeleNav so the first thing I did was download Google Maps to see if the GPS worked or if I still had to use the cell tower triangulation. No luck with the GPS at first.

So I app unlocked the phone and installed the MoDaCo GPS Activator (http://www.modaco.com/content/Smartphone-Standard-News/262074/Samsung-Blackjack-II-GPS-ACTIVATED/), restarted, and tried Google Maps. Still no luck.

So after reading post upon post it really started to seem like most of the problems people have been having with the GPS stems from it not "initializing" properly.

I performed a hard reset and installed both Live Search and Google Maps. Both worked (and still do work) with the GPS without the activator (so presumably both using the GPS intermediate driver). **CAVEAT**: the first time I tried the GPS which was after the activator and unlock were installed I was probably not as patient as I should've been nor was I outside, so it is possible (albeit improbable) that it would've worked with the activator and unlock in place.

So in my experience I think the GPS implementation is still pretty flaky with the i617 but it can work if you're patient and are willing to jump through some hoops such as initializing the GPS with the GPSTest program (built in) before you start up your Google Maps or other apps.

Good luck.

dogmood

Apr 8 2008, 18:37

Post #76

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Device(s): dopod 565

QUOTE(thelostsoul @ Jan 10 2008, 07:56)

After some personal issues with the GPS and with all that I've been hearing, I've drawn some new conclusions about the GPS and updated my Tips thread with the following:

Thanks!! it works well now!

ratm313

Apr 24 2008, 20:40

Post #77

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Joined: 21st April 2008
Member No.: 381,063

Device(s): blackjack II

FWIW, here is my experience. I, like many others here have tried all the things that people have suggested. I ended up having to hard reset a few times before gettting it to work.

I appunlocked the phone using the standard three programs. I set up the GPStest shortcut on the start menu. When I open the GPStest under options I set it to "stand-alone", "Nevigation", and "cold start". I would "start" the test and the unit would seem to sit there FOREVER trying to get an acquistion. The key thing to look for is the text in the GPStest program looks like it flickers every so often. This means it is searching. After about 45 minutes or so it would get a lock. Once you get a lock open windows live search or google maps and it will use the gps provided it is setup with the GPS intermediate driver. You don't need that COM4 or GPSID app that everyone talks about!!! Installing those is what led me to have to hard set my phone. If you end up closing GPStest and your map program utilizing it, then the GPS will turn off. You then have to activate it again with the GPStest program. Everytime I did this it took about 45 minutes which makes using the GPS practiacally unusable. I found a shortcut though. As long as I didn't turn the phone off I can set GPStest to "warm start up" and get sat lock very quickly. I still cannot get google maps or windows live search to initialize the gps on their own. I have to use GPStest EVERY time. By utilizing the warm start setting I can get lock on within a minute or two. Note that if you hit the "Done" button in GPStest, the program closes and you will lose your sat lock and have to reopen the program.

shock662

May 6 2008, 16:05

Post #78

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QUOTE(thelostsoul @ Jan 28 2008, 21:38)

No, the requirement of a jump-start is also another result of a 'damaged' GPS (driver). Good point, forgot to mention that. I've previously had to do the same in order to get my GPS working, but now I no longer use anything to start the GPS. Garmin will sometimes launch and take a little bit to find the GPS unit, but once it does, it gets the signal anyway. The whole thing rarely takes longer than 2 minutes.

No, you're right, it doesn't exactly damage the GPS chip itself, but it seems to damage the GPS, possibly the GPSID, driver. You'll have to excuse my laziness, but it's a lot easier to say damaged gps as opposed to rendered non-functional gps.

Whether it modifies something in the registry, reconfigures the dlls, or whatever, I don't know. But restoring everything using a hard reset restores what is necessary. I suppose it would be possible to make a GPS fix... I might investigate that possibility when I don't have much work to do.

My phone is unlocked to work with any GSM carrier, if I do a hard reset to my phone will it remove the unlock?

Sed8ed

May 8 2008, 04:26

Post #79

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Joined: 18th December 2007
From: The land of the Kangaroo
Member No.: 334,419

Device(s): Blackjack II, Windbook Air

QUOTE(shock662 @ May 7 2008, 02:05)

My phone is unlocked to work with any GSM carrier, if I do a hard reset to my phone will it remove the unlock?

No it wont.....mines unlocked same as yours. I have reset mine plenty!! No harm will come!!

FAF_DRAKO

May 8 2008, 15:18

Post #80

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Group: Posters
Posts: 39
Joined: 24th February 2008
Member No.: 360,167

Device(s): BlackJack II

Garmin Mobile XT 2009 North America NT Complete - Repack by Restrected is Hands downs the easiest and best way to install Garmin Mobile XT on your Smartphone or PPC. This comes with everthing you need including a step by step ReadMe on how to install. As you can read from the name it comes with the most up to date maps for North America. I can't stress enough how easy this was to follow and install on my BlackJack II. If you read through the ReadMe file and follow it step by step... you can't fail. Anyone interested in this download PM Me.

By the way, Thank You dtphantom for going out of your way in helping me acquire this download. I will pass on the same help you gave me to others.

By the way... I just downloaded and installed version 42.0.50w update. Let's see how it runs.
http://www8.garmin.com/software/GarminMobi...bile_42050w.exe

This post has been edited by FAF_DRAKO: May 8 2008, 16:42

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