Galaxy S issues: FM Radio & GPS

[Guest DLCI]

I'm considering to retire my well working i900 and get the i9000. However I have noticed some early complains:

1/ FM radio is mono (can somebody test it with the original headset provided? europe perhaps)

2/GPS is almost useless - very bad reception and inaccurate (for pedestrian mode, not with google maps): for instance if someone can try cardio trainer/sportypal/etc. software

I'd be very thankful if someone can comment on these -are they valid points or perhaps already fixed by Samsung?

Many thanks in advance!

[Guest FrezoreR]

I'm considering to retire my well working i900 and get the i9000. However I have noticed some early complains:

1/ FM radio is mono (can somebody test it with the original headset provided? europe perhaps)

2/GPS is almost useless - very bad reception and inaccurate (for pedestrian mode, not with google maps): for instance if someone can try cardio trainer/sportypal/etc. software

I'd be very thankful if someone can comment on these -are they valid points or perhaps already fixed by Samsung?

Many thanks in advance!

1.

I tested it out, and I'm not sure, but it didn't feel like mono, but it is hard to tell. Most songs have very subtle differences between left and right speaker.

[Guest ArminC]

1/ FM radio is mono (can somebody test it with the original headset provided? europe perhaps)

What do you mean it's mono. I am listening to the radio trough the speaker right now and it is banging the music real good. Also when you listen to the headset it's stereo. So don't know how you came to this?

2/GPS is almost useless - very bad reception and inaccurate (for pedestrian mode, not with google maps): for instance if someone can try cardio trainer/sportypal/etc. software

Have used the GPS in the care tree times now and both times I had no problem with the GPS it was showing the correct position.

[Guest DLCI]

Thanks for the fast answers! Very pleased to hear that the phone is working fine.

The issue 1 was reported here originally: http://forums.hardwarezone.com.sg/showthread.php?t=2781948 and then confirmed somehow in xda-dev threat. But i guess if it sounds like any other phone's radio it is fine.

The issue 2 is more related to pedestrian/sport gps tracking applications I'm currently using very much. Car navigation software have very good "lock on street" mode that compensates most of the gps inaccuracy, but if the phone is used for jogging then the gps receiver is put to the test. For example if you look at this track (not mine though) you can see what I mean here: http://forum.sportypal.com/default.aspx?g=posts&t=1128

[Guest ArminC]

Thanks for the fast answers! Very pleased to hear that the phone is working fine.

The issue 1 was reported here originally: http://forums.hardwarezone.com.sg/showthread.php?t=2781948 and then confirmed somehow in xda-dev threat. But i guess if it sounds like any other phone's radio it is fine.

The issue 2 is more related to pedestrian/sport gps tracking applications I'm currently using very much. Car navigation software have very good "lock on street" mode that compensates most of the gps inaccuracy, but if the phone is used for jogging then the gps receiver is put to the test. For example if you look at this track (not mine though) you can see what I mean here: http://forum.sportypal.com/default.aspx?g=posts&t=1128

Sorry haven't tested it yet that way, maybe if i have some time i will.

[Guest digdub]

yes, i can confirm the radio is mono, not stereo. I've tried the original headset and and others as well. oh and in case if you are wondering if i can differentiate between stereo and mono, i can. the fm radio on the galaxy s is definitely mono, unless my set I'd faulty, which i think is unlikely.

[Guest DLCI]

yes, i can confirm the radio is mono, not stereo. I've tried the original headset and and others as well. oh and in case if you are wondering if i can differentiate between stereo and mono, i can. the fm radio on the galaxy s is definitely mono, unless my set I'd faulty, which i think is unlikely.

Ouch. Thanks for sharing - I've just started thinking that Samsung changed the behaviour of scr****g the things intentionally . :lol:

[Guest dan 6a]

Yeah no matter how banging my radio was it def didn't sound stereo at all. Which I was a little bit pissed off about.

My GPS is ok with google maps but with the layar app the phone doesnt 'see' in the correct direction for me.

[Guest chj]

Hi

Galaxy S most definitely has mono radio only. This is strange since the phone is normal stereo in mp3 playback etc. So now I am wondering if anyone has seen an Android app "FM RADIO" that offers stereo ?

As I am using radio a lot, I also checked mobile radio streaming but so fare I found only mono streams. Are there apps available that offers stereo radio streams ?

As I am using Garmin for GPS tracking, I am going to check the Galaxy S GPS capabilities, and I shall be back here if it does not work as well as Garmin.

Thanks!

Ch

[Guest magicdroid]

can anyone confirm if FM-radio is still mono after latest firmware (JG1)?

[Guest dherrero]

can anyone confirm if FM-radio is still mono after latest firmware (JG1)?

Yes, still mono...

[Guest sangadang]

Umm I've read this on the web and supposedly the S8500 Wave had similar issues, try holding the earphone away from the cellphone and your body, perhaps it's an issue with the signal being messed? Just throwing in a suggestion ^^

[Guest al74]

Umm I've read this on the web and supposedly the S8500 Wave had similar issues, try holding the earphone away from the cellphone and your body, perhaps it's an issue with the signal being messed? Just throwing in a suggestion ^^

Is your real name Steve Jobs?

[Guest dherrero]

Is your real name Steve Jobs?

:D :) :D :D B) :P :D :P :D B)

Take the earphone with the other hand¡¡

[Guest sangadang]

I laughed at the steve jobs comment XD no I'm not steve jobs but as I said it was just something I've read haa XD

[Guest lgkahn]

I laughed at the steve jobs comment XD no I'm not steve jobs but as I said it was just something I've read haa XD

]my gps works very well and i get lock inside the house.. comporable to my i8910.. not all cell phones get gps lock inside.

my nokias dont very often.

[Guest amacrobie]

Don't call me Steve, but I find the GPS reception to be very poor when held in the hand but fine when in a cradle.

[Guest chj]

How could we manage to inform Samsung they need to switch on STEREO FM in the next release of firmware for the SAMSUNG GALAXY S (GT I9000) ? This is a severe fault and the rest of this device is excellent, so it is such a shame.

[Guest colimbe]

With my fm radio presently pumping at full blast into my ears i can confirm that it is both stereo and rds as confirmed here .

As for my GPS, i noticed that it from time to time drops dead, but that is due to the fact that my wifi connection often freezes. But as soon as i restart it everything goes back to normal!

for the fm stereo pb, instead of roming, flashing or rooting your phone, you may want to consider this much straigthforward solution as simply laid out here

Edited August 7, 2010 by colimbe

[Guest amacrobie]

Gps reception seems very poor in general, taking anything from 5 to 20 minutes to establish a lock. Using sygic mm10 today on a 45 minute drive resulted in no lock at all at any point. Frankly, for majority of purposes I'd consider it useless.

[Guest chj]

Hi

Galaxy S most definitely has mono radio only. This is strange since the phone is normal stereo in mp3 playback etc. So now I am wondering if anyone has seen an Android app "FM RADIO" that offers stereo ?

As I am using radio a lot, I also checked mobile radio streaming but so fare I found only mono streams. Are there apps available that offers stereo radio streams ?

As I am using Garmin for GPS tracking, I am going to check the Galaxy S GPS capabilities, and I shall be back here if it does not work as well as Garmin.

Thanks!

Ch

UPDATE to my post of 060710: As Android 2.2 froyo was installed this week (Norway), the samsung galaxy gt i9000 now offers STEREO FM radio. Very nice!

[Guest chj]

Hi

Galaxy S most definitely has mono radio only. This is strange since the phone is normal stereo in mp3 playback etc. So now I am wondering if anyone has seen an Android app "FM RADIO" that offers stereo ?

As I am using radio a lot, I also checked mobile radio streaming but so fare I found only mono streams. Are there apps available that offers stereo radio streams ?

As I am using Garmin for GPS tracking, I am going to check the Galaxy S GPS capabilities, and I shall be back here if it does not work as well as Garmin.

Thanks!

Ch

UPDATE 21nov 2010: Having installed Android 2.2 Froyo, the FM radio app is now normal stereo.

[Guest zehunter]

Hi,

FM radio is stereo for me, but GPS is very very bad :-(

car trip into mountain drive me to nowhere many time :-(

very bad part of this phone is GPS failure too much often :-(

[Guest Astracat_95]

yes, i can confirm the radio is mono, not stereo. I've tried the original headset and and others as well. oh and in case if you are wondering if i can differentiate between stereo and mono, i can. the fm radio on the galaxy s is definitely mono, unless my set I'd faulty, which i think is unlikely.

Mine is definitely stereo, you really need to make sure the headphones are plugged in completely.

As for GPS, no problems there either, my Galaxy S shipped with FroYo 2.2 if that makes a difference.

The only times I have lost gps signal was in a bad area, so my other phone (Samsung Omnia II) would have lost signal too.

Edited November 24, 2010 by Astracat_95

[Guest ELeP]

I'm considering to retire my well working i900 and get the i9000. However I have noticed some early complains:

1/ FM radio is mono (can somebody test it with the original headset provided? europe perhaps)

I'd be very thankful if someone can comment on these -are they valid points or perhaps already fixed by Samsung?

Many thanks in advance!

I have recorded the earphones of my Galaxy S with a stereo microphone and compared the channel traces with Adobe Audition. The Galaxy S FM radio is MONO. Disappointing.

A friend also has a Galaxy S. Same story.

Listening to internet radio using the same earphones we have stereo. Perhaps Froyo will fix it, but in Australia we're still waiting.