Omnia II GPS Performance

[Guest euthanasia2003]

For those who has problem on using GPS of i8000, please try this software: GpsModDriver

I had tried Garmin, Agis, Tomtom, and none of them could get signal fixed before I install GpsModDriver.

After I install this program, normally, it fixed in less than 15 seconds. Even in my room, it got fixed if the phone is near windows.

One issue to be mention:

After the installation of GpsModDriver, it will take over the GPS module and output data using Port 2. Thus you need to set your GPS software port to Port 2.

I am using winmo 6.1 version now.

Now I love my i8000 more than ever. Have a happy time with your GPS of I8000.

Thanks alot this GpsModDriver worked for me too on my omnia i8000 cheeeeeeers :-)

[Guest Qualquer coisa]

xtra feature is gone i8000 official rom upgrade. apgs menu added but needed the server ip address and port?

I've read in some note left by Rodrigofd to use supl.nokia.com.... but i've tried this server and still got looonnngggg fixing times... Then i've searched around and found that this server are only usable for Nokia phones, that it uses TLS connection...

Then i've got from my MotoQ11 phone (WM6.1) this server: supl1.motorola.com but still having horrible fixing times (around 6 minutes).

Then i've came to the server asigned to HTC models, the 10.1.101.63, haven't tried yet, but will try it.

But i'm not sure if ANY agps server would fit... I don't know how the infomation is handled by the GPS hardware/software, so i think that maybe we need the 'original' samsung server.

Please guys that run older ROMs, take a look at this registry key and tell us what is the original server:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE / SOFTWARE / SAMSUNG / RIL / GPS / XTRA / SERVERADDRESS

I'm running an newer ROM (shows AGPS insted of XTRA) and the key is stored in the same place, under XTRA/serveradress, even if there is no more XTRA option in samsung_settings.

EDIT:

FOUND THE SETTINGS AT:

http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=545203

Edited January 28, 2010 by Qualquer coisa

[Guest BassBionic]

I tried GPSproxy, Port Splitter and GPS Moddriver to get Tomtom working. Nothing worked untill I used GPS Gate. I really thought nothing would help but this really helps. You can choose to let it start on the background so you don't have the start it everytime you want to use TT. It is also easy to install using the wizard. The first time I had to wait 15 minutes. When I start TT again it gets a fix after 15 sec.

[Guest Opuske]

Port splitter works perfect here.

I get signal within 10 to 15 seconds always.

Offcourse the Xtra data must be still valid else it will take about 45 to 60 seconds before i get signal.

All the other programs like gpsgate or proxy or moddriver did not work for me.

[Guest luisgracia]

Hello Everybody!

First of I will introduce myself. My name is Luis and I live in Valladolid, Spain. I have purchased an Omnia I8000 in Singapur. My question is about the GPS accuracy.

The problem is that I get always a height measurement over 50 meters greater that real (I live 700 meters over sea level). Of course I have try all of your suggestions and I have tested it in open sky, in places with well known location , with different softwares and I have compared it with another two GPS receivers.

Is possible that the problem is due to use the mobile in a different country?

I need to update GPS firmware? I have tested IJ9, IL2, JA5 with its phone firmware...

Anyway, what is the expected accuracy? (horizontal and vertical)

Thanks a lot for your help

[Guest TomRR]

Hi,

can anybody tell what difference the xtra sntp option makes? My phone connects to gprs internet everytime I switch on the gps receiver after a softreset. No matter if sntp is enabled or not. Is it different on your phone?

Also it connects to the internet after a softreset even if it already has up-to-date xtra data. That doesn't really make sense!

Is this normal?

[Guest bluhound]

Hi,

can anybody tell what difference the xtra sntp option makes? My phone connects to gprs internet everytime I switch on the gps receiver after a softreset. No matter if sntp is enabled or not. Is it different on your phone?

Also it connects to the internet after a softreset even if it already has up-to-date xtra data. That doesn't really make sense!

Is this normal?

By enabling the SNTP option, the phone will be able to process the GPS data and compare with SNTP servers to get a more accurate location. (GPS also uses time to triangulate location).

Yes, I too have the same auto connect issues. I used NoData and disabled all access points except MMS and all is well.

[Guest lambi1982]

My O2 i920 gets a GPS signal FAST!!! compared to my original Omnia (which was pretty much a no go )

just after powering up I can get a lock in under 60 seconds, original omnia was about 60 days ;)

Edited February 9, 2010 by lambi1982

[Guest TomRR]

By enabling the SNTP option, the phone will be able to process the GPS data and compare with SNTP servers to get a more accurate location. (GPS also uses time to triangulate location).

Yes, I too have the same auto connect issues. I used NoData and disabled all access points except MMS and all is well.

That means SNTP options needs data connection all the time when GPS is enabled? Not only at the beginning when searching satellites?

[Guest Ruud S]

Has anyone been experimenting yet with the additional GPS settings in Nogarder GPS? You can access this program by typing *#1472365# on your phone keypad. Via Menu->Settings you can access additional (A)-GPS settings, like operation mode, QOS settings, server settings, etc. Changing settings here will change existing registry keys under HKLM\Software\Samsung\RIL\GPS, and/or will add some additional registry keys here. Using this program you can also easily get your current position, view satellites info, test your Time To First Fix via Menu->TTFF etc.

In the Menu->Settings->GPS menu, I can select three operation modes: Standalone, MS-Based and MS-Assisted. If I remember correctly Standalone is the default, which means that the device will only look at satellites, possibly aided by ephemeris data downloaded via XTRA (similar to HTC's QuickGPS). AFAIK, the other two modes will also take cell tower location into account, which should result in faster locks. Here, MS-Based will simply retrieve the coarse-grained location based on cell tower location and use that to get a faster lock, where-as MS-Assisted will send all available information to some server which will help determining the exact GPS location.

I think the Menu->Settings->GPRS(AGPS)->'Server Address and TCP setting' (corresponds to HKLM\Software\Samsung\RIL\GPS\ServerAddress) will only be used for MS-Assisted mode, so it doesn't really make sense to set this address when using the default Standalone mode.

On my HTC Kaiser I was using MS-Assisted mode, with ServerIP 193.253.42.109, ServerPort 7275 (these are separate registry entries), which almost always gave me a fix within a few seconds. However, on the i8000 when I try to enable MS-Assisted mode the GPS device seems to be inaccessible (Nogarder GPS doesn't get any satellite info, GPSTest keeps looking for a GPS device). I'm not sure whether this is simply a Samsung driver limitation, or that some of my settings are wrong. For example, I'm not exactly sure about the format of the ServerAddress registry key. Anyone able to enable MS-Assisted mode correctly?

Currently I'm using MS-Based operation mode, which seems to work correctly. Also, you may be able to get a faster fix by changing the QOS settings. For example, I've set my 'Horizontal accuracy' to 50 (same as on my Kaiser, default on i8000 is 19 I think).

[Guest gregy74]

Great found. But there is too much setting.

Why there is so many hidden programs on omnia II?

Compass is hidden, this GPS settings programis hidden,...

[Guest achugar]

Has anyone been experimenting yet with the additional GPS settings in Nogarder GPS? You can access this program by typing *#1472365# on your phone keypad. Via Menu->Settings you can access additional (A)-GPS settings, like operation mode, QOS settings, server settings, etc. Changing settings here will change existing registry keys under HKLM\Software\Samsung\RIL\GPS, and/or will add some additional registry keys here. Using this program you can also easily get your current position, view satellites info, test your Time To First Fix via Menu->TTFF etc.

In the Menu->Settings->GPS menu, I can select three operation modes: Standalone, MS-Based and MS-Assisted. If I remember correctly Standalone is the default, which means that the device will only look at satellites, possibly aided by ephemeris data downloaded via XTRA (similar to HTC's QuickGPS). AFAIK, the other two modes will also take cell tower location into account, which should result in faster locks. Here, MS-Based will simply retrieve the coarse-grained location based on cell tower location and use that to get a faster lock, where-as MS-Assisted will send all available information to some server which will help determining the exact GPS location.

I think the Menu->Settings->GPRS(AGPS)->'Server Address and TCP setting' (corresponds to HKLM\Software\Samsung\RIL\GPS\ServerAddress) will only be used for MS-Assisted mode, so it doesn't really make sense to set this address when using the default Standalone mode.

On my HTC Kaiser I was using MS-Assisted mode, with ServerIP 193.253.42.109, ServerPort 7275 (these are separate registry entries), which almost always gave me a fix within a few seconds. However, on the i8000 when I try to enable MS-Assisted mode the GPS device seems to be inaccessible (Nogarder GPS doesn't get any satellite info, GPSTest keeps looking for a GPS device). I'm not sure whether this is simply a Samsung driver limitation, or that some of my settings are wrong. For example, I'm not exactly sure about the format of the ServerAddress registry key. Anyone able to enable MS-Assisted mode correctly?

Currently I'm using MS-Based operation mode, which seems to work correctly. Also, you may be able to get a faster fix by changing the QOS settings. For example, I've set my 'Horizontal accuracy' to 50 (same as on my Kaiser, default on i8000 is 19 I think).

This is nice, thanks

But i have a question, wich values do tou think are the best.

Becouse if i change to MS-Based seems to turn off the gps when i do a soft reset.

[Guest oachim]

Hi,

Thanks for this useful tip. I'm trying desperately to get my GPS working on my Omnia2, but no luck so far.

Using your tip, I'm having 12 satellites in view after turning on A-GPS, but non of them in use. All of them are reporting 0db. I suspect a faulty GPS.

I'm running secany's JA5.

Please advice,

Regards,

Ovidiu

[Guest Ruud S]

I'm still trying out several settings; not sure which settings are best. On my HTC Kaiser (which AFAIK uses a similar GPS chipset) I seem to have a faster and more stable fix, that's why I'm trying to mimic it's settings on my i8000, including MS-Based or MS-Assisted operation mode. However, the devices use different drivers and thus different registry settings, so it's not easy to get exactly the same settings. Maybe the Samsung driver doesn't even fully support those operation modes.

Also, I found some additional registry settings in this topic that could be tried. Originally for the i900, but the i8000 has the same registry keys and values. I've done a quick test using these settings (although I'm using COM4 instead of COM3), 'Standalone' operation mode and XTRA enabled. Using the satellite view in Nogarder GPS, it seems to pick up GPS satellites quicker than before. However this should be tested more thoroughly, it may just be atmospheric differences.

[Guest achugar]

I'm still trying out several settings; not sure which settings are best. On my HTC Kaiser (which AFAIK uses a similar GPS chipset) I seem to have a faster and more stable fix, that's why I'm trying to mimic it's settings on my i8000, including MS-Based or MS-Assisted operation mode. However, the devices use different drivers and thus different registry settings, so it's not easy to get exactly the same settings. Maybe the Samsung driver doesn't even fully support those operation modes.

Also, I found some additional registry settings in this topic that could be tried. Originally for the i900, but the i8000 has the same registry keys and values. I've done a quick test using these settings (although I'm using COM4 instead of COM3), 'Standalone' operation mode and XTRA enabled. Using the satellite view in Nogarder GPS, it seems to pick up GPS satellites quicker than before. However this should be tested more thoroughly, it may just be atmospheric differences.

I have try the "permanent gps fix" but it doesnt work for me. The Garmin XT freezes and i have to soft reset the phone, also, baseline gps doesnt get any satellite even when a minute ago (before i do the changes) i had 11 sats.

Thanks anyway.

I have to say that the problem i have is that the GPS work when he wants. I explain myself:

For example, in this right moment (i have restore the values in the registry and soft reset) when i open Garmin or baseline, the dont find any satelittes, not even one! (is a very very good day in terms of weather). It seams like the gps is not working at all. But this problem is solve like magic, if i try, i dont know, an hour from now.

Last minute info!!

It seams to have a relation with SKtools "autoclean" and "free memory" features.

Could Sktools afect GPS work? like happen with wifi (i had this problem to with sk tools, wifi doesnt turns on when you clean the files or ram with sktools, im not the only one with this problem)

Thanks and sorry for my english.

Im from Uruguay

[Guest chong01]

My i8000's GPS performance seems to unreliable after I flashed JA3 phone - the connection can drop randomly for ~10sec or more when traveling in a vehicle with no buildings nearby.

Anyone else have the same experience?

[Guest luisgracia]

I'm still trying out several settings; not sure which settings are best. On my HTC Kaiser (which AFAIK uses a similar GPS chipset) I seem to have a faster and more stable fix, that's why I'm trying to mimic it's settings on my i8000, including MS-Based or MS-Assisted operation mode. However, the devices use different drivers and thus different registry settings, so it's not easy to get exactly the same settings. Maybe the Samsung driver doesn't even fully support those operation modes.

Also, I found some additional registry settings in this topic that could be tried. Originally for the i900, but the i8000 has the same registry keys and values. I've done a quick test using these settings (although I'm using COM4 instead of COM3), 'Standalone' operation mode and XTRA enabled. Using the satellite view in Nogarder GPS, it seems to pick up GPS satellites quicker than before. However this should be tested more thoroughly, it may just be atmospheric differences.

Great Nogarder GPS! But, anyway, I get no AGPS information. I have tried your server address and also the server agps.movistar.es wich seems to be the one for movistar carrier, in Spain.

If a use the MS-Based mode and I try "Get Position", the only difference with Standalone moede is that I get the line "SUPL Flow:Unknown Status" in the gps data display. If I try MsAssited mode, no data is shown, ti seem to be frozen.

Are you sure that you got differences between Standalone and MS-Based modes?

Thanks

[Guest Ruud S]

If a use the MS-Based mode and I try "Get Position", the only difference with Standalone moede is that I get the line "SUPL Flow:Unknown Status" in the gps data display. If I try MsAssited mode, no data is shown, ti seem to be frozen.

Are you sure that you got differences between Standalone and MS-Based modes?

With MS-Assisted I get the same result as you; GPS seems to be frozen. When I tried MS-Based it seemed to work correctly with a faster fix than Standalone. But I haven't done enough tests to rule out atmospheric influences, satellite position etc.

I've since upgraded my ROM to Secany's JB1, which seems to have quite a fast fix with mostly default settings (I've changed program port to COM4, baud rate is default 4800, and I've increased the value for horizontal accuracy a bit). But again, I didn't do any extensive tests yet.

[Guest asus535]

I also don't like gps performance of JA3,

to be ensure that it is really related with radio ROM version you have, please guys tell us your radio ROMs, if you have no complaint about gps performance?

I think it is easy to flash only Radio ROM version. I want to try best Radio ROM.

My i8000's GPS performance seems to unreliable after I flashed JA3 phone - the connection can drop randomly for ~10sec or more when traveling in a vehicle with no buildings nearby.

Anyone else have the same experience?

Edit: I wrote only JB1 Phone rom over JA3, by using Octans V2.13 and checked "preserve device's contents". I don't need to install anything, nothing erased from my phone. I'll try and report tomorrow if anything is changed or not. I'm still using JA5 PDA ROM, because JB1 reported to have a lot of bugs.

Edited February 22, 2010 by asus535

[Guest evilhell]

Im using Secany ROM JB1. And i can tell u the gps performance is superb! It lock satelite within 30sec on cold start, bout 5sec after that. and it can detect bout 5 to 6 satelite in my bedroom but not near to windows. this is amazing!

[Guest asus535]

Do you know where is te gps antenna?

I remember one fix for diamond. After putting Mugen Extended battery to HTC Diamond, gps reception was lost. One smart man fixed it with an aluminum foil fixed with scotch tape.

Here is the picture of fix for the diamond:

from thread at: XDA WEB Site

A note: I applied regitry changes below except the last one. I feel, gps fix is quicker than before. I have JB1 radio ROM. Using software port at 4 instead of 7. And changed baud rate from 4800 to 9600 in Samsung GPS menu.

- HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\GPS Intermediate Driver\Drivers\Samsung GPS Hardware\InputBufferSize: set from 4096 to 512

- HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\GPS Intermediate Driver\Drivers\Samsung GPS Hardware\OutputBufferSize: set from 4096 to 512

- HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\GPS Intermediate Driver\Multiplexer\MaxBufferSize: set from 16384 to 1024

- HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\GPS Intermediate Driver\Drivers\Samsung GPS Hardware\SleepOnNoData: set from 100 to 0 (for TomTom) or 5 (for Garmin)

Those registry settings are default by Microsoft: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb202016.aspx and

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb202042.aspx

if they really works for you, something seriously wrong made by Microsoft. Decrease the buffer size to increase gps performance. Really funny :( but makes me angry :( .

Edited February 27, 2010 by asus535

[Guest asus535]

It is obvious that, Microsoft messed up gpsid driver on wm6.5, because already did it before.

Look at:

http://blogs.msdn.com/cenet/archive/2006/0...ion-issues.aspx

http://blogs.msdn.com/cenet/archive/2007/1...m6-release.aspx

http://nativemobile.blogspot.com/2007/12/w...workaround.html

Driver programmers should be careful according to those posts:

http://blogs.msdn.com/cenet/archive/2006/1...hould-care.aspx

http://blogs.msdn.com/croman/archive/2008/...st-friends.aspx

Our problem may be related with Samsung engineers or Microsoft engineers or both.

Edited February 27, 2010 by asus535

[Guest jh787]

Has anybody tried typing in *#1472365# into their Omnia2?

It brings up some extra gps settings, some of which are similar to settings that can be reached in registry but some are unique.

The main one that was of interest to me was the start up mode of GPS.

Mine was set to cold start which meant that every time i started my tomtom it did so by deleting all previous data.

This meant i was on a cold start each and every time i used it which was why it took forever to lock sometimes.

I have now changed this setting to "hotstart" and my locks are instant.

Please see post 95 in the following thread for my registry settings which give me a very fast fix with excellent accuracy.

http://www.modaco.com/content-page/275659/...0/#entry1238381

Edited April 7, 2010 by jh787