Whats the best ROM for GPS ?

[Guest Rooster#1]

Hi Folks,

I have a GEN1 OLED Sanfrancisco... I have tried a few ROMS so far, and ALL have been awful GPS wise

Tried Flibblesan, Swedish Spring, and currently Portuguese Spring... which is a great ROM APART from the GPS !!! It either takes minutes to get a lock, or more annoyingly - appears to lock within seconds... but no sats are visible

Tried this as we speak using "GPS STATUS" and it took 2 min 40 seconds, despite having 8 sats at one point....

Would love a fix for my current ROM, but am prepared to jump ship if necessary.

And what would changing to GEN2 do for me please ? (GPS or otherwise !)

Thanks

[Guest ZBlade]

I'm totally happy with gsf b21! (tpt'ed to gen2)

Sat-fix in google maps in less than 40s (estimated...). Other apps are even faster...:D

There are further settings possible, accepting a lower accuracy for the fix, but then there might be the first fix over hundred miles away from your actual position :o

And the option to return to gen1 is just a tpt...

[Guest mrflibbles]

GPS is fine in almost any ROM as long as it has the correct settings in the gps.conf file. I got my Orange San Fran at launch and in that time I've tried 4 ROM's and all of them except the stock Orange ROM had the wrong GPS settings for the UK.

Once you've updated your gps.conf you will get an AGPS lock within a second and a GPS lock (outdoors) in under 20 seconds.

http://android.modac...90#entry1728790

Do you need to know how to modify your gps.conf file?

Edited September 1, 2011 by mrflibbles

[Guest Ficus]

try fasterfix, you can find it on android market. and have enabled agps.

of course, you need to have open air over you to get fast gps signal.

[Guest Rooster#1]

GPS is fine in almost any ROM as long as it has the correct settings in the gps.conf file. I got my Orange San Fran at launch and in that time I've tried 4 ROM's and all of them except the stock Orange ROM had the wrong GPS settings for the UK.

Once you've updated your gps.conf you will get an AGPS lock within a second and a GPS lock (outdoors) in under 20 seconds.

http://android.modac...90#entry1728790

Do you need to know how to modify your gps.conf file?

Tried this with Swedish Spring... made no difference, apart from make GPS unreliable !!!! Just tried it on PS.... over a minute and not one satellite

Ill try it in daylight and see whats what.

[Guest mrflibbles]

Fasterfix will change your GPS timeservers to UK ones which will help a lot. That was the first thing I tried. And it is a lot easier for a novice than manually changing gps.conf file.

But for the ultimate fast-fix you need to change more parameters as listed on the post I linked to. (unless fasterfix has been updated)

Edit: So strange it does not work for you!! There are 10 San Fran users in our Oxford office and the mod I made to gps.conf (which was gleemed from various websites) has vastly improved their GPS lock time. You sure you're in Nottingham UK ;)

With the Standard SS5 or GSF gps.conf I would see 8-9 satellites in GPS status but no matter how long I waited I would never ever get a lock :(

If you are using SS5 and you are in the UK, I'm pretty sure this will work for you if you have successfully replaced the /system/etc/gps.conf

Edited September 1, 2011 by mrflibbles

[Guest Rooster#1]

try fasterfix, you can find it on android market. and have enabled agps.

of course, you need to have open air over you to get fast gps signal.

All that does is alter your time server.... you can do that via GPS.CONF, so pointless really

Thanks for the reply all the same.

[Guest Hanks6]

fibblesan's FLB seems to be OK for GPS here!

[Guest mrflibbles]

I imagine it could be because FBS ships with a gps.conf which works fine in the USA? It wasn't good for me here in the UK.

But I am starting to wonder if GPS uses the phone's in built time for some sort of raw calculation as I've noticed that the network time for O2 is several minutes off.

Edited September 2, 2011 by mrflibbles

[Guest Hanks6]

UK here! the gps is fine on the FLB rom. in particular i use the basic GPS (in google maps and copilot) more than any AGPS, which i believe is enabled by default...

Edited September 2, 2011 by Hanks6

[Guest wbaw]

Fasterfix will change your GPS timeservers to UK ones which will help a lot. That was the first thing I tried. And it is a lot easier for a novice than manually changing gps.conf file.

But for the ultimate fast-fix you need to change more parameters as listed on the post I linked to. (unless fasterfix has been updated)

Edit: So strange it does not work for you!! There are 10 San Fran users in our Oxford office and the mod I made to gps.conf (which was gleemed from various websites) has vastly improved their GPS lock time. You sure you're in Nottingham UK ;)

With the Standard SS5 or GSF gps.conf I would see 8-9 satellites in GPS status but no matter how long I waited I would never ever get a lock :(

If you are using SS5 and you are in the UK, I'm pretty sure this will work for you if you have successfully replaced the /system/etc/gps.conf

INTERMEDIATE_POS=1 in gps.conf might make it seem a little faster, but the results will be inaccurate until it has had time to get a proper fix. It causes problems with some apps which only take the first location reported by gps, it could be hundreds of miles away. If you're in the UK, then it'll say that you're near Skipton, no matter where you are.

[Guest unrandomsam]

Hi Folks,

I have a GEN1 OLED Sanfrancisco... I have tried a few ROMS so far, and ALL have been awful GPS wise

Tried Flibblesan, Swedish Spring, and currently Portuguese Spring... which is a great ROM APART from the GPS !!! It either takes minutes to get a lock, or more annoyingly - appears to lock within seconds... but no sats are visible

Tried this as we speak using "GPS STATUS" and it took 2 min 40 seconds, despite having 8 sats at one point....

Would love a fix for my current ROM, but am prepared to jump ship if necessary.

And what would changing to GEN2 do for me please ? (GPS or otherwise !)

Thanks

(I find AGPS to be useless as I only care about a proper fix not one thats accurate to half a mile away).

Probably best off with a 2.2.2 rom (Even though the gps stuff hasn't changed since SS).

The GPS shim's people use are incomplete for gingerbread.

[Guest wbaw]

(I find AGPS to be useless as I only care about a proper fix not one thats accurate to half a mile away).

Probably best off with a 2.2.2 rom (Even though the gps stuff hasn't changed since SS).

The GPS shim's people use are incomplete for gingerbread.

You misunderstand AGPS then, it makes your fixes more accurate, not less. AGPS isn't related to wireless network based location. It just needs a data connection to get a bit of info about the gps satellites in order to correct gps errors & make your fixes more accurate.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assisted_GPS

Edited September 2, 2011 by wbaw

[Guest unrandomsam]

You misunderstand AGPS then, it makes your fixes more accurate, not less. AGPS isn't related to wireless network based location. It just needs a data connection to get a bit of info about the gps satellites in order to correct gps errors & make your fixes more accurate.

http://en.wikipedia....ki/Assisted_GPS

When AGPS is enabled the first fix is almost always wrong. Even if its faster.

[Guest unrandomsam]

You misunderstand AGPS then, it makes your fixes more accurate, not less. AGPS isn't related to wireless network based location. It just needs a data connection to get a bit of info about the gps satellites in order to correct gps errors & make your fixes more accurate.

http://en.wikipedia....ki/Assisted_GPS

I know how it works (And it works correctly with CM7 the first fix is correct).

Try a fair quantity of offline GPS apps and you will understand. (Navigon < 3.6.2 is particularly bad).

(It makes it jump about which doesn't happen otherwise).

Totally accurate without it (Pass a given street exactly at the right time).

I have tested this stuff extensively and for the apps I use (I never use Google maps or navigation).

Its a hindrance more than a benefit.

CM7''s gps libs just work (other than gps reboot bug). and don't interfere with anything else.

codeaura's is ok as well.

(and the froyo + shim works fine with the SS /etc/gps.conf / loc_parameter.ini)

Which apps have you tested ?

I have tested (Probably some others that I didn't like).

Navigon

Copilot

Backcountry Navigator

Synic

Igo Myway

Locus

Viewranger.

and the only config that works in all cases (without any issues) is without agps and standalone mode.

[Guest wbaw]

When AGPS is enabled the first fix is almost always wrong. Even if its faster.

You're getting it confused with intermediate positioning or something else entirely. AGPS makes it more accurate.

[Guest unrandomsam]

You're getting it confused with intermediate positioning or something else entirely. AGPS makes it more accurate.

All I know is this :

Regardless of what should happen.

If you take the latest version of gsf

and any relatively recent version of copilot 8.

As shipped

/etc/gps.conf

/etc/loc_parameter.ini

Start it - position jumps about all over the place and it stutters.

Then either just use the SS

/etc/loc_parameter.ini (Or return to standalone mode and get rid of the agps stuff).

/etc/gps.conf

then all is fine.

Regardless of anything this issue only happens with the AGPS lines in /etc/gps.conf

I haven't checked if building the shim without XTRA data and using just AGPS works or not.

(I know it doesn't work at all if you just disable XTRA data and try to use it standalone).

[Guest Rooster#1]

Tried this with Swedish Spring... made no difference, apart from make GPS unreliable !!!! Just tried it on PS.... over a minute and not one satellite

Ill try it in daylight and see whats what.

Well, after a day out in the sunshine, I frequently got 10/11 satellites, but STILL the fix took an age

So, I've put the original GPS.CONF back...

I presume it IS the one in SYSTEM/ETC that we are changing ?

[Guest wbaw]

Swedish spring & all the other blade roms have agps enabled, as far as I know, the xtra server settings are right there in gps.conf

The only difference between ss5 gps.conf & gsf is the supl server & ntp server, neither are going to make it less accurate. It's basically the same gps.conf as in cm7.

I changed one option in loc_parameter.ini

from

#1 - DEFAULT, 2 - MSB, 3 - MSA, 4 - Standalone

#5 - Speed optimal, 6 - Accuracy optimal, 7 - data optimal

operation_mode = 4

to

#1 - DEFAULT, 2 - MSB, 3 - MSA, 4 - Standalone

#5 - Speed optimal, 6 - Accuracy optimal, 7 - data optimal

operation_mode = 6

I can't see how that could make it less accurate either. I've been using that same setup for a while & it's never caused me a single problem.

In very early versions of gsf this line was set to 1

INTERMEDIATE_POS=0

That is the only option that could cause the problem you describe.

By replacing your gps.conf, in ginger stir fry you can only make it slower or less accurate, unless you're just changing to a better ntp server.

Edited September 2, 2011 by wbaw

[Guest tsddave]

Ive used cm7, gsf b21 and elitemovils v7 rom and never had an issue with gps. Naturally any cm7 nightly that had gps issues I avoided like the plague ofc :P

I use gps for 4-5 hours usually twice a week for cycle training, so im a high gps user I guess.

[Guest Nick Rhodes]

Currently using CM7 (gen2) used GPS for at-least 3 hours solid today, stopped a number of times, turned navigation off each time and when I got back in car got an accurate lock within a few seconds, same experience as with SS5 (gen1). OLED btw.

Rooster#1, I do wonder if you have a hardware problem.

Cheers, Nick.

[Guest unrandomsam]

Swedish spring & all the other blade roms have agps enabled, as far as I know, the xtra server settings are right there in gps.conf

The only difference between ss5 gps.conf & gsf is the supl server & ntp server, neither are going to make it less accurate. It's basically the same gps.conf as in cm7.

I changed one option in loc_parameter.ini

from

#1 - DEFAULT, 2 - MSB, 3 - MSA, 4 - Standalone

#5 - Speed optimal, 6 - Accuracy optimal, 7 - data optimal

operation_mode = 4

to

#1 - DEFAULT, 2 - MSB, 3 - MSA, 4 - Standalone

#5 - Speed optimal, 6 - Accuracy optimal, 7 - data optimal

operation_mode = 6

I can't see how that could make it less accurate either. I've been using that same setup for a while & it's never caused me a single problem.

In very early versions of gsf this line was set to 1

INTERMEDIATE_POS=0

That is the only option that could cause the problem you describe.

By replacing your gps.conf, in ginger stir fry you can only make it slower or less accurate, unless you're just changing to a better ntp server.

Theoretically less accurate or practically less accurate ?

AGPS and XTRA are different (But do the same job)

Don't think XTRA is enabled on CM7 (At least the BoardConfig option isn't there)

Either way If I just use XTRA and I don't have any problems.

(NO SUPL which is what I understand AGPS to be - If you are counting XTRA as AGPS as well then its not its qualcomm specific not a standard thing).

[Guest Rooster#1]

Currently using CM7 (gen2) used GPS for at-least 3 hours solid today, stopped a number of times, turned navigation off each time and when I got back in car got an accurate lock within a few seconds, same experience as with SS5 (gen1). OLED btw.

Rooster#1, I do wonder if you have a hardware problem.

Cheers, Nick.

Dont think its a hardware issue, as "gps status" shows lots of sattelites and these vary in signal strength, and position on the "globe" so I think the hardware is ok.... I've had this before, cures itself when a new ROM is loaded, then a few weeks later becomes patchy (or that could be a false memory ! lol

[Guest unrandomsam]

Stock libra 2.3.5 is best for GPS.

(Install the lot).

[Guest freebooter]

Total noob here so this may be no use. I just got a sanfran a week ago as my first smart phone and it is still on stock orange 2.1.

I found that the gps couldn't get a fix at all. Found GPStest on the market and used it to check that it was picking up satellites fine but still no fix. GPStest has a button to clear aGPS data. After doing that the phone finds a fix quickly. I am now using gps without the agps on.