Compass sensor alignment/calibration.

[Guest foobert]

This is another of those "does anyone else/or is it just me" questions I'm afraid.

I did a search but I couldn't find anything related, so it may well just be me.

The compass sensor on my Huawei G300 is wonky as hell. It flaps about like a cat that has been chucked off a cliff.

When using Google maps, Streetview compass mode, or other compass applications, the orientation is usually frenetically flipping between -90 to 0 degrees of my actual orientation. I have tried holding the phone at different angles, or even perfectly still, but it continues to behave as if it has an advanced case of Parkinson's.

Is it just me? Do any of you fine learned gentlemen know of a solution to my woes?

I should probably mention that it goes on regardless of ROM, although I don't recall how it was on GB.

[Guest steveg271]

The way I have seen it recommended to calibrate the compass - and that seems to work, is to rotate the phone once or twice in all three axes, one after the other.

I don't know whether it helps, I use a free app GPS Status that calibrates the sensor for you, while you do the above actions. I must admit, I'm not sure whether the app does anything other than advise you to do the above.

This certainly seems to clear up the jittery compass anyway.

Are you also sure there are no magnetic objects near you?

[Guest foobert]

I've just been having a fiddle with GPS Status, and it's the best app of its kind so far, so thanks for the recommendation.

There seem to be 2 main ways that these apps tell you to calibrate. Rotating on 3 axis or moving the phone in a figure of eight. I just tried both. And I think it may have helped a little in that the pointer has comes down a little. But it is still a bit off.

What I do notice is that it even when the phone is still, it can take up 10 seconds for the pointer to come to a rest. If I move the phone slightly, it takes a few seconds to decide where north lies again. So I think part of the problem may be that it can never keep up with its position when in motion. But being a handheld device, motion is somewhat difficult to avoid. This still doesn't explain why Maps constantly try to point me a little left of when I want to be.

And whilst my magnetism is said to be legendary across three continents, I don't think it's of the type that makes compasses have a shitfit! But seriously, I'm near no magnets, no.

[Guest foobert]

This triple post brought to you by Opera Mini Next, a somewhat dim user, and a very sketchy 3 connection.

Edited October 16, 2012 by foobert

[Guest foobert]

This triple post brought to you by Opera Mini

Next, a somewhat dim user, and a very

sketchy 3 connection.

Edited October 16, 2012 by foobert