GPS won't lock on Samsung Galaxy Portal

chrisf_1962 · Occasional Visitor Joined: Jan 21, 2011 Posts: 9

Downloaded the android app today on my Samsung Galaxy Portal but I cannot get a gps fix when using the application. All other apps using gps (e.g. google maps, navigation etc.) work OK. Any ideas what I can do?

MaFt · Posted: Fri Jan 21, 2011 7:26 pm Post subject:

are you outside when you are trying to get a fix?

are the other app's guesstimating your location from cell signal and wifi etc or are they definately 100% using gps location?

MaFt

chrisf_1962 · Occasional Visitor Joined: Jan 21, 2011 Posts: 9

Yes I was outside and I left it searching for 30 minutes whilst i drove home this evening. I'm not sure about whether the other apps were guesstimating or not. I've got some other apps that use gps so I'll try them later and check that they work

Thanks for replying

Chris

Darren · Posted: Fri Jan 21, 2011 9:19 pm Post subject:

Also, make sure you have the latest version of the app, we issued an update earlier today.
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chrisf_1962 · Occasional Visitor Joined: Jan 21, 2011 Posts: 9

Tried a couple of different gps test applications and they seem to be giving the expected results (latitude, longitude, altitude etc) Tried the Cameralert app again but I still cannot get a gps fix.

Chris

lbendlin · Posted: Sat Jan 22, 2011 12:27 am Post subject:

Anyone else with the same device having these issues?
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chrisf_1962 · Occasional Visitor Joined: Jan 21, 2011 Posts: 9

I've downloaded and installed the latest version of Cameralert but I stll cannot get a gps fix. All of the gps test apps that I've tried tell me that my gps appears to be working correctly.

On the drive to work this morning I tried to run the Cameralert app alongside Google navigation. The google app appeared to use the gps correctly but all I got from the Cameralert app was the message that it was still trying to obtain a fix.

My phone is a standard non rooted Samsung Galaxy Portal (GT-15700) running Kernel 2.6.29 and 2.1 update 1 firmware (Eclair.xxJD2)

Any help would be much appreciated.

Cheers

Chris

lbendlin · Posted: Mon Jan 24, 2011 1:04 pm Post subject:

Do you get no blue dot at all, or is it just showing the speed as 0 (zero) ?
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MaFt · Posted: Mon Jan 24, 2011 1:32 pm Post subject:

this is an interesting thread: http://androidforums.com/samsung-galaxy-lite/55888-gps-problem-spica.html

slightly different issue (but could be related) but it highlights a problem with the GPS...

MaFt

EDIT TO ADD: the thread refers to Galaxy Spica. The UK/T-Mobile version of the Spica was called the Portal (see http://mobile.engadget.com/2010/01/27/samsungs-galaxy-spica-turns-into-galaxy-portal-for-t-mobile-uk/ )

MaFt · Posted: Mon Jan 24, 2011 1:36 pm Post subject:

just do a google for "galaxy spica gps problem" there's, erm, quite a few but it may be something lutz can fix.

MaFt

chrisf_1962 · Occasional Visitor Joined: Jan 21, 2011 Posts: 9

Lutz - It's just showing a red dot there's no blue dot or speed at all.

MaFt - Yikes that doesn't look good however I've not noticed it switching the gps off. I'll see try a test using mytracks when I take my dog a walk.

Thanks for looking

Chris

MJLONGLEY

I downloaded Cameralert on to my two Android devices -
Dell Streak 5" Tablet running Android 2.2
Samsung Galaxy Portal running Android 2.1.
Both have fully functioning GPS, Google Maps & Navigation work fine.
Both initially warned me that database needed updating which I performed successfully.
Del Streak works fine but Samsung Galaxy Portal cannot get GPS Fix - Icon stays RED!
Drove into town with Dell talking to me fine but nothing from Samsung!
Turned Cameralert off on Samsung and Google maps on and drove back with it working fine and Dell talking to me.
I have uninstalled & reinstalled twice to no effect.
Anyone have any ideas?

lbendlin · Posted: Mon Jan 24, 2011 5:26 pm Post subject:

Looks like this particular device REQUIRES A-GPS. Right now our app only uses pure GPS signals as we deem the wireless network provided location to be unreliable. I'd hazard a guess that if we re-enabled the "coarse location" setting then your phone would start to spit out "usable" locations.

On the other hand, can you try the fix described here?
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=728894
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chrisf_1962 · Occasional Visitor Joined: Jan 21, 2011 Posts: 9

Thanks Lutz. I tried the fix but can't seem to get into the built in gps utilities on the phone. Dialling *#*#1472365#*#* does nothing. Looks like I'm stuck unless you can enable "coarse location" again.

Thanks for your help

Chris

MaFt · Posted: Mon Jan 24, 2011 11:45 pm Post subject:

during the beta testing we had massive issues with the coarse location (so much so that we dubbed it 'cursed location').

i'm sure it's something that lutz will try and overcome though - it just might take a little while!

MaFt

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