Database Develop

Below par GPS performance of Diamond

Hi everyone,
Have anyone noticed the slow calculation/refresh rate of GPS once it's active and navigating? Hold it in your hand and walk, there will be no refresh rate at all ! Your speed will be at 0 km/hr and the co-ordinates will not change at all. If you are in a car and it's stand still or on a traffic signal, or if there's a traffic jam and you are standstill and very immediately you have to turn right/left, you are sure to lose your way since it takes some time after the vehicle is in motion already to calculate and refresh your actual position and speed. Even when you are driving, there's a constant slow refresh rate of around 4 seconds. i.e. say you are accelerating the speed of your car, notice the speed being shown on the GPS software, it'll show your actual speed at a delay of 4/5 seconds. Same goes when you apply brakes, your speed suddenly goes down but the GPS will take it's time to reflect the correct speed.
I must say I am very disappointed with the GPS performace since my last phone was Trinity, it's GPS chip is just normal/ no agps but it's performance is much better than diamond's GPS. Trinity's GPS is immediate refresh rate with no such delays at all.
Test your diamond GPS observing what I said in this post and please post results here.

Are u sure it`s GPS issue not an software one ? Which software do you use for navigation ?

It's not a software issue since I've used TomTom and Garmin MobileXT with same results.

Same issue here!
Plus, the serial port keeps disconnecting of the internal GPS receiver keeps on disconnecting...
Which radio version have you on your device? This for sure software related (firmware, GPS navigation software or drivers)...
HastaSSSS

Have you enabled the AGPS on tweak? I found with this on the port would consistently connect and disconnect. Plus the refresh rate on TomTom was very very slow either driving or walking.
Today I turned AGPS off as where I travel it's not really needed anyway and bam!
Refresh rate both driving and walking is as good as my TomTom unit.
Today I drove with them both on and they were virtually in sync on the maps and spoken directions all the way. Very pleased.
Oh and ensuring "Receive all beams" is off in connections can help with TomTom too.
My details in case this has anything to do with it...
ROM : 1.37.405.1
Date: 10/06/2008
Radio: 1.00.25.03
Protocol: 52.26a.25.09H

And can you change the gpx settings under WM settings?
Even if I try to change the baud rate, when I go inside the configuration file, it's back to 4800 again...
HastaSSSS

This is a common problem with modern GPS chipsets - the way that they reduce multipath interference (from tall buildings, etc.) means that they often ignore movements below a certain speed (which can be often higher than walking pace).
Assuming that the HTC Touch Diamond uses the SirfStar 3 chipset (does anyone know for sure), this problem could theoretically be reduced by altering the 'static navigation' setting (see point 4 in this post for more details on static navigation and why it results in poor low-speed accuracy). However, how you'd actually tell the chipset to disable this feature, I don't know...
On an unrelated note, I have to say I'm extremely impressed with the sensitivity of the GPS chipset in the Diamond - it's managed to get lock in the middle of the my house, which is an amazing feat, and not one I've seen either my MTK or SirfStar standalone receivers achieve.

I am also pretty satisfied with the GPS performance. Can't complain on that!

snoopstah said:
This is a common problem with modern GPS chipsets - the way that they reduce multipath interference (from tall buildings, etc.) means that they often ignore movements below a certain speed (which can be often higher than walking pace).
Assuming that the HTC Touch Diamond uses the SirfStar 3 chipset (does anyone know for sure), this problem could theoretically be reduced by altering the 'static navigation' setting (see point 4 in this post for more details on static navigation and why it results in poor low-speed accuracy). However, how you'd actually tell the chipset to disable this feature, I don't know...
On an unrelated note, I have to say I'm extremely impressed with the sensitivity of the GPS chipset in the Diamond - it's managed to get lock in the middle of the my house, which is an amazing feat, and not one I've seen either my MTK or SirfStar standalone receivers achieve.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's a good theory, no doubt about that, but I think it's more a lag in the communication between the receiver and the phone, or a lag on the rendering of the map.
Your explanation doesn't foresee as well the reason why the connection keeps falling...
But I've learned already something with your post. Didn't knew about that "feature" or "characteristic" of the SIRF III receivers.
HastaSSSS

My experience with the Diamonds GPS is 100% better than on my HTC P3600.
I primarly use the GPS with google maps in Canada, and Jamaica and it gives me accurcy to about 15 feet.. where with the 3600 it was accurate to about 30-40 feet. Normally have about 7 to 8 stats connected. Didn't touch any of the default settings on the phone.
I also tested with Live Search and GPS tuner v5 and works perfectly. Fast lock times (5-10seconds)....
Chris

snoopstah said:
This is a common problem with modern GPS chipsets - the way that they reduce multipath interference (from tall buildings, etc.) means that they often ignore movements below a certain speed (which can be often higher than walking pace).
Assuming that the HTC Touch Diamond uses the SirfStar 3 chipset (does anyone know for sure), this problem could theoretically be reduced by altering the 'static navigation' setting (see point 4 in this post for more details on static navigation and why it results in poor low-speed accuracy). However, how you'd actually tell the chipset to disable this feature, I don't know...
On an unrelated note, I have to say I'm extremely impressed with the sensitivity of the GPS chipset in the Diamond - it's managed to get lock in the middle of the my house, which is an amazing feat, and not one I've seen either my MTK or SirfStar standalone receivers achieve.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If that's true according to the static navigation thing? how can we disable it on our diamond? Can somebody throw a clue?
About AGPS, I haven't enabled it, or it's enabled by default in the new rom? 1.37 one?

It's like this with even AGSP disabled so it's certainly not the AGPS which is causing this delay in reception.

After googling and studying, i've found out that it's indeed the STATIC NAVIGATION which has been enabled by default on the diamond chip. Somone have any idea how to disable it? Please share

nice to see that I m not the only one with that problem, I was asking myself if it was my device who was deffective. On my cruise there was no lag at all.

I took mine out walking today and noticed it was telling me I was stood still for about 30 yds.
So I took it and my standalone out and the Diamond is rubbish but my big tomtom unit is great!
What's the point of GPS in a handheld device if you can't use it walking?
I hope this is easy to remedy.

I'm pretty sure that they don't use SirfStar III which would present much better GPS performance. Most probably they just incorporated the GPS section in the Qualcomm processor. Of course you can buy a SirfStar III Bluetooth receiver, but it doesn't make sense if you already got GPS built-in the device. I can only say that I was using HTC Hermes with SS III BT receiver a lot (more than 8 hours daily) and when I heard that HTC Kaiser had GPS build-in I was very happy untill almost immediately after trying TomTom on my new device I noticed worse performance. With Diamond it's the same story. Unfortunately...

A-GPS.
When I got the phone I installed the advanced config tool to adjust soms settings.
I also noticed A-GPS was off.
So I was thinking that turning it on might be a smart move.
Which it wasn't. TomTom reception was bad, waiting minutes would give maybe 4 sattelites en losing them constantly.
After turning of A-GPS again.. Whitin secconds .. I got 8 sattelites with a steady signal.
TomTom works fine for me now.
Excuses for my bad english...

for "foot" navigation the igo8 has a special setup along with "car", "bicycle"' "public transportation" and so on...why blame the diamond? blame yr navigation software! how many ppl said their navigation is the best? best, my ass the best.
be cool, soon igo8 is going to be avaible for diamond also
as for the diamond's gps...it works inside my house, first floor !!!

I really feel for you guys. GPS is one thing I definitely want to be working perfectly, and I can say with the diamond so far that has been the case. I'm getting a lock in about 15-20 seconds with about 12 satellites. I'm also using QuickGPS with no problems. I have been using the new TomTom 7 and it is absolutely fantastic!!!!!! Best handheld GPS solution I've ever owned, and I don't see why it would not be identical to a TomTom PNA!

My GPS is also not accurate, I'm using Tomtom7 and its telling me my home address is atleast 30 metres away when I'm at my home address. What the hell!!!!
I have tried enabling and disabling the A-GPS option and still its the same result.

No GPS reception

Can someone please help me?
I have tried these programs:
Tomtom 6
Tomtom 7
GPSdash
BeeLineGPS
WMMiniGPS
GPS tuner
Google maps
I'm using the latest TLR ROM. My GPS setting are default. Com4 Baud rate: 4800.
Here's the problem. The programs seem to find the receiver and seem to find the satellites. (10-15). But I can get absolutely no signal at all. Indoors or outdoors.
I'm getting quite desperate

Have you used any of the tweaks for GPS? I ask as I did but my signal kept dropping - so I turned the tweak off and now it is fine.
I would also suggest using the QuickGPS application to get the Satellite information quicker

I've tried disabling agps. Didn't help. And yes I have used QuickGPS... but no luck.

Any suggestions? : [

slicker said:
Any suggestions? : [
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Was it the first try? When I tried first it was 6-8 minutes. Where do you try? In the outdoor?
Have you ever used it?
TB

Do you have correct setting "GPS is managed automatically" ?
When I set to GPS is managed manually, I could not found any way to power on builtin GPS. You have to check box "GPS is managed automatically". I think, it may be point of your problem

I had the exact same issue dude... TomTom 6 didn't work so I installed TomTOm 7... still no signal... even with QuickGPS ran...
Google Maps didn't work either....
I'm not sure what I did in the end... took out the battery, set GPS to 'let windows manage automatically' and ran Quick GPS again.. then run TomTOm 7, go to the 'GPS Status' screen which shows the sat signal charts and stand in a wide open area for 5 mins.. ever since then it has worked fine
all the best.

btw you have to make sure your system date and time are accurate coz otherwise it'll be searching for Sats with a wrong reference to the Sat almanac..

Yes, it's set to manage automatically. I've been trying to get a signal by the window, I left the device just sitting there for more than a half hour and still nothing. I guess I'll have to try longer while being outdoors. Hope it helps... but thanks for your help.

I did that too and it didn't work for me. You have to be outside for the 1st time GPS fix and make sure you run QuickGPS before that. Ohh yeah use TomTom 7 to detect the signal... I find that the most reliable somehow... and be sure it's configured to use the built-in GPS receiver...
I know it feels odd... I nearly sent my unit back for warranty because I was very convinced that the patch antenna was somehow disconnected from the chip. lol.

I had the same issue at one point, due to my fiddling and inadequate hacking attempts!
see if you can track down the HTC GPS tool (it's here on XDA somewhere, but i can't find a link at the mo) and run that.
Chipset should be set to Q7200 (yes i know its actually a 7201A but it works the same) and com port to com 4.
Tap the open port button and you should see the GOS info scrolling through the grey window in the program.
If you see nothing, check the external GPS settings
program tab should be com 4
hardware tab should be non and 4800
last tab should be ticked.
if you still get no GPS info scrolling through the gps tool, then it seems you have the same problem i did. Sadly, i had to hard reset it to get it working again, but it has been perfect ever since.
FYI, this started happening once i had turned aGPS on, and even turning it off did not work for me, so if you have to hard reset, i wouldn't bother ever turning the aGPS on again.

where's the option to turn aGPS on/off?
I just remembered how I resolved my issue... I put a SIM card in I had previously been trying to use it with WiFi (to update QuickGPS) but once I had a SIM in there, the GPS worked. Could it be because I'm now using aGPS? hmm...

you need to install schaps advanced config tool to get to the setting to turn aGPS on and off again.
it seems to be off by default btw.

rhedgehog said:
you need to install schaps advanced config tool to get to the setting to turn aGPS on and off again.
it seems to be off by default btw.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I also kept lossing the GPS signal with this on every few seconds. So I turned it off for good

did you maybe install voip on your diamond? If so that's your problem there. Hard reset you diamond don't install voip en there you go.

It worked! Thank you all.... I had to sit for half an hour in direct sunlight but it was well worth it... I'm new to gps... do you have to do this with every new gps receiver or is this just another great feature from HTC?

I'm, having the same probelm here.
I'm on my second diamond as the first one (a HK version) had a fault with the internal speeker. On the First phone the internal GPS worked fine with both TOMTOM 6 and Google maps. The initial setup only took about 30 secs.
With the new phone (UK spec) I have tried TT7, TT6 and Google maps. I have also run quiick GPS, hard reset and enabling and disabling assisted GPS using the advanced config tool.
Is there anything else I should try or is this likely to be another hardware issue?

Solution To Gps Problem
if you installed VOIP you should hard reset...gps dead...:-( no other solution.

Help! My Diamond GPS reception is MUCH worse than on my Touch Cruise
Hi,
I've just got a Touch Diamond, and the GPS reception is absolutely appalling. I have hard-reset twice, after which I've done nothing except download a QuickGPS update, but still the signal strength and its ability to connect to satellites is completely inconsistent and unreliable, even outdoors. I CAN get a good signal occasionally, but it's very rare. Most often I get no GPS signals whatsoever, or else I get just a couple of weak greyed-out signal bars in TomTom.
I can lay my Diamond down next to my Touch Cruise (both have identical TomTom 6 software loaded from the same CAB), and the Cruise always launches the app faster, finds the GPS device faster, AND finds adequate satellites faster. The Touch Cruise has a lot of problems, but the one thing it has always been very good at is GPS, and it has NEVER failed to find adequate satellites in TomTom 6, even indoors. It always takes well under a minute to do so, too. It's surely not unreasonable to expect at least the same level of performance from the next generation of device. Why should the Diamond's GPS performance be demonstrably so much worse?!!
Nine times out of ten, my Touch Diamond will simply sit there for an hour or more with the TomTom status bar reading 'Waiting for valid GPS signal...". Quite often when I open the GPS configuration option in TT6, it shows absolutely NO SHRED of a GPS signal whatsoever, even outdoors. (My Diamond and my Cruise have identical GPS settings in both Windows and TomTom, by the way).
The annoying thing is that the Diamond's GPS HAS worked on a couple of rare occasions, and the signal strength has been at least as good as on my Touch Cruise. The Diamond is much worse at holding the signal however, and is totally and utterly unreliable for navigation. It certainly isn't the 'Ultra-sensitive GPS' that HTC's marketing promised - it's nowhere near as good as the GPS on the Cruise, which is the previous generation! The Diamond's GPS DOES work well on very rare occasions - it's just that 95 times out of 100, I'm not getting anything at all. This makes me wonder if it isn't a WM 6.1 compatibility problem or a conflict of some kind. It's almost as if Windows is having difficulty activating/waking the GPS fully. When (and if) it finally gets going, reception is actually very good.
I have also downloaded the HTC GPS Tool as someone here suggested, and it reveals the same results as TomTom - I usually get either no satellites at all, or I get two or three red satellite status bars and a message saying 'Fix not available'. It ALWAYS shows a data stream coming from COM4 though, so there doesn't seem to be any problem actually finding the GPS device. On the rare occasions when I have got a usable GPS signal, the HTC Tool then shows two or three red status bars and three or four green ones as well. During those rare periods, Google Maps can also find anything from three to ten satellites, even indoors. However, the next few times I try the Diamond's GPS, nothing will happen at all - it's suddenly as if all the satellites have fallen out of the sky.
By the way, would QuickGPS make ANY difference on the Diamond? As other have pointed out, aGPS is disabled on the Diamond by default. Aren't QuickGPS and aGPS the same thing? I don't know. But if so, surely the QuickGPS data is useless on the Diamond?
Does anyone have ANY idea how to make GPS on the Diamond work as well as it does on the Touch Cruise? Does anyone know why it doesn't already? Has anyone else done a direct comparison between the Diamond and another HTC device using the same GPS software?
I really like the Diamond, but it's incredibly frustrating that the GPS is unreliable to the point of being unusable. At the moment, I'm having to carry the Cruise for GPS navigation and the Diamond for everything else! Certainly not what I paid for. It should do this stuff straight out of the box. Since it doesn't, I can only assume my device is faulty so if I can't get it fixed by the weekend, I'm returning it for a replacement.
Thanks,
Rob.
P.S. Sorry for such a long post, but I needed to vent.

Hi there, I'm having the same problem as RH Photography.
All the programs are trying to communicate, but no fix at all. Once I got a fix, but only 4 sattelites, when in my car GPS BT had fixed to 9!
Will try hard reset and install HTC GPS tool an try to fix

TD's GPS thread

Hi all,
Could you please, be kind and post you experience with TD's GPS...
Since I got my TD(4 days) I have not been able to test the GPS at all
I have loaded some soft that could help me here. ( I travel a lot between Korea and Japan). Cannot really use the phone here, but WIFI works great and I thought I would give the GPS a test run.....no luck YET..
TD's own: QuickGPS has downloaded(through WIFI) all the info and it is up to date......But how do I set up the GPS itself???
Phone did not come with preloaded GPS software so,I have loaded following soft on itnone of them would recognize the gps)
i.e. " no GPS found."
1.Google Navigator 3.4
2.GPSvp (http://gpsvp.com)
3.Effica GPS Utilities (http://www.efficasoft.com/gpsutilities/index_wm_ppc.html)
I would really like to test out the GPS here first.I am returning to EU (home) in october or november and I would like to use it there as well.

sorry for the bump
I tried the search...not just this forum but all of XDA.....I cannot seem to find one successful step-by step activation as of yet???
Nobody has internal GPS running on their TD??
Anyone?

Runs perfect and is good quality.
Make sure you let windows manage gps (in external GPS settings):
programport COM4
hardwareport none
and in last tap check the checkbox.
Programs find gps at Com4 at 19xxx baud.

THX RIEL
thank You for you reply.
Will try tommorow morning.

Riel said:
Runs perfect and is good quality.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Don't you have a problem with the static navigation? This behavior "drives"
me nearly crazy, because beside of that, the GPS in TD is superb...

On mine, no programs can access the GPS and the programs will lock and crash the phone when it tries to connect to GPS.
The onlt one that does not lock the phone is TomTom, but it wont connect to GPS.
I've tried combinations of the recommended port stttings, but I still get no GPS.
I have not activated A-GPS, so I don't know if the phone came with this already activated - how would I check this?

My GPS is a pain in the arse, From what i have read its because of the static navigation. So far it says i live in house number 20 when I live in house number 16 and when i'm on route I'm yet to hear a " You have arrived at your destination" because its accuracy is off about 50 metres.
Hopefully there will be a fix for this very soon.

can someone get me up to speed a bit? what is the 'static navigation' that i keep hearing about..
admittedly, i find sometimes the gps is slightly less accurate at placing my exact location compared to my old Trinity, but otherwise its worked great for me..

PaulusUK said:
On mine, no programs can access the GPS and the programs will lock and crash the phone when it tries to connect to GPS.
The onlt one that does not lock the phone is TomTom, but it wont connect to GPS.
I've tried combinations of the recommended port stttings, but I still get no GPS.
I have not activated A-GPS, so I don't know if the phone came with this already activated - how would I check this?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hey, have you got installed TomTom 7? I'm running TT7 and when I select "internal GPS receiver" it connects perfect. I know this doesn't exist in TT6, but I can also get my GPS running in TT7 if I set it to use a BT receiver on COM4 at 57600 baud. (Assuming you didn't mess around with the standard GPS settings, like HTC meant them to be )
Google maps is using the selection of "use windows settings".

racerx_ said:
can someone get me up to speed a bit? what is the 'static navigation' that i keep hearing about..
admittedly, i find sometimes the gps is slightly less accurate at placing my exact location compared to my old Trinity, but otherwise its worked great for me..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Check this thread out.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=402039&highlight=static+navigation
and this.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=401833&highlight=static+navigation

hi guys
Same problem here. AGPS is disabled. I have tried Garmin,TomTom, iGo and google. 95% of the time it can not lock onto the sats. Once in a while it will work fine. Last night it picked up the sats in my bedroom on the second story and this morning outside in clear sky it found 4 sats but with very low signal and could not give me my cordinates, gave up after 15 min.
I have tried GPS tools and even that won't lock onto the sats. Data is upto date with quick gps.
So is it the hardware problem or has it to do something with radio? It can't be faulty TD because there are a lots of people with the same problem, and why lots of other users have no problems accessing the sats?
How is your gps working?

hi
great going sofar...thanks to all. We still have no real answers.
Let's keep this one going.
Looks like GPS is an issue with TD.
( Other than GPS...I am loving this sweet phone )

Now I am trying different roms to see if it is related to that. Will let you guys know if find anything.

Strange, on all ROMS my GPS reciever just works perfect.
Almost the best piece of hardware on the device
As I mentioned in Another topic, I use the GPS for TrackMe, at the same time I am navigation via Igo, and at the same time I showoff Google Maps with GPS support.
It functions very well!
Did you get the GPS-Fix downloads? It speeds up a lot.

Yes got the gps fix downloads but still no go. Still have not lost the hope. I hope its not some hardware problem.

I was fed up messing with mine, so I did a hard reset, and its sorted ...... for now!

same as Paulus
I did a hard reset....and it works perfect. No other adjustments done.
Tried the TomTom, Tracky Pro, GPS VP, and the HTC GPS Tool....all work no problem...outside I get a fix within a minute sometimes seconds.

I think one of the quirks that the TD's GPS has is that, when it's in Acquiring Satellites mode it doesn't seem to spit out any sort of status. The first time I noticed that I thought my internal GPS wasn't working, since with my external Holux unit I can see the satellites which the Holux was trying to lock onto.
Whereas with the TD's built in GPS it just snaps from nothing to.. acquired. So it's hard to see wheter it hasn't gotten a signal because it's in a poor area of reception or not. Usually I'll just try and stay still till I can get a lock.

AGPS - any proof of it working/providing benefit? (new topic - pls read!)

Now please no groaning when you see this topic. I know the GPS has been hammered to death on these forums; this post is my vein attempt to see if one particular area of interest of mine has at all moved forward.
(let's also side-step the whole "does your GPS lag?" issue here too!)
(..and, for clarify, I'm referring to AGPS as in the use of the mobile phone network to 'assist' positioning by use of triangulation in areas of poor/no GPS reception, and NOT the use of QuickGPS to download current sat. info in an attempt to get a quicker initial fix)
I used to use TomTom Navigator v7.450; it worked (of a fashion! ) although one specific thing that never worked was that whenever AGPS was enabled (using AdvancedConfig or similar) TomTom would get a signal and then immediately drop it again.. on/off on/off etc.. the fix being to disable AGPS.
I must admit I'm suspicious about HTC having their stock ROMs with AGPS disabled by default - especially as this was initially a 'selling point' of the device and part of the sales blurb ("not only does it have GPS but really good GPS using AGPS".. oh the irony!) - have they themselves ever got it to work?!?!
Now TomTom Navigator v7.910 is out (have just installed it myself, currently waiting for an updated map to download). I have seen it muted that this now works with AGPS on the Diamond or maybe the Pro (ie. someone reports the above bug, yet claims it now works having moved to v7.910). Can anyone else confirm this? More importantly, can anyone confirm AGPS has given the Diamond any GPS-related benefit what-so-ever?? (ie. great if it doesn't stop TomTom working anymore, but does it actually improve it like it should?).
I'll of course try it out myself later today or over the weekend and report back.
Hope this makes sense.. cheers.

just tried TomTom 7.910 (9185) with AGPS enabled, and cant say i noticed much difference.
seems the same now with it enable or dissabled. Cant be sure tho, havent done a long journey yet.
Will update later/tomorrow.

mugglesquop said:
just tried TomTom 7.910 (9185) with AGPS enabled, and cant say i noticed much difference.
seems the same now with it enable or disabled. Cant be sure tho, haven't done a long journey yet.
Will update later/tomorrow.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for taking the time etc.
Interesting, because..
I've just taken a wonder outside and found I'm still getting the signal constantly being lost bug (looking at the screen that shows the sat. bars I have a good signal for a few seconds, then this goes and 'No GPS device' is displayed, then good signal back again and so on).
On this Diamond I'm using ROM 1.93.401.2 the the supplied radio (1.0.25.05), as I suspected this 'improvement' (potentially) noticed by you/others is more likely a result of a ROM/radio update and not a TomTom software update (guessing this AGPS bug isn't the first thing you try after flashing is it?).
Hmm..
nb. I'm using the exact same version/build of TomTom as you

hmmm... yeh, i'm going on a 60+ mile journey later, so will have a play.
Using Dutty's 3.4 ROM and Radio is BS14...

I thought that the whole point of AGPS is so you could help you get a GPS fix when indoors. Which I always thought was an unusual selling point when the entire purpose of GPS software is to help you find your way in the outdoors. Perhaps it could be more useful for those new tagging services that are popping up.
Anyhow I've been running a fairly recent version of iGo8 using Dutty's Rom 3.3 and 3.4 (both with that new radio).
With AGPS turned off, GPS signal is quickly attained and holds strong outdoors. Nothing indoors, naturally.
With AGPS turned on (via Duttys "AGPS Settings" utility), GPS signal is as quickly attained and flickers fully on then fully off, repeating constantly. When indoors, nothing at all.
So, with iGo8, AGPS seems to be a non-runner.
By the way, I once read that AGPS has to be configured to your particular mobile provider. Perhaps that's the issue?

Same here, with a-gps enabled signal drops constantly

after my journey yesterday, had the same problems as above.
tried with TomTom 7 and iGo8

I've never had any problems with GPS apart from slow getting a moving fix when the unit is physically very hot.
The main benefit of AGPS for me is that you can get your location on Google Maps within 1500m or so without enabling GPS.
It also proves A-GPS works.

ben cole said:
I've never had any problems with GPS apart from slow getting a moving fix when the unit is physically very hot.
The main benefit of AGPS for me is that you can get your location on Google Maps within 1500m or so without enabling GPS.
It also proves A-GPS works.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hmm, I think this is thanks to googles effort, not AGPS... Google uses Google Gears API which can position you by using basestations and SSIDs.
AGPS is correcting/updating the GPS data with actual almanac data sent from you mobile provider...
Pitchb3nd said:
Same here, with a-gps enabled signal drops constantly
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Same for me, anyone being able to use TomTom and AGPS without losing signal periodically?

ben cole said:
I've never had any problems with GPS apart from slow getting a moving fix when the unit is physically very hot.
The main benefit of AGPS for me is that you can get your location on Google Maps within 1500m or so without enabling GPS.
It also proves A-GPS works.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah Google Maps does this on its own without having AGPS enabled on the Diamond. I believe AGPS is supposed to be more accurate than 1000m - 1500m though.
Oh and I believe the way that Google Maps gets its position depends on your mobile provider. I used to get the message "your location is not available" constantly on my network but one day (simultaneously as the iPhone was released in my country), the location was available. So I believe that the network flicked a switch for this technology to work.

AGps and TomTom
Hi,
agps have need to run to:
1) Carrier to inform MobilePhone here is (Is a Base Station Issue)
2) Public information about position
On mobilephone if is enable i think is need to have different information, and tomtom have old pattern to process agps information.
With googlemaps have new process and can use.
With my diamond agps run (googlemaps)
Cityhunter71

Please, don't mix the Google technology and A-GPS. They have nothing in common.
Google maintains their own privately held database of GSM-cellids which GMM can query to determine your position based on the current cellid.
A-GPS is a technology where the GSM-basestation itself receives GPS-satellitedata and relays it to the device. With this additional data, the GPS-receiver in the device is supposed to achieve a faster fix.
Have fun!

a-gps works with 7.450
i remember once that it was taking forever for the satelites to be found yet is was updating my postion on the map constantly via a-gps (which im sure was enabled by default in stock rom as ive never changed it)
a-gps is useful inside because you usually have your phone with you and to find a route, you need gps

Apologies for my erroneous post.
I realised my error today when I installed Google Maps on an ageing Blackberry I had unlocked to play with.
Started it up and lo and behold there was my location....thought I'd better head back here to suffer my shame ...LOL

Thanks for the input guys.
So - in summary:
Even with later ROMS / radios / software applications, there is still yet to be seen any benefit from the Diamond (theoretically) having an A-GPS capability.
RUBBISH!!
I personally subscribe to the theory that there is a missing link between the A-GPS driver type software and an info feed from the likes of the network operator, ie. it's all very well it picking up info on the network but without a back-end database to translate this it's useless.
As far as purpose goes.. I personally think A-GPS sounds on paper to be a great idea. Not a replacement for GPS, nor to be used exclusively indoors, but a good aid/starting point. For example, if I'm sitting in an unfamiliar office in London and wanted to use TomTom to navigate me a route to where I want to get to, A-GPS could provide TomTom with a rough starting point. Similarly, I often find myself launch a nav program (when I'm lost!) and standing there for up to 5 mins waiting for a fix.. at least this would give me an approximation from which I could probably work out myself where I was from looking around me. In my mind when you first fire up TomTom on the Diamond A-GPS should simply put you in the right postcode and start doing its stuff while the GPS seeks out its signal, and not still show me as being either at Home or its last known destination. But in any event - it seems not to work!! Bugger!!

I thought that aGPS was also to help hold a GPS signal when in tunnels, canyons, heavy forest cover (ie.Redwoods in this area, many tower to well over 300 feet!) or any situation where the signal from the satellites may be impaired, or even blocked completely.

Im running Duttys 3.5 and with AGPS on I will get a signal for 10 seconds, then it goes for a second, then back for 10. then gone. Turned AGPS off and all is well.

I can confirm that AGPS does work, some parts here in Finland it works and someplaces it does that on off thingy. once when I was just playing with my tomtom it got signal where it would never get it without it. but mostly here it doesnt work properly so i disable it.
But in Helsinki (larger city) it works properly and helps getting signal fast beneath tall buildings.
But yeah it doesnt work in my hometown so its kinda rubbish here.
Maybe it has something to do with how new are nearby cell towers or something. dunno

In Trondheim, Norway it worked with Telenor and gave me a signal indoors, but when I use it together with TomTom the signal gets lost periodicly, really really annoying since "everything" is already there. Probably just something with the co-operation with the regular GPS or something?

I think i got it to run.
I use tt7.910 on diamond with htc 1.93 dutch rom
My mobile provider is mobistar.
I can get a lock inside, tough it's slow(ie not as fast as outside).
When I fire up tt7 the almanac data is showing in the satelite screen.
reg settings are:
Code:
GPRSConnection: Orange World
GpsMode: 4
Network: Orange World
ServerIP: 194.51.71.138
ServerPort: 7275
ServerUrl: agps.orange.fr

To buy or not to buy? also, cool whip.

Hi, I'm a new member, but more of a lurker. I originally planned to buy a Hermes but after reading about all the hardware problems I decided to go for the Kaiser. My question is, are there any major problems with the Kaiser? I know of the ImageON driver issues, are there any other hardware or software issues?

I don't think there's any fundamental problem with the hardware. The 3 Mp camera is not great, but what do you expect of a camera on a phone?
There a lot of ROMs, official and cooked, you can choose one that suits you.
Mine works pretty well with the original WM 6.0 ROM or the HTC official 3.02 one. With more recent ROMs or radio firmware I have problems with GPS fix times and access to WiFi routers.

Thanks for the fast reply!
I'm sorry to ask this in the Kaiser forum, but would going for the Hermes be worse than the Kaiser? They're essentially the same, except that I've read of a lot of h/w problems on the Hermes.

Hermes is awful next to the Kaiser. I still have mine here, had to use it while my Kaiser was being repaired a few months ago and it was just a PITA. Slow as hell, deeply embossed and lower quality screen,... But I can't talk of hardware problems with it.
If you get a 2nd hand Kaiser, the important points you need to check is that 3G is working (early units had faulty 3G hardware that would fail after some time, but most should have been warranty-fixed by now), and that the USB port is not broken as some tend to break it by shoving the stylus in it instead of the storage place.

I guess I know which phone I'm going for thanks!
One more question! sorry lol, I know the Kaiser has A-GPS, do you have to pay for it? If I put TomTom on my Kaiser will I have to pay for using the assisted GPS?
Also, is CorePlayer working fine on the Kaiser, mainly with xvid/avi files?

A-GPS aka QuickGPS will want to download a small file off the internet at least once a week, be it through Wifi, Activesync or whatever else is available to get satellite data and allow for shorter times to first fix, that's all. And if you don't want to use it you're not forced to, it will just take a little longer to get a fix.
So nothing to pay, except if you decide to download that little file over GPRS where your data fees would apply.
Coreplayer works fine, I personally reencode my videos in 320x240 divx for viewing with it. Never really tried anything else for video.

Alright, thanks amigo!

kilrah said:
A-GPS aka QuickGPS will want to download a small file off the internet at least once a week, be it through Wifi, Activesync or whatever else is available to get satellite data and allow for shorter times to first fix, that's all. And if you don't want to use it you're not forced to, it will just take a little longer to get a fix.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
AGPS is not the same thing as QuickGPS (though it took me ages to realise).
Quick GPS is what you describe and is generally considered to be worthwhile.
AGPS is similar, but it downloads more specific information which (I believe) is based on which phone masts you're near - and therefore should be even better for getting a good fix. The problems are A - It will cost money if you have to pay for your internet connection and B - apparently (though I've never used it) it will sometimes update the data while you're actually using GPS and as a result lose your fix while you're driving somewhere. A lot of people don't like AGPS at all.

dancj said:
AGPS is not the same thing as QuickGPS (though it took me ages to realise).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well.. it is in some way. The problem is that AGPS can be implemented in different ways up to different extents...
The first thing is what is mentioned above - downloading ephemeris data from the net instead of getting it directly from the satellites, which would require continuous link with each satellite for about 1 minute. First fix time is thus shortened as the data for 1 week is stored locally. This is what QuickGPS and SeaSGEE do.
The usual "Disable AGPS" in KaiserTweak / Advanced Config is a second thing. It switches to a different position calculation algorithm that is supposed to work better in low signal conditions, by extrapolating the movement at the time signal is lost and trying to guesstimate how it could evolve everytime some signal is received. But many people don't like that as it's only giving decent results in certain conditions like driving, and when walking, geocaching etc it does nothing more than giving wrong info.
What you mention by using cell towers and an internet database is also something that can be done under the AGPS naming, but AFAIK it's not implemented on the Kaiser.

It sounds like you know more about it than I do so I'll bow to your greater knowledge