Twitchy Compass - G1 Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting

It appears that my compass is "twitchy". I can't think of a better word to describe it. Using any program that uses the onboard compass shows the same results. For example on GPS Status the compass is constantly moving back and forth by a few degress, when I do compass mode on Street View the same thing happens, the screen is constantly moving back and forth slightly.
I've gone out of my way to make sure that I'm not near anything metal and placed the phone on the ground, with the same results.
This is my third phone and all three have done the exact same thing. This all started after I got the OTA cupcake.
Right now I'm running Cyanogen's most recent experimental build.
Any thoughts?

I would wipe and reflash and see if it still doing it. If it does I would then go back to rc29 and see if its doing it. If it still is doing it then its prolly a hardware problem.

supremeteam256 said:
I would wipe and reflash and see if it still doing it. If it does I would then go back to rc29 and see if its doing it. If it still is doing it then its prolly a hardware problem.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
A hardware problem that shows up on the past 3 phones that I've had, the one phone my wife has and didn't show up until we both got cupcake updates?

My bad I overlooked the 3 phones thing. Well you can still try to go down to rc29 which won't be cupcake and see if its doing it.

supremeteam256 said:
My bad I overlooked the 3 phones thing. Well you can still try to go down to rc29 which won't be cupcake and see if its doing it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No twitchyness on a precupcake build.
Talk about peculiar huh? Total of 4 phones that this is happening too.

Do you live in the Bermuda Triangle

I wish it were that simple.
I thought that maybe the software's filter might have been lowered when they did the update, so I've gone atleast 100 feet from anything metal or electronic and still have the same results.
Unless the filter is so low now that it's picking up interference from the phone itself? But then why are the phones that I come into contact with doing it and no one elses? I'll see if I check on one of my coworkers phones when I go in later today. See if his does it too.

I know this is a real stupid question but is your gps turned on. When I run a program that needs gps and its turned off it works but I guess you can say twitchy.

Just checked my coworkers phone and I got the same results. Also checked the mt3g that is on display and got the same results.
For gps status it requires the gps to be on, but for street view i've got the same results when gps is off as it is when on.
Maybe we just live in a very high iron ore area?
To clarify "twitchy" I mean that the compass (or display depending on the program used) is constantly moving back and forth by a few degrees. This is happening when the phone is placed on a flat level surface and not touched.

Thats strange.

Gilliland12 said:
Just checked my coworkers phone and I got the same results. Also checked the mt3g that is on display and got the same results.
For gps status it requires the gps to be on, but for street view i've got the same results when gps is off as it is when on.
Maybe we just live in a very high iron ore area?
To clarify "twitchy" I mean that the compass (or display depending on the program used) is constantly moving back and forth by a few degrees. This is happening when the phone is placed on a flat level surface and not touched.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
idk if this is a fix. but to keep my compass healthy i shake my phone holding it upside,downside up and every way direction for like a minute and then go over my bed and spin/twist my phone in the air about 1 foot above the bed in almost every way possible . i was reading before that it will prevent the compas from getting stuck whenever near magnets.
but i just opened up my orienteer compass app and it is too going back and forth between 2 degrees..but then again its not too big of an issue.

Related

Shuts off when keyboard is slammed shut...

This is really bugging me but on occasion, when I slam the keyboard shut, the phone turns off. It also has happened when I opened the keyboard but only a few times.
I actually dissassembled the phone to see if maybe it was a loose connection somewhere. I did find that the keyboard ribbon cable was loosely connected so I reseated it firmly...but the problem didn't go away.
I also thought it may be either the SIMM card or the memory card contacts but after removing them, again, I still can reproduce the problem.
Understand that this is an intermittent problem and a little unpredictable but I can make it happen within a few tries. If I cautiously open and close the keyboard (without slamming it shut), I have no problems.
I don't believe it's software related because I can force it to happen when the device is booting up (with the Ericsson logo on the screen) before the OS loads.
Anyone else experiencing this?????
11/17/08 UPDATE: PROBLEM RESOLVED!
After further review and testing, it appears that the battery was losing connection to the battery contacts. I shoved a small crumb of paper folded up (about 1mm thick) at the back of the batt and the problem has gone away. Of course, I'm still holding my breath every time I open and close the keyboard but it looks like that may have been the problem. That's strange because I'm using the original battery. Thought this may help in case anyone else ever runs into this.
That sounds like a problem with the internals, maybe a you should get it replaced/repaired?
Kid says to doctor " IT hurts when I twist my arm backward like this." Doctor replies "then don't do that"
You say "my phone shuts off when I slam my keyboard shut" Doctor says "don't slam your keyboard shut"
this thought just made me laugh.
Seriously though. It does sound like an internal hardware issue that you should have fixed otherwise it may just get worse and start happening more regularly and at very inconvenient times.
Good luck.
Reminds me of my samsung slider phone the day that it died. I was sliding it back and forth.. sometimes the screen would go completely white and then come back.
By the end of the day, it went white and stayed that way.
Turns out the cable on the inside was slowly being cut from rubbing against the metal hole it was going thru every time the slider moved.
You've checked the cables before... but maybe its not cut yet, but something on the slider mechanism is hitting a wire/pulling on it.
Nobody knows.
But we all do know thats not normal. So yea get it replaced.
LOL!
hotrod101 said:
Kid says to doctor " IT hurts when I twist my arm backward like this." Doctor replies "then don't do that"
You say "my phone shuts off when I slam my keyboard shut" Doctor says "don't slam your keyboard shut"
this thought just made me laugh.
Seriously though. It does sound like an internal hardware issue that you should have fixed otherwise it may just get worse and start happening more regularly and at very inconvenient times.
Good luck.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's funny!!!
I think you're right...
Nippero said:
Reminds me of my samsung slider phone the day that it died. I was sliding it back and forth.. sometimes the screen would go completely white and then come back.
By the end of the day, it went white and stayed that way.
Turns out the cable on the inside was slowly being cut from rubbing against the metal hole it was going thru every time the slider moved.
You've checked the cables before... but maybe its not cut yet, but something on the slider mechanism is hitting a wire/pulling on it.
Nobody knows.
But we all do know thats not normal. So yea get it replaced.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yep...It's going back. Might as well get a fresh one. I know this problem existed for other phones before and the fix was mostly something simple that didn't require a replacement.
im getting exactly the same problem. gonna send mine back as well.
i have the exact same problem too! Waiting for a new one...
i thought i was the only one with this problem, but it looks like a production error as there are already 3 people on this board who have this defect.
technillion said:
This is really bugging me but on occasion, when I slam the keyboard shut, the phone turns off. It also has happened when I opened the keyboard but only a few times.
I actually dissassembled the phone to see if maybe it was a loose connection somewhere. I did find that the keyboard ribbon cable was loosely connected so I reseated it firmly...but the problem didn't go away.
I also thought it may be either the SIMM card or the memory card contacts but after removing them, again, I still can reproduce the problem.
Understand that this is an intermittent problem and a little unpredictable but I can make it happen within a few tries. If I cautiously open and close the keyboard (without slamming it shut), I have no problems.
I don't believe it's software related because I can force it to happen when the device is booting up (with the Ericsson logo on the screen) before the OS loads.
Anyone else experiencing this?????
11/17/08 UPDATE: PROBLEM RESOLVED!
After further review and testing, it appears that the battery was losing connection to the battery contacts. I shoved a small crumb of paper folded up (about 1mm thick) at the back of the batt and the problem has gone away. Of course, I'm still holding my breath every time I open and close the keyboard but it looks like that may have been the problem. That's strange because I'm using the original battery. Thought this may help in case anyone else ever runs into this.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
yep, my problem seems to have gone now as well by using you're method. i was almost ready to send it back and then i saw you're post and tried your method and it worked !
Thats a pretty stupid mistake by SE...
They should do a quick fix by making new batters a smidge thicker. Of course they probably wouldn't offer free replacements, but they should fix it anyway.
technillion said:
11/17/08 UPDATE: PROBLEM RESOLVED!
After further review and testing, it appears that the battery was losing connection to the battery contacts. I shoved a small crumb of paper folded up (about 1mm thick) at the back of the batt and the problem has gone away. Of course, I'm still holding my breath every time I open and close the keyboard but it looks like that may have been the problem. That's strange because I'm using the original battery. Thought this may help in case anyone else ever runs into this.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Where did you place the paper exactly ? On the back of the battery where all the info text is or on the bottom ?
When my device is cold, eg in the morning for first use, this sometimes doesnt happen for >20x tries...but when i used it for a longer time and it almost always shuts down when slammed shut..but i already thought it might be something with the battery, but sometimes while slamming it shut for numerous times even the battery cover would come up and it didnt shut down...then in another situation it shuts down immediatly
Poor design...
toxical said:
Where did you place the paper exactly ? On the back of the battery where all the info text is or on the bottom ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yea...what I found with the design is that the ribbon cable connecting the keyboard sits right under the battery. In fact you can see the protrusion when you remove the battery under the white label. It moves when the keyboard is opened and closed. Slightly...but it does move.
...anyway...I folded a small piece of paper to wrap around the back edge of the battery.
Try this:
1. Make a small rectangular strip of paper about 10mm x 20mm and fold it the long way so you end up with a 5mm x 20mm piece.
2. Wrap it around the back/bottom edge of the battery as you reinsert it.
(If the battery fits more snug in its compartment, you got it right!)
3. Put the back cover back on--which should also be more snug.
4. Turn on the device and try it out (slam the keyboard).
(You don't have to wait for it to completely boot up...you can test it when the SE logo appears).
Be careful to use regular copy paper and not paper that's too thick as it may cause some other damage/problems with the device.
could you make a picture of that ?
Actually i will recieve a new device tomorrow, but i still have the feeling that this problem might reoccur as it seems to be a design flaw
technillion said:
11/17/08 UPDATE: PROBLEM RESOLVED!
After further review and testing, it appears that the battery was losing connection to the battery contacts. I shoved a small crumb of paper folded up (about 1mm thick) at the back of the batt and the problem has gone away. Of course, I'm still holding my breath every time I open and close the keyboard but it looks like that may have been the problem. That's strange because I'm using the original battery. Thought this may help in case anyone else ever runs into this.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm currently playing around with an old XV6800 I got off ebay, and this seems to have fixed the problem, so thanks
I had the same problem too.. but it was linked with the flex cable. Now i just don't use my keyboard even after fixing it.

X1i. flash always on

Hi!
was working night shift. when I looked on the ground and noticed that the screen on my phone was on. so I graped it to turn it of, when I realiced that it wasn't the screen but the flash on the back next to the camera. its not as bright as when the flash is actually turned on in the camera menu. and the only way I found to turn it of is by pulling the battery out, anyone had/has a similar problem.
Michael
there was someone else who had a post about this before - search "light always on" or something like that but there was a recent post with someone who had the same problem
I did a search. not that i didn't do so before. the only thing that came up was for a different phone (wizard) not for Xperia. been looking around now for the last couple days and haven't been able to find anyone else with a similar problem. well at least on the internet.
any one else
Michael
dreamsaga said:
I did a search. not that i didn't do so before. the only thing that came up was for a different phone (wizard) not for Xperia. been looking around now for the last couple days and haven't been able to find anyone else with a similar problem. well at least on the internet.
any one else
Michael
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
went back through each page looking for it
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=541959
Twas on page ten - but it looks like it never came to a conclusion... sorry dude
I wonder if he/she did ever fix it. well if I can't fix it soon I will have to take it back to the shop.
Edit: after posting I did another search and wolla. found this http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=485701 . this might explain it a liitle bit. after reading does posts I think I better not wast my time. since it really looks like a hardware issue
well. send it off to three on monday. they called me back yesterday.
the LED is allways on due to the wiring on the main board being corroded. we have disconnected the wire. because the damage is from corrosion we can't fix it under warranty. we are sending it back to you today.
were did the corrosion come from. its never been anywere near water.
dreamsaga said:
were did the corrosion come from. its never been anywere near water.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sweat (perspiration lol)?
or maybe if you live near the ocean?
When lights are always on like that it does usually mean there was or is some trace of liquid on the circuits or on the led itself.
When you receive the phone, try disassemble it and clean the corroded circuit with alcohol and it should be good, if its only the short causing the led to always receive power.
That sucks though...
I was the first to post about this issue. 4 months on or so and I still have the same problem. The light has remained on all the time since then, although not as high intensity a when the flash is on. It's no big deal, you get used to it, like the led lights on the side of the phone. I'd also like to say this has not impacted on the flash whatsoever. It still works
DirtyVadah said:
I was the first to post about this issue. 4 months on or so and I still have the same problem. The light has remained on all the time since then, although not as high intensity a when the flash is on. It's no big deal, you get used to it, like the led lights on the side of the phone. I'd also like to say this has not impacted on the flash whatsoever. It still works
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You mean to say that it has been running non-stop(minus restarts) for 4 entire months???
thats good news for me to know the LED is so durable.
so you haven't tried disassembly and cleaning it yourself, the corrosion that is. I taken my x1 apart already and its not that hard, just have to be gentle.
Yep. Although remember the intensity is not that high as when you switch on the flash to take a pic. And actually even though the phone is off the led remains on. It's the battery you need to take out. So it's been on constantly for the past 4 months.
same problem
dreamsaga said:
well. send it off to three on monday. they called me back yesterday.
the LED is allways on due to the wiring on the main board being corroded. we have disconnected the wire. because the damage is from corrosion we can't fix it under warranty. we are sending it back to you today.
were did the corrosion come from. its never been anywere near water.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
so did you ever solve this problem? i have the exact same issue with my xperia. Any help would be appreciated.

Creaky back and other things?

Hello!
I've heard that HTC's have very good build quality, and I've had my IS for just over a week now, and I've noticed 'creaks'. At first I thought it was the screen, but I've now realised it's the back cover that creaks sometimes. If I were to replace the back/get a protective case such as a 'Barely There Casemate' would that stop the creaking? I tried to post a link but am too new to.
Also, I noticed this when I first bought my phone and put the battery in, the battery fits in, but has a bit of a 'bounce' to it. If that makes sense. I thought it wasn't fitting in properly, but it does, just not RIGHT against the phone... if that makes any sense. Dunno if that would contribute to the creaky back, or whether that's normal.
Also, how can I get my LED to stay on longer when I get a text message? It's a handy feature, but it seems to stop flashing after about 20mins, which is a bit of a pain if I don't look at my phone for longer than that.
... and last but not least, Angry Birds. Whenever I open any of the games, they freeze at the home screen. I then have to hit home and reopen them, get to the next menu it freezes, I hit home and do the same routine till it eventually starts working. What's the deal? I thought about maybe reinstalling them, but surely each of the games wouldn't have installed incorrectly?
THANKS ALL.
martyfly1990 said:
Hello!
I've heard that HTC's have very good build quality, and I've had my IS for just over a week now, and I've noticed 'creaks'. At first I thought it was the screen, but I've now realised it's the back cover that creaks sometimes. If I were to replace the back/get a protective case such as a 'Barely There Casemate' would that stop the creaking? I tried to post a link but am too new to.
Also, I noticed this when I first bought my phone and put the battery in, the battery fits in, but has a bit of a 'bounce' to it. If that makes sense. I thought it wasn't fitting in properly, but it does, just not RIGHT against the phone... if that makes any sense. Dunno if that would contribute to the creaky back, or whether that's normal.
Also, how can I get my LED to stay on longer when I get a text message? It's a handy feature, but it seems to stop flashing after about 20mins, which is a bit of a pain if I don't look at my phone for longer than that.
... and last but not least, Angry Birds. Whenever I open any of the games, they freeze at the home screen. I then have to hit home and reopen them, get to the next menu it freezes, I hit home and do the same routine till it eventually starts working. What's the deal? I thought about maybe reinstalling them, but surely each of the games wouldn't have installed incorrectly?
THANKS ALL.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I put a BodyGlove 2 piece case on my IncS and I do not notice the back sweaking anymore.
Oh, so the squeaky back is a common thing then?
Not for mine, I wonder if the problem is because one hasn't snapped the back on correctly.
It's definitely on properly. I've gone over the back a few times just to make sure it's clipped into place, so I dunno why it should do it.
Mine makes a noise at the bottom left corner of my case, got to admit its rather annoying. But i guess the majority of phones will unless its 100% flush with each other. Even when i put my otter case on it sometimes makes a noise.
The back on my phone is sometimes creaky as well. Since it's a malleable plastic, I'm guessing the weather/putting back on a certain way affects how squeaky or not it gets.
Ahh, okay, that settles it with the back then. Will just get a case. I need one any to give it a bit of protection, but it will hopefully stop the creaking. Am guessing the battery isn't a problem either if it's working in the phone... just me being a bit pedantic.
Anybody know if I'm able to make the LED stay on longer after receiving a text/notification?
OH! I've worked out what's going on with Angry Birds. Am presuming/hoping this is just an app problem. Basically, if I load the game and put the phone into landscape mode, the game won't work. I have to either hit home, or, spin the phone round into portrait mode, and then I can use the game. I then spin it back, choose the next menu and then put it back into landscape mode and then back again to get to the next setting/menu. It's a bit of a pain! Anyone know what's going on with that?
Thanks for all the replies so far.
Sorry for the bump. Anyone go any ideas for the game freeze and LED?

GPS quit working and what was wrong....

Just thought I'd post this up. I am a big Wazer, so got in the car to take a trip, powered up Waze, but no GPS. Stuck it on the dash and it got signal, but as I'd pull it back towards me I'd lose signal again. Finally gave up. During lunch, started looking at the issue some more. Downloaded several GPS apps, and all would say something like 21 sats available, but zero in use. I wasn't sure if the GPS system was down perhaps, until my girlfriend fired up her iPhone. Even in a restaurant, she had full signal. Didn't find much on the web about the issue with the Nexus 5, so decided to wait until I got home to compare it with my old Nexus 4. Well, on the way back I got to looking at the phone and noticed the back cover had popped away about 0.05MM just above the volume up/down rocker. I snapped it back in place (which was easy) and immediately got full GPS satellite signal. So, that was the problem. Then I remembered dropping the phone in the bathroom earlier this morning. It fell about 18" onto hardwood flooring. It seemed fine at the time, but I didn't notice the separation in the back panel. Subsequent searching reveals that the GPS antenna is secured to the back maybe? Guess it didn't take much separation to significantly curtail getting a signal anyplace but outside in the open or through glass. Anyway, I am glad it wan't serious. Just thought I'd tell the story... CG

What Android unit is this? Please help.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Universal-1Din-Android-7-1-TouchScreen-Car-Stereo-DVD-Player-GPS-Radio-TPMS-Wifi/253311407194?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649
I've been running this head unit that I purchased from ebay for almost 3 months, close but like a week away. It's kinda ok, but still kind of junky for what I paid for it. I clipped the hinges off, so the screen would stay open all the time. I didn't want the motor burning out and the screen getting stuck inside. Every time you turn your vehicle off, it shuts off, when you turn your vehicle on, it comes on. Even if you turn your key back to ACC so it stays running, as soon as you turn the vehicle on, it restarts the HU. I even tried running the red wire straight to the battery, same thing, then I attached the red to the yellow and straight out to the battery. It stayed on when the vehicle was off, but when I put the key back it and started the vehicle it would still restart the HU. It's like restarting your phone every time you used a different app. That's what it feels like any way. I'd turn off the vehicle and pull the key and leave the HU running, and then run into the store real quick, come back out and turn on the vehicle and the HU will restart.
The other issue is that it lost GPS signal almost a week ago. I've tried google maps, the system app speedometer and several other GPS apps and it's gone. I double checked the wire from the HU to the antenna on the roof and everything looks fine. I even factory reset it twice to see if that would fix the GPS.
I have contacted the seller several times about the things that are wrong with it, and they just give me one sentence replies that aren't even answers and the return period is over. Overall, it does what it's supposed to. the baked in apps work good enough. The car dvr is limited, but it works. the audio player is fine, no issues at all with it. Bluetooth and phone connections are good. I just really need GPS, that's the main reason I got it. Wifi is horrible. It will not connect to a source outside of a 5 ft. range and that's with an external antenna.
Any help or suggestions or comments, anything would be appreciated. What make and model is this HU? Is there a way to root it or to install a custom rom? Any way to fix the GPS? Thank you my friends, I really appreciate it. I've been a member of this site for many years, and I know that when you guys want to help, you will.
I love when I can stump you guys. You all think you're like know it all geniuses, but now and then I throw something at you that leaves you dumbfounded. This is one of those times. I win.
Strizay said:
I love when I can stump you guys. You all think you're like know it all geniuses, but now and then I throw something at you that leaves you dumbfounded. This is one of those times. I win.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That kind of attitude isn't going to make anyone want to help you is it.
You haven't provided enough information about your unit for anyone to be able to even attempt to help you, more information is required, such as is it px3 or 5, is it mtcb or d/e. Best thing to do is take a screenshot of your about page on your device, the one that tells you the build number etc...
For your boot issue, if it's wired correctly check factory settings (pass may be 126, if not you'll have to search), somewhere in there is an option for auto power off.
GPS, try another antenna? Is the antenna inside or outside, does the GPS test app find any satellites? Is GPS enabled etc?
More info will help, the attitude won't, these forums also have a wealth of information, searching and reading thoroughly will often find you what you need. Yeah reading a 100 page thread is soul destroying but sometimes it has to be done to find what your looking for
Sent from my SM-G960F using Tapatalk

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