Database Develop

How good is GPS on XDA IIi compared with external units?

I've just sold my last car which had built-in PCM sat nav. I'd like to get sat nav for my new car but can't decide whether to get a GPS cradle for my XDA, a TomTom 3/5/700 or change the car's head unit for a power-screen DVD sat nav system.
My XDA IIi is relatively stable but it does crash periodically, can be slow to run stuff, sometimes freezes when I'm answering calls and basically seems to struggle with any sort of complex processing. I'm a bit woried that it may therefore be a bit crap at running 3d maps. Has anyone any experience of using these versus built in car systems or the TomTom units?
I've never updated the firmware etc so would also be interested if this improves reliability/speed etc.
Between the TomTom and SatNav head unit is the only real difference the screen size and convenience of not having an external box?
Thanks in advance for any help, Jonathan

I've just got Tom tom for my XdaIIi, with a bluetooth GPS reciver bought on E-bay. I've found it slightly unstable, however my friend with a IIs said it sorted itself out after a short time of using it. I recomend it, however I donot have experience of the other systems, so I would not be able to say which one is better. I personally like having everything in one place.

[Q] External GPS

Has anyone experience with the connection of the galaxy with a bluetooth GPS ? My car's windows are provided with a heat shield made of a metal film, i can only use a bluetooth GPS in my cars GPS windows.
I would use Sygic.
I'm now using a HTC Touch Pro WM6.5 and it works fine with a Bluetooth GPS
I contacted Samsung with my question but the only answer i got was that i had tot contact route 66 ???
The bluetooth GPS is for me the point to buy a galaxy or not<;

Don't buy any android phone, far as I know, bt gps not supported on android. May be some workarounds for specific programs.
Sent from my GT-I9000 using XDA App

Bynar010 said:
Don't buy any android phone, far as I know, bt gps not supported on android. May be some workarounds for specific programs.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Its a pity that android does not suport external gps.. I'd like to use that too. (I just got a Galaxy S).
I think the galaxy S has a socket for gps antenna on the back (under the cover).. so you can at least try to plug in one of those 5€ ebay gps 1.5ghz antennas to improve signal. Just put the magnetic box on the roof of your car.

As I've replied in the GPS Poll thread, I believe TrekBuddy supports external GPS just fine, so I wouldn't think it's Android limitation rather than a choice of the programmers of most apps - IMO they just don't bother supporting external GPS when there's not a single Android device that doesn't have internal...(I guess).

I guess you got a point when you say that all Android devices have a gps chip embedded. But I sill think it's an Android limitation not supporting an external gps.
On Symbian devices, you just have to say 'use bluetooth gps' in your application once you've paired it.
In WinMo the internal gps has a com port, so does the external when you hook it up. Again you tell the gps software which com port it has to use.
This kind of association does not exist inside Android. You can hook up a external GPS, but no program will access it. The OS itself doesn't have access to it.
BTW I looked this up, but I could not find what chip goes inside the SGS. Is it SirfStar III? Can anyone confirm?

guibao said:
BTW I looked this up, but I could not find what chip goes inside the SGS. Is it SirfStar III? Can anyone confirm?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It is a Broadcom BCM 4751 chip. Designed on a friday afternoon, after a long, well-wined lunch. Or so I heard. But I hear a lot of nonsensical rumours.

Beowulf_pt said:
It is a Broadcom BCM 4751 chip. Designed on a friday afternoon, after a long, well-wined lunch. Or so I heard. But I hear a lot of nonsensical rumours.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Beowulf_pt did you manage to redirect data from external GPS?
I can read data with "bluetooh GPS" aplication but i did not find any redirect software.
I have a Hollux receiver that say's 10 satelites in use rather then 8 of the galaxy.

jllb said:
Beowulf_pt did you manage to redirect data from external GPS?
I can read data with "bluetooh GPS" aplication but i did not find any redirect software.
I have a Hollux receiver that say's 10 satelites in use rather then 8 of the galaxy.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You got me wrong. I'm not trying to use the BT GPS with the SGS as that is currently not possible in android. No native stack support nor navigation apps that use the units over the internal GPS. Only that little experimental app that reads NMEA data but has no real use. I hope Android gets this in 3.0 but I doubt it.
What I will try to do with the Samsung is to connect it to an external amplified GPS antenna (1.5 GHz) via the connector on the back of the samsung (net to the SIM card).
I have not recieved the antenna yet so I can't comment... but it should at least provide some better SNR results.
PS: I also have a Holux. It is quite nice, I use it a lot with my Nokia E72 and it works fine unlike the SGS
guibao said:
I guess you got a point when you say that all Android devices have a gps chip embedded. But I sill think it's an Android limitation not supporting an external gps.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I can understand their decision not to invest time in this as all android devices have an internal GPS... but time has proven that that is a bad idea as many units have really poor GPS. The Galaxy S is probably the worst of them all.
Without the ability to use an externa receiver you're pretty much screwed... no alternatives at all.

Guys,
Did any one try this app ?
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=7703266#post7703266

jllb said:
Guys,
Did any one try this app ?
forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=7703266#post7703266
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
this is the site of the developer :
mobile-j.de/snipsnap/space/start
wonder if it's works well, pitty it doesn't support sygic and others ....

Guys a new application is on the market and for free ...
Check Bluetooth GPS Mouse
Work but in my case a bir of lag sometimes ..

jllb said:
Guys a new application is on the market and for free ...
Check Bluetooth GPS Mouse
Work but in my case a bir of lag sometimes ..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The free version is a trial, it disconnects every 10 minutes or so. The full version is 1.99€.
I tried the free version with two of my bluetooth devices (Holux M1200 and ncs-navi 150), seems to work fine with both.
BTW, with JM7+voodoo fix combination, the internal GPS has been quite satisfactory so far (touching wood...)

Has anyone experience with this application yet ?

Bluetooth gps seems to have a bug. It seems to update it's location and after that sgs will give its location, what happens is that it starts switches between the two locations every second
If you turn gps location service off from android settings, the lag is gone.
However, an app named "gps provider" does not lag in the same way. I think bluetooth gps mouse app will have updatea, where this problem will be fixed.
Other than that the location is very precise using an Nokia LD-W3 bluetooth gps.
Sent from my GT-I9000 using XDA App

i'm using the bluetooth gps mouse with sygic mobile maps and it works perfectly. I did'nt hope it was working that nice.

rogo-1 said:
The free version is a trial, it disconnects every 10 minutes or so. The full version is 1.99€.
I tried the free version with two of my bluetooth devices (Holux M1200 and ncs-navi 150), seems to work fine with both.
BTW, with JM7+voodoo fix combination, the internal GPS has been quite satisfactory so far (touching wood...)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What you mean with "quite satisfactory"? Does the internal GPS get a fix without A-gps support? I mean without being online?
I use GPS Bluetooth mouse unlimited on a daily basis with Motonav , Sygic or Navigon.
Internal gps receiver AND Mobile networks( A-gps) are disabled on my sgs.
My external gps receiver got a sirfstarIII chipset . In a hot start I get a fix in less than 20 seconds. Otherwise 4 to 6 minutes in a cold start.
Once again no need for internal gps receiver and / or A-gps (celular network) for for a fast and stable satellite fix. Pure GPS navigation pleasure...
Offline GPS navigation = Freedom
And it rocks on my super-Amoled gs screen!!!

Cheap GPS

I purchased the following unit from Amazon for $17:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000E336YK
I had few expectations given the price, but have been quite surprised. The thing paired with my Nook immediately right out of the box. The 'Bluetooth GPS' app (free from the Market) recognized and connected to the device on the first try. It did take about 10 minutes to get a GPS lock the first time I turned it on, but now takes less than two minutes each time I fire it up. Works great with Google Maps (tested with cached map tiles while driving) and Locus Pro (purchased from the Market). There is also no real range problem with the Bluetooth connection - I stuck the receiver on my windshield visor and had the Nook sitting in the passenger seat and maintained the Bluetooth connection.
I have only had it for two days, but am amazed at how well it has worked so far.
Just wanted to throw this out in case anyone is interested in uber-cheap GPS. Amazon seems to be out of these units, but you can find them for a comperable price elsewhere.
Cheers.

Any way to put the Nook Color on the windshield? I am interested in using it as a GPS also.

Seems your post has knocked them out of stock most everywhere, and others are raising their prices. I'd rather just get a Holux for a few dollars more with what they are trying to charge for these things now. I'm still going to just wait until I figure out how to make my WM6.1 phone, or my E71 symbian phone send out a bluetooth GPS signal that my Nook can find.
xdajunkman said:
I purchased the following unit from Amazon for $17:
I had few expectations given the price, but have been quite surprised. The thing paired with my Nook immediately right out of the box. The 'Bluetooth GPS' app (free from the Market) recognized and connected to the device on the first try. It did take about 10 minutes to get a GPS lock the first time I turned it on, but now takes less than two minutes each time I fire it up. Works great with Google Maps (tested with cached map tiles while driving) and Locus Pro (purchased from the Market). There is also no real range problem with the Bluetooth connection - I stuck the receiver on my windshield visor and had the Nook sitting in the passenger seat and maintained the Bluetooth connection.
I have only had it for two days, but am amazed at how well it has worked so far.
Just wanted to throw this out in case anyone is interested in uber-cheap GPS. Amazon seems to be out of these units, but you can find them for a comperable price elsewhere.
Cheers.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

tigersgt said:
Any way to put the Nook Color on the windshield? I am interested in using it as a GPS also.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I bought this:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004M8ST36/ref=cm_cr_mts_prod_img
and
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00161YS8M
The combo works great. I bought some velcro patches that you can stick on things, and so i have the GPS mounted to the back of the holder, with the Nook obviously fitting in the front. This keeps the GPS inches away from the nook (while maintaining a clear sky view), preventing any BT range issues. I use it with CoPilot live, and it works perfectly (oh, and the Bluetooth GPS app from the market).
I will try to get a photo tonight for ya'll...

iolinux333 said:
Seems your post has knocked them out of stock most everywhere, and others are raising their prices. I'd rather just get a Holux for a few dollars more with what they are trying to charge for these things now. I'm still going to just wait until I figure out how to make my WM6.1 phone, or my E71 symbian phone send out a bluetooth GPS signal that my Nook can find.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Goodness your right...price jacked up everywhere. Can't find one for less than about $30 shipped anymore. Bummer. I also tested this with Copilot and it works great. I am most impressed with the Bluetooth range...I can put the receiver just about anywhere and still keep the connection to the nook.
Regarding your WM phone...I have an old WM 6.5 Standard (i.e. non-touchscreen) phone and spent a long time trying to get this to work. I could not find any way to make it fly, but there are some free programs out there for older touchscreen WM phones that will allow GPS data output over BT or Wifi. Getting the nook to connect will be the tricky part. Just look around and you will find what you need to give it a go.

xdajunkman said:
Goodness your right...price jacked up everywhere. Can't find one for less than about $30 shipped anymore. Bummer. I also tested this with Copilot and it works great. I am most impressed with the Bluetooth range...I can put the receiver just about anywhere and still keep the connection to the nook.
Regarding your WM phone...I have an old WM 6.5 Standard (i.e. non-touchscreen) phone and spent a long time trying to get this to work. I could not find any way to make it fly, but there are some free programs out there for older touchscreen WM phones that will allow GPS data output over BT or Wifi. Getting the nook to connect will be the tricky part. Just look around and you will find what you need to give it a go.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've been giving it a go, believe me! But your post may have given me a clue... If you couldn't make it work either, I think I may know what the problem is. With my particular phone, I'm only able to output the signal over bluetooth through COM1: Everything else is used up. With the E71 symbian phone, I don't know which COM port is being used. I suspect that the bluetooth GPS software I've been trying on the Nook is only looking at a particular COM: port. If I could figure out how to make it look at some others, I suspect it would start receiving data on one of them.

Divine_Madcat said:
I bought this:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004M8ST36/ref=cm_cr_mts_prod_img
and
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00161YS8M
The combo works great. I bought some velcro patches that you can stick on things, and so i have the GPS mounted to the back of the holder, with the Nook obviously fitting in the front. This keeps the GPS inches away from the nook (while maintaining a clear sky view), preventing any BT range issues. I use it with CoPilot live, and it works perfectly (oh, and the Bluetooth GPS app from the market).
I will try to get a photo tonight for ya'll...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm very interested in that pic if you ever take it!

iolinux333 said:
I'm very interested in that pic if you ever take it!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
BTW I'm trying to use GPS2Blue on my WM6.1 device. It looks like a very nice piece of software, I just wish the nook would see the signal it is putting out.

Thanks, got the mount!
Any recommendations on other bluetooth GPS receivers?

iolinux333 said:
BTW I'm trying to use GPS2Blue on my WM6.1 device. It looks like a very nice piece of software, I just wish the nook would see the signal it is putting out.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Strange...that is the program I thought would work for you. I tried it on my phone, but it does not work on non-touchscreen devices. It would be just too cool if you could get that working.

GPS2Blue did work on my windows 6.5 device. I remember on the Bluetooth GPS Provider on the nook. I switched to NMEA. Worked.

fanofanne said:
GPS2Blue did work on my windows 6.5 device. I remember on the Bluetooth GPS Provider on the nook. I switched to NMEA. Worked.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i would give you one million billion pretend dollars if you would explain how you did that. one million billion.

If you have android phone, you can use it as a free Bluetooth GPS
On the phone:
- ShareGPS (for Android 2.2) or
- BlueNMEA (for CM7)
both are free in the Market
On the Nook:
- Bluetooth GPS (free)
Otherwise, you can use TetherGPS over wifi, costed $3 though.

victle said:
If you have android phone, you can use it as a free Bluetooth GPS
On the phone:
- ShareGPS (for Android 2.2) or
- BlueNMEA (for CM7)
both are free in the Market
On the Nook:
- Bluetooth GPS (free)
Otherwise, you can use TetherGPS over wifi, costed $3 though.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't want an android phone until I can buy one of good quality from overseas that ATT can't recognize. There are plenty of cheap android phones out there in china, but they are all terrible quality. Right now my motorola WM6.1 has better voice quality than 99% of phones and that is most important to me.

xdajunkman said:
The thing paired with my Nook immediately right out of the box. The 'Bluetooth GPS' app (free from the Market) recognized and connected to the device on the first try.
Cheers.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sounds to easy. I think there is more to this than just d/ling a free gps app to make the BT work, right?

34Ford said:
Sounds to easy. I think there is more to this than just d/ling a free gps app to make the BT work, right?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nope. With a BT GPS, all you need is one of mnay free BT GPS apps, and you are good to go. In the Development settings, you do have to turn on "mock locations", but that is a one time deal and 5 seconds. One you fire up the app to connect to the receiver, the system receives location information as if the BT was built in.

Just tried it. Here's what I have:
Nook Color with Phiremod 5.3
- installed Bluetooth GPSProvider
Motorola Dext (Cliq), with adxlmod (I think) - Android 2.1
- installed ShareGPS
Everything paired and I got the Nook to display my location correctly. I'm still at work, so not driving anywhere, but will give it a shot later.
I don't have data on my phone, so I might have to get copilot live to actually be useful.

I wouldn't jump on CoPilot Live just yet. I downloaded it yesterday after hearing about several people running it on their Nooks. Apparently the new version has introduced a problem with tablets without an IMEI number. I emailed tech support and they said that they hope to have a fix by early next week. I'd wait until then to download the app. As soon as I receive the update and can confirm that it's working, I will post it, but right now it won't work unless you still have an older version.

Use GPS2Blue or Flash Android!
iolinux333 said:
BTW I'm trying to use GPS2Blue on my WM6.1 device. It looks like a very nice piece of software, I just wish the nook would see the signal it is putting out.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I successfully used GPS2Blue on my AT&T Tilt (HTC Kaiser) years ago and connected it to a Nokia 770 and a Motion LE1600 Win tablet. I seem to recall that I had to try different COM ports in Tilt/GPS2Blue until it would work. Unfortunately, I now have Android flashed on the Tilt or I would try it for you.
I flashed Android to the SIM-less Tilt just so that I could use it as a remote GPS with my NC!
Good luck!

Calla969 said:
I wouldn't jump on CoPilot Live just yet. I downloaded it yesterday after hearing about several people running it on their Nooks. Apparently the new version has introduced a problem with tablets without an IMEI number. I emailed tech support and they said that they hope to have a fix by early next week. I'd wait until then to download the app. As soon as I receive the update and can confirm that it's working, I will post it, but right now it won't work unless you still have an older version.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Cool thanks for the heads up. I'm in no rush anyway.

[Q] Bluetooth audio streaming problems

I've had my Nexus S for a couple of weeks now and am really enjoying it.
However, bluetooth audio streaming is proving to be a royal pain.
I am using a Motorola T505 in my car.
The symptoms are pretty consistent.
If I reboot my phone then the audio will stream over bluetooth flawlessly.
If I try to stream without rebooting the phone then it will stutter and stop randomly.
My diagnosis is that there are processes running on the phone that interfere with the bluetooth or take up memory that is needed for the streaming to work smoothly.
I have read that wifi can be a culprit, but even with this switched off I have a problem.
I know that my drive home takes me through areas with varying degrees of reception. The phone does switch from 3G to edge to gprs and there are areas where the signal is quite weak. But if this was a problem then it would have an effect whether I had rebooted the phone first or not.
I have tried installing Advanced Task Manager and using this to kill programs that are running but this does not prevent the problem. Even if I am able to get free memory up to 120mb + I still get the stuttering.
I'm determined to get to the bottom of the problem as it is just about my only issue with the phone and it is a PITA to reboot before my commute.
I am aware that there are all sorts of processes running on the phone and using system resources but I don't know what is safe to kill and what isn't.
Should I use a different task manager?
Is there a particular app which might be causing a problem?
Any ideas on how I can troubleshoot this further would be gratefully received.
I am presuming that I am not the only one who has this issue?
Thanks

paulpenny said:
I've had my Nexus S for a couple of weeks now and am really enjoying it.
However, bluetooth audio streaming is proving to be a royal pain.
I am using a Motorola T505 in my car.
The symptoms are pretty consistent.
If I reboot my phone then the audio will stream over bluetooth flawlessly.
If I try to stream without rebooting the phone then it will stutter and stop randomly.
My diagnosis is that there are processes running on the phone that interfere with the bluetooth or take up memory that is needed for the streaming to work smoothly.
I have read that wifi can be a culprit, but even with this switched off I have a problem.
I know that my drive home takes me through areas with varying degrees of reception. The phone does switch from 3G to edge to gprs and there are areas where the signal is quite weak. But if this was a problem then it would have an effect whether I had rebooted the phone first or not.
I have tried installing Advanced Task Manager and using this to kill programs that are running but this does not prevent the problem. Even if I am able to get free memory up to 120mb + I still get the stuttering.
I'm determined to get to the bottom of the problem as it is just about my only issue with the phone and it is a PITA to reboot before my commute.
I am aware that there are all sorts of processes running on the phone and using system resources but I don't know what is safe to kill and what isn't.
Should I use a different task manager?
Is there a particular app which might be causing a problem?
Any ideas on how I can troubleshoot this further would be gratefully received.
I am presuming that I am not the only one who has this issue?
Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I stream via bt to my car stereo without any issues all the time. What is the audio bitrate you are streaming?
Sent from my Nexus S using XDA Premium App

I stream mainly podcasts. The bit rate will be whatever the default is.
Since I first posted I have had fewer problems with stuttering. I did uninstall poweramp. That may or may not have any bearing on things.
I now find that auto connection is a bit flaky. Sometimes it will connect, other times I have to do it manually.
Overall not the best experience but very nice when it works.

paulpenny said:
I stream mainly podcasts. The bit rate will be whatever the default is.
Since I first posted I have had fewer problems with stuttering. I did uninstall poweramp. That may or may not have any bearing on things.
I now find that auto connection is a bit flaky. Sometimes it will connect, other times I have to do it manually.
Overall not the best experience but very nice when it works.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have no problems streaming audio from my Nexus S to my car's audio deck (Pioneer P7000BT) and I play anything from my music apps (pandora, slacker, etc..) to my songs in my mp3 library. If you aren't on a custom rom, perhaps trying CM7 and a good kernel could help you narrow down your problem.
My phone's setup is listed below in my sig.

I have streaming from my nexus s to kenwood kdc-x994 without any problems

paulpenny said:
I've had my Nexus S for a couple of weeks now and am really enjoying it.
However, bluetooth audio streaming is proving to be a royal pain.
I am using a Motorola T505 in my car.
The symptoms are pretty consistent.
If I reboot my phone then the audio will stream over bluetooth flawlessly.
If I try to stream without rebooting the phone then it will stutter and stop randomly.
My diagnosis is that there are processes running on the phone that interfere with the bluetooth or take up memory that is needed for the streaming to work smoothly.
I have read that wifi can be a culprit, but even with this switched off I have a problem.
I know that my drive home takes me through areas with varying degrees of reception. The phone does switch from 3G to edge to gprs and there are areas where the signal is quite weak. But if this was a problem then it would have an effect whether I had rebooted the phone first or not.
I have tried installing Advanced Task Manager and using this to kill programs that are running but this does not prevent the problem. Even if I am able to get free memory up to 120mb + I still get the stuttering.
I'm determined to get to the bottom of the problem as it is just about my only issue with the phone and it is a PITA to reboot before my commute.
I am aware that there are all sorts of processes running on the phone and using system resources but I don't know what is safe to kill and what isn't.
Should I use a different task manager?
Is there a particular app which might be causing a problem?
Any ideas on how I can troubleshoot this further would be gratefully received.
I am presuming that I am not the only one who has this issue?
Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Bump!!!
Brand new Nexus S owner with the EXACT same problem, it's driving me nuts.
Unless I do a reboot on the phone or sometimes just a manual disable & re-enable on the bluetooth, it will keep having 1-2 second audio drops right in the middle of playback. I have a Kenwood KDC-BT838U deck. The bluetooth connection between the deck and phone never breaks. It never disconnects or disassociates in any form as far as I can tell. It's clearly a problem with my Nexus S only because I also have an iPhone 4 and it works flawlessly all the time (just not unlimited data on that phone!)
It's really annoying that others in this thread say they don't have the issue at all. I have streamed off Youtube HD and radio stations via TuneIn Radio.
It's super annoying considering I got the unlimited data package for exactly this reason.
It's only been 4 days of having the phone so maybe I'll go try and exchange tomorrow.
Just my luck

paulpenny said:
I've had my Nexus S for a couple of weeks now and am really enjoying it.
However, bluetooth audio streaming is proving to be a royal pain.
I am using a Motorola T505 in my car.
The symptoms are pretty consistent.
If I reboot my phone then the audio will stream over bluetooth flawlessly.
If I try to stream without rebooting the phone then it will stutter and stop randomly.
My diagnosis is that there are processes running on the phone that interfere with the bluetooth or take up memory that is needed for the streaming to work smoothly.
I have read that wifi can be a culprit, but even with this switched off I have a problem.
I know that my drive home takes me through areas with varying degrees of reception. The phone does switch from 3G to edge to gprs and there are areas where the signal is quite weak. But if this was a problem then it would have an effect whether I had rebooted the phone first or not.
I have tried installing Advanced Task Manager and using this to kill programs that are running but this does not prevent the problem. Even if I am able to get free memory up to 120mb + I still get the stuttering.
I'm determined to get to the bottom of the problem as it is just about my only issue with the phone and it is a PITA to reboot before my commute.
I am aware that there are all sorts of processes running on the phone and using system resources but I don't know what is safe to kill and what isn't.
Should I use a different task manager?
Is there a particular app which might be causing a problem?
Any ideas on how I can troubleshoot this further would be gratefully received.
I am presuming that I am not the only one who has this issue?
Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Try disabling wifi while you streaming through bluetooth. Wifi radio can interfere with some headunits.

slvr00gt said:
Try disabling wifi while you streaming through bluetooth. Wifi radio can interfere with some headunits.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
First thing I tried!
I've moved on to cm7.0.2 and it is still a bit flaky, although not as bad as it was.
There doesn't seem to be any pattern. Sometimes it's fine other times it's not.

Interesting, I have had a Kenwood KDC-BT945U for sometime now and have used it with many different phones. My Nexus One had a very flaky connection to it, my HTC G2 connected fine but would give me audio drop outs randomly every few minutes which was SO ANNOYING, Iphone work just fine and my Nexus S works without issue also. I had assumed it was just an issue with HTC phones. Are you currently running a custom ROM? The only time I was ever able to get my Nexus One working the way it should was to use a Sense Rom.

I upgraded to CM7 and it's as bad as ever, didn't seem to help at all.
I also went through a full exchange at the store, and the brand new one straight out of the plastic did the same thing. Must be the phone itself is all I can think of.
All I have left to try is a new kernel, I can't figure out which kernel to update to if I'm using the Mobilicity AWS Nexus S

If you are having problems with bluetooth streaming and have a task killer installed... Uninstall it...
Task killers are problem makers...
Android has a built in task killer
Good news: I just saved 500 hundred bucks on a new phone by switching to XxXViRuSXxX
(So easy, a noobie can do it)

There is still no solution to this problem. I'm assuming nobody else here is using their Nexus S for bluetooth audio streaming often?
It has persisted through 2 exchanges which leads me to believe theres a problem with the hardware itself or something.
Rooted, custom kernels, nothing fixes it.
This phone is such a piece of junk, I'm hating it more and more every day

duckdown said:
There is still no solution to this problem. I'm assuming nobody else here is using their Nexus S for bluetooth audio streaming often?
It has persisted through 2 exchanges which leads me to believe theres a problem with the hardware itself or something.
Rooted, custom kernels, nothing fixes it.
This phone is such a piece of junk, I'm hating it more and more every day
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I use my Nexus S every day to stream music over BT/A2DP to my car stereo (Kenwood Excelon KDC-X994) and it works without any issues, and it always has since I got it. I've rooted it and am using a custom kernel and radio, but left the OS at stock 2.3.4. But it also worked fine with my head unit right out of the box before I made any changes to it.
I'm sorry I don't have any suggestions or solutions for you. In my own experiences it seems like certain BT chipsets just don't work well with certain pieces of BT hardware, so maybe there's just "bad blood" (so to speak) between the BT chipset in the Nexus S and your BT car hardware...?
Sorry I don't have any ideas to offer to try and help.

I also stream music over Bluetooth, the blackberry gateway device works perfectly for me, but it requires an AUX port
Sent from my Nexus S 4G using XDA Premium App

What app are you using? I saw you mentioned podcasts and I have seen this problem on my EVO with google listen if i initiate play from the head unit to continue listening. I saw this on stock and CM7. However I have not been able to replicate it as of late. have you tried a differnt program or even just restarting BT? That is what fixed it for me back then.
Hope that helps

To the Gentlemen having problems with Bluetooth streaming. I hate asking but have you tried a different device as the bluetooth receiver if possible? A lot of the users replying are using pretty nice head units and in my experience with my Golf ive had no problems. well thats lie.. i have issues with the turn by turn navigation audio not working. It cuts the music (as it should) but the navigation audio is either non existent or extremely quiet (yes ive checked the navigation volume on the device).
But yeah long story short just wondering what other bluetooth receivers you have tried. Good luck.

Kurupt1 said:
I also stream music over Bluetooth, the blackberry gateway device works perfectly for me, but it requires an AUX port
Sent from my Nexus S 4G using XDA Premium App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have the blackberry little gateway as well. When it connects it's great (no stuttering etc), but my phone won't always connect to it when I get in my car. Sometimes turning BT on/off will then get it to connect, but it's random. The sure-fire way to get it to connect is rebooting the phone. Not sure why that is, but very annoying. Does your NS connect to your blackberry gateway every time without fail?

mapin0518 said:
I have the blackberry little gateway as well. When it connects it's great (no stuttering etc), but my phone won't always connect to it when I get in my car. Sometimes turning BT on/off will then get it to connect, but it's random. The sure-fire way to get it to connect is rebooting the phone. Not sure why that is, but very annoying. Does your NS connect to your blackberry gateway every time without fail?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No I have the same problem. Only downside to it.
Sent from my Nexus S 4G using XDA Premium App

Kurupt1 said:
No I have the same problem. Only downside to it.
Sent from my Nexus S 4G using XDA Premium App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ah that's a relief to hear actually ! I wonder if it's specific to the blackberry gateway, and some other brand A2DP receiver would not have the problem...

Do you know of any others like it? I would be willing to try, gets pretty annoying.
Sent from my Nexus S 4G using XDA Premium App

[ROM][30.09.2011]CM nightly + integrated external BT GPS] Android 2.3.7!

Guys,
I've implemented the external BT GPS for the CM7. Until now I only supplied a I9000 rom and source code. Since vibrant users with CM7 suffers from GPS performance (lack of it ;-) )
new build with android 2.3.7!
http://iloki.nl/2011/09/30/android-237/
Installation is the same procedure as the CM nightlies. Only rom file is different.
Howto install

cool will give it a shot

gekkekoe123 said:
Guys,
I've implemented the external BT GPS for the CM7. Until now I only supplied a I9000 rom and source code. Since vibrant users with CM7 suffers from GPS performance (lack of it ;-) )
I've decided to build a rom also for vibrant users. Give it a try: http://iloki.nl/2011/08/06/update-06-08-2011/
Beware, I'm uncertain if vibrant uses the same bootloader as the I9000. Changing bootloader isn't required for GPS support and is NOT recommended for vibrant users.
for more background information: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1170031
Please try to centralize feedback in the background topic.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you! I love my Vibrant but GPS is a deal-breaker for me.
Sent from my HTC Glacier using XDA Premium App

This does not improve the internal GPS radio in any way. This just gives us a switch to enable a external Bluetooth GPS receiver natively without buggy 3rd party apps. This causes apps such as Google maps or navigation to be much more accurate due to the dedicated GPS receiver hardware. Using my GlobatSat BT-359 I have managed a app reported 0 accuracy and almost always below a 5 foot area. This pretty much makes the internal GPS cry like a newborn baby...
SkOrPn
Sent from my SGH-T959 using XDA App

so you'll need something extra for this to work?

On the download page, you will find step by step instructions on how to use it.
Basically, flash the rom, pair your gps mouse and just enable/disable GPS (using power widget for example).
But read the instructions at: http://iloki.nl/2011/08/06/update-06-08-2011/
it has screenshots and stuff
My rom basically gives you a switch to use our BT gps mouse as if it were your internal GPS. So you will get maximum compatibility , less battery drain and so on. Normally external receivers are way better than the ones that comes with your phone. My gps mouse is giving me 0.8m-2.0m accuracy for example. I was happy if I had 10m on my internal one. Most of the time I could get a lock (already tried soldering and so on).
To use my stuff the requirements are:
Galaxy S I9000/Vibrant -> binary builds. Other devices can be built from source.
NMEA 0813 capable GPS Mouse with Bluetooth Serial Port Profile (SPP)

gekkekoe123 said:
NMEA 0813 capable GPS Mouse with Bluetooth Serial Port Profile (SPP)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Does it matter what chipset is being used in the mouse? By the way, I call it a GPS Receiver, "mouse" sounds strange to me, lol....
My unit has the SiRF StarIII chip and is also NMEA 0183.
GPS Protocol Default: NMEA 0183 (Secondary: SiRF binary)
GPS Output Data: SiRF binary >> position, velocity, altitude, status and control
NMEA 0183 MEA0183 V2.2 protocol, and supports commands GGA, GSA, GSV, RMC, VTG, GLL v2.2 (VTG and GLL are optional)
GPS transfer rate: Software command setting (Default : 38400,n,8,1 for NMEA )
Connection: Communication with host platform via Bluetooth Serial Port Profile
Using the 3rd party app "Bluetooth GPS Provider" from the market, it lets me actually select my chip type, in this case SiRF. Does this even matter in this case?

Nope doesn't really matter as long as they output nmea sentences (I haven't seen one that didn't. But it doesn't hurt to check before buying).
I myself am using a MTK2 chipset.
btw: google GPS Mouse ;-)

gekkekoe123 said:
Nope doesn't really matter as long as they output nmea sentences (I haven't seen one that didn't. But it doesn't hurt to check before buying).
I myself am using a MTK2 chipset.
btw: google GPS Mouse ;-)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah I already knew its called a mouse, I was just commenting that I do not like it. Its a GPS satelite receiver, or even a Wireless BT GPS puck would have been more appropriate I think... Come to think about it, mine is slightly smaller than a ice hockey puck but rectangled and very heavy for its size. I could easily play ice hockey with it, LOL....
Ok, so good NMEA support is all we need to worry about then. Most excellent...
EDIT: I hear MTK is better than SiRF, but not sure myself...

Synced with the low power mode patches.
new vibrant rom available.

This post is just asking for more clarity.. ..
gekkekoe123 said:
Guys,
I've implemented the external BT GPS for the CM7. Until now I only supplied a I9000 rom and source code. Since vibrant users with CM7 suffers from GPS performance (lack of it ;-) )
I've decided to build a rom also for vibrant users. Give it a try: http://iloki.nl/2011/08/06/update-06-08-2011/
Beware, I'm uncertain if vibrant uses the same bootloader as the I9000. Changing bootloader isn't required for GPS support and is NOT recommended for vibrant users.
for more background information: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1170031
Please try to centralize feedback in the background topic.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for your developments and this post, seems to have a great feature for the Vibrant users like my self, if I could understand your post....
External BT GPS...... If I had an external GPS, why would I use my phone....
External BT mouse . . . . this is not clear to me....
This post is just asking for more clarity.. ..

serendipityguy said:
Thanks for your developments and this post, seems to have a great feature for the Vibrant users like my self, if I could understand your post....
External BT GPS...... If I had an external GPS, why would I use my phone....
External BT mouse . . . . this is not clear to me....
This post is just asking for more clarity.. ..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
He has enabled this phone to take advantage of the common GPS Pucks you see around the world. They do not have a screen of their own, all they do is have the high quality GPS chip like MTK or SiRF StarIII or something similar, and they have their own antenna and they connect via Bluetooth to computers, laptops and smartphones. Smartphones are given very cheaply made low quality GPS systems, but some people like myself included would prefer a much higher quality GPS result on their phone.
Advantages:
1. MUCH higher quality GPS accuracy down to 1 foot or less.
2. Uses less power since Bluetooth is MUCH more power efficient. I had my GPS on over 8 hours yesterday and when I went to bed I was still at 54% battery left, using the built in GPS system my phone would have died long long before then.
3. Lets people use their current GPS puck/mouse. Now I can use my GlobalSat BT-359 GPS mouse. My Samsungs built in GPS system is non-existant and has never worked properly. Now I finally have real GPS, so props to the OP.
This OP in my opinion was very very clear in the first place... You shouldnt roll your eyes or wink like you know what your talking about unless you truly know what your talking about. All you did was show how much you are lacking up stairs. Figured I get to now roll my eyes at your stupid post.
A GPS Mouse is a GPS unit made for smartphones and laptops and they DO NOT have a screen of their own, there are hundreds of them made and have been for many many years. This is what he is doing, letting us use these awesome Bluetooth GPS devices so we can have much more accuracy and bettery battery savings. I see no harm in this.
@the OP, thanks for your great efforts as this was long over due...

new vibrant build available http://iloki.nl/2011/08/24/update-24082011/

gekkekoe123 said:
new vibrant build available http://iloki.nl/2011/08/24/update-24082011/
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The new Vibrant build still has flashing according to Skitz.... he broke it Im sure, lol....

Thanks SkOrPn for the explanation, this helped greatly.
SkOrPn said:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks SkOrPn for the explanation, this helped greatly.

serendipityguy said:
Thanks SkOrPn for the explanation, this helped greatly.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Why certainly your most welcome....

I'm using this via Trigger - works BEAUTIFULLY on my BT 359 receiver. Although it was pretty confusing at first - after pairing initially it just said "paired but not connected" - needed to switch to the external first, then reboot, then turn on both BT and GPS (sometimes they turn on together in tandem, sometimes they don't..) before the light on the receiver indicated it was connected to the phone. And even then, it's still reported as not paired.
But that aside, this is ROCKING. I would tell you how accurate of locks I'm getting but GPS Test is freaking out (which seems to have been fixed and needs to be implemented in Trigger)
What are the odds of getting this into CM7 mainline?

strictlyrude27 said:
And even then, it's still reported as not paired.
What are the odds of getting this into CM7 mainline?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It reports itself as "Paired but not connected", not as not paired. I mentioned this somewhere else I think in the Trigger thread but now I cant find it. I believe it cant report itself as connected because it does not use a constant on connection similar to that of a BT Headset would. I believe the puck sends data at on/off intervals to short for the phone to display a connection. Just my theory though... My BT Headset on the other hand causes the phone to report as connected, but I think that's because its a constant connection, as obviously an on/off connection would be detrimental to transmitting voice... lol
I can't wait to get this in cm7 source myself, but I wont hold my breath. I wonder if there is anyone we can email to get this pushed along quicker?

Don't worry about paired but not connected message. The most important thing is that is it paired.
Connected is represented by the GPS icon.
flashing -> connected and waiting for fix, or temp lost a fix
solid -> connected and fix
none -> no connection.
Just pay attention to you gps icon and you should be fine. The connection should be there all the time, a fix can be lost temporary if you're going through a long tunnel.
It's generally best to first turn on gps and then enable it on your phone (handshake attempts are initiated from the phone). The first handshake attempt might failed otherwise and you have to wait a little bit for the retry. But eventually it will connect.

New vibrant rom is being build, should be up shortly.
This removes the reboot requirement when switching gps sources. Yes it means no more rebooting
http://iloki.nl/2011/09/08/reboot-requirement-removed/