*Possible* improvement to GPS Fix
 

Getting a GPS Fix, as most of you know, can sometimes be a little slow.

My wife has a Q9C and there was a Hack to enable the "Assist" in AGPS.

But I noticed it used a different IP and Port than Mogul/Touch and it feels like the "Assist" is not working in these ROMs (lock is sometimes way too slow). One purpose of AGps is faster locks.

See http://www.everythingq.com/forum/mot...tml#post110752

See attached registry script. You can open it by hand and make edits by hand. Or use Memmaid to import it. It renames the old keys with the old values in case you want to change it back. Remove the .TXT extension if you want to use it as a registry script.

I'm not 100% sure if it's helping or I'm just lucky at the moment, but right now it's locking very fast in the house. But again that may be just luck and or caching.

If you try it please post results to help people decide if it worth trying. I'll post more data on it tomorrow.

Re: *Possible* improvement to GPS Fix
 

I removed .txt but resco explorer still said it wasnt a registry script

Re: *Possible* improvement to GPS Fix
 

seems to have worked though. I connected inside my apt and wasnt able to do that before. Getting up to 5 satellites

Re: *Possible* improvement to GPS Fix
 

Awesome, thanks for the quick report.

Re: *Possible* improvement to GPS Fix
 

Edit the file and add this text to the top of the file to remove the error and successfully import the file



Text to add: Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

Re: *Possible* improvement to GPS Fix
 

Does Verizon Wireless run an aGPS server?

Searched google, and counldn't find anything. The IP listed in the reg key is a Sprint PCS owned IP, I assume it won't work for Verizon users.

Thanks,
Nite Rider

Re: *Possible* improvement to GPS Fix
 

Well, I made that change and didn't notice much difference. Still took several minutes to lock in on position.

Made the change listed in this thread: http://forum.ppcgeeks.com/showthread...=agps+registry

.... and now I am able to consistently get a lock in under 10 seconds, even after a bettery pull. It could be a combination of both changes, or could just be placebo effect and some kind of caching of last position that the phone is doing, but either way. I now get quick locks and am a happy camper.

Re: *Possible* improvement to GPS Fix
 

I imported the settings, soft-reset, and it doesn't appear to have made any difference... It's doing a cold start, first time I tried getting a lock today.

bummer.

EDIT: Also, I had already changed my GPS mode to 4 earlier, and it does seem to help a bit, but not tremendously.

Re: *Possible* improvement to GPS Fix
 

yeh i dont think changing the server does much. the mogul (maybe just he beta ROM) had the same 192 IP and worked fine. I think either server will give you a-gps as long as you change the registry gps mode to 4 from 2.

Re: *Possible* improvement to GPS Fix
 

This fix is confirmed in my opinion. I went from a 10 minute cold start in my house to about 45 seconds. AGPS is getting google maps into my parking lot and then the actual gps locks a few seconds later, thanks a million! Havent tried mode 4 but will try that now.

Re: *Possible* improvement to GPS Fix
 

Mode 4 definitly helps a bunch, AGPS Lock in less than 10 secs and up to 7 Sats in under a min.

Re: *Possible* improvement to GPS Fix
 

I would have to agree with you as well. I had tried both changes separately, but the the combination of both has improved my GPS lock time.

Re: *Possible* improvement to GPS Fix
 

It didn't really seem to do anything for me. Still about 2-3 minutes to achieve a lock. No biggy I usually know somewhat where I going when I turn it on so I can wait for the lock. I already had GPS mode set to 2 instead of 4.

Re: *Possible* improvement to GPS Fix
 

The fix is to set GPS mode to 4 instead of 2.

Re: *Possible* improvement to GPS Fix
 

Works great!!!! Fast gps lock after soft reset

Re: *Possible* improvement to GPS Fix
 

I just did this for mine plus changed the gps moe to 4 from 2, i am getting lock in the house in like 10 sec, this is great, will see in a couple of days of real world use what happens.:headbang:

Re: *Possible* improvement to GPS Fix
 

Does anyone have an IP and Port for Verizon PDE?

Re: *Possible* improvement to GPS Fix
 

I just made both changes and WOW what an improvement! I went from not being able to always locate the GPS after quite a while of searching to very fast GPS location info!

Re: *Possible* improvement to GPS Fix
 

This registry edit does get a fix much faster. I am inside my house and both sprint nav and googlel maps works. It only took about 1 - 2 minutes compared to 10 minutes before!!

Re: *Possible* improvement to GPS Fix
 

Dont get too happy guys, I had the same amazing results and would get a lock in about 5 sec. and now, hardly ever will I get a lock within ten minutes, say out of every 20 tests of starting iGo or TomTom, Google Maps, etc. will I get a lock within 1 min... :(

Re: *Possible* improvement to GPS Fix
 

The Vogue, in it's current hacked form, does not use aGPS.

You can completely delete that whole key out of the registry, and still get instant fixes - it wont make a bit of difference.

For a "geek" community, there are way too many people here that don't understand the difference between a cold/warm boot...

Re: *Possible* improvement to GPS Fix
 

WOW, I now get an almost immediate lock on some satellites, although it still takes a while to fix my position (inside a concrete building, though). Prior to this registry edit I was not able to even get one satellite fix.

Re: *Possible* improvement to GPS Fix
 

I wasn't so sure assist was working either.

After loading the newest Titan Radio ROM and learning a bit more (see sticky). The Touch is definitely using the "assist". You can tell when using Google Maps (NOT using COM port) that you get a rough position with NO sats first. This happens when Google Maps says "GPS Active (0)" and you see a blue dot and it starts to load maps all while still saying 0 Sats.

Your right about the params may or may not be effective and yes it will work with out them. I'm using the orginal IP and Port and Assist is working. I'll try disabling/deleting these params and see if I can get Google Maps to show it has an Assist position. It's hard to switch back to assisted mode once the Sats are cached.

Re: *Possible* improvement to GPS Fix
 

If you use an app that shows satelite info (like GPStest or VisualGPSce), you will see that the gps does indeed start "guessing" at the location before it gets a fix. I believe Google interprets these results before lock, and thus leads you to believe that you are getting aGPS.

You can further verify this with the test apps by turning the radio off before running them - you will still get an approximation eventhough there is no connection to the towers.

Re: *Possible* improvement to GPS Fix
 

I don't know. I just turned on Google Maps and the first position it showed me was actually right in fron of the local Sprint tower... After about 30 seconds it showed my real position in front of my building...

Re: *Possible* improvement to GPS Fix
 

I agree, the touch however can be tweak to use AGPS through a program call quick GPS that's how the Kaiser does it too. What it does it goes out and download the Ephemeris data ahead of time so you can skip the cold start all together and it does work pretty good.

Re: *Possible* improvement to GPS Fix
 

that makes no sense what so ever. ASSISTED gps means its using data (an IP address evident in the registry) so why would you turn off the radio? thatd leave you with ONLY gps satellites.

I do agree with the point about the warm/cold starts. And then people wonder why "omg it took 3 min for a lock!" Well thats within average for a cold start, even bluetooth SIRF III receivers take 1-2 min

"Cold Start- Time and position known to within some limits, almanac known, ephemeris unknown

Warm start- Time and position known to within some limits, almanac known, at least 3 SVs Ephemeris are known from previous operation.

The satellites (SVs) broadcast two types of data, Almanac and Ephemeris. Almanac data is course orbital parameters for all SVs. Each SV broadcasts Almanac data for ALL SVs. This Almanac data is not very precise and is considered valid for up to several months. Ephemeris data by comparison is very precise orbital and clock correction for each SV and is necessary for precise positioning. EACH SV broadcasts ONLY its own Ephemeris data. The validity of this data is dictated by the particular satellite and may be valid up to 4 to 6 hours. Each set of ephemeris data gives a "fit" indication which tells how long the particular Ephemeris data is valid. The Ephemeris data is broadcast by each SV every 30 seconds so GPS receivers have frequent opportunities to receive and log this essential information.

When the GPS is initially turned on after being off for a period, it "looks" for SVs based on where it "thinks" it is and based on the almanac and current time. With this information, appropriate SVs can be selected for initial search. When the GPS receiver initially locks onto a SV, the Garmin satellite display initially shows "hollow" signal strength bars. At this time, the Ephemeris data has yet to be completely collected (or any existing is "stale." Once the ephemeris data is collected from EACH SV in turn, the associated signal strength bar will turn "solid" black and then the data from that SV is considered valid and available for navigation."
http://gpsinformation.net/main/warmcold.htm

Re: *Possible* improvement to GPS Fix
 

Maybe my post was confusing, but the point I was trying to make is that the ASSISTED gps does not work on the Vogue. When you get the same performance from the GPS regardless if the radio is on or not, it proves that it is NOT USING the cell tower assistance.

Re: *Possible* improvement to GPS Fix
 

QuickGPS does not work on the Vogue. While it does indeed download the data, the radio does nothing with this data. Users reporting 2 second locks are simply warm-booting and demonstrating placebo...

Re: *Possible* improvement to GPS Fix
 

In my experience, upon opening GMaps, it will either show the last place I used gps, or 0/0 (Africa) until it starts approximating and/or gets a fix.

Re: *Possible* improvement to GPS Fix
 

How does it do approximating, if not agps?

Frankly I can be inside after a coldboot, fire up google maps, select use gps, start in africa (0,0) and it will zoom, into .5 miles of where I am. Granted this takes a minute or so. Then I can run visualgpsce and it tells me that there are 0 satellites in view, but 1 being used. I think that 1 gps is agps.

edit: ok I am wrong that I can get that after a cold start.

Re: *Possible* improvement to GPS Fix
 

Turn the radio off. It'll do the same exact thing. Can't be cell assisted...

Re: *Possible* improvement to GPS Fix
 

I disagree with your assessment that aGPS isn't functioning on the Vogue. I am running Altel + JDs GPSTest2.1 and ran GPSGate + Google Maps. It located me EXACTLY at the cell tower up the street!!! Once it found the satellites it located me in my back yard. I'm not the first here to observe the aGPS locating us precisely at a cell tower before satellites kick in. I replicated this again at work having been located at the cell tower near the office.
You might rethink your assurance that aGPS isn't functional on these phones.

Re: *Possible* improvement to GPS Fix
 

Like I stated before in this thread. http://forum.ppcgeeks.com/showpost.p...7&postcount=15

If anyone wants to see if agps works why don't you put your phone into flight mode. Which would shut off the phone radio, in turn not allowing the usage of agps, but do a soft reset first. Now see how long does it take you to get a signal. Then try the same procedure again eight hours later with the phone radio on, but first do a soft reset first. This would help determine if we are using agps or not.

Re: *Possible* improvement to GPS Fix
 

Please keep in mind that I am referring to the gps drivers that came with the stock Alltel rom.

There has been a lot of progress made over the last week, and the different roms out there may now be using different gps drivers. And if, in fact, someone has found a combination that truly enables/unlocks the aGPS, then we should now be seing lots of posts about how quick the fix/lock is rather than how long it takes?

Re: *Possible* improvement to GPS Fix
 

Here's a possibility: When I installed GPSGate, it requested permission to update certain drivers located in the Windows folder. Could it be that GPSGate detects the presence of aGPS drivers ans replaces them if they are missing.
I started with GPSGate v2.5 found here;
http://www.getjar.com/products/11183/GpsGateforPocketPC
The install asked to update my drivers. I later uninstalled v2.5 and installed v2.6 to enable the "WM GPS" option. This install however didn't request a driver update possibly because 2.5 already gave this.
Could these drivers installed by GPSGate be the aGPS drivers???

Re: *Possible* improvement to GPS Fix
 

how do you intall this?

Re: *Possible* improvement to GPS Fix
 

I tried installing v2.6, and it didn't prompt me to install any drivers (haven't installed any gps helper utils)

Re: *Possible* improvement to GPS Fix
 

the registry hack enable what we call a hybrid system where it will use both system if possible to attend a location. Also the quickGPS hack didwork for me pretty good while I was on JD old test rom. I am back on the AllTel now since Rev A is working great for me at the moment I'll wait a little bit before doing another reflash.

Re: *Possible* improvement to GPS Fix
 

When I started this thread I was not sure if changing the IP address and Port would help. After a few days I noticed it didn't.

I reloaded ROM's back and forth between radios etc. but nothing really helped.

Then with the new GPS DLL's things really started clicking (see sticky).

After that I tried setting GPSMode=4 and finally saw Assited GPS (but not all the time).

Then I decided to try this trick again using the Sprint server.

And bingo, Assisted GPS every time !!

I posted registry script for setting both GPSMode and IP address here.
If you are NOT on Sprint Setting your IP address to the Sprint server may not help or make it worse. But it does not hurt to try.

http://forum.ppcgeeks.com/showpost.p...1&postcount=24