Bell HTC Touch GPS - Newbie Questions

[SiRPower]

Hi all,

So I've recently been in need of a GPS and I heard from the grapevine that GPS can be enabled on my HTC Touch from Bell. After reading about a million posts on the forum (killing my whole bloody weekend), I decided to follow the steps to enable the GPS. I am a newbie and definitely NOT a tech guy so if I can follow instructions, anybody can. Not sure if I did it correctly but I have included what I've done, my results and questions that I still need help with.

1) Downloaded ImCoKeMaN's new Vogue unlocker v2.31 and executed --> worked like a charm;
2) Downloaded the Official Sprint ROM to upgrade the radio to 3.42.30 and flashed --> worked like a charm;
3) Downloaded OMJ's WM6.1 Custom Touch ROM for Bell and flashed --> worked like a charm.
Question --> Now here is where the confusion starts. Some people are saying the GPS or AGPS should be working now without installing and executing the PPST. So after fiddling around with GPS Viewer, it says that a GPS if found on COM4. After opening it, I see a couple of numbers on the next screen "GPS Status" (I'm assuming they are towers or satellites). How do you know that the GPS is locked as opposed to searching? I then use Google Maps and Live Search to see if anything is working and it locates my location but it is off by like 1 to 2 blocks. I use it again and then it's stops working. Now the PPST question pops into my head.
4) Downloaded the PPST Cab but have no clue how to install it. I tried changing the file names and moving them to my Windows folder and try executing and it says it cannot execute. I read somewhere that OMJ does not include the PPST in the ROM but NFSFAN's does.
Question --> How do you install the PPST Cab file?
5) Downloaded NFSFAN's Bell ROM v6.1 and flashed --> worked like a charm.
6) Found the PPST file in the Windows folder and executed --> worked like a charm. Now I'm at Radio v3.37.15 and PRI v1.33_007.
Question --> I go to GPS Viewer and open the GPS. Now on the GPS Status screen it is going nutz and finding all these numbers. I try Google Maps and Live Search but nothing works. It can't even locate me within a 1 or 2 block radius. What does the PPST file actually do? At this point, my eye's are bloodshot red from reading all these damn posts and can't figure out this GPS thing, so I go back to OMJ's ROM cause that is where I had the best result.
7) Downloaded OMJ's ROM and flashed --> worked like a charm.
Question --> Everything went back to normal except that the GPS Viewer finds absolutely nothing now and the Google Maps/Live Search can't work for crap. Not sure if it is because the Radio is now at v3.37.15. Should I install the PPST Cab file and bring the PRI to v2+? Would that resolve this issue?
Last Question: How effective is this GPS or AGPS in that it would work flawlessly with a software program like TomTom? Should I just get a GPS bluetooth receiver to make life easier?

Thanks in advance for your input. I want to put this damn thing to rest.

Jay

[gold_sprinter]

When installing the PPST cab. Be sure to use the Bell mobility file...NOT the sprint file. To install it I believe you run the PPST cab file. The device will then restart, now in either your programs or settings there should be a file called PPST. When you run this program it soulod turn off your radio and update teh PPST. Some people have been having problems installing the file and I am not sure why. But I hope this helps.

As for the radio I personally and a few others on this forum have had the best luck with the 3.37.15 radio.

2 questions come to mind when you mentioned you had the radio.

1) Did you restart your device before the customizations ran? Those customizations were designed for Sprint users and will mess up your device. I was stupidand let them run on mine. Took me a few flashes to recover completely.

2) Did you do a hard reset after flashing? This pretty much ensures that the ROM was installed fully. To install it (I just recently found this out) hold down the send and end buttons anduse the stylus to press the reset button and follow the on screen instructions.

I usually do a hard reset and then a soft reset after installing a ROM just to be sure there are no glitches.

Hope this helps buddy.

Welcome to the forum!!

[SiRPower]

When I use Google Maps and click on "Use GPS" it says "GPS Active" and then says "Seeking GPS satellites (0)" and then a blue dot shows a location about 1 or 2 blocks away from where I'm at. Correct me if I'm wrong, but that blue dot is using AGPS.

Are there any Bell HTC Touch users who get an actual Satellite number in Google Maps or GPS Today which pinpoints your exact location? I'm convinced there is no such thing as a real GPS on the Bell HTC Touch and can only be achieved through a bluetooth GPS receiver.

[dgege]

Originally Posted by SiRPower

When I use Google Maps and click on "Use GPS" it says "GPS Active" and then says "Seeking GPS satellites (0)" and then a blue dot shows a location about 1 or 2 blocks away from where I'm at. Correct me if I'm wrong, but that blue dot is using AGPS.

Are there any Bell HTC Touch users who get an actual Satellite number in Google Maps or GPS Today which pinpoints your exact location? I'm convinced there is no such thing as a real GPS on the Bell HTC Touch and can only be achieved through a bluetooth GPS receiver.

Hmmmm, wrong, since I can get a lock within 1-2 minutes on a cold boot. I get anywhere between 3 and 8 satellite locks. And it's pretty accurate too.

[ckl_88]

Originally Posted by SiRPower

Are there any Bell HTC Touch users who get an actual Satellite number in Google Maps or GPS Today which pinpoints your exact location? I'm convinced there is no such thing as a real GPS on the Bell HTC Touch and can only be achieved through a bluetooth GPS receiver.

What?!! Are you kidding me? LOL. I've been using IGO8 and Google Maps for the last... I don't even remember... number of months on a daily basis. There is a real GPS chip in this thing. And yes, I get actual satellite numbers when using Google Maps. IGO8 gives me pretty reliable turn-by-turn instructions and shows my location accurate to within a few meters.

The only issue for me is getting sub 10 second cold fix times which Sprint and Telus users seem to be able to achieve.

[SiRPower]

Originally Posted by ckl_88

What?!! Are you kidding me? LOL. I've been using IGO8 and Google Maps for the last... I don't even remember... number of months on a daily basis. There is a real GPS chip in this thing. And yes, I get actual satellite numbers when using Google Maps. IGO8 gives me pretty reliable turn-by-turn instructions and shows my location accurate to within a few meters.

The only issue for me is getting sub 10 second cold fix times which Sprint and Telus users seem to be able to achieve.

What settings do you have on your phone?

[ckl_88]

Originally Posted by SiRPower

What settings do you have on your phone?

Good question. I've been playing around with it recently and my best cold fix times are still around 1 minute. Anyways, here they are:

HKLM->Software->HTC->SUPL AGPS
EnableAGPS=1
EnableGPSSmartMode=1
EnableReAiding=1 (this edit probably does nothing, but what the hell)
GPSMode=4
NumberFixes=99999999
QosAccuracy=50
QosPerformance=89
SeverIP=195.207.101.126
ServerPort=7788
TimeBetweenFixes=1

QPST->GpsOne tab I have:
Allowed checked
All GPS options checked
LBS PDE Server IP=216.198.139.92
LBS PDE Port=8889
PDE Transport=IP
Position Calculation=Mobile

Since the PDE server IP is from Telus, I'm pretty sure it only works for users on the Telus network. I've been searching for a couple of days for a valid Bell Mobility PDE Server and Port to test but can't find anything on the Internet. Instead, I find a whole bunch of marketing BS relating to how Bell is the first mobile operator in Canada to implement location based services... ha ha yeah right.

Anyway, I think a valid PDE server and port is key to getting fast locks as Sprint and Telus have their own PDE's and hence, from what I've read, they are getting sub-20second cold fix times. I've also investigated this QuickGPS program which write an xtra.bin file to the windows directory, but I cannot determine what region to use (besides US) in the registry key and how or what reads this file and passes the info to the GPS chip. Somebody, who has access to an HTC phone that actually has the QuickGPS installed by default, needs to reverse engineer which process accesses the xtra.bin and figure out what program is using it.

Those on Bell who get 20 cold fix times, could you post some info? Like:
1. SUPL AGPS registry settings
2. PDE Server and Port (found in ##DATA#, advanced settings)
3. ROM and Radio version
4. Which custom WM6.1 are you using?
5. Do you have an app running in the background that keeps the GPS active?

[Gazoo22]

Sirpower,
I am on Bell as well and for some reason I am having pretty bad performance with GPS. NFSFAN's PPST is a great little tool, so far from what I have read you have done pretty good. On the /settings/phone/ page did you set location to ON? and there is a reg hack for AGPS in the registry, I think it should be set to 4. (I forget the where the setting is but you should find it if you look at the gps posts)

When you get the blue dot a few blocks away that is a cell tower and that is the AGPS part working. When you are trying to acquire a lock you should be outside and using GPSViewer and can take as long as 5,10 or 15 minutes. mine takes up to 5 minutes half the time.

GPSViewer will have bars of sats with strength inside the red bar/box when it is scanning and they will turn blue, the bars, when it has a lock. then use your GPS software.

You should try different roms and see which one works best for you. it is trial and error I found. I tried about 6 or 7 different roms now and got 1 that locked in 10 seconds right after the flash but that rom has expired now. I load a rom and try the gps out and if it takes for ever to lock then I run the Bell PPST and try again, and if that doesn't work I try another rom the next day after playing with the rom a bit.

[ckl_88]

You need a program that can view the registry. I use Resco File Explorer 2007 but there is a free one called PHMRegedit or something like that.

[SiRPower]

Originally Posted by ckl_88

You need a program that can view the registry. I use Resco File Explorer 2007 but there is a free one called PHMRegedit or something like that.

I got the Regedit program yesterday. I found the HLKM file but where is the QPST file?