GPS woes & new ICS update

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jonboyuk

Senior Member
May 24, 2007
1,031
139
South West UK
Well, damn it ASUS! I had a vague GPS thing going on when I first got ICS. Since I got the update for GPS it's killed it :(

I left the prime in the window bay for 25 mins and this is what I got
20120123_083159.jpg


Nothing. I presume this has nothing to do with root etc? Would a system erase make any difference? Is it even worth a try?

It's not like I use it often, but it used to lock from here fine and now it doesn't.

Meh!
 
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kristovaher

Senior Member
Jul 29, 2010
949
218
Tallinn
www.waher.net
Well, damn it ASUS! I had a vague GPS thing going on when I first got ICS. Since I got the update for GPS it's killed it :(

I left the prime in the window bay for 25 mins and this is what I got
20120123_083159.jpg


Nothing. I presume this has nothing to do with root etc? Would a system erase make any difference? Is it even worth a try?

It's not like I use it often, but it used to lock from here fine and now it doesn't.

Meh!

You should get some satellites if you turn the device around. Right now the metal back possibly blocks all potential signals. Aluminum back cuts down about 50% of GPS signal performance compared to smartphone like Galaxy Nexus (which also does not have ideal GPS, though does work).

f0K6z.jpg
 

jonboyuk

Senior Member
May 24, 2007
1,031
139
South West UK
You should get some satellites if you turn the device around. Right now the metal back possibly blocks all potential signals. Aluminum back cuts down about 50% of GPS signal performance compared to smartphone like Galaxy Nexus (which also does not have ideal GPS, though does work).

Good idea and thanks - I tried this, flat, next to a window and left for an hour. Still nothing :( How can an OTA update that claims to fix GPS break it?! Lol!
20120123_121300.jpg
 

green750one

Senior Member
Oct 16, 2010
119
16
Epsom
Yeah, I got the same - absolutely nothing despite over an hour face up completely flat.
My phone (Dell Streak) gets locks immediately in the same place.

The only way I've managed to "see" a single satellite on my Prime is after BT tethering to my Streak!

Very disappointing, not that it's crucial to have GPS, but there's a principle involved here.
 

Wordlywisewiz

Senior Member
Nov 25, 2011
1,150
224
Brattleboro
Good idea and thanks - I tried this, flat, next to a window and left for an hour. Still nothing :( How can an OTA update that claims to fix GPS break it?! Lol!
20120123_121300.jpg

Do yourself a favor change the power modes while in the GPS app!

See that little circle notification if it is not flashing it is not trying to lock so all you gotta do to get it to start locking is expand than minimize the notification bar!

Sent from my PC36100 using Tapatalk
 
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jonboyuk

Senior Member
May 24, 2007
1,031
139
South West UK
Yeah, I got the same - absolutely nothing despite over an hour face up completely flat.
My phone (Dell Streak) gets locks immediately in the same place.

The only way I've managed to "see" a single satellite on my Prime is after BT tethering to my Streak!

Very disappointing, not that it's crucial to have GPS, but there's a principle involved here.

Couldn't agree more. I had mine picking up sats in my car with Honeycomb...then ICS came along (second ICS OTA) and decided to take it away from me. Disappointed. Now, where's that Mr.Gary Key? Ha! :D
 

slybarman

Senior Member
Dec 24, 2010
777
141
Ditto - this last update killed my previously acceptable GPS performance. :( Mine will see as many as 8 birds with decent SNR, but will not lock on any of them.

Sent from my SPH-D700 using Tapatalk
 

jonboyuk

Senior Member
May 24, 2007
1,031
139
South West UK
Do yourself a favor change the power modes while in the GPS app!

See that little circle notification if it is not flashing it is not trying to lock so all you gotta do to get it to start locking is expand than minimize the notification bar!

Sent from my PC36100 using Tapatalk

I knew that trick!! It was the first thing I tried before running a full reset :/ Thanks though :)
 

kristovaher

Senior Member
Jul 29, 2010
949
218
Tallinn
www.waher.net
Wow guys, this sounds really bad. I thought that the flaw is simply that the signal is weaker by half (as it is on my tests), but apparently it doesn't get any locks at all for some of you.

This is definitely not a metal casing problem, GPS antennae seems messed up. GPS, by design, should get some locks after just a few minutes, no more than 10 or 15 minutes.

All of my tests show the flaw of metal casing weakening the GPS signal, but it still finds satellites (though cannot be used for navi as a result) without WiFi.

Try going to some open space and hold the tablet skyward and see if there's any change. Indoors is not an ideal testing condition (depends on where you live), because it still might be the metal-back issue.
 

slybarman

Senior Member
Dec 24, 2010
777
141
It not purely a hardware issue though as my GPS was on par with my cellphone before this last update.
 

krispy521

Senior Member
Jan 4, 2011
349
58
Nashua, NH
I am also getting no gps lock in gps test since the last update. I got my prime to lock onto about 15 satellites prior to the update driving in my car(its a convertible) Now I can't get it to see a single one, let alone get a lock. I love my prime, but this is a real bummer.
 

jonboyuk

Senior Member
May 24, 2007
1,031
139
South West UK
I agree....if this was a pure hardware related issue, then it wouldn't have worked before then suddenly stopped working post drivers/software update. This clearly highlights that there is a software related issue going on. Obviously the aluminium backplate still reduces from the overall signal quality but it don't completely prevent it from working. If this was the case, no one would get a lock ever, on any unit!

Your move Asus...
 

UmbraeSoulsbane

Senior Member
Jan 24, 2010
176
14
Same problem here. I did not originally have an advanced GPS app or anything, but services were able to locate me in GPS (when Wifi and location via Wifi turned off). Since the update, I get nothing. I download several apps to test GPS and all are the same: No Sats.

I don't really use GPS all that much, but I tested this before installing the update and the update did definitely break it for me.
 

jonboyuk

Senior Member
May 24, 2007
1,031
139
South West UK
Seems like the update was 50/50. Either it makes everything brilliant or just takes it away!! How do we approach this best? We can all contact ASUS individually but that never seems to work. I wonder if Gary Key accepts PM's?
 

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    No difference for me, no satellites before or after the update. But...

    http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=1459356

    Sent from my ADR6425LVW using XDA Premium.
    1
    Well, damn it ASUS! I had a vague GPS thing going on when I first got ICS. Since I got the update for GPS it's killed it :(

    I left the prime in the window bay for 25 mins and this is what I got
    20120123_083159.jpg


    Nothing. I presume this has nothing to do with root etc? Would a system erase make any difference? Is it even worth a try?

    It's not like I use it often, but it used to lock from here fine and now it doesn't.

    Meh!
    1
    Good idea and thanks - I tried this, flat, next to a window and left for an hour. Still nothing :( How can an OTA update that claims to fix GPS break it?! Lol!
    20120123_121300.jpg

    Do yourself a favor change the power modes while in the GPS app!

    See that little circle notification if it is not flashing it is not trying to lock so all you gotta do to get it to start locking is expand than minimize the notification bar!

    Sent from my PC36100 using Tapatalk
    1
    HAHAHAHA!! JoTeC that cracked me up!