PR 1.3 has improved GPS lock speed
 

Has anyone else noticed the significant improvement in GPS performance since updating to PR 1.3?

I'm seeing a real improvement, even when turning it on in a different location from the last usage.

Re: PR 1.3 has improved GPS lock speed
 

I hadnt tested this so just went and did a few location tests and a drive with gps on. You do seem to be correct. Locks seem to be faster and in fact the gps seems to show position better - at least in sygic.

Maybe just placebo effect, but appears that way to me.

Re: PR 1.3 has improved GPS lock speed
 

It's very true.. and I'm using supl.nokia.com which used to be dead slow.. now gps lock just a few seconds.... yay to PR1.3 :D

Re: PR 1.3 has improved GPS lock speed
 

I have the same placebo effect concerning better positioning

Re: PR 1.3 has improved GPS lock speed
 

Seems to be more accurate.

Re: PR 1.3 has improved GPS lock speed
 

Yes and the refresh seems faster.

Re: PR 1.3 has improved GPS lock speed
 

Yes, I agree. It used to be VERY slow, but now fairly useable.

Re: PR 1.3 has improved GPS lock speed
 

DIS LITTLE GPS POINT HUGE changes

Re: PR 1.3 has improved GPS lock speed
 

I haven't noticed that (but I DID think I had noticed that with PR1.2!).

Re: PR 1.3 has improved GPS lock speed
 

Seems to be faster here too...had been using supl.google.com prior to this, didn't realize the update changed it back to nokia, that's a testament to it being much faster.

Re: PR 1.3 has improved GPS lock speed
 

+1 for that.
seems to be really faster and the sites load much better

Re: PR 1.3 has improved GPS lock speed
 

Interesting. Is this using SUPL? I wonder if they've upgraded the GPS chipset firmware or if it's a change to the ARM-side processing of the SUPL data?

Re: PR 1.3 has improved GPS lock speed
 

i found that interesting too,cause our "maps" look a little bit less epic fail.
anyway
like that.

Re: PR 1.3 has improved GPS lock speed
 

Hmm, will test it.

Re: PR 1.3 has improved GPS lock speed
 

Yeah, when I updated Maps I thought the same thing. Lock is much better now. Kudos to 1.3. No real new features but fixed A LOT of little ones that make this device so much better to use.

Re: PR 1.3 has improved GPS lock speed
 

Didnt you notice the 'refresh route' button on the map after setting a route? That's a real new feature.
Of course still a far cry from a real navigation system, but we'll just have to wait for Meego for that, hopefully.

Re: PR 1.3 has improved GPS lock speed
 

I don't see any differences at all. Seems to be the same :)
Placebo effects!!

Re: PR 1.3 has improved GPS lock speed
 

Do you even have satellites in New Zealand!!:eek:

Seriously though, you don't notice an improvement? I achieve lock in a steel building now.

Re: PR 1.3 has improved GPS lock speed
 

Hahah yes we do, we use the Oceania satellites. I've always get locked really quickly without internet anyway. And always using mine and got it locked underneath 7 floors of thick concrete building, surrounded by building. Software cannot make the hardware works faster beyond its capability you know. I do think this wasn't the case with the GPS locking. Sometimes,someday the GPS locks faster than other.

I think people think that GPS locks faster because they never experiencing the locking speed before, nor paying attention to the timing. Placebo effects!

Re: PR 1.3 has improved GPS lock speed
 

I suggeset flash it back to PR1.2 and then timing it. Then flash it to PR1.3 then timing it as well. Comparing both time and if you got a proof then I'll believe ya :D

Re: PR 1.3 has improved GPS lock speed
 

Yes I noticed that too. It locks really fast now. Maybe it' s supl server that makes it feasible and not the driver of gps.

Re: PR 1.3 has improved GPS lock speed
 

The placebo effect was my first thought, but I've tried it several times and consistently have faster locks and I am achieving lock where I was having no luck before.
I am also certain polling (or whatever it's called) is more frequent.

Re: PR 1.3 has improved GPS lock speed
 

Probably. Nokia might have updated their cell tower mapping database.

Re: PR 1.3 has improved GPS lock speed
 

There isn't anything changed to the GPS you know? Nokia did not upgrade the GPS chip via OTA update lol. The hardware is fixed and cannot be changed but software enhancing it can be changed and in this case the software is the same as previous PR1.2 so I don't see why you keep saying that you have faster locks.

Sometimes is due to whether, clouds, satellites positioning in space, someday there are 3 or more satellites positioning is at the right location to communicate with the GPS chip. Sometimes because you using the Data connection and helps the positioning better than offline cold start.

Just remember this, once you got a lock, the next time you wanting to get another lock is easier and faster than previously. In this case it is nothing more but a Placebo effect.

It happenes all the time, it is all in your head :D, sometimes your eyes lied to you more than your friend did or your gf did. Sometimes when you desparately hoping for something better and your brain fooled your tought.

Example: A soldier who get shot will not be able to feel the pain and will not know that he got shot. Not until he sees the blood and then he starts thinking about it, that's when the pain is trigger :)

Simple comparision :)

Re: PR 1.3 has improved GPS lock speed
 

used to take 15 seconds
now it takes 3
simple comparison

Re: PR 1.3 has improved GPS lock speed
 

Obviously the update made your watch slower. :D

Re: PR 1.3 has improved GPS lock speed
 

Well I'm as surprised as anyone. But I know what I see. I have always used the the Ovi maps and GPSJinni and there is a positive difference. All the doubters have said why it's not possible, is there any reason it could be possible? I can't find the change log to try to explain it myself.

BTW..... Poll added!:D

Re: PR 1.3 has improved GPS lock speed
 

well, i think it's possibly unrelated, because others mentioned the agps server being reset back to nokia's from google's. i just rebooted and tried it and it's taking more like a minute now, but the whole phone freezes when the rtcomm stuff reconnects, so it's not really a fair test. But it's not really fair to test without rebooting either, it caches your last position... Good luck proving anything :P
Stupid closed source apps.

Re: PR 1.3 has improved GPS lock speed
 

It's possible they upgraded the firmware though or the gpsdriver code which iirc does the gruntwork, or decided to poll the SUPL server more often whenever the user is connected to remove that latency. It's certainly possible, though it would require some poring over the various software versions to see what might have been changed.

Re: PR 1.3 has improved GPS lock speed
 

Nokia still haven't released an official changelog. In my search for one I came across another user, "I4U" here --> http://thenokiablog.com/2010/10/25/n...-pr-13-update/ He seems to be enjoying better speed too.

The more I use it, the more I'm convinced that Nokia have improved the GPS functionality.

When my friend returns from Ireland with his N900 (running 1.2) I'll do some comparisons and share the results.

Re: PR 1.3 has improved GPS lock speed
 

I don't use GPS every day, better to say regulary.

I'm sure there's no changes with the speed GPS locks. It was and still is pretty fast for me, I haven't noticed any changes since I flashed 1.3.

Accuracy hasn't improved either(for me it's easy to check coz it never shows the right position when I'm home^^).

And I've never changed supl server.

Re: PR 1.3 has improved GPS lock speed
 

Well it's official. GPS locks are easily 3 to 4 times faster than they are with PR1.2! My buddy couldn't believe it and has updated his N900 and is currently happy as a clam!

Doesn't anyone else see the improvement?? :confused:

Re: PR 1.3 has improved GPS lock speed
 

Its true for locks with activated AGPS. I get a lock in about 2 seconds at a new location (serveral 100km away from the last), Used to be about 15 before.
But lock without AGPS is still dead slow. I was in a position where I only had UMTS via Data-Roaming (=expensive) so I disabled AGPS. I had to wait about 15 minutes for a lock despite the device showing 10 recognized satellites after 2 minutes

Re: PR 1.3 has improved GPS lock speed
 

Yes. Without AGPS is very slow. To get a lock on my n900 I have to wait about 7minutes minimum and usually even more. And I tested this not from inside a building but from outside where there were no buildings near me so it should be fast. And in GPSjini I can see that it found about 10 or more satelites and the signal on 5 of them is 100% but still it does not lock. I can not understand this.

Re: PR 1.3 has improved GPS lock speed
 

P.R. 1.3 seems to have a Ovi Map that actually retains the AGPS data so it locks much faster.

Pre-1.3 it always would download the AGPS data every time you started it up.

Grossly inaccurate for me now though!

Re: PR 1.3 has improved GPS lock speed
 

I thought this was wishful thinking on my part;

I rarely used GPS because we have next to no cell signal at home and Ovi Maps for N900 is all but useless for me.

I tried the 'new and improved' PR1.3 version soon after reflashing and thought I'd accidentally activated the AGPS - the GPS locked on in about 5 seconds.

Lat week I ran repeated tests both in and out of cell and there is definately a huge difference on my device. I can usually lock on within 3 secs and even get a good GPS signal indoors.

Thus encouraged, I invested in Sygic last night and was so busy playing with it on the way into work I arrived late...

I thought GPS was supposed to save you time?

Re: PR 1.3 has improved GPS lock speed
 

Confirmed
:D
I suspected most of these rumors of improved lock times are due to
improved A-Gps arrangements but:

I am in the middle of a jungle here and turned off A-GPS
and just now witnessed cold-start lock in 90seconds.
The unit had not been used for GPS in the last 48 hours
so I am guessing they are storing the almanac.
Previously under PR 1.2 I saw times of anywhere from 5 to 10min to get cold-start lock,
which I guessed to indicate the system was discarding almanac information.

I am impressed.

Now that I have two units I am thinking I might try to set up
a dgps arrangement if I can find the time to work out how to do it.:cool:

Re: PR 1.3 has improved GPS lock speed
 

Hi everyone,

I have issue with Nokia Maps & Drive App.

I update my N9 64GB (Product Code: 059J1V4) to PR 1.3 with a PC and I still can't use my Maps & Drive app because it stays in "Waiting for position" and the "Looking for GPS" forever.

I had this problem since with the PR 1.0, PR 1.2 and PR 1.3, they stay in "Waiting for position" and the "Looking for GPS" and the navigation never works.. Only with PR1.1, I was able to run correctly the GPS.

Any clue how to fix the problem?

Re: PR 1.3 has improved GPS lock speed
 

I used to have this problem ("Looking for satellites" in Drive, from PR1.0->PR1.2)and one guy at Nokia told me that the problem could lie in the antenna printed on the case. Before knowing about this I have had mainboard replaced but didn't help, after telling nokia care that this could be the solution, I got the case/chasis replaced and it now works as it should. If you did have GPS working in PR1.1 then I don't know if this info is helpful at all, you could give it a try though.


Oh and this thread is for N900 btw

Re: PR 1.3 has improved GPS lock speed
 

Thanks for you reply.

My bad to post my question on the wrong thread.. :S