N810 GPS - constantly 'searching'

[FrogT]

Hi,

I purchased the tablet on Sunday, and have tried getting a fix with the GPS, but when I click on location it just says 'searching'. I've used the device with the GPS switched on outside for about an hour with no change, with a good view of the sky. Faulty unit? (hope not!). Are there any steps I should take to activate the GPS does anyone know?

[anidel]

Let it search UNTIL it finds the fix. no matter how long it takes.
The first fix is slow.
(rarely it happens to be so slow, but it can be).

Just try again, maybe it gave up at some point...

[Synn89]

Try Settings - Control Panel - GPS location - Location - then click Refresh.

Sit it next to a window, plugged in and wait awhile.

[FrogT]

thanks, impatience on my part - I left the device at home during the day, next to a window, and now have a fix!

[Tuxedosteve]

I'm having a similar problem. Last night I was able to get a lock but today I get nothing at all.

I'm sure a gps isn't supposed to take an hour to get a fix

[Tuxedosteve]

I've never owned a GPS before but I'm pretty sure that when you're out in the open just walking along it shouldn't take nearly 15 minutes to get a fix.

[heron61]

So, once the GPS gets and initial "fix", how long on average does it take to get a new one (assuming the IT has been turned off between the initial fix and the new one)?

[Tuxedosteve]

I rarely turn off my tablet. This morning while waiting for the train I couldn't get a fix at all. When I got off the train it took about 10 minutes and earlier when I nipped outside for a quick try of the new Maemo Mapper it took about 30 seconds.

[Greyghost]

I have had widely varying results with the GPS receiver. I've never used a GPS device before so I also had no idea how long it should/would take to get a fix. I also had no idea that there was difference between the first and subsequent (my term, I guess) fixes, but my experiences have left me wondering if this is just the state of the art right now or if the N810 GPS is unstable in some manner.

That is, when I got my N810 and started the map application, it took at least 15 minutes for the N810 to get it's first fix. Now, it often takes 5-10 minutes to get a subsequent fix and it regularly 'blinks out' (my term for when it simply loses the fix for a minute or two) when I'm using the built-in map client. I have tried MaemoMapper and I'm just waiting for Gnuite to compile his latest wizardry for my device.

My questions:

What do we mean by a 'first' fix?

Does this mean after you turn on the device or open the map application? I never turn off my tablet, but of course I do exit the map application when I'm not in the car. When I re-open the map application, it often takes more than five, sometimes even ten minutes to get a fix. I live in a suburban environment, so there are no large buildings to interfere with the signal, but it does seem to me like this is taking way too long.

How long should it take to get a 'subsequent' fix?

I guess it has a lot to do with our expectations, and since mine were, I hope, fairly low to begin with (I was delighted to see that it even worked:), it doesn't seem like a lot to ask for fairly immediate (say 1-2 minutes?) fix when I am about to begin to travel. And the 'blink outs' are just annoying now, but I think if I was actually trying to find a street and the app just loses it every so often, I might be better off listening to my wife and asking the gas station attendant. Not.

Opinions? Experiences? Thanks in advance.

[stevenf]

I'm having a pretty similar experience.

I have an N810 sitting on a third floor window sill, with a pretty clear line-of-sight to a wide area of sky. The Map application is running, with the GPS dialog open, showing "Searching..." and has been for about 45 minutes now.

[pboyington]

There are a number of factors that will effect the amount of time it takes for the GPS to get a lock.. If the window you are next to has any kind of metallic film embedded in it, you can forget it.. and while your window may have a nice view of a section of sky, you may still not be able to 'see' any GPS satellites.. The best thing to do is to go outside....

I own a Garmin Nuvi 660, the N810, and the N95-1 and -3...

(I also own the N800 and a pile of other misc. devices too numerous to mention... I MAY have a problem.... :-) )

The Garmin gets a lock nearly as soon as it is turned on.. It IS a purpose built device and its' circuitry has better 'location' options built into it..

My N810 gets a lock in my car in about 2 minutes from the time I start the Maps application.. It DOES help that I own a convertible and even when the top is 'Up' it is radio-transparent...

The N95s take a bit longer, but will get a lock in about 2-3 minutes...

The Initial N810 GPS lock took about 15 - 25 minutes outside.. I had the thing turned on in my office next to a window for hours with no luck... but once outside it worked well... subsequent 'locks' now occur in about 1 -2 minutes.. If I take the thing across the country, I would expect that I would have to wait for 10 -20 minutes to get a lock in the new location..

[stevenf]

I've taken the N810 on a couple of 10-15 minute "walks" outside today, and it hasn't locked on then either. I'll keep at it and report any (hopefully) success.

[pboyington]

Some times of the day are also 'better' than others.. These vary depending upon where you are on the planet...

I will talk to our GPS 'guy' and see if I can get him to elaborate a bit on that. The Company I work for does a lot with GPS Controlled Heavy Earth Moving equipment...

[stevenf]

Finally got a lock by leaving the Map program running while driving around with the N810 in one of the cupholders. :)

[Texrat]

I've noticed different performance with different OS builds.

[yerga]

I've noticed different performance with different OS builds.

Better in latest builds?

[icerabbit]

Better in latest builds?

I hope that's what that means. It would be great news if newer firmware / software builds perform better.

Right now, the biggest thing standing in my way of purchasing an N810 is the GPS performance (and the routing upgrade cost).

[pboyington]

For Sh*ts and Grins, I reloaded the latest firmware on my N810 this morning. Then took the unit outside to see how long the initial lock would take..

After starting the Maps application and answering the first few questions, I had a lock and the map showing my location in about 2 minutes...