GPS Dongle Discussion Here!!! - Asus Eee Pad Transformer Prime

<Mod Edit>
Not trying to steal the OP's glory, just wanted to consolidate all the miscellaneous GPS Dongle threads into one place; as the amount of threads on the same subject was getting out of control.
PLEASE POST ALL GPS DONGLE DISCUSSION HERE.
Thanks,
SwiftKS
(Forum Moderator)
</Mod Edit>
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Just delivered, put it on and it works great! Worked much better after a reboot.
Inside the house, solid brick house, got 12 in view 8 in use, 20 ft accuracy.
Good job Asus! Thanks!!!!
(I was one of the guys who registered during that tiny window that registration was open)

This may sound like a stupid question but has it helped your Wi-Fi? Did you use wifi analiser and do a speed test with and without it?

hunter99507 said:
This may sound like a stupid question but has it helped your Wi-Fi? Did you use wifi analiser and do a speed test with and without it?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Its not a stupid question. I did hear that "some" units tested did show improvements in wifi performance but that "wasn't" what this dongle was designed for. In the brief test I did on this theory, I couldn't see any benefits. Possibly because my wifi performance is already pretty good. It might be beneficial to someone who's wifi performance is less than stellar. I still plan on testing this more thoroughly.

I can't wait until mine comes. If more people get them hopefully they will post there experience.

Came home to find FedEx had dropped off my dongle too. Asus has done right in my eyes as far as the GPS issue is concerned. Now to go try some Sygic....

Was just out driving, going 50 mph with 8.4 ft accuracy.
Works great!

Got my dongle in the mail
Ordered on the 17th, came today (19th). Bravo on fast processing and shipping, ASUS.
Tried my GPS indoors without the dongle. After about 5 minutes it found 6 satellites, locked 3. Accuracy of 900 feet.
Popped the dongle on. Said to update to the latest firmware, checked, pretty sure I am. Took a couple minutes, and nothing...then I decided to use the little switch to "lock" it into position. BAM! 12 satellites within 30 seconds, accuracy of about 36 feet. Went outside and got it down to 28 feet.
Sure it looks tacky, is a bit bulky, and doesn't work with the dock. But it's nice to know that GPS will (finally) work when really needed.
Oh, and it was free too. Score.

This is strange. In have mine and it vastly improves my GPS, but I can't seem to hold onto a lock in my car, or indoors at all . Any ideas?

I ordered 4.6.12 & mine just shows "submitted".... I have Champagne ... WTF

mick3444 said:
This is strange. In have mine and it vastly improves my GPS, but I can't seem to hold onto a lock in my car, or indoors at all . Any ideas?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No reason why it shouldn't be able to. I was locked consistently over speeds 60-70mph. With great accuracy also(you can see my results from gps dongle test thread). Never lost the lock. Try doing a fresh reboot of your tablet and make sure the latch on the dongle is set to lock position. Also make sure you are on latest .21 update. Also make sure you have dongle and prime pointed towards the sky. Won't work as well if you have dongle pointed down.

Lock-N-Load said:
I ordered 4.6.12 & mine just shows "submitted".... I have Champagne ... WTF
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
+1 me too, mine is champagne, i think the champagne color will be ship until next week, this week only gray...

Can we see some HD final production pics of the dongle? Does it have Asus branding?

So far I came across 1 issue. I haven't had a chance to try it again
1. Attached Dongle.
2. Turn on GPS Test + GPS
3. leave tablet by window
4. went to bathroom (~5 minutes...good times)
5. Came back and my tablet wouldn't turn on and did a self reboot when i tried to press power a few times.
I've never had a reboot problem since waayyyyy back when ICS was first released.

clockwork58 said:
So far I came across 1 issue. I haven't had a chance to try it again
1. Attached Dongle.
2. Turn on GPS Test + GPS
3. leave tablet by window
4. went to bathroom (~5 minutes...good times)
5. Came back and my tablet wouldn't turn on and did a self reboot when i tried to press power a few times.
I've never had a reboot problem since waayyyyy back when ICS was first released.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Very doubtful its related to dongle. If anything its the GPS test app that could've caused it. Not the dongle itself.

clockwork58 said:
So far I came across 1 issue. I haven't had a chance to try it again
1. Attached Dongle.
2. Turn on GPS Test + GPS
3. leave tablet by window
4. went to bathroom (~5 minutes...good times)
5. Came back and my tablet wouldn't turn on and did a self reboot when i tried to press power a few times.
I've never had a reboot problem since waayyyyy back when ICS was first released.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Keep us posted if it happens again.

Sounds very similar to what happens occasionally when docked to the keyboard. Interesting that it may also happen when GPS docked.
Sent from my Transformer Prime TF201 using Tapatalk 2

Lock-N-Load said:
I ordered 4.6.12 & mine just shows "submitted".... I have Champagne ... WTF
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i have a champagne as well. ordered mine 4/16 and mine also shows submitted. maybe they dont have the champagne one yet?

I purchased mine when I was in Houston between Jan-Feb 2012. I am back to India. Will I be still eligible to get the dongle? I have applied for it and put in c/o address of my colleague in Houston. Also are there any shipping charges?

GPS Dongle
Hi,
I sent my demand for the GPS dongle to Asus Member website and in my demand it says:
Your application has been submitted 2012/04/16
does it means they are in the process of sending it ? Or do i have to wait for some other message from their part before its get processed. And how long does it takes to be sent if I live in Québec, Canada ?

Greamlive said:
Hi,
I sent my demand for the GPS dongle to Asus Member website and in my demand it says:
Your application has been submitted 2012/04/16
does it means they are in the process of sending it ? Or do i have to wait for some other message from their part before its get processed. And how long does it takes to be sent if I live in Québec, Canada ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Many are shipping out from Fremont California. I've seen one member from Canada receiving his within two days. Yours should be shipping soon. I also submitted application on 04/16 it's arriving today. It's the Grey dongle. My Champaign dongle still says submitted.
Sent from my Transformer Prime TF201 using XDA Premium App

Related

Some new issues. Time to RMA yet?

Hey peeps,
Just received my TFP on the 23rd from a Gamestop pre-order and I've had a few issues that I'm not seeing in other threads. Namely, the foremost glass panel of my prime is loose in the bottom right corner but also the wifi has unique issues which I will describe below. Out of the box I also had a scratch on the back which I wouldn't have minded but these other problems just seem like too much.
I read lots of reports of wifi problems, supposedly caused by the dual antennae in the prime, but I seem to have an issue which other users have not reported (to my knowledge. please correct me if I'm wrong.) My wifi connects and reaches the correct speeds in speed tests (15-18mbps). Yet, it disconnects every 10 seconds. I tried disabling the "Wi-fi Disconnect Policy" but to no avail. This is especially annoying since each time it disconnects it pops up a small notification saying it has disconnected and "weather information will not be availible."
To summarize:
- Scratched out of the box.
- Loose glass panel on the front.
- Wifi disconnecting constantly. (DL/UL speeds are fine)
If you are an owner of the prime: Do you have any of these issues?
I'm really wanting to RMA, return, or get a new unit at this point. Such a hassle...gotta travel into NYC to return to GameStop.
Only have the loose glass panel issue
sorry to hear the issues. that wifi one you described is a new one. since I received my prime on the 22nd, it has stayed connected to my wifi nonstop. hasn't disconnected once. I'd say reset the prime and reset the router or wifi connection and see if that resolves the issue. if it doesn't, just exchange it. good luck
It could be because it has been reopened to add/replace the second antenna and has not been closed properly? Would also explain the scratches.
thatguych4rlie said:
Hey peeps,
Just received my TFP on the 23rd from a Gamestop pre-order and I've had a few issues that I'm not seeing in other threads. Namely, the foremost glass panel of my prime is loose in the bottom right corner but also the wifi has unique issues which I will describe below. Out of the box I also had a scratch on the back which I wouldn't have minded but these other problems just seem like too much.
I read lots of reports of wifi problems, supposedly caused by the dual antennae in the prime, but I seem to have an issue which other users have not reported (to my knowledge. please correct me if I'm wrong.) My wifi connects and reaches the correct speeds in speed tests (15-18mbps). Yet, it disconnects every 10 seconds. I tried disabling the "Wi-fi Disconnect Policy" but to no avail. This is especially annoying since each time it disconnects it pops up a small notification saying it has disconnected and "weather information will not be availible."
To summarize:
- Scratched out of the box.
- Loose glass panel on the front.
- Wifi disconnecting constantly. (DL/UL speeds are fine)
If you are an owner of the prime: Do you have any of these issues?
I'm really wanting to RMA, return, or get a new unit at this point. Such a hassle...gotta travel into NYC to return to GameStop.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
mine doesnt disconnect totally but it does studder sometimes for a second i notice when running speedtests the progress bar just hangs for a second and then continues it def seems like some quality issues with the wireless they stuck in these things
demandarin said:
sorry to hear the issues. that wifi one you described is a new one. since I received my prime on the 22nd, it has stayed connected to my wifi nonstop. hasn't disconnected once. I'd say reset the prime and reset the router or wifi connection and see if that resolves the issue. if it doesn't, just exchange it. good luck
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So disappointing too. I've really been looking forward to using it and despite being a joy in my life...I think getting back $500 and just holding out for CES or a new desktop PC might be in order.
How are you enjoying yours? Any issues to speak of?
JoeyLe said:
It could be because it has been reopened to add/replace the second antenna and has not been closed properly? Would also explain the scratches.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Oh. Hmm. I hadn't thought of that. I hope they didn't do that. So cheap.
Only is issue i have is GPS not locking any sattelites but no bigdeal, For the gps i used blutooth over gps it works flawless just incase want to use navigation, wifi works now for me since i disconnected one of my router upstairs., for now i used one router for whole house, so far so good.
Sent from my Transformer Prime TF201 using Tapatalk
erick0423 said:
Only is issue i have is GPS not locking any sattelites but no bigdeal, For the gps i used blutooth over gps it works flawless just incase want to use navigation, wifi works now for me since i disconnected one of my router upstairs., for now i used one router for whole house, so far so good.
Sent from my Transformer Prime TF201 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've never heard of GPS over BT. Must look that up sometime. Although, I do have the GPS-not-locking-onto-satalites issue as well.
thatguych4rlie said:
I've never heard of GPS over BT. Must look that up sometime. Although, I do have the GPS-not-locking-onto-satalites issue as well.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
He gave up on the internal Bluetooth and is using an external Bluetooth receiver. Certainly an option but it's an extra device to carry around and keep charged. You really shouldn't have to resort to "plan B" for a new $500 device.
thatguych4rlie said:
I've never heard of GPS over BT. Must look that up sometime. Although, I do have the GPS-not-locking-onto-satalites issue as well.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Oh my bad i meant i used a blutooth gps reciever and pair with my prime
Sent from my Transformer Prime TF201 using Tapatalk
^ +1. Exactly, if you're paying $500 for a brand new device then it should be 100% functional.
Sorry to hear that. I would just go ahead and get a replacement at this point you've paid good money for something that should work properly. I was fortunate in that I received a working prime. Scary at first when they shipped it to me with the battery completely drained
Sent from my Transformer Prime TF201 using xda premium
On second thought u guys are right..lol ill exchange this then
@OP
Two quick things to try: Google on your router's model and apply any available firmware update. Try again. If issue still occurs, try setting your router to 802.11g from its (presumably) present N mode. Some older routers, especially those still on draft-N 1.0, and may have incompatibility issues with N adapters in auto mode.
thatguych4rlie said:
So disappointing too. I've really been looking forward to using it and despite being a joy in my life...I think getting back $500 and just holding out for CES or a new desktop PC might be in order.
How are you enjoying yours? Any issues to speak of?
Oh. Hmm. I hadn't thought of that. I hope they didn't do that. So cheap.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm enjoying my device very much. my prime, along with others, doesn't exhibit the issues some people are speaking of. I have yet to test my GPS though, by itself.
the only main issue I have is not being able to put down this device haven't touched my Ipad since I got this. that says alot considering how much I used my Ipad before.
demandarin said:
I'm enjoying my device very much. my prime, along with others, doesn't exhibit the issues some people are speaking of. I have yet to test my GPS though, by itself.
the only main issue I have is not being able to put down this device haven't touched my Ipad since I got this. that says alot considering how much I used my Ipad before.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Even with my screen issue this tablet hasn't left my hands I love it so amazing and gaming on it is hands down the best wish we had some infinity blade though
ok im waiting for agent @ newegg to chat and explain my issue
e.mote said:
@OP
Two quick things to try: Google on your router's model and apply any available firmware update. Try again. If issue still occurs, try setting your N to G.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'll def try that out. My router checks for firmware updates weekly so that shouldn't be an issue. Maybe changing frequency will help. I'm not quite sure what you mean by setting N to G though.
demandarin said:
I'm enjoying my device very much. my prime, along with others, doesn't exhibit the issues some people are speaking of. I have yet to test my GPS though, by itself.
the only main issue I have is not being able to put down this device haven't touched my Ipad since I got this. that says alot considering how much I used my Ipad before.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm glad you're enjoying yours! I definitely enjoyed mine before I started having these wifi issues more frequently.
tylermaciaszek said:
Even with my screen issue this tablet hasn't left my hands I love it so amazing and gaming on it is hands down the best wish we had some infinity blade though
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What about Blood and Glory? https://market.android.com/details?id=com.glu.gladiator
I just got my RMA # today for an exchange. My tablet had scratched screen, scratched/dented metal bezel face all around, and power connector area was dented.
_jws said:
I just got my RMA # today for an exchange. My tablet had scratched screen, scratched/dented metal bezel face all around, and power connector area was dented.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Who is administrating the RMA? Asus or your retailer?

Anyone that bought a prime from Bestbuy that has no issues?

It seems that all the primes that I have tested from Bestbuy (4 primes and counting) have no satellite locks and only decent wifi. Please only post if you have received a good tablet with no issues from them.
I have purchased two of them from Best Buy, one I received on the 22nd and the other I purchased it two days ago from my local best buy, the first and only one they have received My first one is "perfect", but my 2nd one has two hardly noticeable screen bleeds which are only really distinguishable if you know were to look (bottom left corner under the return arrow and the recent app button) and one would only spot them during the boot up screen. They are both able to acquire a GPS lock, even indoors but once I move it the connection is lost, outside I can walk and it stays connected for the most part; however, I have not really tested the GPS function while driving (I will try it today... if I remember too but I don't have much hope for it which is why I purchased the $5 GPS workaround). They both get good wifi, by this I mean that anywhere my phone (HD7) is in range so are my primes if my phone is out of range so are my primes and they both get about the same speed. No freezing issues... ok the stock web browser does freeze but rarely maybe once every other day or so and most of the time I just hit wait and it comes back to live. Over all I love my primes/prime my first one is busted until Asus unlocks the boot loader, I just hope its before my 45 days are up or I will be stuck with 2 primes
It took both my primes about a good 5min to get a GPS lock with wifi outside, could not get either one to even see a satellite indoors before getting a lock outside. I originally tried to acquire a GPS lock without wifi outside on my 1st prime but gave up after 5 min. I also tried it with my 2nd one but no luck; although it did see around 5-7 satellites after the first 3min and up to 9 satellites at one point but after 10min and no lock I turned on the wifi and got a lock with in a minute. After that I was able to get a lock indoors with in 3-5 min
Bought from best buy december 23, no problems at all.
Sent from my Galaxy S2
I bought both the TFP and keyboard dock from them. Neither of them has any issues.
Sent from my Transformer Prime TF201 using XDA Premium App
mine has been fine too
Sent from my SPH-D710 using Tapatalk
No problems with mine.
None of the common problems
I got mine from BB.com about 2 weeks ago. The device was working 100% fine. GPS was solid, WIFI was great. There was a tiny bit of screen leak in the lower corners, but nothing that I could not live with.
The "un-common" problem occurred when I got my dock...also from BB.com. When I inserted the tablet into the dock the screen would white out, almost like it had its brightness turned up to 1000. I was also able to replicate the problem out of the dock by placing minor pressure at the center of the bottom bezel near the charging port. I have RMA'd it and just put it on a UPS truck today. I will let everyone know how I make out.
Bought mine from Best Buy. Outside of the GPS issue mine is great. WiFi seems fine...on par with my phone/laptop, so no complaints.
Bought mine no wifi,no gps issue,but a tiny bit of screen bleed, but i can live with that. Got my keyboard but i returned it., dont really need one
Proud owner of Transformer Prime TF201
Received mine yesterday from BB online... not problems as of yet. Haven't had the chance to fully test the GPS. I've looked closely and can't find any dead pixels or screen bleed. No creaks in the chassis, and on wifi at home was getting 18mbit down, 5 up (which is about right, I pay for 20mbit down 5mbit up)
No issues here, it has worked great
Aside from some very minor light bleeding on the right side of the screen, no problems at all.
No issues with mine. I did think that the prime was a tad slower browsing the internet than the OG transformer, but seems to have been cleared after the updates.
...but the OG transformer was running Revolver, oc'd...
Mine is fine.
Tablet & dock from BB.com.
Sent from my Transformer Prime TF201 using Tapatalk
Good to hear. Im going on my third next week from Bestbuy, I thought since they havent had any instock, all the stock in the warehouse for OMS orders are from the same batch. So there is still hope.
Just out of curiosity why are you asking if BB ones are good or not since they all come from asus directly? I'd would worry more about first batch vs 2nd batch.
I got one from BB.com around Jan 12. The screen seems good, no bleed or dead pixels, bt/wifi speed drop seems to be in line with what would be expected, and GPS performs as expected. GPS is not great but does get a lock, though it loses the lock when driving.
I'm not sure about the WIFI performance though. It is fast when signal is strong but when I get near the edge of its range it drops out dramatically faster than either my phone or my old viewsonic gtablet. The TFP gets <1mbps while the gtab still gets >10mbps. Does this sound in line with what other users are getting, or would a replacement possibly fix the issue? The signal strength according to WIFI Analyser is about the same from all three devices when doing the test. If this is the expected performance I'll be returning it to wait for the TF700 later this year. I'd rather get one that works well now though, as it is a great device and I could care less about the higher res screen and camera.
I, no issues form my BB purchase, aside from the weak gps obviously.
Bought mine from best buy before the new year and have had absolutely no issues at all. Wifi has been great (picks up college wifi which at my school has a history of being ****ty). Gps I only tested once, which was the same day I got it, and it never completely connected. Keep in mind that was indoors. I never would use GPS on my tablet so idc. But besides that no screen bleeding or tearing. Got the dock as well and must say I love this tablet. Much faster and not even comparable build quality to my old Gtab 10.1. My only complaint is I wish the micro SD card slot was actually built so it could hold a micro SD card all the time, but oh well I'm happy
Sent from my HTC EVO 3D using xda premium
I did until I bricked it
Purchased another Prime from Micro Center yesterday. I'm not sure yet it's as responsive as the one I had from BB.

More GPS info please

With the results of the vote in the GPS (possible issue) thread running at 30% functionality, left me asking what are the other 70% of us doing wrong?
I thought this would be an opportunity to gather data for analysis. It is not a chat thread or for discussion on causes, or trouble shooting.
Just maybe something well show up, as it appears Asus doesn’t have a clue and keep blaming the case. While the case does seem to be attenuating the signal compared to my Samsung Galaxy S2 it doesn’t explain the hit and miss nature of the TF201. And we all have the same back panel on our TF201’s.
On one occasion with the TF201 sitting on a park bench found 9 Satellites and used 5. (Using GPS version V 6.8.13) Without touching a thing they all disappeared. Then nothing!
The best I can do now is 1 Satellite found.
Test procedure:
Outdoors only in a wide open space.
Use “GPS Test” from The Market.
Update AGPS then turn Wi-Fi off.
If all reports could be posted in the following format.
1. Model:
2. Build:
3. GPS Version:
4. Satellite’s in view:
5. Satellite’s In use:
6. Time to first fix:
7. Has the GPS worked in previous builds of ICS
8. Did GPS work in Honeycomb
9. First 8 digits of serial No
Just maybe a pattern will emerge.
Thanks all.
1. Model: 64Gb Champagne
2. Build: IML74K.TW_epad 9.4.2.11
3. GPS Version: V6.9.13
4. Satellite’s in view: 1
5. Satellite’s In use:0
6. Time to first fix: N/A
7. Has the GPS worked in previous builds of ICS: Yes briefly
8. Did GPS work in Honeycomb: Not tested
9. BCOKAS08
Not sure what you're trying to accomplish here.
There isn't a single Transformer Prime on this planet where GPS works great.
So It is what it is: the metal design is beautiful, but it restricts GPS signals. And as there is no real a-GPS for Wifi tablets(as they have no cell-site triangulation possibilities), this becomes a real and unsolvable problem.
And Asus DOES has a clue, according to Asus there is no GPS on the Transformer Prime. The same as there is no GPS on other Wifi tablets like the iPad's. Asus made a big mistake advertising with GPS before release though.
So if you really want to use GPS on the Prime, you're out of luck and should return it. A full refund would be fair if you bought it early.
I've never been able to lock onto more than 3 and then for only a few seconds. That was with HC and now ICS. If I use my Prime for navigation I use my BT GPS receiver and a full mapping capable app which I've already tested and works great. I suggest if anyone bought a TP for navigational purposes return it immediately.
Non-issue (for me at least).
YoMarK said:
Not sure what you're trying to accomplish here.
There isn't a single Transformer Prime on this planet where GPS works great.
So It is what it is: the metal design is beautiful, but it restricts GPS signals. And as there is no real a-GPS for Wifi tablets(as they have no cell-site triangulation possibilities), this becomes a real and unsolvable problem.
And Asus DOES has a clue, according to Asus there is no GPS on the Transformer Prime. The same as there is no GPS on other Wifi tablets like the iPad's. Asus made a big mistake advertising with GPS before release though.
So if you really want to use GPS on the Prime, you're out of luck and should return it. A full refund would be fair if you bought it early.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
+1 why do people still not realize it's the aluminum condom to protect from GPS waves
PrimeTimeBro said:
+1 why do people still not realize it's the aluminum condom to protect from GPS waves
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ohh really.
Please explain TF201 sitting on park bench found 9 satellites, using 5.
Without touching the device all satellites lost and no further seen.
Don't like the odds on those condoms.
The aluminium case explains the poor signal to noise ratios, not the sudden loss of all reception on a stationary device.
mile high said:
Ohh really.
Please explain TF201 sitting on park bench found 9 satellites, using 5.
Without touching the device all satellites lost and no further seen.
Don't like the odds on those condoms.
The aluminium case explains the poor signal to noise ratios, not the sudden loss of all reception on a stationary device.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The same reason when you are on the edge of losing a FM or AM radio station it can be crystal clear with a inch of movement. Try to navigate turn by turn with the Primes GPS as soon as you start moving signal is too weak to keep it. If your device just dropped all satellites without any movement it's just a glitch and has nothing to do with the overall problem of the Primes GPS.
mile high said:
Ohh really.
Please explain TF201 sitting on park bench found 9 satellites, using 5.
Without touching the device all satellites lost and no further seen.
Don't like the odds on those condoms.
The aluminium case explains the poor signal to noise ratios, not the sudden loss of all reception on a stationary device.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Because it sees them but fails to hold them when moving because the signal is weak.. Why can't people accept that?
PrimeTimeBro said:
+1 why do people still not realize it's the aluminum condom to protect from GPS waves.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, this has been pointed out about the aluminum back. But as mentioned we all have the same aluminum back then ...
WHY are some Primes always able to see and get a GPS fix.
Why is ASUS even bothering with updating the GPS driver if GPS in not in the spec's?.
WHY has someone not show GPS results with the aluminum back off?
Off topic WIFI why the frack would I want to use G setting to get good WIFI? That's like not using my 5th gear in the car and staying in 4th.
I love the Prime but the aluminum back shield is a frack up period. Stock seems to have dried up around here (impossible to get). I wonder what's up.
My new Prime had never seen 1 single satellite for the 4 days or so I have had it.
Last night, I open Google Maps and click on Resteraunts and simply pick a Pizza Joint nearby. Then I click on NAVIGATE for it to navigate me there (I was just playing around on my couch in my living room, not in my car).
The bottom of Google Maps said "Searching For GPS" and I said "Fudge It" and just laid it on the coffee table. I closed my eyes and about 12 minutes later (I looked at the clock) my tablet says in a woman's voice "Turn Left on Birch Drive!"
I couldn't believe my ears. I quickly opened GPSStatus, GPS FIX, all that. Then I noticed that Google Maps said "Searching for GPS" again. Google Maps needs a lock to navigate you so It actually got a lock for a split second, which was exciting.
However, the other apps were showing 4-5 Satellites, and they have never shown one before. It wouldn't lock, but the fact it was all the sudden showing some satellites was quite exciting since my GPS had appeared to be Dead on Arrival.
So, if you have time and can stop playing with the tablet, set up a route on Google Maps, choose for NAVIGATION, and set it down, maybe by a window, and wait 15 minutes. Maybe you will get a lock.
In my opinion, my GPS works VERY SLOW. It took literally 10 or more minutes to see any satellites, then started loading a few more slowly till I got up to 5. Again,I couldn't get it to lock onto any anymore, but I was in my living room and I have 14 mature trees in my yard (I am talking BIG trees).
Maybe give that a shot and see what happens. Because my tablet had seen NOTHING ever, but I was only trying it for 5 minutes at a time then I would get pissed.
yhzhrm said:
Yes, this has been pointed out about the aluminum back. But as mentioned we all have the same aluminum back then ...
WHY are some Primes always able to see and get a GPS fix.
Why is ASUS even bothering with updating the GPS driver if GPS in not in the spec's?.
WHY has someone not show GPS results with the aluminum back off?
Off topic WIFI why the frack would I want to use G setting to get good WIFI? That's like not using my 5th gear in the car and staying in 4th.
I love the Prime but the aluminum back shield is a frack up period. Stock seems to have dried up around here (impossible to get). I wonder what's up.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
All Primes will see and get GPS fixes NONE of them will keep it awhile moving.
No one wants to destroy a $500 device but if your willing feel free.
G gets better range with Wi-Fi in general and the Prime lacks good range with it's Wi-Fi for the same reason GPS sucks the aluminum sheild if it's not good enough for you return .
PrimeTimeBro said:
All Primes will see and get GPS fixes NONE of them will keep it awhile moving.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not true!
My Prime must be bad unit because 97 percent of the time it never sees any satellites and it has had actually only had a fix maybe three times out of 100 tries.
I'd be happy to get a fix period each time I tried
Hence my original WHY with the same aluminum back can some Primes get fixes while others don't even now satellites exist in orbit?
My bad unit is going back. I'll wait for the 700 series or a revised TF201 with a new back. Until then My HP Touchpad running ICS will do for now. Yes, no HD video or camera but that's fine.
GPS works on all other sanctioned Android tablets (with market access).
yhzhrm said:
Not true!
My Prime must be bad unit because 97 percent of the time it never sees any satellites and it has had actually only had a fix maybe three times out of 100 tries.
I'd be happy to get a fix period each time I tried
Hence my original WHY with the same aluminum back can some Primes get fixes while others don't even now satellites exist in orbit?
My bad unit is going back. I'll wait for the 700 series or a revised TF201 with a new back. Until then My HP Touchpad running ICS will do for now. Yes, no HD video or camera but that's fine.
GPS works on all other sanctioned Android tablets (with market access).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sorry I forgot to mention asus terrible qc on the primes I'm sure there's plenty where gps is totally borked bottom line is gps will never function as a turn by turn on primes with aluminum backplates. End of story
look at my youtube video... it was honey comb and nearly perfect...
with new updated ics its worthless...
I don't see any satellites and I have never seen any on either of my TFP's. I have owned 2 so far and they both didn't see any satellites period. My GPS light stayed yellow and never went green no matter if I used wifi or not. So why is mine not seeing any Sat's, but you guys complain when you have a weak signal. I am in the process of trying to return mine I bought from BB, but I am waiting my 14 days to see if they will get some in stock. If they do, the customer rep will send one out to me or the store nearest me, and then I would have to send mine off. That's what the customer service rep told me to do. It's not that big of a deal to me, but the unknown serial was, so that's why I got rid of my first one.
PrimeTimeBro said:
All Primes will see and get GPS fixes NONE of them will keep it awhile moving.
No one wants to destroy a $500 device but if your willing feel free.
G gets better range with Wi-Fi in general and the Prime lacks good range with it's Wi-Fi for the same reason GPS sucks the aluminum sheild if it's not good enough for you return .
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
wrong. I get no gps satellites period .. no fix no nothing... no matter which configuration i try
Well generally not the responses I had hoped for.
JoeyLe said:
Because it sees them but fails to hold them when moving because the signal is weak.. Why can't people accept that?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What does stationary device, placed on park bench, mean to you?
Not moving...9 satellites, with a fix, then suddenly nothing. No satellites in range. TF201 still sitting on park bench!
As an aside my Wifi is perfect. In fact better signal strength and bandwidth better than both my phones and similar to my laptop.
I don't want turn by turn navigation (have TomTom for that). Just a occasional fix on Google maps. Wifi is generally too inaccurate.
And I do know a little about GPS. RAIM, FDE and Baro aiding help keep me alive in my 9-5 job.
If you are happy with your prime great.
But do check the bottom of the box your Prime came in. The spec still show GPS. Mine is a late model Prime. So regardless of Asus removing it from the web site I feel I am entitled to some form of GPS functionality.
Happy to do that Wifi assisted and it should work in a wide open space. But it doesn't for 70% of owners.
So my question once again why are the other 30% of TF201's offering some sort of GPS functionality?
yhzhrm said:
Why is ASUS even bothering with updating the GPS driver if GPS in not in the spec's?.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I also wonder about this. Why waste the time and effort?
Here's how i fixed my GPS problem:
I pulled out my Galaxy SII. Got a fix in 2 seconds.
True Story.
i can get about a 20m accuracy lock while indoors in a matter of seconds, but it never improves in accuracy.
Satellite’s in view: 0-4
Satellite’s In use: 0
Time to first fix: 2minutes
1. Model: 32 Champ
2. Build: IML74k.US_epad-9.4.2.11-20120117
3. GPS Version:V6.1.1.17
4. Satellite’s in view: Fluctuates but up to 11
5. Satellite’s In use:Fluctuates but up to 6
6. Time to first fix:3 mins
7. Has the GPS worked in previous builds of ICS: n/a
8. Did GPS work in Honeycomb:Yes and Much better before
9. First 8 digits of serial #: BCOKAS02
In Honeycomb It was working very well but since the update its way more flaky, as it will go from 9 sats in view and suddenly lose them all.
#### Any one else notice that the GPS Icon Doesn't Blink anymore unless you click the clock menu and then go back####

Canadian TF201 Report

I bought a prime on last Friday, from Staples.ca online store.
I have tested that my prime has NO issue at all.
SN: C10KASxxxxxx
Color: Gray
I followed this guide to test it:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1475296
Here is my result:
1. Light Bleed - Not found.
2. Dead Pixels - Not found.
3. Serial Number - Found.
4. GPS Reception - Very good, even better than my Nexus S. ( Tested when WiFi off )
5. WiFi Reception - Very good, even better than my Nexus S.
6. Dock/Keyboard Connection - Not tested, I don't have one.
7. Gyroscope - Very good, Orientation changes very smoothly.
8. Updates - Two received when I turned on this tablet.
9. Bluetooth - Paired with Motorola HT820 without any problem.
So far so good...
spa941 said:
4. GPS Reception - Very good, even better than my Nexus S. ( Tested when WiFi off )
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What black magic is this?
Did you use Google Maps to test GPS? If so, then please download "GPS Test" from Market and see how many sats it sees and locks on.
Hi. Did you test wifi while you had a Bluetooth connection from more than 20' from the router? Could you try that? Perhaps it's time to try another Prime.
GPS Test screenshots:
Tested with WiFi turned off. The reception seems like a bit weak, the average SNR is 20-30dB(Has more yellow bars). Compared with my Nexus S, almost get same result.
Also tested navigation with Google map, using my Nexus S to supply internet connection. The navigation works fine, just like my Nexus S.
Although the sensitivity is not as good as my Garmin 7490LMT, but it's acceptable, usable. I don't expect more because I won't use a tablet as my navigation tool.
westcoastgeek said:
Hi. Did you test wifi while you had a Bluetooth connection from more than 20' from the router? Could you try that? Perhaps it's time to try another Prime.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I live in a 2 bedroom high-rise building, so the space is limited. But, I went to Coquitlam Poirier Recreation Center, they have WiFi but I don't know where is their router located. I was sitting in the swimming pool viewing area. I think my prime is better than my Nexus S because the prime get -50dBm but Nexus S get -60dBm (WiFi Analyzer). I didn't have the Bluetooth connected at that time.
Hi! Great to hear you received a working Prime! Is there any tiny miniscule aesthetic defects on your prime? I had 2 Primes from Staples and Futureshop all with defects in the camera lenses and in the screen
729927852 said:
Hi! Great to hear you received a working Prime! Is there any tiny miniscule aesthetic defects on your prime? I had 2 Primes from Staples and Futureshop all with defects in the camera lenses and in the screen
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't have even a tiny deficiency on my prime, the only thing I don't like is the color. I want a Champagne one but they don't have.
Tested WiFi with Bluetooth headphone connected and a music playing. I don't see any significant signal fall out on WiFi Analyzer. The prime is about 10m away from the router but separated with a dry wall.
I have a C10KAS bought in Canada as well and I don't quite have the same results as you. I have some screen bleed and my GPS is not good. The Galaxy S line and I think the Nexus S have notoriously bad GPS reception so that's not really a fair comparison.
However, like you I've had pretty much flawless Wifi reception along with all the other great things you listed. =)
Hey there,
I just got mine in Belgium and I was wondering when you say that the wifi is better than your nexus s (I happen to have the same also hence my question), what are the results distance wise? In my house, I've tested both around 20ft from the router (on the same floor). The prime got a better signal indeed but the dl speed is not as fast as the nexus s. and once I start getting even further, the prime gets really overpassed both as signal strength or dl speed. I don't know if I should return it or not, but if this is the best result people are getting from the tablet, it's quite sad. when you guys say pretty much flawless, what distance is acceptable to you?
I will also try to check on some open wifi spaces and let you guys know
Great news spa. The deal breaker for me is Bluetooth and wifi must work together. Gonna try another prime soon I think. I wish future shop or bestbuy carried the 64gb version. Their return policy is so much better than NCIX.
Can you test Bluetooth over an HD YouTube or Netflix...i have a Canadian CO2k and Ihave the wifi/bluetooth issue
Sent from my Dell Streak using Tapatalk
Yeah, don't buy prime from NCIX.
westcoastgeek said:
Great news spa. The deal breaker for me is Bluetooth and wifi must work together. Gonna try another prime soon I think. I wish future shop or bestbuy carried the 64gb version. Their return policy is so much better than NCIX.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Both stores have it in-stock online. I ordered last week and got it in 3days.
---------- Post added at 01:00 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:59 PM ----------
willoxx said:
Can you test Bluetooth over an HD YouTube or Netflix...i have a Canadian CO2k and Ihave the wifi/bluetooth issue
Sent from my Dell Streak using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It works for me and no issue..l Bought from Bestbuy.ca
willoxx said:
Can you test Bluetooth over an HD YouTube or Netflix...i have a Canadian CO2k and Ihave the wifi/bluetooth issue
Sent from my Dell Streak using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I tested last night, it works with HD youtube smoothly in any room in my apartment.
You know the signal noise level should be higher in an apartment then it in a house, and in my situation, I can't even find a non-used channel for my wifi router, so the interferance is obviously high. I mean it's not comparable for people in different situation, if you want one prime just buy one from your local store and have it tested in your home/office, wherever you want to use it.
There are lots of facts we need to consider, such as what kind of router you use, the bluetooth device, and so on... whoever's test is just a particular case and it might not work for you at all.
spa941 said:
Yeah, don't buy prime from NCIX.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Why not ? I bought from there with express rma insurance. There shouldn't be a problem right ?
Sent from my Dell Streak using Tapatalk
Thanks I will check bestbuy and order one from there. NCIX, will not take a prime back unless they feel there is a major problem, so a little light bleed or not perfect wifi, will not cut it with them. I buy so much from them and I had to fight to get them to take mine back 3days after I bought it due to major light bleed and no wifi with Bluetooth. Plus they wanted to charge me a 15% restocking fee. So I'll never buy any non computer component from them again.
---------- Post added at 11:24 PM ---------- Previous post was at 10:31 PM ----------
Ok so I just ordered Prime No. 2 with a keyboard and all from FutureShop. Lets hope things have improved and everything is good outta the box. At least if its not up to snuff I can return it easily.
Thanks guys for the suggestion of ordering it there - I dint know they ahd the 64GB version.
Canadian Tf201
I have a prime from staples in Canada too and everything seems ok. No major issues. I can get a good lock on 10/12 satellites indoors from the GPS. My wifi is a little weak; About the same as iphone 4 probably. It seems all good. I was thinking about returning it because of the wifi issues. But, i am still undecided. It works good in my house. If you turn on BT the wifi signal does cut like 5dB. However, i don't use BT.
Overall good tablet. Screen is nice. Seems to run smooth.
Serial: C10KAS
Got it one week ago.
Heideggerguy
heideggerguy said:
If you turn on BT the wifi signal does cut like 5dB. However, i don't use BT.
Heideggerguy
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just remember that if you don't have everything working, it may affect your resale value should you decide to upgrade and try to get a decent dollar for your tablet. Just something to think about before your chance to return your unit expires.
When my new tablet arrives I will put it through every test I can think of even if I don't plan on using a certain feature, because I want to be able to sell it down the road.
Cheers

Share Your GPS Experience

I bought the TF 2 days ago and have had no read on satellites, GPS has been totally dead. Last night, I tried the GPS on the second storey of my house and...presto, found 12 satellites quickly, all very strong signals. Went back downstairs and nothing. So strange, but must be a signal strength issue as cannot penetrate 2 storeys. Will test more and outside this weekend.
Please share your experiences with gps on this device and hopefully we can try establish best practises to maximize probability of it working (if possible).
I am running stock untouched: No root and locked bootloader with the latest update.
Sent from my Desire Z using the XDA App
GPS Status
I am rooted... unlocked running Virtuous Prime with 21 update. I had virtually no GPS now I show 11 sats and lock on 8 even when walking around with in 10 secs, this is the best GPS I have had in 3 months(with WiFi OFF). The BT and WiFI is much better it drops a little but still stays in the green in GPS Status.
I have absolutely no signal whatsoever on mine, not even a hint of one.
I went through the RMA procedure, no joy, they sent me the same pad back, did not even crack open the one i sent, I'm pretty sure they never even opened the box i sent it in!
My best buy would not take a return on mine, RMA procedure took too long. I would seriously recommend returning yours while you can, unless you dont mind tossing about $75 in the trash, because that's what you paid for the GPS feature.
There is a "fix" over on in the dev forum, you can find it here:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1564037
I've tried all 5 builds on my prime, have yet to get squat for a GPS signal, i mean not even 1 satellite......ever.....not a one! the fixes did nothing for me.
There is also a class action lawsuit regarding this missing feature, you can find it here, join by phoning the lawfirm heading it, a few folks in the development forum have already joined in, looks like i will be too unless i opt for the VISA chargeback route.
http://www.courthousenews.com/2012/02/13/ColinvASUS.pdf
GPS? This is the ATP forum right.
if u know what i mean…
OT,
I have barely had any satelites, ran around at work at both my houses only one time visiting my father and on the top story of the building i had found sats after leaving my atp (by accident) with gps test on.
moved a little, and lost them all
Mine used to show satellites, but a lock would take 20 minutes or never arrive, and it would go away if you moved the tablet. On .15 now, it doesn't get any satellites.
Looking into the crystal ball, I anticipate the next few posts on the matter to look something like this, not necessarily in this order:
1. My GPS don't work, this sucks
2. Mine works fine, here's a pic
3. My GPS don't work, but I don't care
4. I have it on good authority that Asus will be posting a fix for GPS
5. My GPS don't work, but I don't care, and therefore you suck
5. Asus took GPS out of the spec, stop complaining
6. I used to love this forum, now everyone is whining
7. You don't need GPS because this tablet rocks
8. I didn't know this tablet had GPS
9. My GPS didn't work before, but I shoved a paper clip in the 40-pin connector and now it does.
10. Shens on the paper clip thing, you need to weld a satellite dish made of tin foil to the USB port on the dock.
11. WHY IS EVERYONE WHINING THIS SUCKS SOOOOOOO BAD
12. I RMA'd my Prime and now GPS does/does not work.
13. GPS don't work, but you should be thankful Gary Key is here Asus rules
14. I RMA'd my Prime and Asus smashed it to pieces and charged me $140 to get it back.
15. GPS don't work I'm going to sue someone.
16. My mod friend will make you all stop whining, you'll see!
17. I returned 13 Primes to Best Buy looking for a working GPS
18. Everyone with non-working GPS should email Gary
19. GPS works if you manually enter latitude and longitude.
20. GPS is a government conspiracy to beam messages into my brain.
21. I took my Prime to the Apple store; they gave me a free Ipad 3 and I made out with the hot sales chick under a display table
22. GPS is obsolete anyway. If you're lost you could use your tablet as a shovel to forage for grubs, a head covering against the sun, a sled to drag supplies behind you, or to write your last will and testament.
23. SERIOUSLY, STOP WHINING OR I'M GONNA TELL ON YOU
24. GPS will work, silly, just buy a cheap GPS. And an expensive dock to connect it to.
25. Could someone with a working GPS post a location for a store that has a Prime?
26. GPS doesn't work, I demand Asus pick up my daughter at her boyfriend's house.
27. MY GPS is getting 10 satellites, which one has the Disney channel?
28. The issues with GPS on the Prime only affect a small percentage of users, no more than many other devices. And there are no American soldiers in Baghdad. We have them surrounded in their tanks.
lol at #27
David Dee said:
I tried the GPS on the second storey of my house and...presto, found 12 satellites quickly, all very strong signals. Went back downstairs and nothing. So strange, but must be a signal strength issue as cannot penetrate 2 storeys.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you are getting 12 satellites inside your house, I'd say that's pretty good for any GPS receiver. The fact that you can't see them two stories below isn't that surprising, GPS signals are pretty weak by their nature, they don't travel through roofs, walls etc very well.
Good luck; I'm off to try out #21 from the list above at my local Apple Store...
GPS works fine on my end. Running Prime Icylicious w/ aGPS patch Test Build #5. GPS when not in motion locks in less than 8-10 secs, and when driving about 15-20 secs.
Here's a short video of Build 5 while driving: http://youtu.be/N7wQIL3myfY
Interesting range of replies. Outside of the gps issue, I think this device is incredible (I am not experiencing wifi signal issues), so I would rather not return it if I did not have to.
I live in a 2 storey house and the difference between 10-12 satellites and nothing is one flight of stairs from ground level to upstairs. My Desire Z locks in on both levels to 10+ satellites in under 15 seconds.
My hope is this issue will be tolerable, but I may have to unlock/root and install the patch to achieve this end.
Sent from my Desire Z using the XDA App
Dead as a doornail since I bought it early Feb. Always reads 0 sats even outside clear view of the sky, never locks. C1 serial. Doesn't really bother me as I never use it on the Prime and if I did need it I can just use bluetooth2GPS between my Nexus.. but it would be nice if something it was supposed to come with out the box worked. Other than that I got no issues with mine
Works fine on mine (C30 batch). What I did (and have been doing since my first Android GPS capable device):
Download 'GPS test' from Google Play, start it up with WiFi enabled, go into settings menu, discard aGPS data, renew aGPS data, shut down WiFi, walk outside, sit in the sun for a while and Presto! 12 sats in view, 10 connected (within a minute or 2....)
Although I'm not sure aGPS is also fetched bij WiFi (normally it's cellular broadcast station I thought), it's my standard 'work-flow'and it works for me....
Just what we need another gps thread, like there aren't 36 already.
Sent from my ADR6400L using Tapatalk
PolishPoet said:
Just what we need another gps thread, like there aren't 36 already.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I was unable to find a recent gps only thread. Since you know of 36, I am sure all readers and posters of this thread, including myself, would be grateful if you could link in your top 10?
Sent from my Desire Z using the XDA App
Outside I can pull 14 sats max. But once I step a foot inside I get nothing. But I am in a house built in 1890s do it has thick walls and horrible wiring.
Sent from my ADR6300 using xda premium
monkey10120 said:
Outside I can pull 14 sats max. But once I step a foot inside I get nothing. But I am in a house built in 1890s do it has thick walls and horrible wiring.
Sent from my ADR6300 using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Interesting, what serial # do you have , c10, c20 or c30?
Sent from my Transformer Prime TF201 using XDA Premium HD app
I picked up the TP last Saturday, C20 serial and not good at all. Outside it is a hit and miss and never actually works correctly. Shows that your on top of buildings, houses, etc... I have all my Android devices rooted, but going to wait a few weeks to hear anything on the Transformer Infinity. Then I will decide to either keep the TP or return it. Really like the TP, but since I am always on the road I need GPS working.
Sent from my Transformer Prime TF201 using xda premium
Nothing here
I have a C2 serial device, ever since I got it ive had zero GPS signal and zero sats. I opened the device and applied rubber shims behind the antenna as some have suggested and this made no difference. I flashed new official .21 firmware today, and still no signal at all. I downloaded and applied the aGPS fix (test build 6) which has been proven to work with a lot of people, but alas I still have zero visible satellites after 25 minutes of searching.
Does this mean my Prime has faulty GPS functionality, or is it just one of the unlucky ones which is worse than normal?
Ok maybe the gps on my unit isn't completely dead. Took it outside and waited and waited and waited until I finally saw satellites.
Went outside and my stock TP (a C20 serial number) with the .21 update took about 5 minutes to find 3 satellites, but no lock on any of them. fortunately i have my phone if i need to find where i am.
To use the GPS 2 Bluetooth methods do you need to have the phone and tablet rooted or should the the apps work fine on their own?

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