vB Easy Archive - HTC Touch and GPS (newbie)

Pages: 1

HTC Touch and GPS (newbie)
(Click here to view the original thread with full colors/images)

Posted by: jackville

HI folks,
I'm about to buy the HTC Touch fom Bell in a few days and i'm having a few questions concerning GPS

As i understand i will need to buy a USB GPS receiver module and a software like TomTom right ?

If i'm right, what is the best receiver module and software to buy?

Do they charge an extra to use the GPS ?
PS:I will have unlimited internet.

Thank you so much for your help !

Jackville

Posted by: angekfire

The device has a built in GPS reciever, it is just deactivated in the standard bell rom. If you flash a new version, it can activate it, making you not need to the external GPS device.

Posted by: jackville

Thank you for your reply angekfire,

I heard that flashing a cell is a bit dangerous, and since i'm a newbie with that i'm not shure about that solution, but thx for telling me!
If someone do it for me, do bell bill you like as a data plan when you use the internal gps?
I will use the unlimited internet plan

Thx

Posted by: angekfire

If you are with bell and have the $7 unlimited browsing, it covers the GPS.

Flashing isn't that hard, there are step by step instructions on XDA-developers, and probably ppc-geeks. I don't know the links off hand.

I had never done it before either, but I just followed the instructions and it worked fine. I've flashed probably about 5 ROMS now on this phone.

Gotta learn somehow. Doing it is the best way.

Posted by: jackville

THank you angekfire,
I think i might try it !

Jackville

Posted by: angekfire

Just follow he instructions carefully, and you should be fine. If you mess up and brick your phone, there are also threads on those sites that tell you how to un-brick it, and flash it back to the original rom if you need to return or exchange it or something.

Posted by: gayjam

Speaking as someone who flashed his phone last night, it's easy. The hardest part for me was using the GPS because no one mentions the "Settings" in the walk-through's.

For the record:

Code:

Settings -> System -> External GPS -> Programs:
GPS program port: COM4

Settings -> System -> External GPS -> Hardware:
GPS hardware port: (None)
Baud rate: 4800

Settings -> System -> External GPS -> Access:
Manage GPS automatically (recommended): <Check>

Kind of counter intuitive that it's controlled under "External GPS"

Posted by: henryleu

I just did a search, and the another thread says Bell phones do NOT have GPS in the HTC Touch:
http://www.howardforums.com/showthr...+touch+gps+bell

Can anyone confirm? I'm planning to get one - I'm in Vancouver, Canada.

Posted by: angekfire

They do have it, but it isn't activated. I can verify this, as I have it on my touch. It isn't usually too accurate for me though, since I can't seem to get any satellite locks.

Bell will likely tell you it does not have it because they don't want people using it on their data plan.

Posted by: tom_s

I know the Telus version doesn't have it built-in. I purchased a BT GPS Receiver.
See post: http://www.howardforums.com/showthread.php?t=1386375

Posted by: gayjam

Quote:

Originally Posted by tom_s

I know the Telus version doesn't have it built-in. I purchased a BT GPS Receiver.
See post: http://www.howardforums.com/showthread.php?t=1386375

The Telus Touch DOES have the gps built-in. This has been confirmed by many people, myself included.

I have a Telus Touch and my GPS _IS_ working. Very quick and accurate too. A bit of a battery hog though.

Posted by: tom_s

So then i just got burned... i'm having some trouble finding posts on how to enable it ? Any ideas?

Posted by: chaokai

First of all, Bell HTC Touch (and Telus,too) does have built-in GPS which is disabled when you first get it.

To answer your questions, you don't have to buy a GPS receiver with HTC Touch to use GPS.

To enable it, you would have to flash a third-party ROM (check out PPCGeeks.com under HTC Vogue Upgrade section).
See this first (to flash to 3.37.10 rom): http://forum.ppcgeeks.com/showthread.php?t=24979
Then this (to flash to 3.37.15 rom): http://forum.ppcgeeks.com/showthread.php?t=25335
Yes, it could be tricky or dangerous if you don't know how. I suggest read it and make sure you understand it before you attempt. Once you get the hang of it, it'd only take you a couple of minutes to switch Roms and stuff.

As far as navigation software goes, there are two choices.
1. D/L GoogleMaps and you don't need to pay anything.
2. Buy a navigation software (Garmin XTMobile or TomTom, etc) and you get turn-by-turn voice directions and many more other features (vendor-dependent). Garmin is good in terms of its features and included POIs (point of interests) which could come in handy if you are driving around. TomTom is good too in terms of its speed. It's really up to you and you can always ask around for opinions.

Posted by: Luke122

The other day I flashed my HTC 6800 (P4000) to activate the GPS, and it works great. I didnt find the process very difficult either, so as above, follow the directions and you should be fine.

Posted by: chaokai

Quote:

Originally Posted by angekfire

They do have it, but it isn't activated. I can verify this, as I have it on my touch. It isn't usually too accurate for me though, since I can't seem to get any satellite locks.

Bell will likely tell you it does not have it because they don't want people using it on their data plan.

Did you turn on your bluetooth? Did you set your GPS to COM4 at 4800 baud rate? Did you set to enable GPS in your location settings? Did you run HTC GPS tool/GPS Test/GPS Viewer, etc kind of apps before you start navigating? If you did all of the above, it'd sound strange to me if you still didn't get any sat locks? Anyway, just thought I shared... Good luck!

Posted by: dvs_rydin

Hey Gayjam,

Did you have to flash the phone to get GPS with Telus? The damn rep said you could just add the application, he didn't mention having to flash!? bastards wanting to make a sale....

Posted by: kynkst3r

Looks pretty tricky, and a lot of reading is required. I guess I'll just stick with google maps and search around like that :P

Thanks for this, as I may try it in the future.