Why a GPS Fix

[GeorgeII]

Why would TT be offering a GPS fix. My XLS is accurate within 5 or 10 yards easily and possibly more. That seems good enough for me to easily make the next turn in the road.

 

[dhn]

The file gives data as to where the satellites will be located over the next week. In theory, allows for the unit to pick up the satellite signal faster when first turned on.

Having said that, there are many users who NEVER dl the files and do just fine in getting their signals.

 

[rcacs]

The Rider2 isnt even set up to recieve QuickGPSFixes, and my unit picks up satellites within seconds as a rule. I may have had to wait 20-30 seconds on initial start up on the rare occassion.

The "fixes" have nothing to do with accuracy or closeness to an object, it is mearly set up to recieve signals faster.

Cheers

 

[a.b.normal]

[FONT=Verdana, Helvetica]TomTom QuickGPSfix helps your TomTom PND to find your current position very quickly. To find your current position, your TomTom has to receive GPS signals from at least 3 GPS satellites. The GPS signal tells your TomTom exactly where the satellite is. Using this information, your TomTom can work out where you are located.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Helvetica]As each GPS satellite only broadcasts a signal every 30 seconds, it can take some time for your TomTom to work out where you are. And if anything gets in the way of the signal, like a tall building, the signal will be weak.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Helvetica]Using Quick GPS Fix, your TomTom downloads information about where the GPS satellites will be for the next 7 days. [/FONT][FONT=Verdana, Helvetica]Your TomTom can then calculate where you are very quickly and with only a weak GPS signal.[/FONT]

http://us.support.tomtom.com/cgi-bi...F9zZWFyY2hfdGV4dD1ncHNmaXg*&p_li=&p_topview=1

 

[Nextourer]

With QuickGPSFix, I can have the GPS turned on in the underground garage and search for signal. Once I go above ground, it is VERY quick to lock onto the satellites. My friend's Sony GPS without QuickGPSFix takes 5x longer (time) before it locks on.

Although.. even though I didn't d/l QuickGPSFix for the summer month (May til Aug), I had decent satellite lock time. Slightly longer than the nearly instant fix but still well within reason. They've improved it quite dramatically. I remember when I first got my ONE and you had to almost always d/l QuickGPSFix otherwise it'll take a min or two before it locks.

 

[cputrdoc]

http://us.support.tomtom.com/cgi-bi...F9zZWFyY2hfdGV4dD1ncHNmaXg*&p_li=&p_topview=1

Yeah, it's poorly named. The feature is not so much a "quick GPS fix" as it is a "quick lock" or "quick load"

 

[1776]

Is the GPS fix localized to where the TomTom is located when the GPS fix is downloaded or are you getting a GPS
update for the whole US?

 

[Gilbert]

As an experiment, I recently tried to find about the gps lock by going immediately to the gps screen, where you can calibrate it, after the system had booted. The first time was without a gps fix data and the second time with one. The 1st time, I could see the TT with 3 satellites and then a fourth one, then a fifth one and so on until a lock was obtained and then some more with varying signal strength until stabilized to about 8 satellites. The second time (with the fix data), it immediately had 5 satellites and the lock (when it shows your coordinates) was much quicker as well as stabilisation.

Everyone can do the same. It is located on the lower right of the screen where the satellite strength is shown. Tap on it and you will be shown with the evolution of the lock if you tap it immediately after booting.

 

[sageuvagony]

As an experiment, I recently tried to find about the gps lock by going immediately to the gps screen, where you can calibrate it, after the system had booted. The first time was without a gps fix data and the second time with one. The 1st time, I could see the TT with 3 satellites and then a fourth one, then a fifth one and so on until a lock was obtained and then some more with varying signal strength until stabilized to about 8 satellites. The second time (with the fix data), it immediately had 5 satellites and the lock (when it shows your coordinates) was much quicker as well as stabilisation.

Everyone can do the same. It is located on the lower right of the screen where the satellite strength is shown. Tap on it and you will be shown with the evolution of the lock if you tap it immediately after booting.

This is what I kept doing when I was on an airplane. I HAD to do this to know how long I should hold the GPS near the window. As soon as I moved the GPS away from the plane window, the number of locks would drop, so I would have to keep it by the window to see more and more sats lock (they each start turning blue) and once the device had enough locks, it would keep that signal. If I didn't have that screen open, I would have never known how long it would take to get a signal. I would have just given up.