GPS Help

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adh747

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I received my 0806 at Christmas and on setup everything worked fine with GPS speed stamping showing on the playback. However since that first test the playback is showing no speed data - just shows 000 mph on the playback. I changed a couple of settings after initial setup. I changed the GPS from LOG ONLY to ON and also changed the resolution from the default to 1920x1080 45fps 16:9.

The green LED is set to show GPS status which flashes continually. I have the GPS icon showing on the screen with a red circle next to it. As mentioned, the first test video I did showed speed on the playback but after this nothing. Is it anything to do with the changes I made?

Thanks for any help.
 
My 0806 unit takes 4 to 6 min on average to start working when it gets a lock and then you see location and mps for the rest of the trip. I also purchased before it a 0805 (both from Gearbest which I do not recommend getting from - long story....). That unit took similar time to lock (I believe the GPS module is the same for both) and then after showing position and speed for a while, went back to 0. From reading here and my 'personal guess' is I believe that GPS module has a loose wire but I personally will not open it up and fix it (and gearbest insists on my shipping back the 0805 to China not Staten Island where it came from for a 'store credit only').

I don't believe your issue is setup but rather hardware related.
 
Ok understood. Just odd that it worked fine before I made the changes I did.

I'll change them all back and see if it makes any difference.
 
After some further investigation on this I think I've identified the problem but would appreciate some comments from others.

I decided to open the camera today and check connections. All looked fine so reassembled and fitted back into car. I decided when I powered up to sit and wait with the car stationary for a while. The GPS finally locked on and the green LED stopped flashing and the red X disappeared next to the sat symbol.

So the question is, does the car need to be stationary for a given time period after power up for the GPS to obtain a successful lock? I've been on multiple journeys previously and the GPS never locked but staying stationary until the GPS has locked seems to work. Anyone else experienced this behaviour?
 
First of all, I have both an 0805 and 0806 (which I am currently using). It seems to me that both units use the same GPS base since I have had occasion to use a unit in the base of the other unit successfully.

I have had similar issues as you. In a different post here (started on 2/2), I was complaining about the fact that even after the lock, I had instances that the lock was lost part of the way into the trip and it went back to 0. I was told here to try putting power into the 0806 instead of the base unit. I tried that and SO FAR, there has been no loss of lock once it locked. For me, the jury is still out - I will keep checking for the next couple of weeks.

As far as the initial 'lock' is concerned, I have had varying times to first lock. Here is my data for all my trips since 2/2 (last Tue) when I changed the power to the 0806. This data comes from analysis through the Datakam player.

13 trips (not video segments) -

Trip Time To Lock
1 3m07s
2 0m08s (25 min after end of #1)
3 8m34s (night time made lock take longer?)
4 4m01s (also night time)
5 no lock - 6m58s trip (happened later once - I'm not sure why it never locked)
6 4m2s
7 11m19s (night time)
8 5m5s (night time)
9 4m56s
10 0m12s (22 min after end of #9)
11 4m40s (sunset)
12 no lock (2m10s trip)
13 no lock (13m56s - night time)

So from this small amount of data here are my tentative conclusions -
1. Day time lock takes 4 to 5 min
2. Night time lock takes 8 to 15 min
3. Trip 5 didn't lock across 7 min at 9 am on a cloudless day. Not sure why but it is wasn't far out of my 4 - 5 min range
4. If a trip starts soon after a previous ended, GPS lock is very quick

I take a look at another week or so of data to see if it is congruent with the above.

Have other of you experience data that matches mine?

I'm also in a 2011 Prius and have the base mounted behind the rear view mirror below that funny stuff/tint on the top of the windshield. Will putting it somewhere else improve the 'lock'? Though moving it somewhere else will reduce it's 'stealth' and could change the video picture.
 
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A couple of times I've noticed the green LED flashing for extended periods. Removing power then turning back on seemed to cure the glitch. Haven't tested it thoroughly though.
 
Interesting info, thanks very much. I have mine plugged into the base as it's much neater wiring wise.

The weird coincidence is that the GPS worked the first time I set it up but on any subsequent drives, it didn't. It was only today when I had it powered on for a while with the car stationary that it worked again. The similarity between these two occasions was that the car wasn't moving for a long period with the camera powered up. I can only assume at this point that the GPS won't lock on while the car is moving. However I need to experiment further to prove this.

Any other experiences would be helpful.
 
my gps does lock while the car is moving - see above. it just takes a while depending on whether it is day or night. This locking stuff reminds me of the 'old gps' technology I used to use with Garmin's in the 1990s when it also took a while to find four satellites to lock on/triangulate. With the technology these last 10 years I had thought we had gone past that until I purchased the 0805 & 0806.
 
Thanks for reply.

Interesting, I'll have to do some more investigation. I haven't had it lock on yet while moving and all my journeys are in excess of 2 hours.
 
I am wondering.... I drive a 2011 Prius which has this metal bar come down and connect with my rear view mirror. My base unit is currently to the left and in the middle of it as I look out. If I moved it right below the bar would it make any difference on the lock?

1. I am running out of rectangular double stick squares to play with. Any place I can get more? (Hobby Lobby or some retail place for example?)
2. Does anyone sell a compatible base unit w. GPS that will do a better job locking?

(drove this AM for allergy shots - it didn't lock the whole way there which is about 10 min and it locked sometime on the way home in the second half of the trip - didn't take out the card to figure it out exactly but today is a bright cloudless day)
 
Tried the GPS again today without moving the car. No lock even though I waited around 15minutes. It must be something else stopping the lock. Can't be the windscreen as it has successfully locked on twice but all other times, it's failed. I haven't tried the power direct to the camera yet which is my next move. However if the SAT symbol and green LED is flashing does that not mean the GPS is getting power? If there was a bad connection between the base and the camera body, surely you wouldn't get the green LED or SAT symbol?

The retailer has suggested it could be the SD Card but I doubt this given that it has locked on twice.

Any other advice appreciated.
 
jokiin said:
Does your car have an athermic windscreen?
Click to expand...
Probably - see the pic. The base is about 1/4 inch below that mesh. My guess is that is what is causing the lock problem. Do you think repositioning it below the metal in the pic that attaches to the mirror would be far enough away to help? I am running out of double stick squares.

IMG_5556[1].webp
 
Check your owners manual, if it has an athermic windscreen there is normally something mentioned to tell you if there is an area of the windscreen that is transparent to the signal
 
Well I don't have much real estate to work with if I want it to be invisible/behind the rear view mirror. You see the picture. I can leave it where it is or put it below the meta bar. Those are really my only two options.
 
Some 'promising' news. I moved the unit (with my last double sticky square) below the metal post which is slightly below and to the left of the EZ Tag (see pic above). Only tested once today - locked in 43 seconds (instead of 4 to 10 mins). Will run it that way and in a week will check for more results.

BTW - anywhere I can by the double stick squares in case I need more - I am clean out.
 
Very High Bond (VHB) tape at Walmart. It's the gooey clear stuff with red plastic backing. 3M makes it, and the smallest roll will set you back about $3. I think it's about 3 or 4 feet of material, about an inch wide. Surface prep is key. Make sure both the mound that the glass are cleaned with Windex (or equivalent) and completely dry before applying. Even the slightest amount of grease (from fingers) or dust will cause the stuff to fail over time. If done right, it'll last until you want to take it down.
 
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