Bluetooth GPS Problems - Not as easy as I thought!
Upon receiving the bluetooth receiver it was really easy to pair it with my phone but Google Maps was not picking up the bluetooth signal. After much trying and retrying the connection i eventually gave in and looked at the instructions for my Vario, it said to go to settings>connections and click on the GPS icon to set up my GPS connection. The only problem was that there was no GPS icon or option available anywhere on the phone. After much searching on the Internet I eventually found a fix through a combination of many different sites. Because it took me so long to find a solution I thought I would put it all together here in one place so if you have the same problem with your windows mobile enabled device, here is how to fix that bluetooth GPS connection problem.
Retrieve your GPS icon
The GPS program that come with windows mobile takes care if all the incoming GPS information making it easier for other programs on your device to use it. The problem is, on some installations the program is hidden, so even though it is already on your device you cant actually access it! I'm assuming this is a naughty trick so that you take your device to the shop and they will try and sell you some GPS software or is that just me being cynical!
Just to show what the icon looks like, before and after!
Once you have installed this on your phone you will now have a new program on your phone called PHM Regedit, open this program and you are now ready to make a quick change in your registry! Locate to this folder:
HKey_LOCAL_MACHINE> comm>GPS Settings
In the lower window you should see an icon with the text "hide" after it, delete this and recreate these 2 registry entries.
1. Add DWORD Group and set Value to 2
2. Add DWORD Hide and set Value to 0
Now soft reset your phone by pushing the button with your stylus in the hole next to the infrared port on the bottom of your phone. Upon restart if you go to settings>connections> you will now have the GPS icon and you will now be able to successfully pair your device with your bluetooth GPS receiver.
For a rundown of the com settings please visit Keni Barwick's site for a great tutorial.
If you enjoyed this post please feel free to buy me a gingerbread late! mmmm!
Tags:
I also have a Vario II - just upgraded from the original Vario after my contract ended. The increased speed of the internet with 3G is fantastic. I followed your instructions above - only thing I found was that in the Registry it was under HKey_LOCAL_MACHINE> Control Panel >GPS Settings rather than under comm.
Anyhow I now have the GPS icon on my phone.
What GPS receiver did you use - I've been looking at the following:
Navicore Slim SiRF III Bluetooth GPS Receiver (http://www.mobilefun.co.uk/product/12398.htm) - according to the website it is compatible with the Vario II
I also have Google Maps and this looks like a good way to go.
Thanks for the instructions on how to do it.
Ian
Hi Ian, I'm glad you got he icon up, i guess on the newer phones there is probably a different registry tree. I just bought a no name Serif iii 20 channel receiver off eBay and it paired up fine, managed to get from Newcastle to Blackburn to Harrogate and back this Friday with the use of it!
If your feeling adventurous you may want to check out the XDA developers forum to see how you can flash the rom on your your phone. Mine came with windows mobile 5, now i have windows mobile 6 from the forum.
All the best
Andy
Hi Andy,
thanks for sharing your experience with GPS, Bluetooth and the MDA Vario II.
I'm looking at upgrading to this phone.
You said that you have upgraded to windows mobile 6. I'd be really interested to hear more about that experience….
Was it scary?
Cheers
Steve
Hi Steve, yeah it was a little scary! my phone was only 2 days old when i did it which added to the fear! In actual fact after having done it it was prety easy. I flashed mine with Windows Mobile VI Pro – Black 2.5 available here:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=1228373&postcount=2
Id recommend having a good look around the site and take a look at the other rom's, see what you fancy. Also there are some really good instructions on how to do it, basically you plug in your phone into your computer with the provided cable, follow the instructions and after about 10 minutes you're done! Just remember to write down your internet settings and such and download all of your contacts to your pc. Let me know if you upgrade and how you get on.
Andy