Tried out my new Origin B2 Solo today having updated it last night.

First thing that struck me was how short the cigar lighter lead was. If I tried to locate the unit on the right hand side of the dash, the lead resembled a washing line. (The laser module lead is about twice as long ... )

Tried it in the centre of the dash and having read the manual, which explains it may take 20 mins for the first satellite lock, sat outside my house with the engine running. Nada. No satellites. Manual says lock will be achieved more quickly if the car is stationary so perhaps I'm in a blind spot.

Drove to the top of a nearby hill and parked up where the antenna should have had as unobstructed a view as I could give it. Still nothing. I'm starting to think Scotland may be one big blind spot.

Using the mains adaptor, I have since powered the unit up indoors on window ledges on three sides of my top floor flat. Not a satellite to be found.

Anyone got any ideas? I extended the Auto Power Off to 50 mins and left the unit on each occasion for that length of time. I reckon the problem was either the weather (it says climatic conditions can affect reception; if by that they mean cloud and rain then I'm in big trouble) or the thing's u/s. Will email Origin on Monday morning but thought I'd ask here first in case anyone had any bright ideas (and I don't mean move back to London!).

Shiskine

 

Could very well be the cloud cover mine does take a while to get lock if it is left for a few days and then cloudy. See what the weather is like tomorrow, although Monday is supposed to be better. That said it should work in the cloud but first time it does take a while, and when the internal battery drains it takes some time too.

 

I never have any problems with my GPS navigation system outdoors (need to be by a window to get it to work indoors).

Clouds should make no difference whatsoever to a normal GPS nav system, so I don't see why it should effect the Origin.

The GPS part of the system must be very poor if it does have problems.


Sometimes the GPS signal does fluctuate, as the satellites are run by the US military, and will be subject to occasional breakdowns and reduced accuracy - highly unlikely to fail completely though IMHO.

If you are doing all the manual says, then I would guess a fault somewhere - get on to customer support.

 

Tried again this morning in the car. Parked up near the centre of Glasgow in the Shields Rd Underground Car Park - for those that don't know it, that's a 1000 space + surface car park serving the Underground, not an underground car park - giving the Origin an unobstructed view.

Shoved the unit towards the front of the screen, closer than I would intend to fit it, to give it the best "view". Weather was broken cloud, with a bit more cloud than broken, but certainly better than yesterday. Guess what ... ing nothing.

The satellite search screen never altered. The numbers left and right that count the satellites in contact never moved from 0. There was a symbol that resembled an eye top left and what looked like a locked padlock top right. Got bored after 25 mins so packed it in.

Question for other Origin owners is ... how often (in cloud or bad weather) does your unit fail to achieve lock? I think my unit may be faulty ... certainly I'm not impressed so far

Shiskine

 

Technology - don't you just hate it

I was strolling on Ben Lomond one day when I happened across this couple with a new GPS. Being nosey I went up to see how it worked.

'It's fantastic mate' said the proud owner. 'Without it you'd never know there's a chip shop around that corner!'

'Where does it say we are?'

'Main street in Callender'

 

Sounds to me like your Origin is Donald Ducked - and if this is normal for Origin, get shot of it and get a refund - GPS should be extremely reliable.

 

Unless GWB has added Scotland to the Axis of Evil and it's next on the list!!

First thing to go would be the US GPS system!!

Get out now while you can!










Hmmm, actually its more likely that its got a dodgy unit...

 

Purchased the same Ob2 and initially had the same problem - however took it outside left in the car (an RX-8 at the time) for an hour and finally achieved satellite lock. Since then it has been perfect and never suffered any sort of problems.

Douglas

 

Thanks for that Douglas.

... and does it now lock on to satellites in a reasonable time even in cloudy conditions?

I've just drafted (but not yet sent) a long email to Origin complaining about the unit. I wonder if I should waste another hour of my life trying to get this thing to find a satellite ...

Perhaps if tomorrow's weather is a bit clearer ...

Shiskine

 

I have a TOM TOM GO and it never seems to lock indoors even on the window ledge. In the car it can take 2 - 3 mintues to locate a sat from cold less when it knows your relative / recent position.