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GPS software
- Thread starter syee
- Start date
blurredvision
Lifer
DeviousTrap
Diamond Member
Seconded.
I would recommend a stand-alone GPS. The Garmin 60C will do what you ask. The directions are text, with an arrow and an alarm (no synthesized voice), but the unit will fit in a pocket, and is also perfectly at home in the woods or on a boat. You can also do geocahing with it.
The complete setup will be about $500, but completely worth it, IMHO.
The complete setup will be about $500, but completely worth it, IMHO.
brian_riendeau
Platinum Member
If he has a laptop and wants to use that, WHY would you reccomend a GPS that cost close to $400, has limited storage, can have slow screen redraw, sucks at realtime routing, has no easy way to input keystrokes, and has a screen that is painful to read in a car? Did you completely skip the first post??? The OP is looking for a laptop to use for turn by turn directions in a car, not a handheld GPS to go walking around in the woods with.
mercanucaribe
Banned
I'm going to counter the Garmin recommendation. A Magellan Sportrak Color can easily be had for under $280 if you look around, and is the most accurate GPS receiver with or without averaging. It does turn by turn directions with the Directroute software, and gives NMEA output through the serial port, unlike some Garmins, so it will work with any software. Hell, even if the Garmins you are looking at outputs NMEA, the fact that they are moving toward their proprietary crap and shutting out third party developers, the GIS industry, etc, is enough reason to stay away from them.
Directroute also gives turn by turn directions on your PC.
Edit: I reread the first post after the replies made me forget you weren't looking for a GPS reciever... I don't think the software choice matters much as long as it works.
Directroute also gives turn by turn directions on your PC.
Edit: I reread the first post after the replies made me forget you weren't looking for a GPS reciever... I don't think the software choice matters much as long as it works.
I would not buy a Magellan. And I purchased a Meridian Gold as soon as it came out...
Do a search for "Magellan Meridian FAQ." You will see that the name of the author is rather simiar to the user name of the person writing this post 😉 So I am somewhat of an expert on the Meridian series. The Sportrak series is simply a Meridian with a color screen and internal memory (no SD card). I actually got to see and touch a Sportrak Color before they were even released.
1) The screen on the Sportrak Color is nice, but not quite the equal of the 60C.
2) Mapping memory is not as good.
3) In order to get routing, you have to use Magellan software (more later).
4) I have never seen an auto-routing base map by Magellan.
5) Memory if VERY limited.
6) A couple of extra feet in accuracy is not worth a trade-off in features. If you are using this for car navigation, sooooo many thing are more important than accuracy.
A note on magllan software and base maps...
1) On the Meridian series, there is no such thing as a routing base map.
2) Your routable detail maps are limited to 64MB per section, and the section has to be a rectangle. In short, it is IMPOSSIBLE to have ANY hand-held magellan GPS route you from New York to Los Angeles. It is also impossible to route from one 64MB map chunk to anther. Yuck.
3) I have a Meridian Platinum, and I can say that the firmware has been riddled with all sorts of bugs and annoyances.
4) I have the Magellan "Streets & Destinations" package, and I hate it. In order to get it to work on XP with any sort of speed, you have to disable "System Restore."
5) In short, in my experience with Magellan, I was not pleased.
The 60C, on the other hand, has a beautiful screen. Its memory is limited compared with the Magelland models that use SD card, but it makes better use of the memory that it does have. You could load a Garmin unit with a detailed map for New York, a detailed map for LA, and it already knows how to route on interstates and major state highways. So, it can route from NY to LA easily. Also, the map regions are pre-compiled, so you do not have to wait.
And why a hand-held GPS in the first place?
1) A laptop connected to an external GPS with mapping software might be slightly cheaper, but then you have cables going everywhere, and that makes a mess and may be unsafe.
2) A hand-held GPS can go in the woods, in your pocket (walking around), in a canoe, and geocaching. Try geocaching with a laptop. Try going on a hike up a mountain with a laptop. Ignore this advice if you are not an outdoors person.
PS: If you just want software for a laptop, look to DeLorme first.
Do a search for "Magellan Meridian FAQ." You will see that the name of the author is rather simiar to the user name of the person writing this post 😉 So I am somewhat of an expert on the Meridian series. The Sportrak series is simply a Meridian with a color screen and internal memory (no SD card). I actually got to see and touch a Sportrak Color before they were even released.
1) The screen on the Sportrak Color is nice, but not quite the equal of the 60C.
2) Mapping memory is not as good.
3) In order to get routing, you have to use Magellan software (more later).
4) I have never seen an auto-routing base map by Magellan.
5) Memory if VERY limited.
6) A couple of extra feet in accuracy is not worth a trade-off in features. If you are using this for car navigation, sooooo many thing are more important than accuracy.
A note on magllan software and base maps...
1) On the Meridian series, there is no such thing as a routing base map.
2) Your routable detail maps are limited to 64MB per section, and the section has to be a rectangle. In short, it is IMPOSSIBLE to have ANY hand-held magellan GPS route you from New York to Los Angeles. It is also impossible to route from one 64MB map chunk to anther. Yuck.
3) I have a Meridian Platinum, and I can say that the firmware has been riddled with all sorts of bugs and annoyances.
4) I have the Magellan "Streets & Destinations" package, and I hate it. In order to get it to work on XP with any sort of speed, you have to disable "System Restore."
5) In short, in my experience with Magellan, I was not pleased.
The 60C, on the other hand, has a beautiful screen. Its memory is limited compared with the Magelland models that use SD card, but it makes better use of the memory that it does have. You could load a Garmin unit with a detailed map for New York, a detailed map for LA, and it already knows how to route on interstates and major state highways. So, it can route from NY to LA easily. Also, the map regions are pre-compiled, so you do not have to wait.
And why a hand-held GPS in the first place?
1) A laptop connected to an external GPS with mapping software might be slightly cheaper, but then you have cables going everywhere, and that makes a mess and may be unsafe.
2) A hand-held GPS can go in the woods, in your pocket (walking around), in a canoe, and geocaching. Try geocaching with a laptop. Try going on a hike up a mountain with a laptop. Ignore this advice if you are not an outdoors person.
PS: If you just want software for a laptop, look to DeLorme first.
mercanucaribe
Banned
Maybe I should buy that. I can import my tracks and whatnot to GIS formats and use ArcGIS, but the problem is finding maps to overlay them on!
I have been looking into GPS solutions too and I have frequently been recommended the delorme software for a laptop:
http://www.delorme.com/earthmatelt20/
However, after looking at these options I find there are several advntages to considera self contained portable GPS like the TomTom 300 because it is obviously small, portable, and not attached to my laptop.
http://www.delorme.com/earthmatelt20/
However, after looking at these options I find there are several advntages to considera self contained portable GPS like the TomTom 300 because it is obviously small, portable, and not attached to my laptop.
Is Streets & Trips somewhat similar to Map Point? One of the guys at work has it so I hooked up my GPS to it (I have a Garmin Etrex Legend). It looks pretty cool, but doesn't do any type of voice navigation - it just gives the turn by turn directions in text, and shows where you are. Not exactly safe to use while driving... 🙂
I'm planning to hook up my FM transmitter to my headphone jack so it projects the voice out of my car speakers when my turn comes up.
I did look at iGuidance, and it looks pretty neat. One of my coworkers was telling me about nRoute, which apparently is an add-on to MapSource and is free if you already have MapSource. I'm going to check it out, since I already have MapSource.
Anyways, thanks for the suggestions everyone!
I'm planning to hook up my FM transmitter to my headphone jack so it projects the voice out of my car speakers when my turn comes up.
I did look at iGuidance, and it looks pretty neat. One of my coworkers was telling me about nRoute, which apparently is an add-on to MapSource and is free if you already have MapSource. I'm going to check it out, since I already have MapSource.
Anyways, thanks for the suggestions everyone!
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