DeLorme Street Atlas USA 2005 or Microsoft Streets & Trips 2005?

[HeavyHauler]

I thought I would try posting this in the RV forum to see if any travelers might have any experience with either of these two programs.



I am currently using Streets & Trips 2004 but am disappointed that some of the roads that I frequently travel aren't showing as completed on this program.



I wondered how Street Atlas 2005 was compared to Streets & Trips. Many inaccuracies? Is it easy to use?



If anyone has either of the two and wouldn't mind running a route for me - that would be excellent. I-840 is basically a Nashville bypass and is completed between I-65 and I-40 from Franklin to Lebanon. Mine only shows that 840 is complete between I-24 and I-40 on that side and I know that it's throwing a lot of my trips off when I'm headed northeast.



Could anyone try and run Hohenwald, TN to Knoxville, TN and give me the route? If it tells you to take I-65 all the way to 440 and then to 40 then it's no good. It should route you through 840 south of Franklin and then to 40 and on to Knoxville.



Sorry if I made that sound complicated. I would appreciate any help and reviews of the software.



Oh by the way - I don't use a GPS so I'm not concerned with that feature of the products.



Thanks!

 

[GerryDrake]

Street Atlas 2005

From your description, I think I-840 shows complete. I sent you a PM about it. . Gerry

 

[jcarey]

HeavyHauler, I ran the route through through Delorme as you asked. It does route you to 840 South of Franklyn and then 40 to Knoxville.



As a comment, we have both Microsoft and Delorme. I prefer Delorme because it does seem more accurate, and I like the the multilevel map view you get when using the GPS. The voice prompts for turns is pretty poor though. My wife and I kind of laugh and turn it off.



My wife does a lot of traveling and has to find her way to different areas. She does prefer the Microsoft, but she admits that she just isn't used to the Delorme. We have found that, in a number of cases, if we can't find a street address in Microsoft, we can in the Delorme. However, we have the 2004 Microsoft version and the 2005 Delorme version. We've order the 2005 Microsoft version, which should be here this week. I'll try your route again when I get it installed and let you kow how well it generates. I did notice that the 2005 Microsoft is supposed to have updated road data.



Jim

 

[DiTrani]

I get the MS software for free, but I use the Delorme and pay for it.



Neither are perfect, and you always have to be sceptical of a route they plan for you. I find both pretty worthless for planning local routes in urban areas (both are pretty clueless about 1-way streets and such), but both pretty good for longer interstate routes.

 

[HeavyHauler]

Thanks for the replies fellas, it sounds like DeLorme may be the way to go. I'd like to try something different anyway.

 

[LesStallings]

HH,



I just drove I-40 Nashville to Las Vegas and back with DeLorme `05. It took a little getting use to setting it up - no different from learning any new software - but everything seemed pretty good. The voice commands are pretty useless, especially compared to some of the high end navigation systems, like Mercedes or Lincoln.



I did like the ability to install the yellow Earthmate GPS receiver out of site in the location of the OEM receiver. I ran the wire through the dash and out the bottom to mate up with the laptop on the RAM-Mount (a nice mount, by the way). I really, REALLY like not having that ugly yellow receiver sliding around on the dash.

 

[bymiller]

Just to confuse the issue... . I used MS 2004 with a GPS and was not happy with it so ordered new DeLorme. Liked the GPS interface but found it difficult to select routes. We take long trips and like to avoid Interstates so do a lot of custom routing. When MS2005 came out I got a copy. Several incomplete roads in our area had been updated. GPS interface worked MUCH better though it still lacks some of the features of the DeLorme GPS interace. I use MS2005 and seldom find roads that are not on it. Also like the feature to search for nearby campgrounds. Found MS to be suprisingly up to date and good for this. DeLorme was virtually useless, even though it has the ability to search. For example they show all church, boy scout, girl scout campgrounds along with the commercial CGs. That plus their list of commercial CGs is poor. So we use MS 2005. Like so many other things it seems to be just personal preference.

 

[testraub]

I LOVE MS streets and Trips 2005 it has never let me down I tried Delorme But, it didn't seem to do the job as well as the MS admittedly I'm using a remote GPS and a Laptop, but it's NEVER let me down

 

[E7mack96]

I use microsoft strrets/trips 2005 to route my big trucks all over the country.



The biggest complaint from drivers is that the software will tell you "turn right on local road for 10 yards, the left on sr34" this confuses the drivers. Some have actually looked for a street called local road, others just start cussing.



I actually like the extreme detail in the directions.

 

[LesStallings]

Just a quick note. DeLorme has a forum, FAQ, etc. similar to TDR. I got on it a while back and there was a HUGE amount of useful information and tips.

 

[jcarey]

HeavyHauler, I just got Microsoft Streets & Trips 2005 installed and ran the route,Hohenwald, TN to Knoxville, TN, that you had requested originally. I had routed it for you previously using Delorme 2005: Delorme routed the trip via RT840.



Under Streets & Trips 2005, the route still takes you into Nashville and then east to Knoxville. However, you can select RT 840 as a stop and then recalculate to get the desired route.



What I like about Delorme is that you can select a stop or a via.



In older versions of Streets & Trips you could select vias also. Now you can only set stops to force an alternate route. At times, I've ended up with spaghetti trying to use that.



Hope this helps,

Jim

 

[DavidC]

You can download 30 day trial version from Microsoft here.

https://streaming.endeavors.com/microsoft/streets/index.html



Dave

 

[HeavyHauler]

Thanks Dave! I may check that out.

 

[TAllen]

I tried the DeLorme, and took it back, to complicated for my old brain. Seemed overwhelming, I got lost in there and couldn't get back to where I wanted to be. I'm using a roadatlas like I have for the last 40 years, works great.



Tim

 

[99guy]

link for delorme forum

http://forum.delorme.com/

 

[OTRPU]

I have no less than 4, used to have 5, sent the Rand McNally back. All GPS are history books, soon as the SW is released it's getting whiskers. I buy annual updates of MS & DeLorme, now Garmin is starting to come out with updates, at least did last year. Were supposed to notify me when updates are available, if they did I missed it. Stumbled accross the fact they had a new version available now, for about 6 months I've been stumbling around the country with their outdated version. I use the StreetPilot III+ the most, daily. MS S&T has later info, but I screwed up and bought the serial version. My DeLorme EarthMate is USB, works great with DeLorme program, but haven't been able to get MS S&T to find the USB receiver, it looks for GPS on a serial port. Wish I could get MS GPS SW without the reciever, I've got 3 receivers now. Getting alittle cluttered on my dash. Some people say they've been able to get it to work with a USB receiver, but I can't. . . yet. This is absurd guys, I ran a mapping center photolab for 35 years. Had something to do with every Topo Map USGS published during my career. Ain't got room to carry all those damn maps, wish I could get the MS to work with DeLorme receiver. Need a computer whiz to chime in. Far as I'm concerned the DeLorme interface is the "Ugly Duckling" of all mapping programs. And what's worse, last year they dropped the Truck Stop info, didn't want to pay the vender what he wanted and have to roll the cost over to us. Everybody I know has give them hell for that stupid corporate decision. Bet next year they'll offer two versions. I told them don't call it an upgrade if you remove features.



Cheers,

Steve J

 

[R-N-R]

I use the Co-Pilot (PC) version from ALK (Formerly TravRoute)

 

[David Muench]

I've used Delorme for many many years with my Earthmate, and it is what I prefer. The only place it comes up short is if you have to go to Canada. Street Atlas 2005 has added some of the major roads in Canada, but it's still largely useless up there. If you want to use it in Canada at all you really have to stick with Microsoft, they have excellent maps of Canada (at least of Montreal, that's the only place I've used it up there).