GPS help?

[tazzen]

what would be agood gps . a would like it to show detailed streets . from what i read so far you have to pick a zone and down load that zone. do you got to do that with all of them to show detailed streets ?. black nd white would be fine by me. so for what i want what would be the best bang for the buck. dont need for flying or boating. this is one iv looked at so far garmin streetpilot gps withamericas detailed basemap

 

[Dkevdog]

I just asked about the same thing for our work courier trucks. Those idiots can't find the Pacific Ocean while driving PCH!!!!!! Seriously though, we looked at the Garmin, they are by far the best bacng for the buck we are looking at the StreetTracker III and also the GPS 5. The GPS 5 is a B&W unit like you are talking about and goes for much less thand the very pretty all in color Streettracker does. Both will do autorouting but only the Streettracker has voice prompts. Not sure I need that though cause they already hear enough voices in their heads



Kev

 

[HC]

I'm not up on all the latest models, but in general Garmins are top notch and more user friendly than most of the competition. I use a GPS 12XL, with external antenna, and hook up to a laptop running Delorme StreetAtlas 9. 0. This gives great big screen, great functionality, but, LOTS of wires running all over the place. Stay away from Delorme's more advanced "top of the line" products (IMO). They add features most people never use, and end up being much less user-friendly as a result. The folks at www.thegpsstore.com have very competitive prices, and very good sales staff to talk you through pros and cons of different models. Browse their website, then give 'em a call and talk awhile.



If you're going for built-in mapping (more convenient, fewer wires) then be sure to get one that can download street-level detail from a single "USA" CD; you don't want to have to spend $100's of dollars buying up chips to cover each region you might visit.

 

[Charley]

HC has got it just right. The combination of a Garmin GPS, any of them, and the DeLorme software, any of them, running on a laptop give you the best travel map you can get. A few mouse clicks and the software will tell you the distance and route to any street in the entire US including Alaska and Canada. If you may be traveling in Canada or Mexico you will need the DeLore Map N Go. Street Atlas or Map N Go can be had for about $40 each.



I work in the pipeline business and I can put the pipelines I work on into the DeLorme software as an overlay. Very handy for field work. If you are making deliveries to a set number of customers you can put markers on all your deliver points and all the driver has to do is pick the one he's headed to and plan a route.



I've driven across the US with it and except for a few new city streets have found it to be very accurate.

 

[D. Showan]

When you are using the Delorme software with a Gps does it actually show you where you are on the computer screen map and show your movement??? What kind of integration is there???

Thanks for any replies.

 

[D. Showan]

I checked out Delormes products and Street Atlas deluxe seems really good.

It calculates a route for you and when you attach a GPS to it you do see yourself on the map. It also has voice navigation prompts and commands. Is this one of the high end versions that you dont need and makes it more complicated than necessary??

It sure seems like the way to go if you have a laptop, Although its probably not the best thing for the laptop to be jiggled constantly while traveling.



Has anyone had any problems with there laptops??

 

[tazzen]

HC does that place have a 1-800 # and with those detailed cds i noticed that they have like 5 to 6 regions can you load in more than 1. like i want to come to thunder in muncie i live in pittsburgh pa. that would take two regions. then might go up to Chichago. that i think maybe another region. unfortunately i do not have a lap top.

 

[JJW_ND]

Garmin StreetPilot III

We have several Garmin Street Pilot ColorMaps and one of the newer Street Pilot IIIs. Both will alow uploading of maps (Garmin). The SP3 has autorouting that is the pretty awsome. The latest Garmin mapping software (enhanced Metroguide) covers the entire US. You get CityNavigator Free with SP3 which has great coverage for magor cities but no rural roads (not a sinlge map for ND). The Enhance Metroguide has the great metor coverage and all the rural roads that used to be available with the Roads and Rec CD. It had very complete coverage including most ever gravel road and pretty up to date Point of Interest data (gas stations, ATMs, resturants. ). Maps are loaded based on the chip (memory) size you have or buy. Both ColorMap and SP3 can handle 128Meg chips. I can get all of ND,SD,MT,WY,MN,WI,NE on 128 MEG. Coverage for say Minnapolis ST Paul is great. One is only limited to the 128Meg of maps which.



If you load this into the SP3 you can route to any gravel road or personal residence, from one side of the country to the other. Constanly updated ETA, miles to each turn, as your driving. Cruising through unfamilier metro areas (we have none in ND) is of now worry.



It is not cheap but you get true Navigation. For allot less money the ColorMap has everything the SP3 but not autorouting (just tells you where you are and all the roads around you). With Autorouting you just tell it were you want to go and it will do the navigation. If you take a different route it will automatically switch to the new course. It is really pretty cool. No need for a seperate Laptop with a SP3 and Enhanced Metroguide maps. You have it all in the GPS.



jjw

ND

 

[Fuzz]

I use Delorme

FWIW,I have been using the Delorme mapping products for some time. I started with Map N'Go 1 up to MapNGo 8(Think).

Street Atlas 3 up to Street Atlas 7. I also have a version they called Street Atlas Road Warrior edition.

I use them with a Laptop and an older Eagle Explorer GPS.



I have had no trouble with the laptop. Couple of years ago,carried it in the saddlebags of my motorcycle(BMW R100RT Classic). It vibrates pretty good. Didn't hurt it. Of course had to stop and look at the maps... Delorme has software,to put maps on a Palm. That would of been nice on the motorcycle.



I would much rather have the Garmin SP III but can't justify the

expense for more convienance.

I like the Delorme products... www.delorme.com

 

[Charley]

D Showman:



You do see yourself on the map and the map moves to recenter itself as you get close to an edge. On some of the newer DeLorme products you can set the map to orient itself in the direction of travel rather than north up. All of the DeLorme packages will work with GPS. I use Street Atlas, Street Atlas Deluxe, Topo USA 3 and Map N Go. Thats a bit of overkill but I use each for a specific purpose. My recommendation is Street Atlas 9, which sells for around $40 most places.



I've used several different laptops in the car all day with never a problem including some rough gravel and dirt roads and pipeline Rights of Way in a D2500 4X4, not exactly the easiest riding rig around. I had one Hatachi Laptop that I dumped in the floor a couple of times with it running and just picked it up and continued on. Some guy thought he needed it worse than I did and lifted it. I just got a new Sony and a new Dell laptop. The Sony has Windows XP and it didn't want to recognize the serial port as a serial port. I haven''t sorted that one out yet so will take some tinkering before it's GPS ready. The Dell cranked up, looked at the GPS and said "here you are. " It's running Windows 2000.



The Garmins with the CDs are good but the best they have will not show you all that a laptop running DeLorme will. I do use a Garmin GPS 48 to drive it.



The new versions of DeLorme can be controlled with voice commands if you install a mike and all of them will talk to you when it's time to make a turn, etc. The laptop will need to have good speakers however.



Let me know which way you go or contact me if you need any further info.



Charley



Forgot to mention I also use Topo Quads when I need legal land descriptions, range, township, section, etc.

 

[D. Showan]

Charley,

Thanks for the info. My wife just got a new laptop so I grabbed the old one from the kids (they have 2 desktops to use) It's a P200, 32 meg ram, 12in. TFT screen, also has a severly cracked cover hinge and a modem that doesn't work. I think I can patch it together for my plans. I think a laptop is the way to go for many people.



ecarney,

Maybe you can find a used one somewhere. For me I'm afraid I wouldn't be able to see the screen on a handheld GPS (not going down the road) and the features sound great using a laptop



I figure I can now buy a much cheaper, basic GPS (as long as it's PC compatible) instead of a deluxe one with mapping capabilities. This saved money could go toward a used laptop for those that don't have one.



So my plans are as folllows:

1. Purchase either a. Street Atlas 9. 0 $ 45

B. Street Atlas Deluxe $60 (need to upgrade my ram)

2. Buy a small power inverter. I guess a 150w would do.

3. purchase a basic GPS. Sounds like Garmin would be a good choice

4. Try and repair the old girl (laptop) Guess I better do that first.



The people on this site are great. Thanks much Charley and good luck ecarney

 

[tazzen]

the lap top would need a cd-rom in it right.

 

[DennyDay]

GPS

ecarney: Yes you will need a CD, but as has been posted, the most usable is the Delorme. I've been using it on a 5 year old Toshiba for 5 years. DON'T buy the antenna from Delorme, it has its own batteries that only last about 6 hours (takes 4 AA) use a Garmen or the one from Rand McNally, both get power from the computer. I also use a 300 watt inverter to power the whole thing, $79. at Camping World.



Denny

 

[HC]

IMO, Street Atlas 9. 0 is very good, the "Deluxe" version begins to get less user-friendly. Of course, since I was working my way up from earlier versions of the SA, it's entirely possible that it was just that version 9. 0 was "familiar" and seemed easy for that reason, while the "deluxe" version was too different. I have to admit, I think if I used the Deluxe version for awhile I might like it - the "look" of the screens is very good. I had a friend who bought the "Road Warrior" version, didn't care for it, and returned it within the 30 day trial period.

The GPS Store www.thegpsstore.com

Toll Free phone 1-888-477-2611

(I am not affiliated with them - just a happy customer)



DeLorme - Toll Free 800-511-2459