Microsoft Streets & Trips vs. Delorme

[Steve Miller]

For years I have used Delorme products for mapping during chases. I'm not sure exactly why, other than everyone else used it so there seemed to be a good knowledge-base here on ST. I've always found it to be rather unresponsive and cumbersome as a program and the serial emulator released a few years back has been the biggest turd of a program I have ever had the mis-fortune of trying to configure and use.

I did a bit of research on Microsoft Streets and Trips on "other" forums and learned the packaged software with the MS GPS-500 USB puck will work flawlessly with Franson GPS Gate. A short trip to Best Buy and $79.99 later, all the headaches I have had over the past three years with GPS splitting and dealing with Delorme maps lack of a reasonable navigation menu was gone! No more serial emulator too!

Using GPS gate (which would not work with the proprietary Delorme LT-40 puck I had), I can easily connect SN, GR3 & MS Streets & Trips with no issues and still have two COM's left over to apply to other mapping-intensive programs should I wish.

This is the better mousetrap for me and will be a solid piece of chase gear from here forward. For anyone interested in breaking out of the norm, I think you will be very satisfied. Just wanted to pass this info along for anyone looking for a different option.

 

[Ben Holcomb]

I would have to wholeheartedly agree Steve, although I am having troubles with GPSgate this morning. It's the first time in well over a year I've had troubles, and I've narrowed it down to GPSgate, so it will probably be a simple reinstall/reconfigure.

Streets and Trips could add one awesome feature that would make them blow everything else away and that is the split screen - Having to zoom in and out is a pain, especially when trying to find paved options. I like the split screen so you can see an 'overall' view along with a 'zoomed in' view. If they add that, there will be no questions it is hands down the best mapping software out there.

 

[Scott Bennett]

One other nice feature on GPS Gate is the IP server and client, on a chase a couple of weeks ago I was sharing my internet and GPS with someone else in the car.

I know some people have started using devices like Cradlepoint to share their internet, you can also share the GPS with GPSgate.

If your not into the whole spotter network thing and would still like a tracking app for your site they also have instructions for that.

 

[Jason Foster]

I've never had a problem and have used it (Delorme) with everything except SN. I'm not a huge fan of that site (just a personal thing...not that I think it's bad). I'm always surprised by the amount of issues and problems everyone is having. I tend to take the simple road nowa-days, so I don't try to run a million things at once....I feel I'm missing the visual part of just looking at the storm.

I've been around both, and I still prefer DeLorme hands down. It just is more accurate and the visual aspects are better. I like the icons, organization, and layout of Delorme vs. MS Streets & Trips.

But if it really comes down to it....working versus not working, well then you got to go with the working system. And no chaser should be too dependent on the software for navigation anyway....because no program will over be completely accurate.

 

[Chad Cowan]

I'm a big fan of Streets & Trips, especially the 'night mode'. I bought the software/ puck bundle a couple years ago and after the USB cord quit working I upgraded to the bluetooth cradle. Works great with GPS Gate and is a whole lot easier than messing with serial emulators.

 

[Wesley Luginbyhl]

If you get Streets and Trips, go with the 09 software. I had 07 for the past 2 years and it had a couple of annoying bugs. When you would try and move the map around to look at stuff it would crash (alot). They have all the bugs worked out for 09 though plus a million little features you might never use, but they are nice. Also if you already have a gps unit (thats compatible), you can get the software for about $30-40 bucks. The 'night mode' is awesome as Chad said.

 

[Skip Talbot]

Street Atlas has an outdated interface, however, it also has several features that Streets and Trips lacks. The biggest one, and the reason that I use Street Atlas over Streets and Trips is GPS logging. It will log the entire trip, and then you can export that log as a drawing file to make custom maps out of to supplement your chase logs.

Sure GpsGate does logging, and I definitely run that as well, but its more difficult to make maps out of the logs and its buggy. If the GPS device sends an erroneous point or timestamp, the entire GpsGate log is invalid. You have to manually find the line and remove it. I contacted the author about it and he shifted the blame onto the GPS device. Sure the GPS shouldn't have sent that point/timestamp, but at the same time a software developer should be validating the data coming in and handling invalid data so that the entire file isn't corrupted. Street Atlas also has a slew of annotation features which can also be exported.

I can't think of anything else off the top of my head, but I know there is a lot more going on in Street Atlas than there is Streets and Trips. Street Atlas also has a "night mode", under the view options you can set the map to use high contrast colors which sets a black background that is much easier on the eyes at night.

You are definitely right about the serial emulator. It is junk. That's why I use a Holux GPS with GpsGate.

 

[Alan Broerse]

Microsoft streets has been in my machine since 2005 without any problems, I will upgrade to the 2009 software later this year to stay current. I have about 98% reliability with it and it plays well with other programs while running them together. Like other programs you need to keep the antenna well exposed to the sky......2 thumbs up.

 

[L.B. LaForce]

Yes, I love S&T 09, course i never have tried Delorme. Works flawlessly on my laptop, and I do like the different modes, like night and day; makes it much easier to read. I'm not sure there is a way to distinguish paved roads from dirt roads, but that would be nice. GPSGate is amazing too! (Thanks Ben), it allows me top have multiple virtual com ports. I haven't tried the free Xport program, which is supposedly the same as GPSGate, but other people seem to say it works just fine, and its free!

 

[Robert Edmonds]

There are other options too... I use TOPO. I copied of most of the disks on to my computer, which allows me to bring up TOPO maps for most of the US. It still requires me to use GPS gate, but I haven't had any problems with it. Eventually I need to get around to trying some other mapping software, but for now it works fine for me. For those who say TOPO maps can't help in a chase, I beg to differ. It can be nice to know when terrain is about to change, or to look and see how close in elevation that road follows along with that near by river.

 

[Cris Schroeder]

I've used both, and I prefer the S&T interface over that of Delorme. If Delorme used the standardized Windows toolbar layout I wouldn't have many issues with it.

I love S&T but I had real problems with it blowing up every 30 minutes or so (version 2007). I downloaded 2009 for my last chase and it still blows up regularly, even though I'm running a different PC, different GPS, etc. this year.

 

[Scott Lincoln]

I liked MS:S&T, but the trial version I had kept crashing, and I could never figure out why. I also lean towards the features of Garmin's nRoute program, since it seemed to give the most stats for a planned trip - how far to the next turn, how far total, time estimates, speed, etc. I couldn't seem to get that much information out of MS:S&T.

 

[Kyle Soldani]

I'm a Delorme fan myself. My Jeep is equipped with both programs, however for chasing Delorme provides much easier address input. Streets and Trips from what I've gathered, is pretty picky about addresses you attempt to find.

I'll stick with Delorme as my primary and see how it goes for a few chases.

 

[Walt VanRheen]

So, I already have a GPS (BU353), GPSgate, and MS Streets and Trips 2009 and all is working as designed. This last week I saw someone using the DeLorme software and LOVED the split screen mode, one zoomed out and the other zoomed IN. Come on MS, why will yours not do that?

Question #1 = Will MS Streets and Trips 2009 do this and I just have not found how to turn in on?

Question #2 = If the answer to #1 is no, then if I buy DeLorme software to get the split screen, will it work with my current GPS and GPSgate? Is anyone using the DeLorme software without the DeLorme GPS?

 

[Skip Talbot]

I'm not sure if Streets and Trips does a split screen, but from the comments in this thread it seems like it doesn't.

If your GPS works with GPSGate, it will work with Street Atlas.