StormLab 4.1 vs GrLev3

[Bill Hark]

I am looking to upgrade my current radar program. I already have GrLv3 that I like though choosing radar sites with the text list of locations is a bit annoying.
There is another radar program, StormLab.
http://www.interwarn.com/
It seemed pretty nice, though a bit expensive when I looked at it during Chasercon. I liked the integration with Spotternet and being able to click on radar sites froma map.

Anybody have experience with StormLab especially in comparison to GrLevel 3. Advice on a choice?

Bill Hark

 

[Skip Talbot]

I can't say which is better since I haven't really poked around much in Stormlab. I think Lanny could give a good comparison since I know he's a Stormlab fan and uses both. GrLevel3 will also show the Spotter Network activity. You just need to paste in the placefile URL. Showing all the radar sites on the map, would be a great feature that GrLevel3 is lacking though. Its a pain having to click a site on the edge of the map, click the next one on the edge after that one loads, and then finally over to the site you are trying to get to (or even more clicking/loading is involved if your site is further than that). Browsing through the site list is even more cumbersome, especially if you don't know the names/locations of the sites (like if you just want to keep moving west across the map). I do know that GrLevel3 is very fast and efficient software because its using streamlined C++, Direct3D graphics acceleration, and minimal bloat.

 

[rdale]

I already have GrLv3 that I like though choosing radar sites with the text list of locations is a bit annoying

You don't have to... Use the option for making favorites. Or click the radarsite of choice. Or use GREarth and right-click to select a local site.

There is another radar program, StormLab.

I'm pretty sure it has a free trial, you might get a better comparison by doing that and seeing what works best for you.

 

[Tyler Allison]

The difference between GR and SL are primarily user interface. What user interface you like is very personal. My suggest is to download the SL trial and give it a try.

 

[John Wetter]

I liked the integration with Spotternet and being able to click on radar sites froma map.

You can also choose the radar sites by clicking on them on the map in GR3 also... As has already been said though, give the trial of SL a shot and see how you like it.

 

[Lanny Dean]

Edit, I am having issues with uploading the attached images...I am sorry that they are so small, I cannot seem to make them bigger or upload them like we used to be able to. I suspect it has something to do with the upgrades here. Skip, Jessie, is there anyway you guys can look at this?

I am looking to upgrade my current radar program. I already have GrLv3 that I like though choosing radar sites with the text list of locations is a bit annoying.
There is another radar program, StormLab.
http://www.interwarn.com/
It seemed pretty nice, though a bit expensive when I looked at it during Chasercon. I liked the integration with Spotternet and being able to click on radar sites froma map.

Anybody have experience with StormLab especially in comparison to GrLevel 3. Advice on a choice?

Bill Hark

Hi Bill,
Sorry in taking so long to actually post something, I am still having major problems with logging in here. As Skip has said, I am a very big fan of StormLab. I have used it for many years starting back in its early years near version 3.0 or 3.2 if I remember correctly. I will give you a little run down and then try to give you a comparison and will try not to be biased if possible.

Evan Bookbinder is the founder/inventor, he is also a lead forecaster for the NWSFO in Kansas City and is a wonderful guy, he knows weather not just how to write code. In other words, the program was written by a meteorologist not just a code writer.
As has been mentioned already, the major difference between GR3 and SL is the user interface. IMO StormLab has a much more richer interface that includes customizing everything from visual and audio alerts to full level 2 data (with your own provider of course, ie Allison House), stormtracker plus pathcast, distance tool, real time overlays, auto archive, on screen sampling data with mouse, store past data very small files (this is great for case studies and the like) looping, panning and step through, the ability to "filter" DBZ color and the like and this is just on the surface, there are many other features.
In using SL in a professional enviornment all the way from when we did the show Tornado Hunters with TruTV and other productions to using it on the tours, I really do not have any con's per say with the product. It is simply an amazing product that I really like. One of the best features that I like is the many windows/radar sites you can have open at one time versus the single panel/site of GR3. For example, let's say that I have 2 tours on going at the same time with one group near Throckmorton, TX in a slight risk area and the other group near Yankton, SD in a moderate risk area, I can have both "windows" open looking at both areas at the same time without having to swtich between each site. Mr. Jim Sellars does this all the time as he nowcasts for many many people and this has proven to be a Godsend!

As far as GR3: I do use it as well in conjuction with SL, I find that it has a few features that I enjoy that SL does not have. Some of the features includes the smoothing effect. As you can imagine when you are taking people chasing for a living it is sometimes a little easier to explain a hook or an inflow notch while you are actually looking at a nice curve (screaming eagle) as opposed to straight pixels. Normal people and production people just seem to react better to this, I suspect it probably has something to do with what they have seen on TV and what they are already used to. But in all honesty as pretty as it looks on a 17-20 inch screen or flat panel TV in the back of a van, the fact of the matter is when the "poop" is hitting the fan 9 times out of 10 I will have SL opened and running. The other "feature", and one that I am sure you will seem to probably notice is that it seems like GR3 is a bit "faster" in basic use. While this is actually not case and not true it does seem that when you first start using SL that is is a bit *slower* than GR3. IMO this is due to how many "frames" you select when you download and of course during each update. The same can also been seen if you have all products selected in GR3...It simply takes longer to download if each product is open from SRV to basic Reflectivity with GR3.

IMO both products can compliment each other to some degree with the main interest in the smoothing effect. But it is also my opinion that SL is a far superior product than GR3 and or GR2. I would highly recommend that you download the trail version and see if you like it, keeping in mind that the trial version is not a light version, it has the full functions of a working product and what you see is what you get.

Below I have added some images from both products. The outflow was captrued at roughly the same time with both products although I had StormLab in level2 mode as a capture to show a little bit of the difference and the fact that you can toggle between level 3 and level 2 with StormLab. The hurricane is obviously taken at different times and locations but hopefully helps to at least paint a picture as far as what both products look like. Hope this has helped.

 

[Bill Hark]

Thanks, Lanny, John, Tyler, RDale and Skip for your input. I also had a nice talk with Evan. Once I finish reconfiguring my laptop, I'll give it try as I get ready for this chase season. Thanks again.

Bill Hark

 

[Steven Howell]

Hi William,

I am a past user of StormLAB. I decided to make the switch to GRLevel3, and love it. While I did like the many features of SL, I just got irritated with its lag. I am not sure if this was because of my machine, but it seems like there was quite a bit of lag when animating radar images, plus you dont have the smoothing feature. I am not knocking SL at all. I loved it, but to me it was kind of quirky when trying to animate, and used up an insane amount of ram, especially when I wanted to go full screen on the image, instead of a smaller box view. I dont seem to have that problem with GR software. I have a dual core Intel i3 Laptop with 4 Gig of RAM to give you some perspective on my computer, so I dont think it was my computer causing the problem. I am not a programmer, but I just think that something could be done in SL to help streamline these issues and have it run smoother when running full screen. All I can say is, give it a try.

 

[Evan Bookbinder]

I usually shy away from self-promotion, so I very humbly appreciate all the posts here. I did want to address Steven's post because I think he makes some very valid points -- going back to the version that existed when you purchased the software some 4 years ago. We certainly sympthatize with these comments and saw them ourselves in field testing under stressed systems and limited bandwidth, which led to the recent overhaul that is now known as version 4.1. While providing new features and a cleaner interface, we also saw gains of over 1200% perfomance/speed improvements while making dramatic cuts in memory usage as well -- especially with the level 3 data. By removing 3rd party controls that were generating some of these problems, we also cut down on the size of the software itself.

Since you technically still have a valid license, I would definitely give v4.1 a go. We will actually have an update coming in a few days that includes dual-pol capabilities, allows SpotterNetwork storm report submissions directly from a radar image, and cleans up a few other lose ends. I'd be happy to go through the changes with you if you'd like!

Bill, it was a pleasure seeing you in Denver as always, and if you have any other questions, please don't hesitate to ask.

Evan

 

[Steven Howell]

Hi Evan,

Thanks for the response. I sincerely hope that you didnt think I was bashing StormLAB. On the contrary, it is a great product, and I loved using it. It was just proving extremely difficult to use when I would try to go full screen and it would cause the computer to bog down.

I will certainly look into 4.1, and am eager to "give it a whirl". By the way, Interwarn still kicks BUTT! I found the EMWIN logs the other night, after using the product for 4 years, still finding out new things about it. I love the fact that I can be on the computer and if a warning, watch, etc, comes up for a county I have selected...boom, I get the trailer immediately. I have to give you kudos here, I mean it is immediate. I had the wx radio go off a while back, and Interwarn popped up about 1 to 2 seconds after that with the warning, one time, even before the warning hit the wx radio.

You certainly make a quality product, and I can see a use for both SL and GR when chasing, they tend to complement one another. I look forward to trying it out and seeing some of the new features.

Thanks again Evan, and have a great evening.

EDIT:

One major strong point that SL has over GR, you have the map of the US and can click on the radar site you want, and not have to guess, or use a drop down list for the radar sites. I know that I can add favorites, but I think its much easier to see a map and choose. I think someone else commented on this earlier, but its certainly worth restating!