Jump to content

An exercise with DeLorme Topo 8


user13371

Recommended Posts

Cowboy? Embra? Totem Lake? Rocking Roddy? Anyone else?

 

I'm trying to figure out how much different system speeds (and network speeds) affect the usability of DeLorme's Topo 8 software. I've devised a little (highly artificial) exercise that I was wondering if a few folks would be willing to try to get a comparison from various points of view. I kept it small to make it easy...

 

I've selected and downloaded nine complete USGS 1:24 quads, covering an area from

 

45 15'00", -122 22'30" at the SE corner to

45 37'30", -122 45'00" at the NW corner

 

In case you're interested, the quad names are Portland, Mount Tabor, Camas, Lake Oswego, Gladstone, Damascus, Canby, Oregon City, and Redland :)

 

What I'd be inerested in is if other DeLorme subscription holders would select and download the same batch, cut it for their GPS, and load it on to their PN-40, and share their timing here for each operation. Take any shortcuts you like. Also let me know what kind of computer and internet connection you have.

 

I don't think running this test on my MacBook with VMWare Fusion shows off the Topo package and map downloads to its best adavantage :blink:

Link to comment

Cowboy? Embra? Totem Lake? Rocking Roddy? Anyone else?

 

I'm trying to figure out how much different system speeds (and network speeds) affect the usability of DeLorme's Topo 8 software. I've devised a little (highly artificial) exercise that I was wondering if a few folks would be willing to try to get a comparison from various points of view. I kept it small to make it easy...

 

I've selected and downloaded nine complete USGS 1:24 quads, covering an area from

 

45 15'00", -122 22'30" at the SE corner to

45 37'30", -122 45'00" at the NW corner

 

In case you're interested, the quad names are Portland, Mount Tabor, Camas, Lake Oswego, Gladstone, Damascus, Canby, Oregon City, and Redland :)

 

What I'd be inerested in is if other DeLorme subscription holders would select and download the same batch, cut it for their GPS, and load it on to their PN-40, and share their timing here for each operation. Take any shortcuts you like. Also let me know what kind of computer and internet connection you have.

 

I don't think running this test on my MacBook with VMWare Fusion shows off the Topo package and map downloads to its best adavantage :blink:

Soon as I get home.

Link to comment

Test24K1

887 km2

Test24K2

390 km2

 

185930 submitted

 

190120 DL ready and started

 

Bandwidth at time of start testing on Speakeasy.net/speedtest to New York from Seattle Metropolitan

Download Speed: 13031 kbps (1628.9 KB/sec transfer rate)

Upload Speed: 2832 kbps (354 KB/sec transfer rate)

 

190550

Test24K1 complete

Attained 132-148KB/Sec

 

190735

Test24K2 complete

2nd run attained top speed of 98 KB/Sec

 

Total Download time From Checkout to Complete 8 minutes 5 Seconds

 

Speeds are not typical of my average speed of 300 KB/Sec

 

My system configuration is:

OS Name: Microsoft® Windows Vista™ Home Premium

Version: 6.0.6001 Service Pack 1 Build 6001

Processor: Intel® Core2 Quad CPU Q6600 @ 2.40GHz, 2400 Mhz, 4 Core(s), 4 Logical Processor(s)

BIOS Version/Date: American Megatrends Inc. 5.15, 12/31/2007

SMBIOS Version: 2.5

Installed Physical Memory (RAM): 3.00 GB

Total Physical Memory: 3.00 GB

Total Virtual Memory: 6.21 GB

Page File Space: 3.29 GB

 

Start cut for PN-40

192100

Full zoom in the green option

192511 complete

230MB package

 

192930

Card reader transfer started

completed in 27 seconds

 

193030

Exchange transfer Cancelled at 215800. The GPS went into a freeze and I had to remove it from power and hard shutdown.

Edited by TotemLake
Link to comment

Darn it. I was going to re-do this exercsie myself on my Mac using the web-based portal at data.delorme.com (instead of using Topo) but I can't :blink: I seem to have a "stuck" order from a few weeks ago (I don't even remember it!) and I can't get it to clear out.

Can't help you there. I haven't used the web based yet. I should so I know how to do it from another PC.

Link to comment
...haven't used the web based yet. I should so I know how to do it from another PC.
It's pretty straightforward -- but the selection process is a bit slower than in Topo, and somewhat more difficult because you can only view a smaller area at any given time.

 

One advantage is that it delivers a pre-cut file, so non-PC uses don't need to have Topo at all.

Link to comment

OK, here are my results:

 

For some reason, steep learning curve :blink: ,

I had an issue with selecting the 30" increments,

so these are my boundaries as worked:

N45° 38'

W-122° 45'

N45° 15'

W-122° 23'

 

This resulted in two selections of 396 grids (955sq km) and 110 grids (266sq km).

After submission, the order was ready for download in 3 minutes.

 

I ran the speed tests to (downloads):

LA (nearest): 4764kb/s, and

NY (speakeasy): 4161kb/s

My TW Cable service is a nominal 5,000kbps

 

The download time was 8 minutes and the displayed speed was about 100KB/sec

 

Note: little b: bits; BIG B: bytes

 

I cut the download in 12,650 grids of 12 sec increments,

at Zooms of 12 to 14 for 221 MB,

the cutting process required 4 minutes.

 

With the SD card in an external holder,

the transfer required 28 seconds.

 

PC Particulars:

OS Name Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition

Version 5.1.2600 Service Pack 3 Build 2600

OS Manufacturer Microsoft Corporation

System Name ELLANATHAN

System Manufacturer INTEL_

System Model DG965RY_

System Type X86-based PC

Processor x86 Family 6 Model 15 Stepping 6 GenuineIntel ~2131 Mhz

(Intel Core 2 Duo E6420 Conroe 2.13GHz 4M shared L2 Cache, 1066 MHz FSB)

BIOS Version/Date Intel Corp. MQ96510J.86A.1755.2008.1121.0001, 11/21/2008

SMBIOS Version 2.4

Windows Directory C:\WINDOWS

System Directory C:\WINDOWS\system32

Boot Device \Device\HarddiskVolume5

Locale United States

Hardware Abstraction Layer Version = "5.1.2600.5512 (xpsp.080413-2111)"

Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time

Total Physical Memory 2,048.00 MB

Available Physical Memory 1.02 GB

Total Virtual Memory 2.00 GB

Available Virtual Memory 1.96 GB

Page File Space 3.81 GB

Page File H:\pagefile.sys

Link to comment
I had an issue with selecting the 30" increments,...
Oops, I didn't think about that.

 

I haven't done this exercise on my Mac (yet). I just copied the coords from the corners of honest-to-gosh paper maps :( When I get around to trying it under the PC emulators on my Mac, I was planning to stick a waypoint at each corner in Topo and select whatever quads fall inside.

 

In decimal degrees, the corners are

 

45.25, -122.375 (SE)

45.25, -122.75 (SW)

45.625, -122.75 (NW)

45.625, -122.375 (NE)

Edited by lee_rimar
Link to comment

Well the exchange took 53 minutes to occur, but in the end, it failed. It didn't load to the PN for some reason even after noting 100% success. I typically don't transfer maps this way so I'm not pursuing it any further. This is on FW 2.6.

 

1945

Start download

2038

completed

 

USB interface 5 minutes 20 seconds.

205130

205650

 

The issue I ran into last night was I was running through a hub. Once I direct connected to the PC, the freezing issues stopped. I don't know why the map didn't complete the transfer. I did notice the GPS rebooted so it obviously had trouble regurgitating the data somehow.

Edited by TotemLake
Link to comment

I'm in the game, but I just started the first of five downloads of where searching_ut knows, the Grand Staircase of the Escalante.

............

 

Boy, I'm all sorts of jealous here. I haven't gotten around to sending in for my TOPO 8 upgrade yet. I'll take this thread as my reminder to do it before my 6 months expires. I'm also jealous because it looks like someone else is heading down to Escalante to play and I haven't had the chance to in awhile. If you're heading that way, even the road in between Escalante and Boulder can be a worthwhile trip if you like views. Caches are a little bit scare, but the ones in the area are pretty much all worth checking out. There is one right by Calf creek Falls as I recal, one of the must see spots in the area:

 

large.jpg

Link to comment

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
×
×
  • Create New...