The Underhills Posted May 30, 2003 Share Posted May 30, 2003 Does anyone have experience with the SoftMap products? I was wondering how they compare to Ozi and Fugawi. The price is certainly attractive. $80 for the GPS interface and $80 for topos for all of Southwestern B.C. Quote Link to comment
+Hard Oiler Posted May 30, 2003 Share Posted May 30, 2003 There are several threads on the topic in this forum but I've found Fugawi with Softmap to be a good combination. Fugawi will read SoftMap maps so you don't need the GPS Interface (I have it but rarely use it). If you want to go cheaper you can use Fugawi with Toporama - the maps are free but you have to download and calibrate them or you can buy them precalibrated. Check PDOP's posts and his web-site for more info on these options. Quote Link to comment
The Underhills Posted May 30, 2003 Author Share Posted May 30, 2003 I’d like to know if the SoftMap topos are exact scans of the federal ones or are somehow reduced in detail like Toporama. Also, the SoftMap gps interface is about $50 cheaper than Fugawi. I would just like to know if it’s missing any features that might seem critical. Thanks. Quote Link to comment
+Olar Posted May 31, 2003 Share Posted May 31, 2003 quote:Originally posted by The Underhills:I’d like to know if the SoftMap topos are exact scans of the federal ones or are somehow reduced in detail like Toporama. Also, the SoftMap gps interface is about $50 cheaper than Fugawi. I would just like to know if it’s missing any features that might seem critical. Thanks. Yes SoftMap topos are exact scans. The two screen shots are of a saved hiking track displayed by Fugawi software on a Fugawi topo and on a SoftMap Topo. They are both 1:50000 and at their default zoom level. I believe that Fugawi scanned theirs at a slightly higher resolution which explains the different zoom depth. I have no experience with the SoftMap gps interface so I cannot give you a comparison there. I will say though that Fugawi's is excellent and you would be hard-pressed to find anything better. Fugawi Topo SoftMap Topo "You are only young once but you can stay immature forever" Quote Link to comment
+PDOP's Posted May 31, 2003 Share Posted May 31, 2003 quote:Originally posted by The Underhills:I’d like to know if the SoftMap topos are exact scans of the federal ones or are somehow reduced in detail like Toporama. Also, the SoftMap gps interface is about $50 cheaper than Fugawi. I would just like to know if it’s missing any features that might seem critical. Thanks. Fugawi was on sale at Radio Shack for as low as $75 recently when they were clearing out their stock (they no longer carry it). If you look around you still might be able to find a Radio Shack that has one. I bought Fugawi specifically because it worked with the SoftMap topos. It can also be used with a variety of other maps (file formats) so it's much more versatile. PDOP's GPS Pages Quote Link to comment
gm100guy Posted June 2, 2003 Share Posted June 2, 2003 I have Softmap and the GPS option and it does all I want from a mapping program. I have not used the other 2 programs. But the topo maps seem to have all the information as the paper ones. gm100guy http://members.rogers.com/gm100guy/cachepage.htm Ontario geocachers http://groups.msn.com/GeocachinginOntario/homepage Quote Link to comment
Curious George Posted June 2, 2003 Share Posted June 2, 2003 Hi guys - if you're interested in Fugawi check the Radio Shack at Eaton Centre. They had one on sale the last time I was in there. I love the smell of Lock 'n Locks in the morning...they smell like $$$ Quote Link to comment
The Underhills Posted June 4, 2003 Author Share Posted June 4, 2003 Thanks to everbody for the input. Quote Link to comment
+PDOP's Posted June 4, 2003 Share Posted June 4, 2003 One other thing that hasn't been mentioned so far is that the SoftMap packages have seamless maps. This is a big advantage over other formats used by Ozi and Fugawi which can only load one map sheet at a time. With seamless you can scroll across the borders of the map sheets to follow rivers, trails, etc. If you'd like try some other seamless maps for cheap have a look at NaviTrak. Their Banff CD can be had for $5 plus S&H PDOP's GPS Pages Quote Link to comment
gm100guy Posted June 4, 2003 Share Posted June 4, 2003 As mentioned the seamless is a nice feature as I can download the track from my gps and scroll around to look at it. You can also make a track or route on the map and send it to the gps. gm100guy http://members.rogers.com/gm100guy/cachepage.htm Ontario geocachers http://groups.msn.com/GeocachinginOntario/homepage Quote Link to comment
+eroyd Posted June 7, 2003 Share Posted June 7, 2003 Just saw the Softmaps on sale out at Eagle Eye Outfitters in Sooke for $69. They've only got the SE BC one but are getting more in soon. They've probably got the best variety of compass's I've ever seen. I've been playing with a Memory-Map demo and it has a nice feature that welds maps together. Uses the same maps as Ozzi. Quote Link to comment
+PDOP's Posted June 7, 2003 Share Posted June 7, 2003 quote:Originally posted by eroyd:Just saw the Softmaps on sale out at Eagle Eye Outfitters in Sooke for $69. Walmarts regular price is $62.95 PDOP's GPS Pages Quote Link to comment
The Underhills Posted June 12, 2003 Author Share Posted June 12, 2003 Thanks again for all the input. We picked up SoftMap at Walmart for $63 and Fugawi at Radio Shack for $70 including the Canadian streets cd! I had to download updates for both to get them to work together. Now, to figure out how we’ll afford a notebook computer and RAM mount for the car Quote Link to comment
+PDOP's Posted June 12, 2003 Share Posted June 12, 2003 There are a few small problems with using SoftMap with Fugawi that are discussed in this old thread. They are minor so don't worry but I thought I'd give you a heads up. For the areas that aren't covered by your SoftMap package you can use the free Toporama digital maps. There's info on these and how to quickly calibrate them for Fugawi on my website. PDOP's GPS Pages [This message was edited by PDOP's on June 12, 2003 at 07:16 PM.] Quote Link to comment
+PDOP's Posted June 19, 2003 Share Posted June 19, 2003 For owners of SoftMap products the latest version of the SoftMapPlus software (version 4.52.0128 which is a free upgrade) also includes a 30 day demo of their GPS Option. The upgrade is available here. Unfortunately there doesn't seem to be any documentation about the GPS functions even in the updated manual and help files which are also available for download. PDOP's GPS Pages Quote Link to comment
+PDOP's Posted June 28, 2003 Share Posted June 28, 2003 Yet another upgrade of SoftMap Plus to version 4.60.0140 is available here. You'll have to register your existing version (serial number required) to get the download. This new version includes some interesting stuff. You can now see the meta data for the map sheet you're viewing (date, datum, contour interval, etc.)Also you can import and calibrate your own maps. The GPS Option is included with the upgrade for a 30 day trail and finally documentation about the GPS functions is included in the help files. It also looks like they have plans to offer this trial to everyone in the future. PDOP's GPS Pages Quote Link to comment
+Hard Oiler Posted June 28, 2003 Share Posted June 28, 2003 quote: Yet another upgrade of SoftMap Plus to version 4.60.0140 is available here. And I just spent hours downloading the last one - can't wait for high speed to come to this remote corner of SW Ontario quote: Also you can import and calibrate your own maps. Have you tried it? How does it compare with Fugawi? Quote Link to comment
+PDOP's Posted June 28, 2003 Share Posted June 28, 2003 quote:Originally posted by Hard Oiler:Also you can import and calibrate your own maps. Have you tried it? How does it compare with Fugawi? No I haven't. I don't think it supports the GIF file format which is the only one I'd ever use (Toporama maps) it for. I do like the meta data display. PDOP's GPS Pages Quote Link to comment
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