Customer Reviews

DeLorme Map Library Subscription Card for Topo USA 8.0 and Earthmate PN Series GPS Navigators

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I ordered the Map Library along with my PN-40 unit. This map library was one of the deal-makers that led to my buying the DeLorme GPSr. I mainly use the aerial images and the 1:24k topo quads. The color images for my area look to have been taken a couple of years ago, while the b&w's look about 6-7 years old. This will vary by geographic area. You can layer the maps in any order, and view hybrids with the Topo 7 data over the aerial (or whichever view you choose).

This annual subscription is just an unbelievable deal. The downloads I've made already would cost hundreds (going on thousands) of dollars if I bought the maps individually.

I have used DeLorme TopoUSA products for going on a decade now, so I have lots of experience with it from it's earlier days as a pioneering product in the consumer digital mapping field. Once I "got the hang of it", it's been an indispensable tool in the backcountry. Hook a GPS to the laptop, load up the DeLorme mapping software, and you get a dot on the map at the precise location you are at. During my backcountry adventures, I've found jeep trails using DeLorme mapping software that I couldn't even see on the ground due to terrain conditions, nighttime, etc. The added benefit of handheld mapping GPS units from DeLorme has only made their mapping products even more useful. Maps downloaded through this subscription can also be downloaded into DeLorme's handheld gps units.

This subscription to the DeLorme download service for added 7.5 minute USGA topo maps, charts, aerial, and satellite photography has been a wonderful addition to the product. I've been using it since around March, 2009. I have two different laptops, a Gateway that's probably three years old, and an Acer that is going on two years old. Neither model is considered "top of the line" as far as speed goes. However, I've never had a problem downloading any maps into DeLorme 7.0 on either computer. The download speeds have been great through our DSL service and wireless home network. While I agree with some other reviewers that it would be nice to be able to download larger single files, I have never had a problem merely creating more files and downloading them back to back, which is done automatically once the maps are selected. I merely choose the maps, aerial, or satellite photography I want, let the software create the files, submit the order three or four files at a time, and often the first maps are ready to download before I'm done choosing the last maps for my map download session. After that, it's all automatic. I have not experienced, on either of my computers, the types of problems others have had, so I can only suggest that the cause of their difficulties might be more due to their particular network issues rather than problems with the software itself. What's more, I've learned that one can also copy map files from one computer to another, thus I only need to download the maps one time to one computer, then I can transfer them easily to the other computer as well. Additionally, when one of my computers "crashed" and needed to be restored, I had to have the keycode reactivated on that computer through DeLorme's customer service line, which was handled by DeLorme's UNITED STATES BASED SUPPORT PEOPLE in mere minutes.

Since I also own mapping products from both Garmin and National Geographic, and Wildflower before them, I can attest to the fact that all of them have a proprietary user interfaces which require some getting used to. None of them can be considered "standard". There are a few features in each of the other products I like, some individual features even better than DeLorme. However, I always seem to come back to DeLorme for overall ease of use, available features in one package, and for the value received for my dollar spent in added maps and photography. I can attest to the fact that if one were to purchase from other vendors the volume of maps and photography equal to what is available for around $30 a year through the DeLorme subscription, one would indeed pay many hundreds, if not well over a thousand dollars.

When one also includes the potential for updated maps and photography through the DeLorme download service over time, it makes this subscription an incredible value that I have not been able to even come close to duplicating anywhere, and believe me, I look for the best deals I can find.

I have not been in the least bit disappointed, and I will most definitely renew this subscription.

A great idea: unlimited download of USGS Topo Qads, NOAA nautical charts, aerial imagery. And everything will be visible on the computer screen as well as on the handheld GPS unit. The problem is: Delorme makes every effort to prevent the valued customer from downloading their precious data. The selection process of maps to download is slow and tedious through their "flagship" software "TopUSA 8". Once after dozends of clicks the maximum download size of about 50 MB is selected (corresponding to a 1000sqm area), one has to wait 20 minutes for an email with a download link to arrive. The download itself is painstakingly slow and crashes half of the time (this does not have to do with my connection speed). So be prepared to spend days and days clicking through menues and waiting and frustrating if you want to get some of your money's worth on this product...

Not only the map library subscription, their Topo 8 software is also not user friendly.

Issues with map library subscription,

1. If you re-install your OS, you need to call customer support to use the subscription again (for which they have their own timings).

2. Map download from delorme servers is buggy - it breaks most of the times and you need to start over again and again.

3. Map library is very crude - recently I am having problems selecting map grids. It just shows 'Unavailable Coverage Area' and any of the 'Aerial/Satellite Imagery' download would not work anymore. (Already tried removing the existing coverage files, but of no use)

I would never recommend this product to anyone.

The interface for cutting your maps makes it hard to download large areas. This is very inefficient for example with the Canadian map packages. Sure its a great deal but you have to be willing to do hours worth of work to download the maps you want. It would be nice if they just had a topo map package of Canada. That said the aerial downloads for U.S. and hi resolution city imagery are amazing.

Before getting my PN-40, I wanted to be sure that the GPS I chose would have access to high-resolution imagery...Delorme claimed that their map subscription would more-than-satisfy my thirst for quality (all for a reasonable price too). The screenshots on their website also portray their maps as being high-resolution...so I figured this would be a good purchase. After using it for only a week now, my high hopes and expectations have been utterly shattered.

I cannot say in kind words how much I hate this map subscription. There are so many problems, so many fine-print issues, that I find it hard to believe anybody would be happy with these maps. Where to begin...

1) Map Selection
One of the biggest issues with this subscription is the map selection process. Before you can even begin downloading "high-res" maps, you first need to select small "sections" on your TOPO USA software, which can take an obscure amount of time. This is mainly due to the fact that Delorme will only allow you to download a total of about 80 sections at a time (which is not very large) before you can select more. Now normally I wouldn't find this a very big problem, but since the download speed (which I will discuss later) is SO INCREDIBLY SLOW, it makes the map selection and download process absolutely painful...almost to the point where I really don't ever want to look at this software again.

2) Download Speed
Once you have selected the map sections that you would like to download, you will now have to wait a good 10 minutes for Delorme to email you a link, where you can download your selection directly. Now you may find that the first section you download is relatively fast, but don't let that fool you...once you try to download a second, or even a third map selection, you will find that the download speeds have decreased DRAMATICALLY. Once this starts to happen, you will then find that 99% of your downloads will fail mid-way, and you will therefore have to start the download process all over again...quite annoying (actually, it's very annoying).

3) Map Quality
Now that it is 2 hours later and you have finally managed to download a small section of map, you should now use your TOPO USA software to take a quick look at the quality...trust me, you'll be disappointed. How shall I describe this...imagine trying to look through your window at a building across the street while having 10 layers of saran wrap around your eyes...this is what your maps look like. In other words, the quality of these maps is absolute garbage. I can use a $50 telescope, point it at Alpha Centauri, and the level of detail would still be greater than these maps...and I'm not kidding (maybe slightly exaggerated, but you get the point).

4) Customer Service
Not quite sure if they even have any...I've tried calling multiple times, however they always seem to be "conveniently" closed (even during their posted hours of operation).

I would go on; however the thought of wasting anymore of my time and brainpower on the details of this subscription would only cause more pain.

So now you have a very important decision to make...please don't make the same mistake that I did.

Excellent quality maps that are well worth the price. There is a learning curve for the maps, but once you get the hang of it, it's a wealth of data.

This review is for the Delorme Map Library Subscription Card. I have started downloading additional charts, maps, and images to use on the computer and on the handheld pn-40. Using the software is easy. The downloads can be slow and fail ten percent of the time, but after applying all Topo version 8 fixes, download failures have almost gone away. When downloading charts you can do 5 at a time and this may be good because of the download time. A better index of charts would be helpful, but this is making my handheld GPS into a chart plotter. Over all this is a good value to go along with the Delorme software and handheld GPS.

This card is a one year subscription to an all-you-can-eat buffet of Delorme's on-line maps. Topo USA 8.0 National Edition has a tab in the software called NetLink which when you're connected on-line allows you to download maps from DeLorme's fabulous collection once this software license key is installed. You can choose from USGS 1:24K scanned quads, Color DOQQ Aerial Imagery, NOAA charts, SAT 10 satellite imagery, USGS DOQQ aerial imagery, and in 133 cities USGS Hi-Resolution aerial imagery. As an avid off-road adventure seeker the scanned 1:24K maps are a wonderful supplement to the included maps of Topo USA 8.0 and the black and white SAT 10 imagery helps in some complicated areas to determine the actual path of the trail. You are limited to a certain amount of area to download at a time, with my 1:24K maps I keep it down under 100 blocks of map for a reasonable download size. The downloads vary with the data type and I highly recommend a high-speed Internet connection. The same areas of the maps can be downloaded for use with the DeLorme handheld GPS systems like the DeLorme Earthmate PN-40 Handheld GPS (1:100k Topographic, Detailed Street Maps & POIs Included).

DeLorme is a map data company first and this is money well spent to get into their wealth of map knowledge.

I have this card for a few weeks now, and it is worth every penny. I've downloaded over a thousand dollar worth map software and there still a year to go.