Customer Reviews

Topo North America 9.0

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

The good side to this software is that the views of the terrain it offers are attractive; especially the 3D view gives one a good overview of the land.
However, the interface to this software is straight from the DOS world of 1990. Delorme has consistently refused to confirm to any Windows design standards. The only way to find the functions one needs is to poke through the scattered assortment of tab buttons, icons, and menus items, and learn by trial and error.
I use this for geocaching (with a Delorme GPS), and TNA9 shows promise in helping to manage logged and unlogged caches, but warning: the synchronization process is very deceptive, and it is rather easy to lose a whole days geocaching activity through unfamiliarity with exactly how the program updates/copies files from computer to GPS and back. (Unfortunately, again your learning path is trial and error.) On the forums (peer to peer) one is told to use Windows Explorer to copy files from GPS to your cache documents. How's that for a vote of no-confidence? I am considering foregoing the pretty interface and looking for open source software to manage my caches. That would be more secure.
BTW, TNA9 comes with a purchase of a Delorme GPS. I would not consider using this software if I didn't also have a Delorme GPS.

It works But I already had Topo 5 and thought Topo 9 Maps would have been updated more than they are there is a lot of roads that are not on Topo 5 or 9. So I was disappointed in Topo 9 and just wasted my money.

I bought this software to plan a cross-country bike ride. My route follows roads mostly but also utilizes some trails (about 500 miles of trails). I was fully able to get the software to behave for all mapping and planning when the route involved ONLY roads. When I attempted to link my route to a well-known and long-established trail system, the program absolutly refused to recognize the presence of the trail as a viable route and would not allow me to integrate the trail into the the route as long as I was mixing roads and trails together. I worked on this problem with Delorme customer and technical support for about 20 hours and never did succeed in getting it to work, despite claims from the tech folks that it was possible.

If you want to use the software to plan a trail route and/or a road-based route independently, it works fine for that. But forget about integrating the two types of features - it's probably possible to do, but I've not figured out a way to make it work.

Delorme is now offering DigitalGlobe aerial imagery. To get that for use on a PN40 you need to upgrade to a new version of the PN40's firmware. Delorme claims that the upgrade will happen "automatically" the first time your PN40 is connected to this new version of Topo. I was never able to make that happen using Topo North America. Had to go another route to do the firmware upgrade.

While I like the PN series devices and the Topo mapping software, Delorme leaves something to be desired as regards to the software for Topo/device data exchange. Think iTunes and the iDevices as the creme de la creme in this regard. This is not enough to make me change companies, but is something to be aware of.

My reasons for buying DeLorme Topo is for planning hiking trips and to review where I have been after a long day of hiking. It works well with my two Garmin GPS. It took a while to figure out how to interface the Garmin GPS but once I did it worked just fine. I also have had experience with an older version so I knew what the end game should look like. I gave the product only 4 stars because I think the user interface could still be easier to use. The GUI seems a little complex to me and takes a bit of time to get used to. But once you do, you will really enjoy the software. I really like the 3D view.

I was hoping to be able to use this for navigating to trail heads and finding good trails to hike. The geography seems pretty accurate but roads and trails are not accurate at all. Disappointing. I suppose it was naive to think I'd get all that accurate info for only $60. Still gave it 3 stars because of the low cost for an entire contintent of maps.

This is a decent broad scope program. It doesn't get into real detail unless you subscribe to DeLorme's detailed add ons. I am pleased enough with what it does but will need to join the subscription if I want any close in detail of a specific area.

It works well and is easy to use. The zoom works well but needs to zoom a little more. It needs more rotation to see more detail especially mountains and canyons. Overall this software is very useful for hiking terrain.

I am sure this software is fine,but I have Windows XP and was just told by The Geek Squad at Best Buy that the processor that my computer has is not compatible for this soft ware.My computer is 6 years old and was told that the processor I have was updated about a year later and they think that would make a difference.So I am in the process of either get a new computer or possible trade with my daughter who has XP but the newer version processor.We are in the process of trying that first.We will see.

I got this software to plan our walks so that they include hills, but not too much vertical climb and not too steep. We wanted to walk on sidewalks in local towns.
The maps show good OLD terrain elevation, but have not been modified to show the affects of roads.
This software is absolutely no good to me because it shows a 900 foot climb where there is a 20 foot climb. This is just an example, but it typically shows 3 times more verticle change.
At first, I thought my GPS was under-reading the vertical change.
It turns out that 40-year old roads are shown as the terrain that preceded the building of the roads.
This software works, but stay off the sidewalks.