Customer Reviews

MyTopo Maptech TNav Michigan/Wisconsin/Minnesota Topographical Map CD-ROM (Windows)

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Maptech produces the best mapping software I've ever used. I've tried the rest, now I stick with the best. Being a Geography major in college, and working in the mapping industry now, I've used all the others, but maptech is by far the best. Detailed topos, great overlays, outstanding GPS hookup, and the 3-D graphics are unbelieveable!!!!! For anyone in a mapping field, or anyone looking to spice up their outdoor adventures, you have got to get this software.

I agree, this software is good. Great detail. The 3D feature is over-rated, though, for my uses. More of an image gimmick than actual representation of terrain. More importantly, though, my software suddenly "lost" one much-used quad sheet, leaving white space in it's place on my screen. I also lost all the markers and trails associated with that area, which included several day's work. Called their customer service for assistance and was connected to a very rude, arrogant, and unhelpful technician. Result: no fix. The company needs to back an excellent product with helpful and knowledgable technicians.

I bought my Garmin E Trex Vista on the recommendation of the salesman, telling me that I can "hook it up to my computer, and download maps". Even the manual that came with the GPS gave a quick blurb about adding their MapSource software to add "detailed map data" to the very limited map that's built-into the unit. So I investigated both the Topo maps, and Recreational maps at the Garmin website, and both seemed quite a bit more detailed, even though my favorite lake looked only like a rough representation, with only one hill. Then I checked out Map Tech, and the detail was ten-fold! It showed every little slope, and accurately depicted every inch of the shoreline, so I bought it. The only glitch I noticed, was that the cursor on the map is supposed to show elevation, but if you follow one line thats supposedly following a contour, it's plus or minus 15 feet as you scroll, and when I pointed at the lake, then at a thirty foot hill, it showed the same elevation between the two, where the field right next to it accurately showed every foot difference of elevation But when I tried downloading the maps into my Garmin Vista, I found the only thing you can transfer back and forth between the GPS and computer were waypoints, tracks, and routes. So all I could download were little dots on that screen, which shows my lake as a blank field. Garmin Website tells me the only GPS units that accept map upgrades, (Mapsource only), are the GPS12 Map, GPS III+, E-Map, GPS Map 295, and the Street Pilot. I guess all I can do with the MapTech is print the maps to carry to the field, lug my lap-top with me on a hike, or buy a handheld, but someone else wrote that his Compaq works,but not Palm? All I wanted was a small GPS, which I could take on a hike, and have it show me very detailed maps, so I could find the best routes, and I'd never have to worry about getting lost. This one only shows main roads, how to get back to your starting point, and little lines to follow if I pre determine a route at home.

I sent a Terrain Navigator California Set to my father earlier this year as a gift. He just can't stop saying good things about it. So I got the New England region for myself. I use it for hiking, canoeing and sea kayaking. The GPS wizard makes connecting to my Garmin a snap. The map prints are clear and provide a UTM grid and lots of reference points. Looking at the maps in 3-D provides a real good sense of the terrain. I use this feature with the 3-D glasses which are provided. I would recommend Terrain Navoigator to anyone who works or plays off-road.

* urban elevation data is poor. Don't expect to find the 100ft hill next door on the map, and don't expect to see it on the 3d mode.
* I've played with it for a few hours now and it crashed once (on winXP)
* There's no way to set a default directory for exporting pictures.. and it won't remember where you last exported to. Annoying.
* Fire roads in state parks (Big Basin Redwoods for me) show up BARELY, but are not named. Park trails do not show up.
* A lot of window boxes are "modal".. meaning you can't leave the window open while viewing another window. This means that you can't compare legs of routes side-by-side. You can't compare route profiles. These are unnecessary (AFAIK) limitations in the software and should be considered bugs.
* As you might expect, there are occasional inaccuracies in the map, specifically in the urban areas. The maps tend to be older sometimes, which I guess can cause these problems. Don't buy this as a reliable road map.
* The CA set consists of like 12 cds. You have to insert like 5 of them and go through InstallShield for each one so that TNav knows you have the region (and haven't pirated it). You still have to insert each of the 12 cds whenever you want to view a different region. I haven't seen an option to cache the map data on hard drive instead of inserting the cds.

On the positive side, this program does have really need route/waypoint features. I like being able to freehand draw over a dirt road and then view the elevation profile for the road.. You could do the same for hiking trails (if you know exactly where the trail runs!).. The 3d mode is really neat too, although I think the 3d-glasses are a joke.

I can't compare this to other programs because I haven't used any others.. I'm giving this 3 because the current average of 4.5 stars is too high.

* urban elevation data is poor. Don't expect to find the 100ft hill next door on the map, and don't expect to see it on the 3d mode.
* I've played with it for a few hours now and it crashed once (on winXP)
* There's no way to set a default directory for exporting pictures.. and it won't remember where you last exported to. Annoying.
* Fire roads in state parks (Big Basin Redwoods for me) show up BARELY, but are not named. Park trails do not show up.
* A lot of window boxes are "modal".. meaning you can't leave the window open while viewing another window. This means that you can't compare legs of routes side-by-side. You can't compare route profiles. These are unnecessary (AFAIK) limitations in the software and should be considered bugs.
* As you might expect, there are occasional inaccuracies in the map, specifically in the urban areas. The maps tend to be older sometimes, which I guess can cause these problems. Don't buy this as a reliable road map.
* The CA set consists of like 12 cds. You have to insert like 5 of them and go through InstallShield for each one so that TNav knows you have the region (and haven't pirated it). You still have to insert each of the 12 cds whenever you want to view a different region. I haven't seen an option to cache the map data on hard drive instead of inserting the cds.

On the positive side, this program does have really need route/waypoint features. I like being able to freehand draw over a dirt road and then view the elevation profile for the road.. You could do the same for hiking trails (if you know exactly where the trail runs!).. The 3d mode is really neat too, although I think the 3d-glasses are a joke.

I can't compare this to other programs because I haven't used any others.. I'm giving this 3 because the current average of 4.5 stars is too high.

Maptech's Terrain Navigator is great on your home computer, but Maptech also has a product called the Pocket Navigator that runs on Compaq Ipacs that you can take out in the field with you too!!! What will they think of next??? Now you can take their same USGS Topo Maps, download them onto your pocket pc, and as your hiking see exactly where you are!(sorry folks, doesn't work with the palm pilot)You can even hook it up to there new GPS unit the Navman!!!!
They have great info about this product on their website (...) you should check it out! I did and I love it!