VMS for iPad?

[RVR110]

Has anyone used the VMS app for iPad? I need to buy some more 1:25k topo maps. Since I need to part with cash, one option that I'm considering is to switch apps from Memory-Map to VMS with Australia wide SmartTOPO maps.

Apparently v3 now does landscape mode so that's no longer an issue. The remaining questions are:


Are SmartTOPO maps better or worse than the maps available for Memory-Map?

What options are there for exchanging data with other mapping apps - such as importing and exporting routes, tracks and waypoints?

What PC software do you use to plan your trips on before uploading to the VMS software?


Has anyone had experience with any of these issues?

[MLD]

Hi RVR110,

belated reply and since i saw you on the highway heading home from your adventure I suspect that this post is belated to its need.

I have VMS on the iPhone. The following website is the available maps from VMS (mud-maps).

VMS 4x4 - maps (http://vms4x4.mud-maps.com/maps)

I haven't seen memory map so I can offer a comparison.

Not sure if you can upload third party maps.

I know you can log a track and sync with the mud-map account they give you, same for way points but I'm having trouble viewing it on the Mac. Whether it's reciprocal to load a planned route I can't see a way of doing it.

Not sure if it was the iPhone's GPS or the software but it is unreliable often not updating to the current location (ie stalling in a previous location) and crashing (the app freezes). i have to reboot the phone to get the app to work again. I have no faith in it as a navigation tool. Can't go wrong with squiggly lines printed on paper.

cheers MLD

[OffTrack]

I doubt it's the iPhone GPS. While it can be slow to get a lock at times (specifically when there is no mobile reception and you've moved a significant distance from the last point you had a lock) I've found it reliable and have had no problems with accuracy using a variety of apps - MotionX, Trails, GPS Kit, and Memory-Map.

[RVR110]

Thanks MLD. The iPhone's built in GPS isn't good enough for navigation, so you may get much better results if you use a GPS enhancing car kit such as the one from TomTom (http://www.tomtom.com/en_au/products/mobile-navigation/tomtom-car-kit-for-iPhone/). The TomTom cradle works with any App that uses the GPS features of the iPhone. If you already have something to enhance the GPS then it may be the App that's the problem.

What do you think of the smartTOPO maps?
Is the VMS app any good for route planning?
Have you used mCloud? If so, what are your thoughts on it?

Cheers,
John.

[MLD]

Hi John

Thanks for the TomTom heads up. I didn't realise there was such a product. I had considered buying a GPS receiver and somehow connecting it to the iPhone. An acquisition before the next outing.

Route planning - If there is such a feature I haven't worked out how to access and use it. The VMS and mud-maps web sites don't (as far as I can find) offer route planning. It's web based so I doubt that feature exists if not offered on the web site. Someone else may be able to enlighten us all. I'm happy to give you my log in if you want to play with the secure site of mud-maps.

I'm having trouble accessing my trip logs and waypoints on the mud-map website. The file transfers from phone to computer but when I launch it I get an error.

SmartTopo maps - They are OK, I used the iTopo zoned maps because of ease of use and detail. The smartTopo maps were not helpful or easy to use to navigate (for me). Don't be put off because I had poor GPS reception and the app was just an electronic map that i had to manually move as I progressed on the track. Next time we are out take the phone for the day and have a play.

mCloud - do you mean iCloud by Apple? If that is not what you mean, I don't know what it is so the short answer is No. Nor do I use iCloud. It's only offered on OS Lion. I'm on the old operating system (Snow Leopard). I use accounting software that was only recently re-written to work with Lion. A few people that run Macs that I work with have had niggly troubles with their computers since Lion's release. Not sure how much it has to do with lion, but for continuity of business without interruption I've opted to stay on Snow Leopard until I upgrade. So far my computer needs hasn't forced me to cloud storage. A USB storage device is adequate. My email/internet service provider syncs my phone and Mac emails. Also stops me taking work home.

I did used MobileMe a few years ago. Not a good business tool and abandoned it within the 3 month trial period. Apple do apps and creative stuff well. As a seamless business tool they haven't ironed out a lot of bugs.

cheers Mark

[mikehzz]

The itopo maps are almost the same as the Memory Map 250k series. The smart topo maps are a BIG disappointment. They are street maps with contour lines. Even well established fire trails like Blackfellows Hand at Lithgow have big gaps in them. All the side trails that show on the NSW 25K series are also missing. I wouldn't buy the VMS app again, I would fork out for the Memory Map 25K series.

[MLD]

Good people,

On John's enlightenment for a solution to my iPhone GPS complaint i bought the tom tom GPS receiver. The unit is solid and is functional. A heads up to those considering it. The unit does not recognised by the iPhone until you buy the Tom Tom app at $79. I say this only to avoid those whom, like I, thought that the unit would be a stand alone unit. The tom tom app is a road directory app same same as the usual GPS unit. Sort of disappointing because the cost to get the system (solution in my case) up and running is a further $79 over the cost of the unit.

fore warned is fore armed. cheers Mark.

[OffTrack]

There are a few alternative gps modules available to suit iP*'s:

Bad Elf GPS (http://bad-elf.com/products/gps/)

xgps (http://xgps150.dualav.com/)

GPS BT: GNS - Global Navigation Systems (http://www.gns-gmbh.com/index.php?id=194&L=1)

All in the $90-100US range online.

[RVR110]

Good people,

On John's enlightenment for a solution to my iPhone GPS complaint i bought the tom tom GPS receiver. The unit is solid and is functional. A heads up to those considering it. The unit does not recognised by the iPhone until you buy the Tom Tom app at $79. I say this only to avoid those whom, like I, thought that the unit would be a stand alone unit. The tom tom app is a road directory app same same as the usual GPS unit. Sort of disappointing because the cost to get the system (solution in my case) up and running is a further $79 over the cost of the unit.

fore warned is fore armed. cheers Mark.

D'Oh! - Without a TomTom app you get an annoying warning message when you put the iPhone in the cradle, but the enhanced GPS still works with your navigation Apps (Memory-map, VMS, Metroview etc). TomTom have solved this by releasing a free app called the "TomTom car kit tool" that gets rid of the warning message for people who don't have their navigation app.

Also, if you have trouble with the iPhone not connecting/charging when you put it in the cradle then check out the following video on YouTube for a simple fix. TomTom cradles that have shipped recently include a small rubber pad that works the same way.
YouTube

Anyway Mark, I don't think that you'll regret getting the TomTom navigation app.

BTW, my cradle fell off the windscreen a couple of times so it is now secured to the dash board by a bolt and vibration is prevented by using a small pad and double sided tape under the unit. The bolt replaces an existing screw on the top of the dashboard, so I didn't drill any new holes in the dash. The arm at the back was taken from an old GPS cradle I had lying around the house that just happened to have the same ball size as the TomTom cradle.

http://www.aulro.com/afvb/attachments/gps/42837d1327388577-vms-ipad-img_0171.jpg

[RVR110]

You were right MLD... now that Mud Map is $3 for the iPhone I've given it a go, so it's time to update this thread. I've used Mud Map on a couple of trips now. I much prefer the 1:25k maps to the SmartTopo maps and since SmartTopo is positioned as the flagship maps for this app I'm not going to look into loading the 1:25k maps. The SmartTopo maps were missing many of the tracks that I did, but they were on the 1:25k map which also had a lot of other markings that weren't on the SmartTopo maps.

Finally, I couldn't bring myself to trust the turn-by-turn style of navigation for off-road use, particularly when the SmartTopo is missing some of the tracks that I would choose to use. The concept of allowing an app to automatically select a route along 4WD tracks without regard to the difficulty or condition of the tracks doesn't seem like a wise idea to me. So, back to Memory-Map. At least for now :)

[Epic pooh]

I've been using the Gns Bluetooth gps receiver for a few months. Got it off a us eBay seller named buck for around $80 incl postage.

The gns receiver works perfectly with wifi iPad or iPhone and is significantly more sensitive (32ch vs iPhone a-gps) and accurate than the iPhone built in gps. Works well with all the nav apps I've tested. I've used it with motionx, mud-maps, hema and bitmap. Motionx is my favorite app but the it lacks the ability to import third party maps and pre-downloading their maps can be time consuming, so I supplement it with bitmap and some 1:25k nsw topos I got from somewhere in ozf2 format (which are not as good as the actual scans in mudmap).