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04-02-2005, 03:46 AM
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#1
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Montana Master
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Chandler
Posts: 624
M.O.C. #740
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New Lap Top Toy
Hi All,
Before our last trip to the TX Gulf Coast I bought the new '05 version of Microsoft Streets & Trips with GPS, for my Lap Top. It turned out to be a great tool. All sorts of options not just maps and route planning but Gas Stations, Museums, Campgrounds, etc. The GPS eye just sits on the dash and shows us where we are at any given time as we watch our selves moving along on screen, much like the Garvin.
It also helped setting up the Dish as it displays Lat. & Long. and Elev.
Cost was $120 at Best Buy. Fun tool also for sitting at home taking thoes dream trips, from your easy chair.
Happy Camping,
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04-02-2005, 03:52 AM
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#2
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Montana Master
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: North Ridgeville
Posts: 20,229
M.O.C. #2839
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Good information..we are considering one of those..Will check out our local best buy..
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04-02-2005, 04:02 AM
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#3
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Montana Master
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: North Ridgeville
Posts: 20,229
M.O.C. #2839
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Just looked up the Lap top toy at best buy..129.99 with a 30.00 rebate = 99.99. Went online and orderd one for in store pickup..will rush out a get it soon as the snow storm lets up.....
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04-02-2005, 06:18 AM
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#4
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Montana Fan
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Syracuse
Posts: 286
M.O.C. #1424
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Did the same thing, I got the Delorme Earthmate GPS with Street Atlas 2005, sells at Best Buy for around the same price as MS Streets and trips, but the detail and the prescision of the maps is far better ( Having used the MS version for a while).
Also dont be afraid to check out EBay, I got mine on Ebay, brand new, for $80, save about $40 of the retail price.
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04-02-2005, 01:39 PM
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#5
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Montana Master
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Fort Wayne
Posts: 689
M.O.C. #1536
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I have the earthmate by delorme and I like the voice feature. It took me a while to learn the street atlas but after playing around with it I have finally figured it out. I got mine last Dec. with a $20 in store rebate and a $20 mail in rebate . made it around 80.
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04-02-2005, 01:43 PM
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#6
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Montana Master
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Jacksonville
Posts: 897
M.O.C. #1745
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Roy just got the Garmin for his laptop and we tried it out last weekend. I saw it online for $109. He got his free.
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04-02-2005, 03:48 PM
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#7
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Montana Master
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Fallon
Posts: 6,064
M.O.C. #1989
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How did he do that?
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04-03-2005, 01:53 PM
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#8
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Established Member
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: San Antonio
Posts: 43
M.O.C. #1774
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Allow me a dumb question. We have a F250 Tow Vehicle. Those of you who have this "toy' where do you place your lap top and other "stuff" that goes with the "toy"
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04-03-2005, 02:01 PM
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#9
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Montana Master
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: North Ridgeville
Posts: 20,229
M.O.C. #2839
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We ordered the Micro soft streets and maps at best buy for in store pickup.Could not get it because of a snow storm and when we went out today they did not have one..that's Ok as I would rather have the Garman with the voice featuire... In reply to Bobby Inboden..the receiver is no bigger than a radar dectector and can go the same place as you would put a radar dectector.The Garman receiver can go outside the truck..Wife sets the lap top on her lap or on the center consol or pulls the glove box down..The lap top GPS is handy because the display is larger.
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04-03-2005, 03:06 PM
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#10
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Montana Master
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Jacksonville
Posts: 897
M.O.C. #1745
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Roy goes to several RV repair places selling tools and someone with a motorhome did not want it and they gave it to him. He was just in the right place at the right time.
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04-03-2005, 03:09 PM
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#11
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Montana Master
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Chandler
Posts: 624
M.O.C. #740
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Bobby,
The GPS eye is only about 2"x 2" and sits on the dash. The cable to the Lap Top is about 6' long. Our Dodge has a large center consol and the Lap Top just sits there. I have a small inverter If the Batt. gets low to plug into the Cig. lighter. That's it.
Others on this Forum have made or purchased mounting brackets for their Lap Tops. You may do a search and find them.
Happy Camping
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04-03-2005, 09:33 PM
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#12
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Montana Master
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: San Antonio
Posts: 1,740
M.O.C. #1757
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I have seen the GPS in action using the MS Streets and trips. Everyone should have one.
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04-04-2005, 01:51 AM
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#13
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Montana Fan
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Centerville
Posts: 203
M.O.C. #1013
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I use the DeLorme software and it is great. Very easy to use once you get the hang of it. I do all my maps at home and then transfer them to my laptop. Have it sitting on the console.
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04-04-2005, 03:16 AM
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#14
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Montana Master
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Yuma
Posts: 856
M.O.C. #1935
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I just recieved our new lap top with MS Streets and Maps Along with GPS Locator $129 from Dell
I agree with steve this is great Always know where I am even in the Safway parking lot waiting
for my wife, or getting a moca
Mel
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04-04-2005, 03:17 AM
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#15
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Montana Master
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: Weatherford
Posts: 1,383
M.O.C. #9
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Bobby Inboden,
I just slip the keyboard portion of the opened laptop under the console when it's in the "down" postion and point the screen toward me. I plug into a dc plug-in inverter and throw the GPS receiver on the dash. I have MS Streets and Trips. This thing's GREAT !!!
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04-08-2005, 12:19 PM
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#16
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Montana Master
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: Oceanside
Posts: 20,028
M.O.C. #20
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I have both MS Streets and Trips 2005 and DeLorme Street Atlas 2005. Each is better than the other at some things. I really wish there were a way to combine the best of each. In my experience, S&T is better/easier at trip planning but SA2005 is better at route tracking on the road. I use SA on the road because I like the voice cluing me I have a turn coming up so I don't have to look at the map to see if a turn is coming up and Vicki doesn't have to watch it at all. I find S&T has more campgrounds shown but SA has more other businesses. SA let's me do more detailed searches to find things I haven't figured out how to find in S&T. Now if someone would just combine the best of each I'd be really happy. I've come to rely on using the GPS/laptop for our travels and feel downright naked (not a pretty sight) without it. Even when we're just out exploring and not caring where we're going I'll throw the laptop in the backseat to help us get home if we find we don't know where we are. It has helped a couple of times.
Someone asked where the laptop is mounted. I strapped a board to the top of the console lid. The board is covered with velcro on top. The laptop has velcro on the bottom, wherever there's not a cooling slot or a door to be blocked. This way I can change the position of the laptop if I want. It sits there very securely. I also use a 75watt inverter plugged into the "Power Point/cigar lighter." That way I can just use the laptop's 110v plug without an expensive special cable.
You also can buy or build a stand that bolts to the floorboard. I think RonStan did this.
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04-08-2005, 03:50 PM
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#17
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Montana Master
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Cumming
Posts: 2,820
M.O.C. #919
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I use MS S&T 2005 with the GPS puck and it works very well. I used it a couple of weeks ago to go to a campground in Bushnell, FL to pick up a washer/dryer I found online. The software was great as I drove straight to the campgound that was a little off the beaten path. Having the GPS info and a "trail" on the map let me find a cirle back to a Walmart to pickup a part needed for the de-installation of the washer. It was more than worth its weight in gold.
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04-10-2005, 05:21 PM
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#18
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Montana Master
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Fort Wayne
Posts: 689
M.O.C. #1536
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Yes I have the laptop mount in my truck. If you go to my photo site and look for the laptop mount pictures it will give you an idea of what it looks like. Got it on ebay.
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04-11-2005, 01:24 PM
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#19
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Montana Master
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: North Ridgeville
Posts: 20,229
M.O.C. #2839
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We went with the Garman GPS-18.I am a fan of Garman technology having used a lot of it when I was a working guy.There are two things a GPS system has to do real good..Aquire and stay locked on to 3 sat's.The more sat's aquired the more accurate the information..Process the large volume of information that it receives. Garman does that very well... and it has voice prompts..just my opinion..means nothing...
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04-11-2005, 02:04 PM
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#20
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Montana Master
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: Oceanside
Posts: 20,028
M.O.C. #20
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Rich is right about finding and locking being very important. I've been very pleased that the Earthmate does this very well. There have been places I could have sworn it would lose the lock but it didn't. It just kept on chugging. Sometimes when we stop for awhile I'll lower the laptop lid and put the gps itself down on the floor of the truck and darned if it didn't maintain the lock there. I guess it's getting them out the window. A couple of times I've sat in my chair in the Montana and laid the gps puck on the top of the couch back and it locks in out the windows. I've done that just to get the coordinates of where we are or to mark the site on the map. In other words, I've been very impressed with its performance over the past almost three years of use. If the gps can't find or can't keep a lock on the satellites then it's not much value.
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