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Voted 1/5	Topo 3D is a new version of MapSend Topo. I bought it because I got Magellan SporTrak Pro and this is the only topo map that can be uploaded on it. First, the good side: After reading reviews of the old version, I had concerns about accuracy, but so far I can't complain at all. I don't have the old version, so I can't compare. Maybe they improved it, I don't know. But streets, roads, hills, mountain ridges and summits are right where they should be when I look at my position relative to the uploaded map on the GPS or, later, when I look at the track downloaded from the GPS to my PC. I have only used it in New England so far, though. The only exception I found was a pretty big island in the Boston harbor, which I can't find on the map. So don't rely on it to avoid obstacles if you are a ship navigator. But on land--very accurate. Another good feature is the 3D "inside" view, which offers a somewhat exaggerated perspective of the area (typically mountains) as if you are there on the surface of the mapped terrain. I have looked at places that I have been to in person--amazing similarity. I can never look at any topo map and imagine what the terrain profile really should look like (or if a peak will be visible) to the level that this (or any other?) software draws it. This, unfortunately, ends the short list of pros. verything else about this software is really bad. The topo contour lines are smooth and rounded, so a distinct ridge or a gulley on a USGS map is a faint afterthought of an almost imperceptable change in the contour patterns on the MapSend 3D map. So you can look at a better map (or reality) and then reconcile with MapSend, but hardly the other way around. The 3D modes are supposed to add shades and thus increase the perceived details, but they are totally useless (except the inside view). Also, there are no trails and very few topo landmarks. Some landmarks (points of interest) are in a completely wrong place, for example a summit is marked over 1000' away from what the map shows. The map (topo contours) is correct, judging by my GPS; just the symbol is way off. I suppose that is because the coordinates of the landmarks are totally wrong, while the elevation data was corrected. The software is also very non-professional: I prefer to use UTM, but it doesn't seem to support it at all. I was taught that every topo map with coordinates should tell you what datum the coordinates are in, so that you can set up your GPS accordingly, but no, you have to ask customer service about that... It would have been very nice to give you the angle of a slope in addition to the elevation profile of a route. I need that, and so I have to resort to complex calculations. They are also inaccurate, as the software rounds up distances to 0.01 miles, which is over 1/2 inch of distance on my PC screen in the lowest scale mode. It may not sound like a lot, but it makes a difference in assessing whether a slope is avalanche-prone. Also, routes are limited to 30 waypoints, which is stupid, because my SporTrak is not limited to that. The manual doesn't say what the GPS limit is, but I have been able to add waypoints to a route in the GPS past the 30 points that MapSend allowed. After downloading the route back to the PC, it was cut off at the 30th point. The biggest limitation is that I can only upload one region, which erases all other regions on the GPS. If you want two places that are too far to be encompassed by a rectangular that would fit into the 22MB memory, you are out of luck. The software description says you can choose the level of details in order to save memory, but this is bogus--you choose not to upload restaurant data and you save maybe 2% of the overall file size, so you can include a strip of an extra mile to your region. Well, I want to have Boston, New York and Washington DC at the same time, not an extra mile of western Massachusetts! I messed around with a setting in an INI file and got it to upload 9 regions, which totally screwed up the GPS--it wouldn't boot! The tech support for the GPS was awesome, they fixed the problem over the phone using magical key combinations and codes. The guy, who knew everything about the GPS model, was surprised to learn that the MapSend software is limited to 1 region. He recommended not messing around with the software anymore, but I nevertheless managed to finally upload 3 regions at once. So, would I recommend it? Well, if you have a SporTrak or other Magellan (excellent GPSes) and you want to be looking at a detailed map while using the GPS, this is the only choice, it works, so definitely yes. But if you want to chart an outdoors route first on a map and then walk it with the GPS, you should get another map, e.g. National Geographic Topo (or a paper map), plot your route there, then re-plot your route on MapSend using the other for guide and then upload the MapSend map plus the route. Otherwise, if you only want to look at a map on your PC and only upload waypoints on the GPS, then don't bother with this software. I also hate the fact that you need the original CD--you can't copy the maps to your PC or make a backup of the CD.
	Posted Jun 27, 2005 1:10 pm

Alpinist

More of the same...

Voted 2/5

I can't believe I bought this after having purchased the MapSend Topo 2D software. Fortunately, I found it on sale for half price. It is essentially identical to the 2D software with the addition of 3D visualization. This should have been sold as an upgrade to the 2D software rather than as a different product.

The 3D visualization is every bit as crude as the 2D software. (See my review on the 2D software here.) GoogleEarth is light years better than the 3D visualiztion of the MapSend software. The only benefit the 3D software offers is the ability to see Waypoints and places of interest on the 3D view. Keep in mind that the 3D view can only be seen on your computer screen. You can't view 3D on your GPS.

Also note that topo maps for Alaska are NOT included.

Posted Feb 12, 2008 3:15 pm

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