Being a GPS newbie I've been putting off buying GPS software for as long as I can until I learned more about my specific needs. As a result I've been using a combination of trial software and freeware, such as OziExplorer, GPS Utility, EasyGPS, GPS Trackmaker and MyGPS. For the OpenEir project I've been using, exclusively, MyGPS because its freeware and I think its important to make the project as accessible as possible to all level of GPS users.
However, today I'm after coming across a GPS software product which has totally amazed me, not only in terms of its feature set but also for its very reasonable price of $40 in a category where most software is at least double that. Topofusion has a few really innovative features, four of which in particular deserve further explanation -
- Networks: This could be a killer feature for OpenEir. It allows you to create and manage networks of GPS data. You can combine multiple GPS tracklogs into a network, with duplicate portions of track logs averaged. That means that OpenEir contributors could easily combine several overlapping tracklogs to distill an increasingly accurate and more detailed map.
- PhotoFusion: This feature allows you to automatically geo-reference your tracklogged digital photos, as long as they have EXIF timestamps. Luckily my Nokia 6630 does. I was able to watch Topofusion place my photos along the GPS tracks and see it produce HTML pages with clickable image maps. Fantastic!
- Auto Map Download: No calibration necessary! Topofusion downloads maps (Topo, Aerial Photo and Satellite) automatically from Microsoft's TerraServer and NASA's OnEarth server, storing them on the hard drive for offline use. This will save me a huge amount of time that I used to spend gathering satellite photos and coordinates from MapProxy and calibrating them in MyGPS. Not only that but the calibration is much more accurate with tracklogs now aligning almost perfectly with the visible roadway.
- 3D Modelling: TopoFusion includes the ability to visualize terrain and track data in 3d. Using NASA's JPL server, the 3D data is downloaded automatically, so there is no need to download, convert and store DEM files. The instructions for acquiring DEM data are included on their website if you want to store elevation data on your computer. I was able to do a beautiful 3D flyover of my journey around Limerick, Tipperary and Kerry. Amazing!
Here is a screenshot of some of the routes I had already compliled for OpenEir after being network rendered in TopoFusion. The extremeties are Limerick City (top right), Tarbert ferry port (top left), Listowel (bottom left) and Tipperary town (bottom right).
This is wonderful software and whether or not it is ideal for OpenEir I will be buying it for personal use.
Recent Comments