Considering going the netbook/gps meathod... questions.

Pushbutton

New member
So I'm in the market for both a new laptop and a new gps unit. I am considering going the netbook/Delorme PN-40 with Topo USA rout because it would give me a turn by turn street nav, topos for off road, a removable GPS for my field work purposes, and a netbook for me to run my mapping software to create land survey maps in the field from my total station. Preferably I would add in a small monitor to sit up front while the netbook sits tucked away somewhere.

Now I think I have seen how all this could work together and do what is needed, but one thing came up when i was researching this. While looking at the system reqs for Topo USA I noticed that the majority of netbooks will run it, except for one part. Topo requires 1024 x 768 resolution and the vast majority of netbooks I've seen only support 1024x600 resolution without getting into a 11.6" display. Now that would be fine if a separate monitor could be run, but many of them do not display in 1024x768 either.

Am I just missing something with this or does Topo run fine in 1024x600? Would this setup even make sense over going with just separate parts? (laptop for land mapping, standard car gps for turn by turn, and a separate handheld for field use)

Thanks for the help!
:archaeolo
 

Pushbutton

New member
Perfect! I didn't even know there was a forum for that. Thanks for the link, its helped a lot! :wings:
:archaeolo
 

BriansFJ

Adventurer
I'm thinking of going the same route. I already have a PN40 and am very happy with the Topo software on my home PC, so the logical step would be as you describe. Be sure to post up how it goes!:safari-rig:
 

Pushbutton

New member
Apparently OffRoad.com already did this. Since I am assuming it worked out, it answers a ton of questions. They used the Samsung Q1 Ultra Premium UMPC which shares the same 1024x600 resolution as nearly all netbooks so I'm guessing that T8 works fine in that resolution. So not I know that it will work with a netbook, now got to see if I can find a good external screen that would work well with it!

Here is the article:
http://jeep.off-road.com/jeep/Reviews+Products:+All/Testing-DeLormes-Topographic-GPS-Software-for-our-/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/642747

:archaeolo
 

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