I saw the Road Trip Planner software advertised last week on the RV Traveler Newsletter at a very attractive price. Compared to the DVD version of trailer Life last year, it doesn't need as much RAM and is therefore compatible with the netbook computer we take on the road. I can live with a slightly lower processor speed.
What I haven't been able to ascertain is whether the notation "needs a DVD drive" applies just to loading it or whether it shuffles data back and forth. The netbook doesn't have a DVD drive. I use the DVD on my desktop as a slave drive and can load things to the netbook, but couldn't use a program on the road that needed access to a DVD on a frequent basis.
Can you advise whether the DVD requirement is just for loading the program or if the program accesses the DVD when it's running.
I have spent several hours over the past 3 days researching all these laptop mapping softwares. I believe the entire data is downloaded from the DVD, then you don't need the disc in the drive.
Still haven't made up my mind as to which product I will buy. But I WILL buy one of them. I can use my laptop with a USB ported GPS receiver ($30) and that will become my new GPS device. My Garmin Nuvi 205w won't accept 'route' downloads, only POI's, so I'll use it in the toad.
Fulltime livin' & lovin' it in '94 Bounder 32h.
Chevy 454ci Retire in 3yrs.
I use DeLorme Topo and their Streets program on my Laptop which sits next to the drivers seat on a Jotto Desk. I have the USB GPS plugged in and love it. I do not play with it while underway but the 17" screen is so much better than the Tom Tom 530. In reality I use them both with the Laptop mutes and the Tom Tom speaking. Of course I am not planning months long trips yet, so the short jaunts I take are mostly over familiar grounds.
U. S. Navy (RETIRED) 1993
1995 Gulf Stream Scenic Cruiser 34' Diesel Pusher Cummins B5.9 12 Valve Engine, Allison MD-3060 6 Speed Transmission.
TOAD: 2005 Ford Focus Automatic Station Wagon
Road Master Sterling All-Terrain
Well, you can still use S&T, and get the results you wanted. I found the same faults as the OP, in dates and daily mileage. I was able to overcome the issue with a excel spreadsheet. If you create your trip, save the written directions as a webpage, then set up excel to read only the info on that page. Excel then transfers the data to the spreadsheet each time you make a change to your route (make sure to set streets and trips to save to webpage automatically when you close). As for the spreadsheet, input your start date, then have excel count days based upon S&T day number. As for mileage, have excel subtract starting daily mileage from daily ending mileage. Thus end result, is your trip by date and daily mileage. It's easier then it sounds. PM me and I'll help set it up for you.
I saw the Road Trip Planner software advertised last week on the RV Traveler Newsletter at a very attractive price. Compared to the DVD version of trailer Life last year, it doesn't need as much RAM and is therefore compatible with the netbook computer we take on the road. I can live with a slightly lower processor speed.
What I haven't been able to ascertain is whether the notation "needs a DVD drive" applies just to loading it or whether it shuffles data back and forth. The netbook doesn't have a DVD drive. I use the DVD on my desktop as a slave drive and can load things to the netbook, but couldn't use a program on the road that needed access to a DVD on a frequent basis.
Can you advise whether the DVD requirement is just for loading the program or if the program accesses the DVD when it's running.
Hi Frank,
Can you provide a link to this location. I looked for it but did not see it.
Thanks, Todd
Todd, Shirley, and the "Maddawgs" min-pins Precious and Buster Brown
2011 Itasca Cambria 30C
2011 Demco KarKaddy 460SS
TST 507 RV TPMS
"if there is anything left when we are gone, then we miscalculated"
I use two programs one is Trailer Life Directory Campground Navigator and the other is Delorme Street Atlas. Both are great for routing and planning including fuel costs. I like the Trailer Life Directory as it has lots of info on campgrounds along you route, a really nice feature. The Delorme has a plug in unit that will make your laptop into a GPS unit which is really awesome. Good Luck and Happy RVing!
Jack & Peg
USN Ret AGC
K1ZMB
Sioux Falls, SD
06 Itasca Horizon 40KD
Just this morning, my son sent me an email saying he has found that route planning can be done on Mapquest and then uploaded to the GPS...at no cost. He's going to show it to me tonight. In the past, I've used Mapquest just to print out hard copies of certain portions of routes such as going through metro areas and found it to be very accurate. Now, if it can be uploaded to the Garmin...that'll be great. Another point with Mapquest, if the route doesn't go exactly as you would like, all you have to do is click onto the route and drag the route to the road you want. / Larry
Thank goodness for this thread! I was starting to panic, as I hadn't any plans on what my weekly allowance would be "squandered". I took a quick look at the choices and liked the RV Road Trip Navigator best. the price is reasonable too (free shipping courtesy of GS on Camping World's site too). I need the campground info and enjoyed finding the little USB-able GPS units and software that can enable accurate tracking with a laptop. I didn't know about those. Our Garmin is also the wimpy type that won't take anything but POIs.
I will adjust the usual strategy and try side-loading the app. from my PC to my son's Kindle Fire. Has anyone tried that? It has the storage capacity, but lacks the 2ghz processor the app recommends. I won't mind the slow response times though as long as it works.
I found a couple of GPS antenna thingys online, but need to do more research on their requirements and compatibility with the Kindle. I know I need a USB adaptor, but that is easy enough.
Is anyone already using this arrangement?
Mark, Jean, Paul & Lizzy (the mutt)
1997 Fleetwood Southwind Storm 34LS
Thirsty, noisy & clunky. She ain't pretty, but she sure is fun! "Aerodynamics are for people who can't build engines." Enzo Ferrari
Jackha1949 wrote: I use two programs one is Trailer Life Directory Campground Navigator and the other is Delorme Street Atlas. Both are great for routing and planning including fuel costs. I like the Trailer Life Directory as it has lots of info on campgrounds along you route, a really nice feature. The Delorme has a plug in unit that will make your laptop into a GPS unit which is really awesome. Good Luck and Happy RVing!
I've used many different programs on my Win laptop (and some on-line ones) and have even tried a couple on my ipad, but for trip "planning" where campgrounds, multi-day stays, etc. are involved, the trailer life navigator is by far the best tool, and I no longer have to carry the big directory book I used to use my DeLorme yellow puck with earlier versions of the navigator, too, but DeLorme won't make a device driver for Windows 7 for it, so I purchased a new, generic gps from amazon for navigator. Haven't tried it, yet, but I hope it works as well as the Delorme unit.
It's at www.rvtravel.com. It's a weekly newsletter published by an on-line bookstore based in Edmonds, WA.
Mark:
Our netbook only runs a 1.6GHz processor, but I can live with the longer caculation times. The netbook doesn't have a DVD or CD drive. The earlier versions of the program only needed a DVD to load it. It didn't use the DVD for running the program.
Frank Damp, DW - Eileen
Anacortes, WA
'02 Georgetown 325, F53, V-10, bought used in 2010 at 13,000 miles.
Dogs - 2 Labs again, both yellow males, both 9 yrs old and both adopted.
Offline
I used to use my DeLorme yellow puck with earlier versions of the navigator, too, but DeLorme won't make a device driver for Windows 7 for it, so I purchased a new, generic gps from amazon for navigator. Haven't tried it, yet, but I hope it works as well as the Delorme unit.
