The original. Spectra Precision Survey Pro. Originally known as TDS.
I think that it is still being sold in spite of them rolling out Origin. Time will tell how well it gets supported.?ÿ ?ÿIt has been only minimally supported for some years.
TDS/Survey Pro was my favorite.
TDS/Survey Pro was my favorite.
It has been around since the days of the HP48, so there is a large installed user base. And familiarity breeds acceptance. OUAT it was the clear leader. No longer.?ÿ?ÿ
@keithscadservices I have used a lot of different data collectors, I currently have Carlsons and it will do most things you need it to, but they have the lousiest manual I have ever tried to use. Field Genius manual is much better.
@lukenz?ÿ
Leica and Geomax may be from the same stable but like to pretend they are horses for different courses.
My impression is that Hexagon owns all of these companies, but there is very little communication/collaboration between companies. I don't know if they went on a buying spree at some point or what... One example is that Hexagon owns BricsCAD (an AutoCAD clone), but they also own Microsurvey whom (if I remember correctly) utilized the iCAD platform. If they pooled their resources they could develop a really good product.
It's worth mentioning that BricsCAD used to undoubtedly be the absolute best AutoCAD alternative going. It's still "okay"... kind of... in that many people are very fanatical about it. I unfortunately found the '21 version to be legitimately broken. Seeing BricsCAD's regression makes me wonder what the long term effects of being under the Hexagon umbrella will be. Maybe they're saving up for something big (in a positive way) and maybe not.
@norman-oklahoma I came up with a 48 and survey pro..all the info I needed or wanted was on one screen,?ÿ I use Topcon Magnet now and it has things I like, but simple stuff like an inverse or setting up a road involve lots of button pushing and scrolling.
Hexagon also own Liscad - an Australian survey & design package <www.listech.com>
Maybe they have just shoved BricsCAD into a backdrawer?ÿ
I came up with a 48 and survey pro
A lot of people cut their data collecting teeth on TDS and continue to swear by it. But I do not think that many people breaking in to the survey field today are choosing it for themselves. It is clunky software by today's standards.?ÿ?ÿ
I'm not sure I agree with that. I thought it was fairly simple and easy to use.?ÿ That and SurvCE are what I use, and I like different parts of each.?ÿ
I've used Leica Smartworx, and I'm fine with it with GPS, but find it very awkward with a TS.?ÿ And Trimble Access is something that I'm happy to let everyone else use and be thrilled with, as long as I don't ever have to deal with it again.
I'm not sure I agree with that.
Here are two specific complaints I have with Survey Pro:
- Used with A Topcon PS 103 robot. Criminally long latency lag times between issuing a command and some action commencing. Like 5 to 10 steamboats. Same instrument used with Magnet
eliminatesreduces the lag time significantly. I have other complaints about the gun, but this one is the fault of the software.?ÿ ?ÿ?ÿ - ?ÿAccess, and most other softwares, have a function where you shoot a reflectorless distance to the face of a pole or tree, and then turn angle to the edge of the pole or tree?ÿ to compute a radius and calculate a shot on the center of the object. No such feature on SP (I'm aware of the opposite, distance to the side and angle to the center- that's been there since the beginning of time).?ÿ No response from SP to my repeated formal suggestion that it be added.?ÿ The challenge - please name the last new feature that was added to SP. This why I call it a dead product.
Just generally the workflow of SP is barely ported from the old DOS style. It takes no advantage of the windows environment.?ÿ ?ÿ?ÿ
I inherited and used a TDS Ranger for a few years. Was not impressed with it. SDR was a better data collector 10 years before.
It takes no advantage of the windows environment.?ÿ ?ÿ?ÿ
We are even past windows now.
These days it is all about "touch"
I can't speak to how it works with a robot.?ÿ I've only used Leica robots, and with either a Leica or SurvCE controller.
It's definitely dead, they stopped making it.?ÿ Trimble bought them out and then did nothing with it, and pushed their own Access.
In reality, though, other than robotic ability, I'd say that most of what I use a data collector for hasn't changed much since the days of TDS on the HP.?ÿ Collecting raw data, storing coordinates, simple inverses and calculations.
Regarding the pricing for robotics, don??t neglect to consider the cost of a geocom license. ?ÿFieldGenius comes with the geocom authorization built in for most Hexagon models. ?ÿCheck with MicroSurvey if you need to confirm any details.
@ladd-nelson You're right, I apologize, and stand corrected.?ÿ What y'all don't support beyond 6.08 is iGage equipment, Like my iG8 receivers.?ÿ Which sucks for me and anyone else who bought them because Mark Silver did such a good job selling SurvCE as the collection software to use.?ÿ Sucks for iGage, too.....
