I used to say I wouldn't buy a Windows Mobile data collector, but now that I'm actually about to pay for one myself I'm rethinking that position.
For those who have used SurvCE and SurvPC which do you like better? I like the idea of a Toughpad, but I can definitely see the advantages of having a keyboard.
Also, the Surveyor 2 seems more rugged, and has better battery life. On the other hand, I won't be doing a whole lot of topo, so maybe lack of a physical keyboard won't matter that much?
There are obviously pros and cons of each and depends on how you will be using the equipment.
From my experience the tablet style collectors are nice in the fact that you have a larger screen. Lack of a physical keyboard isn't a dealer breaker for me, as the virtual QWERTY is was an easy transition (I dreaded going from a Blackberry to a iPhone due to lack of physical keyboard, but it wasn't a difficult transition). Most field software also has their own keyboard or use the one from the OS. Tablets are also nice because they are dual purpose. You can have other productivity software on the device, like Dropbox for file transfer, Excel, email, etc.
That said, the tablets are typically bulkier and heavier that a traditional collector and a different weight distribution on the pole setup. Carrying a tablet through the woods can be more difficult than a typical collector.
When looking at a tablet, battery life was an important factor. If the batteries wouldn't last 8 hours on a typical day, I wanted to be certain they were field replaceable or hot-swap them in the field.
There used to be a few minor functionality differences between SurvCE and SurvPC (.mxd support for GIS collection in SurvPC for example) beyond the collector vs tablet installation, but in more recent versions that may not be the case.
Here's my opinion. Carlson is a SurvCE company that has produced a SurvPC version. If you have a problem and say I have a SurvPC all they hear is CE. All the time I have spent with tech support I had to constantly remind the tech guy its PC. So to answer your question it's SurvCE. There is no comparison. I've got both and have many problems with the Carlson Supervisor (Worst data collector I have ever used in my career and yes I have used the HUSKY) that runs SurvPC. I still to this day cannot control my Carlson robot as good as with a CE device running SurvCE. And if you have a problem Carlson doesn't care to fix the SurvPC problem. Just give you a run around. Who would have thought a Carlson collector running a Carlson Program with a Carlson robot would not be totally synced. It's not. Now as for the SurvCE program its a different story. Night and day difference. And if you don't believe me or if you want. I will sell the piece of junk Supervisor at a very reduced price. Worst decision I have made in a long time is to be talked into purchasing that Carlson product. Live and learn.
Phillip,
I have heard a couple of people on here say PC isn't as good as CE, was hoping maybe it had been fast-tracked to get it up to snuff.
I guess if it aint broke don't fix it. I'll probably get a Surveyor2. Thanks for the input.
FWIW I didn't like the supervisor from the first time I hefted it. Was considering the Toughpad FZ-M1.
Carlson's tech support is still top notch - the truth is I think they're trying to do too many things at once these days. If you watched their last lunch-n-learn it was a tad "painful". I really like love Carlson Survey on CAD, and I think they'll get through this - not planning on abandoning them. I've been a Trimble Access user for the past seven years. I used SurvCE for a solid couple of years before that, and from what I've seen it hasn't changed much, just added some niceties here and there.
Plumb Bill, post: 367678, member: 226 wrote:
I guess if it aint broke don't fix it. I'll probably get a Surveyor2. Thanks for the input.
FWIW, we have Surveyor+'s and a Surveyor 2 that replaced an older unit. The field crews tried out the "2" and prefer the "+". Not sure why, exactly, but they do.
And...there is to BE NO BAD MOUTHING THE HUSKY! Running TDS, it has a place in my heart forever. Pretty sure I could still run it in my sleep, without ever looking at the screens. So much faster (2 man) than any SurvCE setup.
🙂
