I was reading this thread:
https://surveyorconnect.com/threads/ts-on-board-or-dc.322869/#post-329707
on whether folks preferred a separate DC over software on board the gun, and it got me thinking:
Why haven't any of the majors (Topcon, Microsurvey, Carlson, Trimble etc.) ported their DC software to run on IOS or Android?
Some have ported to Windows, and when combined with a Panasonic Toughpad (especially in a case like Lee Green's made), this seems to work well and has other advantages too (internet access, wifi, access to other software to name a few).
But why haven't they considered porting to IOS or Android? My iPhone 6 screen is twice as big as the puny screen on my antediluvian Jett DC (although in monstrously bright sunlight it does leave something to desire); I always have it; I can put it in my pocket; it has bluetooth etc. There's a gazillion mounts and waterproof cases for them; you can have them backed up to the cloud without thought.
Are these companies protecting a profit center with their $2k-$4k DC's?
Doesn't seem that it'd be so hard. Is it a dumb idea?
One downer, Most phone screens are not visible in sunlight........
The BIM industry is introducing similar data collection/layout apps to IOS and Android. BIM 360 GLUE by Autodesk is and Apple IOS app that works with Topcon LN100 and DS Robotics. Extremely expensive. Last I heard these BIM 360 tools from Autodesk were actual billed as a percentage of the project cost. MAGNET Construct by Topcon is an Android app for the LN100, this is free.
Trimble has an app for ios and android for their R1 GNSS receiver.
And I looked an app called Geojot, they seem designed around GIS and image capture. There is a subscription type fee though.
South GNSS S660 has an ios and android app.
http://www.trimble.com/mappingGIS/R1-GNSS-Receiver.aspx?tab=Features_and_Benefits
http://www.geospatialexperts.com/
http://www.southinstrument.com/news/info.asp?id=230
Carlson are said to be working on Survce or similar product for android, as I expect most of the players are.
I've tried a couple of applications in my lounge with Nikon TS.
But I wouldn't use them in real life on my phone or a tablet. (both Samsung Notes)
I've yet to see an Android or Apple device that would match my data recorder screens in very bright sunlight and there's the fragility of these devices.
I have some useful GIS and GPS apps, but the screen let's whole show down.
As much as I love my phone /tablet and all its myriad of uses I still prefer a standalone data recorder,so in that area am content to separate phone and surveying.
rfc, post: 360845, member: 8882 wrote: Are these companies protecting a profit center with their $2k-$4k DC's?
I think that has a lot to do with it.
RFC, Javad has an Android and I phone app that will control the recievers. I use it quite often, You can check it out here http://javad.com/jgnss/products/software/javad_android_tools.html
Don't that's wm, post: 360866, member: 8900" wrote: RFC, Javad has an Android and I phone app that will control the recievers. I use it quite often, You can check it out here http://javad.com/jgnss/products/software/javad_android_tools.html
Adam,
I don't think that's what RFC is looking for. He only uses a total station. Does that Javad app work with a Topcon total station?
Adam, post: 360866, member: 8900 wrote: RFC, Javad has an Android and I phone app that will control the recievers. I use it quite often, You can check it out here http://javad.com/jgnss/products/software/javad_android_tools.html
Adam:
I keep forgetting that the universe out there uses mostly GNSS now; I was asking the question in the context of a total station. But that looks very cool. From what I'm reading, Javad seems to be on the cutting edge of the technology.
I've wondered this as well; I think you hit the nail on the head WRT profits. If they can force people into buying a $$$$.$$ dogbone-shaped DC which is pretty much useful for only that one task, they'll do it.
I've tinkered with an inexpensive DC app on my Google Nexus 7 in the past and it actually worked surprisingly decent- no reason at all why the big boys couldn't port their DC software over.
The only superior evidence is that which you haven't yet found.
leegreen, post: 360867, member: 2332 wrote: Adam,
I don't think that's what RFC is looking for. He only uses a total station. Does that Javad app work with a Topcon total station?
It's for recievers only.
Adam, post: 360870, member: 8900 wrote: It's for recievers only.
Adam,
More specifically. It is only for Javad receivers, and from what Nate says, not cogo friendly.
rfc, post: 360845, member: 8882 wrote: Are these companies protecting a profit center with their $2k-$4k DC's?
SellmanA, post: 360869, member: 8564 wrote:
I've tinkered with an inexpensive DC app on my Google Nexus 7 in the past and it actually worked surprisingly decent- no reason at all why the big boys couldn't port their DC software over.
Which one? I am also looking for some android dc software.
It is/was published by Systranova Software, IIRC it cost around $18 or so. It interfaced with an old SOKKIA SET TS quite well. The TS setup is a bit quirky and the map portion of it is useless, however. Nonetheless, I found it collected data fairly well for such an inexpensive program.
The only superior evidence is that which you haven't yet found.
Thanks I am looking for GPS dc software that can read also the internal gps of the device. I want to use it in a experimental project using RTKLib.
There are plenty but none have the functionality i want, the most are for GIS data collection.
I asked this question directly to Bruce Carlson 14 months ago. He told me it isn't a matter of porting the software over, you have to completely re-write the code. At that time, he said he just hired 2 more programmers dedicated to just that, but it very likely would not be available until SurvCE 6ish. That was 14 months ago, so not sure if they are still working on it, or on schedule, however, SurveCE 5 just came out last week, so we should be withing a year to a year and a half of that happening.
Surprised I have not heard anyone say a thing about SurvCE 5 yet.
astrodanco, post: 367857, member: 7558 wrote: [USER=6780]@gto234[/USER], please tell us about your experimental project.
I am testing the use of L1 only receivers with RTK via the RTKLib port on android (RTKGPS+).
The program RTKGPS+ on android can connect to any receiver via cable or bluetooth (preferred) and use it's own algorithms to compute the RTK position via CORS or other base station.
The problem is that RTKGPS+ isn't data collector software so the functionality is limited. It can though send the position to another data collection application via mock location and collect the data.
I have successfully used some non-rtk gnss receivers to compute the position from a near base station and compared with L1/L2 receiver measurements and they fall within -+2cm.
This is very promising but the project RTKLib is not updated frequently.
In fact there are. Have you heard about my solution for Android?
I'm author of that kind of app (developed since 2011, first working version in 2014, now we have english-version of app).
Can read files from Carlson (RW5), Topcon (MJF,TSJ), Leica (XML) or FG (RAW).
rfc, post: 360845, member: 8882 wrote: I was reading this thread:
https://surveyorconnect.com/threads/ts-on-board-or-dc.322869/#post-329707
on whether folks preferred a separate DC over software on board the gun, and it got me thinking:Why haven't any of the majors (Topcon, Microsurvey, Carlson, Trimble etc.) ported their DC software to run on IOS or Android?