Leave to Leica...

:good:

I believe it's easier to do if you wear liederhosen and yodel while you operate it ...

which piece of equipment are you referring to? That has been my one complaint about the VIVA collectors as they are hard to read in sunlight.

> .... my one complaint about the VIVA collectors as they are hard to read in sunlight.

I dislike to keypad feel and layout on the Viva. And the screen is small.

Don't get me started.

Leica used to do really, really good design work. Now they seem to be afflicted with Trimbleitis. Just bolt stuff on so you can claim you've got it, regardless of how well it works in the real world.

In particular
Colour screens
Cameras in total stations
Lack of connectivity between distos and survey instruments
And a few more.

We have never had connection issues...

The keyboard is the best I have used...I cannot use "ABC" keyboards...they don't work when we use "QWERTY" everywhere else...

My old allegro screen was just as hard to see in the bright sun...

We use the camera in the data collector every day...we take pic of every stake we set and most of our control. If I had the camera in the TS I'd probably use that to. We don't sketch many job sites, just take tons of pics.

And whats wrong with color?

I have my problems with the Viva software but not what is mentioned above...For me it's:

1) Map commands suck...can't draw polylines, etc.
2) random crashes
3) can't just stake to a line

Tom

I use a color touch every day (not a Leica). I do it because I like the features with the color touch screen. Having said that, I've yet to find a color screen (touch or not) that I like working with in the sun. I think they could be better, but it would cause too severe a power drain. I'd be happy toting an extra pound of data collector if it included a bigger battery to make a brighter screen. There is no comparison to a monochrome LCD like on the HP calculator based collectors or the Husky and today's color screens. The possible one exception to that is the color screen that was on 2 Technology's first collector - the one the Carlson Explorer was based on. It is probably the best color screen I've seen. I've handled most of the collectors out there. I try to make a point of showing photos of screens in my reviews. Obviously, I have to be careful how I phrase certain critiques, but as they say, "A picture is worth a thousand words."

As for photos (either dc camera or ts camera) I think it's where we're headed and to those that effectively streamline this (Topcon does a pretty slick job), they will be ahead in the game.

You can't have a connection issue when the Disto can't connect in the first place. That was the point I was making. They need to improve how all their bits of gear work together. The software is in place to link the Disto (it's used for hidden point feature), but they've never made it work for offsets.

I just find it a bit annoying, coming from the 1200 system, which had a lovely black and white screen, that was readable in direct sun, a truly awesome keyboard, and no obviously tacked on features.

The issue with the total station camera is:
1) It needs to zoom. Currently it is useless at close range as it can't see enough to put what its looking at in context, and it is useless at long range as it doesn't have enough resolution. This is partly due to....
2) The slow radio link which means it can't stream video to the controller fast enough to display high res imagery from the camera.

The camera in the data collector is fine, though a bit rubbish compared to most phone cameras of that era.

What do you mean by can't just stake to a line? A line from a dxf, or a line between two points?

This is a big problem that the manufactures seem to ignore. I would like to see a screen that was based on the kindle E ink screen . black and white and very visable in the sun. Looks like paper .

Most current data collectors will allow you to set the screen to High Contrast White which improves your ability to see in direct sunlight .

Maybe I'm weird but I like the Leica "brains". I have several different instruments and data collectors, but my preference is the smartworx on a 1250 which runs my 1203 robot. The more I use it and become familiar with it, the more I have learned to benefit from it. Not the easiest by any means, but I do appreciate its versitility.

The color screen makes absolutely no difference to me.

I prefer the mandatory yodeling to singing the alphabet song when I run the TDS-style collectors.

I agree about color screens in general. The monochrome screens were easier to see and had a better battery life over a days work. The entire market moved to only color because manufacturers seem to think that they always need the same morphology in their products as the next guy. There was a plan to offer both monochrome and color but production costs seem to steer manufactures to just offer one option - which has now been chosen as color. Personally unless I am using map screen functions I would prefer a monochrome screen. One good thing about Leica data collectors is that they have removable batteries which are the same batteries as used in other system components. This allows the user to swap batteries quickly and keep working. Only manufacturer on the market that thought of that benefit.

In the Leica systems if you have a model of the data collector that has the full QWERTY keyboard you do not need to use touch screen. All functions can be done with keyboard only. You can simply turn the touch screen off and only use the keyboard. Think about it... if it is raining or dusty or is your just plain sweating all over the gear and you need to constantly wipe the screen and you only have touch screen functionality... what are you going to do... constantly chase the interface because the system is dependent on touchscreen functionality?

As far as camera functionality.... it is a valuable part of data when you use it. Yes technology needs to catch up some to make things "bigger" and "faster". If you have used the camera functionality or seen it demoed and you do not understand certain issues... then whoever trained you or demoed it did not explain the functionality properly.

Wow... sure are allot of Leica haters on the board. I do not think I have seen this much negativity about any other prodcuts.

> Maybe I'm weird but I like the Leica "brains". I have several different instruments and data collectors, but my preference is the smartworx on a 1250 which runs my 1203 robot. The more I use it and become familiar with it, the more I have learned to benefit from it. Not the easiest by any means, but I do appreciate its versitility.

i'm with you. trying to resist the boss' purchase of a color viva. i have grown quite fond of the rx1250 in monochrome. it has most everything i need

I've often wondered if the Leica people actually tested the 1200 system outside, in the sun. I bet it was fantastic in the lab.

Tom,

I am not sure what you mean when you say Leica SmartWorx field software cannot stake to a line.... There are many applications that can be used to stake to a line, a polyline, or a defined alignment. The best way that I like is to use a DXF from CAD as a background map and then use the Tap and Stake functionality to import a polyline for staking.

If you need help with this functionality... just email me and I will explain the functionality in the system.

Well it's nice to hear that Trimble isn't the only firm that can't get it right.;-)

I learned my first guns on Leicas. The TC905 (green monster - it was heavy) and the TC303 (much lighter and had reflectorless). That was almost 10 years ago now.

One thing they got going on for sure is on the crime shows. Seems like every time I see a scanner in action it is one of theirs. In fact I saw two shows on the CIN (Crime & Investigation Network) where they pulled out the big scanner. I would sure hate to back-pack that big boy!!

Bruce,

I worked for Leica at the time of the product launch for the Viva system. We also asked that same question. Yes... it was extensively tested in the field and we were also told that at the time of product development the screen component was the best available on the market. My phone is color and is only 6 months old. I can barely read it in the direct sunlight. I think color screens a currently just not there with visibility. I also wish there was "monochrome" mode that the system could switch to for conditions that make the screen hard to see. If yo use the Leica Anti-Glare screen savers on a CS collector, they really help.

Leica scanners are the result of them purchasing Cyrax scanners. Invented and (originally) made in the USA by Ben Kacyra out of California. Neat stuff, the software was a marvel even with the first prototype model demo-ed in New Orleans back in 1998 downtown in a Chevron conference room.

Lord only knows what the Swiss have done to the software since ...