Already own 2 PM2's. Just bought the MMce.
(hardly out of the box) Would it make sense to sell the MMce and buy a PM3?
I still have yet to figure out the MMce.
Thanks for your infinite wisdoms
Modified By stevie kochaver on 10/26/2005 at 6:17 PM

I will figure it out and send it back to you, completely figured out, in about 6 months. Obviously you would expect to pay a pretty penny for a service such as figuring out all the intracies of this peice of equipment BUT, for a limited time only, I am willing to undertake this task absolutely free.

That's right, you end up with a totally pre-figured out MMce for nothing more than the price of a plain old MMce with noe of the bother. What a deal for you!

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Well, in case you don't fall for that, the PM3s should be a welcome addition to your flock of GPS units. Although there is a bit of overlap in the PM3s and the MMce there is stuff the MMce will do that the PM3s will not. Open architecture of the windows ce envoronment on the MMce lets you add third part siftware to suit your individual needs. It comes standard with a great esri product and if you are using for feature mapping for inclusion in a GIS system there is probably nothing better.

The PM3s do pretty good at mapping too but you have to use the simple Mobile Mapper program instead of the esri products or some other third party provider as these units are based on a closed version of the CE platform.

Of course the fact that the PM3s are like PM2s on steroids for centimeter work too doesn't hurt anything either.

Don't cry over your old stuff, use it for what is was intended to be used for and the MMce is still a viable and popular product, same with the PM2s. Add the PM3s when you get a chance and all thos peices can be used together in a wide variety of survey and mapping activities.

Now, for real, send me that MMce and let me figure it out for you.

John

Sharon and I bought a MobileMapper CE and are proud to say so. I am anxious for what the future will bring to the device but I am making maps for the last few weeks using it just as it came in the box. I did not start using the ProMark2 antenna with it until last Sunday afternoon. The boss asked me to find out what it would do just like it came in the box first. I did that.

Some of my work was put on display in Orlando.

If the cookie jar was full enough I would add a pair of ProMark3 receivers to the mix.

They are different tools with some similar features. Both are good tools.

Have I mentioned that my old Map 330 still has fresh batteries in it. I like using my new tools. I like using my old ones too.

Modified By Phil athome on 10/26/2005 at 10:53 PM

They are very different animals.

The MobileMapper CE is an open system, you can load any CE program onto it that you'd like. ArcPad, TDS Solo, the Carlson GIS when it's ready, GEM GIS, there are many many of them.

The ProMark3 is a closed system. You get Survey and Mapping, that's it.

Only you can decide which is right for you.

For comparison sake, how good can the post processing be with a Mobile Mapper CE as compared to a PM2 and a PM3?

Can GNSS Solutions download a MMCE? Or do you backdoor it through MM Office?

Paul in PA

Currently, MobileMapper CE with ArcPad has NO post processing, that is expected next month.

So, for now, there is nothing to download into GNSS Solutions or MobileMapper Office. All you get out of ArcPad is .shp files with positions and attributes associated.

When we have the post processing extension for ArcPad, then you'll get the mapping B and E files like from the MobileMapper Pro.

Are the B and E files as good as the PM3 or do they use the old PM2 technology?

Can you download a MM Pro directly with Solutions?

Would the MM Pro or CE be upgradeable to the PM3 technology?

Paul in PA

Paul,

The answer to your first question is not available now.

You can download data from the MobileMapper CE using ActiveSync or an SD card reader. I often plug my geek whistle into the MobileMapper CE and copy files from the receiver to the geek whistle.

Depending on what sort of file you record on the MobileMapper CE you could take it to GNSS Solutions or MobileMapper Office or ArcGIS or Autodesk Map or Carlson Survey or.....

The MobileMapper CE is built to be something that companies will use to write software for a variety of applications. What I dream up is just my perspective. This one really is a tool with many uses.

Some software products are ready now. Some will be ready later on.

For some people that is too much flexibility. The ProMark3 offers a simple tool with two dedicated applications that are ready to go when you charge the battery. As most of you know, the hard part is learning how to spell GPS.

Do you know if the Prism technology is in the MM Pro? Almost the same internal gps engine, how close is almost?

The point is if you want to put a GPS/GIS arsenal together, which tools will you need, which tools will you want?

If answers are delayed buyers may not want to jump on the current bandwagon for fear of having the wrong tool and may even wait for the next parade.

Paul in PA

Do you know if the Prism technology is in the MM Pro?

Don't confuse the Mobile Mapper Pro and the Mobile Mapper CE. Different animals.

Little brother, big brother, how much of the gene pool do they share inside?

Paul in PA

I have no concerns about using my SuperCA and MobileMapper CE on the same survey/mapping project with a ProMark2, MobileMapper Pro, ZMax, and ProMark3.

That does not make them all the same.

My brother is more of a computer geek than I will ever be. He is much shorter than me. I am much prettier than he is. He is still my brother and Mom loved both of us.

The answers are in the manuals and on the web page. Choose what fits your hand.

The PRISM technology is not in the MobileMapper Pro. It is being introduced with the ProMark3.

Be patient with you and us too. Answers will come. It will take some time and some light reading.

Have you read the Using ArcPad manual yet? You can download it from the ESRI web page for the cost of your internet connection? The MobileMapper manuals are on the ftp server at

ftp://ftp.thalesnavigation.com

I like what Deral said in a recent post about using the Evaluate software to prove the warm up time on the MobileMapper Pro. I told him. But he wanted to prove it in the dirt.

Don't take my word for it.

I am learning the same lesson about the MobileMapper CE. But I also want to prove it in the dirt. I hope you will too.

must be one Ugly Dude! Bet he doesn't even need a costume for halloween! Bet he couldn't get a date in a Captain Kirk Costume at a Star Trek Convention! Di your Mom have to tie liver around his neck to get the dog to play with him?

I mean, having seen your pic in your recent Surveyor of the Week threads, whew...













Just pokin fun big guy, thanks for trying them out for us....