DATA COLLECTOR RECOMMENDATION

[Hoagie]

I am in search of an easy-to-use data collector. I only need to gather data for topo/travesing and provide staking data. I am looking for a collector that is compatible w/ autocad-LDD and easy to learn.

H.

 

[mdmoser]

I have used a TDS Recon with Survey Pro.

I really liked using that particular hardware. It was very versatile depending on the type of work.

We used it for:
Topo
Boundary
Construction Staking
Heavy Highway


The hardware was fairly durable, but sometimes in direct sunlight, the screen is hard to read.

In cold weather (>40F), the screen protector would become extremely brittle and make the screen unresponsive. On that note, it is a danged if you do, danged if you don't for fear that one would scratch the screen.

I would recommend going to your local supplier and trying out a few different models.

 

[SmacL]

We develop our own survey data logger, PocketDTM, see

http://www.atlascomputers.ie/index.php?page=PocketDTM

This runs on most CE and Windows mobile devices, and we have recently host it onboard on the Leica RX1250.

In terms of hardware, the TDS recon is a pretty good price performance combination if you don't need a keyboard. They also have a numeric keyboard device, the Nomad, and full alpha-numeric device, the Ranger.

As the previous post suggests, you should try a few different devices and software solutions to see which suits best. Most software vendors will provide a time limited trial version for free, and in the current economic climate, many suppliers will also provide loan hardware.

Things on your checklist outside of software functionality should include screen readability, IP ratings, battery life, access to removable storage, and bluetooth.

Atlas Computers Ltd
Survey Control Center & PocketDTM

http://www.atlascomputers.ie