Windows PC Navigation

[5280Ranger]

I have a laptop that I will carry with me, even if I am not using it most of the time, but I would like the option of offline navigation on the laptop, in case...

What software would you recommend for offline maps on a Windows PC? I would be looking for something that has on and off road navigation, as it would be handy to be able to completely plan out my trip on the PC or, make adjustments on a larger screen.

I will have a GPS puck in the truck, so it'll be able to bluetooth connect to a GPS signal.

 

[Logoris]

I would lean towards doing a usb 3 or thunderbolt gps puck it will share power and less latency

 

[Mustang03]

We use a Dual Electronics XGPS160GPS puck - bluetooth and works just fine.

 

[Autism Family Travels]

Maps pro should work, but if you move to windows 11 android apps are available and you can use Gaia then.

 

[5280Ranger]

can you use windows/android apps if you don't have an android device?

 

[El-Dracho]

If I wanted to do the navigation on a Windows computer, I would choose QuoVadis as the software. But you also have to see that this is of course in a completely different price category. With a good, stable and robust computer, the software, a GPS as a position source, maps, etc., you are quickly far higher in costs than with an ordinary Android tablet with a navigation app and free maps.

 

[5280Ranger]

If I wanted to do the navigation on a Windows computer, I would choose QuoVadis as the software. But you also have to see that this is of course in a completely different price category. With a good, stable and robust computer, the software, a GPS as a position source, maps, etc., you are quickly far higher in costs than with an ordinary Android tablet with a navigation app and free maps.

This looks like really good software, but doesn't seem to support the US.

 

[El-Dracho]

This looks like really good software, but doesn't seem to support the US.

Yes, that could be - but I don't know. The company is based here in Germany. If you like, I can ring them tomorrow and ask if there is a support available for the US market.

 

[5280Ranger]

Yes, that could be - but I don't know. The company is based here in Germany. If you like, I can ring them tomorrow and ask if there is a support available for the US market.

I checked and they have Canada, but not US. Thanks though!

 

[Autism Family Travels]

can you use windows/android apps if you don't have an android device?

Yes, if you are in the states, the amazon app store is available. With a bit of fiddling around, you can activate the play store on your windows 11 install.

 

[pcstockton]

Why not GAIA?

 

[Autism Family Travels]

Gaia does not do live map tracking etc from windows PC, only android and iOS.

 

[Bama_Kiwi]

You can install the Android Subsystem for Windows on Windows 10/11 PCs - this will allow you to, legally and officially supported, install Android apps in Windows. I have done before this to use the Android version of Apple Music on my PC with great results.

With this installed, you can then install any of the popular Android map apps, such as Gaia, et al.

Now, it isn't as easy as opening the Google Play Store and clicking Install, but, if you're motivated, it's an option.

 

[5280Ranger]

You can install the Android Subsystem for Windows on Windows 10/11 PCs - this will allow you to, legally and officially supported, install Android apps in Windows. I have done before this to use the Android version of Apple Music on my PC with great results.

With this installed, you can then install any of the popular Android map apps, such as Gaia, et al.

Now, it isn't as easy as opening the Google Play Store and clicking Install, but, if you're motivated, it's an option.

I've been working on this but I haven't gotten any of them to work yet.

 

[ThundahBeagle]

That sounda

I've been working on this but I haven't gotten any of them to work yet.

That sounds par for the course for an advertised Windows feature. I'm a Systems Admin. Just trying to get that stupid Dell Thunderbolt dock to stay connected without near monthly OS and BIOS updates is some work. Nevermind the physical loosening of USB-C / Thunderbolt ports in the laptop itself

 

[Ubiety]

I would lean towards doing a usb 3 or thunderbolt gps puck it will share power and less latency

GPS receivers typically report at 1Hz (once a second for most sentences, every five seconds for a few other sentence types), so latency is not going to be an issue. That said many units can be configured to report more frequently but out of the box 1Hz is pretty standard.

 

[Ubiety]

Recommend ExpertGPS for Windows, great program and the author is a stand-up guy. ExpertGPS has a free trial available and they used to have a free version with less features but I am not finding it now.

 

[Ubiety]

That sounda

That sounds par for the course for an advertised Windows feature. I'm a Systems Admin. Just trying to get that stupid Dell Thunderbolt dock to stay connected without near monthly OS and BIOS updates is some work. Nevermind the physical loosening of USB-C / Thunderbolt ports in the laptop itself

Yeah, Windoze ;)

 

[Autism Family Travels]

Instead of trying to get the Play store to work, Give the aurora store a shot. Once installed you just open and click download. It has all the same apps as the play store without the google. Also, You will need a Bluetooth GPS tracker in order for any mapping system to work on your PC. I have yet to see any pc with GPS capabilities built in. If you don't have some way for your computer to locate you no software will work. It works at home because it uses your WIFI location data to pin point where you are.

I think I am moving to my wife's dell 11 inch 2 in 1 pc for nav duties on the road with a new cradle so we can keep the keyboard out when we want. This will give us more accessibility to everything with a larger touchscreen and keyboard/trackpad access. Once I "fork" windows 11 and the aurora store onto it, I should have everything I have on the galaxy tab now in a much more powerful platform.