Microsoft Streets and Trips 2006
March 16th, 2006 - 18 CommentsOk, so yesterday my new little USB GPS receiver shows up and of course I go into full geek mode. I pulled out the IBM X20 (the best thin-client laptop platform ever made IMHO) and plugged it in. I fired up MS AutoRoute 2006 and once I configured the GPS receiver with the software I saw a red bullseye on San Francisco. Cool! So, I click the zoom in button and no love. WTF? Well, apparently AutoRoute 2006 can tell you that you are in San Francisco, but it is not going to tell you any more than that. So, I jumped on line and found that for $30, after $10 rebate, I can pick up MS Streets and Trips 2006 at Best Buy. So, I gathered up all of my stuff (laptop, GPS receiver, etc) and hopped into the Tahoe for the trip down to Best Buy. Yes, I did say that AutoRoute 2006 did not show me much street-level detail, but that wasn’t going to stop me from seeing what it would show me!
Here is a picture (from my Nokia 6620) of what the AutoRoute 2006 screen looked inside my Tahoe when stopped at Bush and Van Ness. Not the best picture, but if you look close enough, you can see that it only is showing a big bullseye on San Francisco. Of course, I had to fire up the Bluetooth connection to the Nokia 6620 and see what my blog looked like while on the road. So the second picture is of this place. Yes, I am a dork.
So, I make it to Best Buy, and get in line to purchase MS Streets and Trips 2006. Best Buy is pretty messed up for one simple reason. Of the four people checking people out, two only take debit or credit cards. Now, I was going to pay cash, but after letting 4 people go by (actually, three and one donkey who didn’t actually listen to why he was passing me standing at the front of the line) I just ended up paying with a debit card. What the hell is that all about? Stores don’t accept dollars anymore? So, anyway, I hop into the Tahoe and load the new Streets and Trips 2006 software via the docking station that I brought along. After about 5 minutes, the software was loaded up, the little security guard in the parking lot had walked by 3 times and I had a big smile on my face. I fired it up, config’d the GPS receiver and boom there I was on the screen. Of course, I did not get a pic of this screen because I was too ADD, but I will get some good pics with the Rebel to put up here.
There were a couple of issues right off the bat. First, I am running Windows 2000 Pro on the X20 and apparently there is no Text-to-Speech component that gets installed by default like in Windows XP. That was not a big deal as I found one when I got home for free on the Microsoft Reader website. But, that did mean that Streets and Trips 2006 would not be able to bark driving commands at me while en route. Second, I could not figure out how to get the system to go back to my current location. I punched in my home address and then I could not get back. I ended up figuring out that if you turn on the GPS tracking, it automatically takes you back. But, there should be a button to do that in one step so that I can make routes more easily. There must be an easier way to do this that I have not figured out yet. Aside from that, things worked right out of the box.
Some Features I Like
Some of the things I like in MS Streets and Trips 2006 are the “Find Nearby Places” function and the Driving Guidance feature (voice). The Find Nearby Places function allows you to select the types of places you would like to see displayed with a colored icon on your routes and maps. Restaurants are broken down by cuisine type, although there is no way to differentiate fast-food type places other that selecting “other” as a restaurant type. I need to figure out how to find and plot all of the In ‘n Out Burger locations and set them up as a restaurant type. Everything from hospitals to wineries come stock in MS Streets and Trips 2006…very cool. The other feature I really like is the Driving Guidance feature. Visual as well as voice prompts are available to you, as long as you have a Text to Speech engine that is speech API (SAPI) 5.1 compliant. I downloaded the free Microsoft Reader TTS engine and it worked right out of the gates. I did try to add some more voices (there are much better ones that you can buy for around $30 a piece) that I found in some MS SAPI 5.1 SDK, but it made the Voice Guidance say “blah” for every word…pretty funny. For now, I am using the “Michelle” voice and she sounds pretty good if you speed her up a bit.
Things I Don’t Like About Streets and Trips 2006
Well, I have not used it much, but there are a couple of things I have noticed about S&T 2006 that I am not fond of. First, there should be a button to add my current location (if GPS enabled) to any route planning I do. That seems like common sense to me. Second, if you don’t use the route S&T plots for you, it does not seem to want to re-route itself to get you to your location. I know most in-car GPS (if not all) does this, not sure why MS Streets and Trips does not do that also. I may have to read more on this, but it doesn’t seem to re-route on its own or prompt me.
System Requirements for Streets and Trips 2006
Here are the basic system requirements for a full install (which means you don’t have to use the CD ROM discs for anything):
1.1GB of free disc space
At least 256MB of RAM – (my x20 currently has 192MB of RAM in it and Task Manager showed the system was using 208MB during normal use at home). In a simulated route from San Francisco to Lake Tahoe, the system took some time to display “points of interest” along the way due to the lack of RAM. I have some more on order, so I will see how that goes.
Min 1024×768 resolution display (or you won’t get a lot of the buttons to display)
Not required, but I think the bigger the screen the better for this program. There are a few panes that can be displayed at any given time. But, if you want it to be like a normal in-car GPS system, then you are going to want to have 3 running at once (at least two). I have a 14.1″ screen running at 1024×768 resolution and it is pretty good. I would not want to go any smaller.
Conclusion
At this point, I don’t think you can beat this setup for the money. The USB GPS receiver cost $70 delivered and MS Streets and Trips is $30 after rebate. I don’t know how you can beat that deal for a hundo. What this has made me realize that the CarPC deal is really where it is at. Just not sure how you get a large screen up in the front of the car without having to do some serious modification to the dash.
Additional Resources
Microsoft Reader Text to Speech Engine – Free. Get voice for people not running XP. Note: You have to use IE to activate it (FireFox won’t work…shocker)
Microsoft SAPI 5.1 API – May help you add more voices and does have some cool text-to-speech functionality as well as voice recognition.
Microsoft Streets and Trips 2006 Website
Streets and Trips 2006 Tips and Tricks – Great tips and tricks and setup options
RE: Things I Don’t Like About Streets and Trips 2006
First, there should be a button to add my current location (I agree!!!)
Second, if you don’t use the route S&T plots for you, it does not seem to want to re-route itself to get you to your location. I know most in-car GPS (if not all) does this, not sure why MS Streets and Trips does not do that also. I may have to read more on this, but it doesn’t seem to re-route on its own or prompt me.
If you don’t like the route it generates, just add a waypoint or two along the way you wish to go and reroute (Of course, the ‘add my current location would make this a whole lot easier on the road)
Of course, I did not get a pic of this screen because I was too ADD; what’s ADD?
Attention Deficit Disorder
I have Windows 2000 too and bought S&T with the locator today. How did you change the voice to Michelle? I downloaded the SPI but only get the mechanical mans voice….
Thanks for the definition for ADD. I found how to change the voice using the Hints link in your blog. I find the “Sample TTS voice” sounds quite natural but doesn’t seem to speed up like the others which sound too mechanical, including Michelle. Thanks for the fun blog!
I don’t remember exactly. But, you don’t change the voice in the program, you change it in the Voice Control Panel
Oh, now I see what you meant. The “Sample TTS voice” which sounded so natural in the sample literally says “Bla Bla Bla” for the text in Microsoft Streets & Trips. O-well. I’ll try Michelle a bit speeded up like you use. Thanks again….
Has anyone tried to update the construction information? At the top of the directions in a ‘route’, there’s a line that tells you when your construction data needs to be updated, but after clicking to update it, it never goes away in the 2006 version.
Jason: Perfect timing and good advice. I agree the S&T is a deal. I have bought the 2002, 2004,2005 & 2006. (Got to keep current, you know.)
I fired mine up, on my old toshiba and got GPS, right away, from my USGlobal GPS. No voice. I could not read the error message as I was in bright sunlight and on the move. But I could see something about ‘text-to-speech’. Google took me right to the MS site. Then your blog.
Tomorrow, the testing begins.
Now, if I could only get MapSend (Topos) to recognize that GPS receiver.
Happy 4th.
MOJO
I just bought S&T 2006 yesterday. It mentioned Bluetooth on the box but when I got home I noticed in fine print that an additional adapter is required for the Bluetooth functionality.
I leave tomorrow for New Jersey from Ottawa. I was hoping to use my HP ipaq PDA with the software but can’t. I will have to bring along a laptop and buy a cigarette-lighter adapter to plug in to for the 9 hour trip.
Does anyone know where I could by the Bluetooth adapter that hooks up to the MS GPS Receiver for wireless PDA use?
Neil
I would just Google “Bluetooth GPS Receiver” and see what you come up with.
Hey there,
Ive been reading the posts here, and I have a question if you could help me. I use the S&T 2006, and I really like it. would like to know what needs to be done to change the voice and how do I find out which voice I currently use.
I need general directions like where to go and what steps need to be taken.
Thanks again,
Stan
I use Windows XP Home on my laptop…
I forgot to mention that
Stan
I drive tour bus and use T&T 2006 every day, only problems I have is, for some reason if I drive in the curb lane it says off route, but keeps my little red dot following me. Second, If I get off route it does not tell me how to get back on, like dah, Im using this cause Im lost, so would be good if it would redirect me to the route I have put in.
Yeah, that is annoying. Hit F3 to re-route
I have Win2000 and just purchased M&S 2006 with GPS locator. I haven’t installed it yet due to saying that Voice Output must have WINXP. Prior to me installing it, I want to verify (if what I am reading is correct) that you can get it to bark commands to you while driving, if your OS is Win 2000 Pro.
Please let me know for sure! Thanks.
re streets trips 2006 can u get night view road map t work? i can’t and can’t find anyone who has same problem or a solution – any suggestions? thx
Works for me