Digital Maps

[SSMAKER Profile Private message]

Does anyone have a good source for digital maps? I remember someone suggesting "screen printing" Yahoo maps.

Any source for detailed maps?

[nannybear Profile Private messageWebsite]

What exactly are you looking for?

[SSMAKER Profile Private message]

I am working on a couple of vacations shows. One of South America and one of Japan.

I like to show the itinerary at the start of the show - jet plane landing (with sound effects), cruise boat sailing to the various ports, etc. all superimposed on a map. I have taken pictures of maps in the past. I am just wondering if I can download a map with enough detail to show cities, roads, etc.

[nannybear Profile Private messageWebsite]

I just did Google
http://maps.google.com/

and typed in South America and up it came. Take a Screen Shot and see if that works?

[SSMAKER Profile Private message]

Yes, that works but I am looking for a source to download maps that doesn't have all the extra stuff around the edges that I would have to trim off. If I have to, I'll take a screen shot and crop.

[ctimaging]

By far, the best digital maps are at: http://maps.live.com/

If you find your location check to see if "Birds Eye View" is available, you will be amazed. It blows google out of the water.

[DickK Profile Private messageWebsite]

There are dozens of types of maps and hundreds or thousands of places to view them online. There's no best, all inclusive site that I know of--I've found lots of cool sites for historic maps, railroad maps, topo maps, etc. For some purposes, the US government sites (example: Geological Survey (USGS)) may have what you'd want, tho' most of those aren't in a download form either. Most states have natural resources departments that have maps as do many of the tourist and Chamber of Commerce type sites. I've found all of those occasionally useful. But, if you're looking for detailed street maps then Google or Mapquest will be the best and doing the screen shot is they most practical way to get those.

Oh, and you're unlikely to find anyone putting big collections of general purpose maps online without "all the extra stuff" since that's how they're financing the operation behind it. Also, be careful how you use anything you get, especially from the commercial mapping sites, it's all copyrighted and, with some rare exceptions (mostly at government sites), the terms of use pretty much prohibit doing what you're wanting. It's unlikely anyone will pursue incidental, non-commercial use like that, but they can.

Dick

[SSMAKER Profile Private message]

Thanks. I'll keep that in mind.

[SSMAKER Profile Private message]

To ctimaging:

Thanks for the link to Live Search Maps. I notice there is the ability to create a movie of a tour. Have you ever tried that feature?

[webandgraphicsguy Profile Private message]

I saw an awesome illustration done with visisketch pro. Where they had a snapshot of the map in the background, and along the interstate they had the route drawn out, so you could actually see the movement you would take animate before you. Once it is drawn out, you can export it into proshow producer as an .avi file. I just went to look for a web page with that video link, and could not find it, but check out visisketch pro
Hope that helps.
Joe

[ctimaging]

To ctimaging:

Thanks for the link to Live Search Maps. I notice there is the ability to create a movie of a tour. Have you ever tried that feature?

I have not... Sounds interesting, I will have to check it out!