GPS - geotagging with a new gadget.

Hello! « Geotagging » is what this threat is about. This is the definition in Wikipedia:

Geotagging is the process of adding geographical identification metadata to various media such as photographs, video, websites, or RSS feeds and is a form of geospatial metadata. These data usually consist of latitude and longitude coordinates, though they can also include altitude, bearing, distance, accuracy data, and place names.

As for « geo tracking », I found different acceptions of this term, for instance: « localizing Internet Protocol addresses (for hacking) » or «  GSM mobile phone tracking system via the GPS-TRACK satellite network» ... in order to spy on partners.

For motorcycle trip reports and to help aging minds to keep memories about visited places alive, « geotaging » is the useful one :lol-sign:

To add to the confusion, the gadgets recording geospatial (GPS) data, without being a full GPS tool, are often called « tracker ». They produce « tracks » (traces on a map) based on the points recorded during a trip, they also provide the data for the pictures (but include no maps and do not give directions).

Reports about softwares writing geotags (exif data) bases on GPS trip data and possibilities to visualize the results individually or on a maps are usefull for our topic.

I had good result with « GeoSetter » software, used at the beginning of the workflow, particularly to deal with RAW pictures. I am still looking for a process working with Linux.

 

Thank you for the hint. I tried it quickly but could not bring it to work ... than I left for Europe, with bad connections ... near the beach. I will make new tests in August, once I am back in Thailand. I am really interested to get a Linux workflow, as I have kept Windows only on one machine.

As for Geosetter, it worked well but uses a "side car" file invented by Adobe. It can be read (RAW) in Lightroom and ACDsee, but Picasa, for instance, did not recognise the data.

I will definitively try my chance again with "Geotag".

Cheers

Jurgen

 

A practical experience

I took my WPL-2000 on a 12 days Laos trip. Globally, it fulfilled my expectations. A couple of question marks were linked to my inexperience with this “gadget”, the remaining ones are merely small annoyances.

Out of the box.

The trip was accurately recorded. I found small visualization differences between Microsoft “Virtual Earth” and “Google maps”, at least on one sector, where Google did not follow exactly the road. Such differences might be linked to the map's consistency.

The track generated by Virtual Earth


The same data generate a slightly “off road” sector with Google Maps


It is handy to export log data in various output formats. The possibilities should cover most needs, with files such as Google Maps (html/xml), Google Earth (kmz), Virtual Earth (htm), GPX (sgpx and gpx), Excel (csv), UTM (txt) and 6 other formats. This versatility allows to compare different visualization possibilities and covers many processing needs.

Trip statistics are nice benchmarks for travelers. Altitude, distance, driving time and average speed are permanently computed. After 360 km there was only a 10 km difference between the WPL-2000 recorded distance and the motorcycle's odometer. Unfortunately, I had no idea how to reset the daily counter, without a computer an without loosing the data of the tracks (maybe it is just not possible).

Back home, I generated the maps of the trip. The itinerary was cut in segments, but all were available for visualization. I still have to decide a procedure to make the “cutting” coherent (probably cutting by day of travel). There were also cuts when batteries were exhausted.

Geotagging “jpeg” pictures (not RAW) is straightforward, as described at the beginning of this thread. The localization data are automatically included in the exif data and the pictures can be viewed in thumbnails format on various types of maps.



The program, included on the tracker's USB stick (win_tool.exe), automatically generates a backup of the data on the host computer (in the folder: “my documents / easy_showily_log_data”). The files are named “backup_(date).TES”. If necessary, they can be re-imported to the win_tool software (launched from the stick), to generate other reports or for further geotagging purposes.

An additional free software called TimeMachineX can be downloaded. I have not yet experimented it, but it allows to “manipulate” the data, and to change the layout of the itinerary. Various trip reports can also be generated.

Maps with thumbnails of pictures



Question marks

After 6 days of (cumulated) use, the distance indicator jumped to 30'000 km and the average speed became wrong in the same proportion. I have no idea what triggered that annoyance, but the trip statistics became useless. The tracks recording was unaffected.

I feel that the “low battery” indicator does not warn for a long time, before shutting down the tracker. There is a high risk of missing route data when approaching the energy exhaustion level. I frequently push the “track point” button when taking pictures. It is a way to produce a global itinerary overview (push points view) and a reminder for me to watch the low battery indicator. Unfortunately, I never caught the warning and lost some track points when the tool stopped. However this only happens after 2 or 3 days with the (about) 16 hours autonomy, and it's quite some biking time, particular when the “moving” sensor is “on”.

Track points itinerary



During the trip, the statistics are cumulative and it is (probably) not possible to have a computation by day or by sector. Average information, over a long period, are too diluted to be interesting.

The included software does not support RAW pictures. I have still to define a “workaround”. The “side-car” (xmp files) information generated by a software like “Geosetter” works only with certain programs.

The choice of the moment to include the geotagging information in the picture, during the photographic workflow, also depends on the purpose of these data. “Geosetter” can generates a track visualization, with picture thumbnails, quite at the beginning of the process in RAW. It even writes localization names (sometimes a little approximative) in the files. If the data are only used for the final pictures, for instance in jpeg, the included “win_tool” software does a good job.

A track generated in the included Wintech software



Other softwares and processes can be used and I will post additional comments once I have tested them, particularly with RAW and on Linux.

 

Seems a great reference Auke, I hope that it will help our friend Ron. I also do not use Mac, but mostly Ubuntu or Windows (for pictures only). I would be interested in such a comparison for Windows geotagging softwares ... however, for what I do with it, Geosetter does the trick. I also sometimes use "GPS Visualizer" (online) to localize a point, as I have (not yet???) a GPS, only a tracker.

 

The WPL2000 is supposed to store 94'000 points. In addition, you can choose the frequency of the records (distance, time, user defined,...) and after a trip you put the stick in a computer and all the data are transfered. I do not see how someone could come close to the recording limit.

As for the battery life it is given at 16 hours (2 AAA batteries) and I think that this is what I get. I change my batteries every 2 days when touring. When the tool is resting, it goes automatically of (if this was chosen in the option menu).

Nevertheless, a tracker is not a GPS map. Even so you can make pictures with a telephone, you can not yet make a call with a camera. With a "GPS map" you can do all the tracking and geotagging business, but with a tracker (unless you take a model connected with bluetooth to an electronic map, for instance to a handheld tool), you can not find your way.

The advantage of a tracker, if you only need a record of your itinerary and want to geotagg your pictures, is that it does this in a dedicated way, with software integrated on the stick. The battery life is long enough, the tool is small and cheap. But if you need a GPS map, then you do not get it with a tracker.

 

Since about two weeks, the Wintec tracker WPL-2000LX (Easy Showily), who relies on Google Maps for its visualization, cannot access this website anymore.

The error message is : “This web site needs a different Google Maps API key”. This problem cannot be solved directly by the users.

The Thai distributor of the product is aware of the problem and has asked the Taiwanese company to provide an update. I will post a comment when this is resolved.

In the meantime, all other functionalities of the tracker still work and geotagging can be done normally. The generated tracks can also be viewed individually by loading them directly into Google Maps.

 

A firmware update for the Wintec EasyShowily 2000 has now been posted. It fixes the Google Map API issue.
Win_Tool V1.0.9.0, release note:
1. Improve the function of showingphotos on Google Earth.
2. Correct the calculation of directionfor transferring NMEA/CSV/Shape File.
3. Modify the Google Maps API Key issuefor showing Google Maps.