MRA running on DMD

[silberfuchs67]

I would be interested in to use MRA with a DMD device in combination with the BMW Sync Box. Is it possible to use the WW with MRA, especially to zoom, move the map etc?

[Marinus van Deudekom]

@silberfuchs67 as far as I know that s possible

[Tony q]

Hi All.
I don't really have a problem with the MRA App, it works very well.
I'm more curious about how many people here use DMD HW and are there any who make the route in MRA and navigate with DMD.

Can't those of you who use MRA on DMD give a vote so we can get an insight into how many of us there are

I've tried importing an MRA.gpx into DMD and it's with mixed enthusiasm.., it prefers its own roads and a route with more than 99 points it can't import - then it becomes a track.

[Marinus van Deudekom]

@Tony-q there are limitations to what a DMD can do with an MRA exported file. For starters the DMD app uses OSM while MRA uses Here.
If you have an gold abo you can compare the 2 maps in MRA and make shure they are the same
While DMD is great for off road Navigating MRA is absolutely king while Navigating on road.
That's why I prefere using MRA on my DMD tablet. It works perfect on the tab

[Martin Wilcke]

@Tony-q

If you're talking about DMD as hardware, the tablet(s), yes, they are second to none as navigation devices for bikes, even better than Carpe Iter. And MRA runs flawlessly on it, since it's an Android device.

If you're talking about DMD as software, the app, yep, it's an excellent piece of software - not as good as MRA for on-road navigation (routes), but better than MRA for off-road (tracks).

If you want to combine both apps, planning with MRA and navigating with DMD, you need to know what you're doing; otherwise, it will lead to frustration. It's always good advice to use both planning and navigating apps from the same ecosystem, since they're designed to work together perfectly.

[Martin Wilcke]

@Marinus-van-Deudekom said in MRA running on DMD:

there are limitations to what a DMD can do with an MRA exported file. For starters the DMD app uses OSM while MRA uses Here.

That's definitely not the main issue.

I've been on the DMD forum (Discord server) for quite a while now and see many postings like "I created a route with MRA, but it doesn't work well with DMD, so the devs have to investigate and fix it".
If you take a closer look, it's most often about misunderstanding different concepts and terms.

I had a long and exhausting debate here on this forum, and I will never crawl into this rabbit hole again, but 99% of these misunderstandings come from the different usage of "waypoint" in MRA versus DMD/GPX.

[Tony q]

@Marinus-van-Deudekom , I have used MRA/Garmin until now and only road. Since I should change to a new app I have tested a little MRA and DMD and agree for road and me it will be MRA.

[Marinus van Deudekom]

@Martin-Wilcke you're absolutely wright there. That's why we don't use the therm waypoint and talk about Viapoints and shaping points. Waypoint is something from Garmin. I think the confusion in the DMD app comes from the fact that they don't use the proper export format to import a gpx file in the DMD app. And almost certain that they don't compare the route with Here and OSM. We all know that the two maps use a different cart and a different algorithm to plan the route. Like that mistakes are easily made and lead to user faults witch they don't want to admid
Have fun with MRA on the great DMD tablet

[Martin Wilcke]

@Marinus-van-Deudekom said in MRA running on DMD:

you're absolutely wright there. That's why we don't use the therm waypoint and talk about Viapoints and shaping points.

Looks like we're using different apps - and btw., what does "wright" mean, a combination of "wrong" and "right"?

[Guzzist]

Folks, I have been using MRA and DMD2 app in parallel on a DMD T865-X device for several years now and have gained some experience:

• DMD hardware is excellent manufactured for hard use in offroad terrain. DMD2 app ist developed to support offroad driver in best way - following TRACKS. And the included maps contains colour coded offroad pathes, to suggest if it's easy to drive or hard stuff.

• The developer is going to add more and more ROUTE capabilities for navigation onroad.

• MRA and MyRoute-App are the best apps I know to support navigation in onroad terrain, plan round tours by 2 clicks and support long distance traverlers. With the function to convert a route into track and vice versa - and navigate with instructions by both - that's grat stuff and unique!
  But for offroading, it's not at the same level as DMD2 app. Fine for me - I use for each approach the best tool...

• Because DMD hardware is based on Android, this was the reason to decide for, and to use both apps (DMD2 and MyRoute-App) parallel on the same device.
  Onroad to the entry point of the funny offroad stuff - navigated by MyRoute-App.
  Then, switched the app to DMD2 for the pure offroad.
  Funny thing: you can run both parallel, feeded by same gpx file - and switch to what do the best job in the moment.

• If you plan a route in MRA and transfer to any other navigation device/-app, then the rout may not the same - based on used maps and differnet algorithm. This can't be changed.

• all navigation device/-app (in meantime also TomTom and Calimoto) deal with GPX files, because a file with such a data structure (founded by company Topografix) became standard. That files are readable by human and each text editor, because its a simple XML format. But such a file must be in a dedicated structure!
  Easy said:

• it can contain a track with several trackpoints, defined in the file by <trk> and <trkpt>.
  Check it by yourself - it's easy

• • each device/app will use it as it is (no interpretation nor calculation) and will draw a line over a map.

• Such a file can contain a route with several routepoints, defined in the file by <rte> and <rtept>.

• • each device/app will use it, will calculate a route from one point to the next point, by using allowed streets, and will then draw a line over a map.
    That's the reason why same route differs from one to another device/app!

• And such a file can contain Points of Interest (POI), defined in the file by <wpt> (called waypoint).

• A route planned in MRA must contain min. 2 route points (start and end); can contain more; can contain shaping points and via points.
  Different devices/apps may have not the same point type and may have different names for it

• A route planned in MRA can contain POI (Hotels, Gas stations, Supermarkets). But they are only visible on the map - they are not route points!
  If you save such a route in MRA as a gpx file - p.e. gpx 1.1 (track, route, POI), then:

• • tracks, trackpoints will be entered by MRA into this file as <trk>,<trkp> TRACK, TRACKPOINT
• • routes, routepoints will be entered by MRA into this file as <rte>, >rtept> ROUTE, ROUTEPOINT
• • POI will be entered by MRA into this file as <wpt> WAYPOINT
• • that's the irritation - but it's GPX-Standard conform!

If you then import such an MRA generated gpx file into DMD2 app, you will see differences:

• DMD2 app was originally designed as app, to display TRACKS. Means: only a track line will be drawn on the map. And the rider must follow this line by themself!
  In meantime, DMD2 app can guide you (by symbol and speach) also based on a track (like MyRoute-App too).

• By this import routine, it's also possible to load routes. But (like as for tracks), route points will not be displayed (only used to calculate the route).

• If there are (coming from MRA) POI in the gpx file, then DMD2 app will interpret them as Waypoints <wpt> - strictly following the GPX-Standard!

• If you place in MRA clever POI along your route - and export as gpx file. The DMD2 app displays them also on the map. It's not the same as in MyRoute-App...

DMD developers ae currently working, to enhance the DMD2 app for better operating with routes.
And they are going to develop a web based routeplanner (like MRA). So the disadvantages for onroad/routes will be eliminated next time!