Google Earth versus Bing (Apple) Earth

[Cazzie]

How many of you are using the Google Earth converter available at FS.to? I hope none of you are, because the default Bing Earth images are more recent and that program completely takes over your MSFS, I know, I botched up and used it on my old PC, Took me two days to clean all the junk that program left behind in my PC. It is Chi-Com, you do realize that?

Anyhow here is a comparison of the most recent image of the little community near me that I am building scenery package for. I don't even think I have to say you be the judge, the Bing image is more recent and correct, the Google image is over two years old and this is the Google Earth Online image, the App program image is the same. Stay with MSFS's default maps folks.

Cazzie

Google Earth

Attachment 93096

Bing Earth

Attachment 93097

[jmbiii]

I agree with you, Caz. It is the same in my area (121.4 mi. @ 35.31° from downtown Ringgold).
Examining the views of my house, I determined the Bing image was taken in mid-May of 2022.
The Google Earth image has to be sometime in the early spring of 2021.
A lot of things had changed around here - two new solar farms for one.
The only thing with MSFS AI, it added a couple of trees on my property.

[Tom Clayton]

I don't know about the origins, but the program causes enough problems that talking about it on the official forum will get your post hidden and quite likely get an entire thread shut down. Kinda like the no-CD FS9 patches from way back.

[DennyA]

The issue with talking about it on the official forums is that it's using Google intellectual property in a way not covered by their licensing, on a Microsoft product.

Microsoft has a huge building full of antsy lawyers. So on their forums, it's forbidden. (Unlike talk of combat, which they don't want because it makes the companies they've licensed planes from nervous.)

I imagine some geographic areas are more up-to-date in one product over the other. But IMHO something that changes something so fundamental to the sim workings just has too much potential to cause issues for me to want to mess with it.

[Daube]

Just for info, the program doesn't change anything to your sim.
It just intercepts and re-routes the texture streaming of your sim on your network, to other texture providers. And it does that only while it's running (contrary to early versions that were modifying some network configuration file). So there is 0% risk of issues.

Concerning the choice of servers, may it be Bing Latest (Microsoft, not Apple...), Google, or others, there is no general rule about which one is best. It depends on the area you want to fly over. Some areas of the globe have much better colored or sharp or recent pictures on Google than on Bing Latest, and vice versa. Sometimes, it's just the default (which is a copy of Bing) that gives the best results. It's a matter of luck, you have to compare each area in advance.

[K5083]

I gave it a try for a while last year, but dropped it.

Visually, it's better than bing in some areas, worse in others, on balance about the same. I especially disliked the seams between tiles, clouds on the ground, etc., which MS seems to clean up with post-processing of the bing feed.

Considering that, it took only a limited amount of discomfort with the security issues to make me drop it.

August

[Cazzie]

Getting there Chief, being interrupted like all us old folks by doctor appointments. Have one this morning at 9:30.

Cazzie

Attachment 93112

[Victory103]

Just got this a few months ago, seems most of the time I forget to start before running MSFS. Didn't notice any major improvements in my are (PHX), but looked to continue testing.