Telerik RadMap vs. Microsoft Bing Maps Silverlight Control

[Brent]

I am trying to choose between using the RapMap vs. the Microsoft Bing Map Silverlight control for a mapping web app I am developing.

A little background:

• VS 2010
• Silverlight 4
• SQL Server
• Entity Framework
• primary purpose of mapping app is to display geocoded address points (already geocoded and stored in SQL Server)

A couple questions:
1. Is the RadMap inherited and extended based off of the MS Map Control?
2. Please explain the pros & cons of using the RadMap vs. the MS Map Control.

Thanks

[Brent]

Update: My organization has already purchased the full suite of Telerik Silverlight Controls, so cost is not an issue.

[Andrey]

Hello Brent,

1. RadMap control doesn't use MS Map Control in any way.
2. II'm sorry, but since we are developing the RadMap control it will be politically incorrect to compare our control with any other one. Is in on your own to try both controls and check whether one of them meet your requirements or not. We would like to help you to implement necessary features using RadMap.

By the way, RadMap doesn't support SQL Server spatial data directly for now. But there is a way to do it. Please, take a look into this blog: http://blogs.telerik.com/blogs/posts/11-01-14/integrating_telerik_openaccess_orm_spatial_data_with_radmap.aspx

Greetings,
Andrey Murzov
the Telerik team

[Volkmar]

Hello Brent,
we are using the RAdMap control successfully since the beginning. We also did look into BingMaps but found it would be easyer to user the radmaps control as we do use Telerik controls anyway. I think there are many similarities. There is also the DeepEarth Map Control, which offers additional Features to BingMaps which we used partly at thetime but not anymore. We use Manifold mapserver and PostGIS in order to serve image layers and the KML data combined. We developped own GIS functionality on top and (appart from performance in KML Layers) are quite happy with the Control. One thingis important in order to choose which control to use. Consider the licensing and pricing information for Bing Maps. One Question to the Telerik team:
what about the use of BingMap Provider? Are there any licensing issues??

[Andrey]

Hi Volkmar,

To use BingMapProvider you should obtain Application ID from Microsoft, so using of this provider is regulated by the same Microsoft license. You can find details here:

http://www.microsoft.com/maps/product/licensing.aspx 

Greetings,
Andrey Murzov
the Telerik team

[priya]

Telerik Team,

Is it possible to use a non-bing map? Does Telerik have one built-in that we can use ?

As bing is only free for websites that are public without any passwords.We need some provider which is secure.
So which provider can be used for Silverlight 4 Radmaps other than bing provider.

Openstreetmapprovider or emptyprovider doesnt show up the maps if i use the respective constructors.
Suggest with examples.

Thanks...
Priya

[Andrey]

Hello priya,

You can use OpenStreet map provider. It shows map tiles. You can check it here:

http://demos.telerik.com/silverlight/#Map/FirstLook

Simply select "OpenStreetMapProvider" at the left side panel. Using  the OpenStreet map provider is quite simple:

<telerik:RadMap Name="radMap"
        ZoomLevel="5"
        Center="44.361404418945312,25.968851089477539">
    <telerik:RadMap.Provider>
        <telerik:OpenStreetMapProvider />
    </telerik:RadMap.Provider>
</telerik:RadMap>

Kind regards,

Andrey Murzov

the Telerik team