🚀 go-pugleaf

Note!:This message has been posted to several relevant geography,
graphics and GIS newsgroups. Please answer to the relevant newsgroup
or to me direct by private email. Thanks

Dear All,

As an avid user of a PC application called Vistapro and a program
called Landscape Explorer, which allows for visualization of (Vistapro
format) DEM files in astonishing graphic displays I have a question
about the obtaining of data.

Although Vistapro and Landscape Explorer are serious graphics and
map-making applications they should not be considered scientific
tools. Despite this it can do magical things with adapted USGS DEM
files. Vistapro comes with a set of data files which cover parts of
the United States and the planet Mars (!). 
As a European I am interested in creating maps and scenery for
European countries. I have a particular interest in the Hebrides, a
group of islands on the West coast of Scotland.

I scanned the internet for data, but soon found out that the
'professional' data suppliers ask enourmous amounts of money for this.
I do not question the quality or price of these products but for my
budget and purpose they are too expensive. The Hebrides by the British
Ornance Survey (in NTF format) would set me back several thousand
pounds!

Are there cheap or even freeware sources for geograpical surface data
with heights available in the following formats:
- USGS DEM
- Vistapro DEM
- UK Ordnance Survey NTF
- XYZ files

Datasets should show enough resolution in order to make life like
representations in both programs.

Please feel free to answer my question or point me towards websites
and/or suppliers.
I do not have a commercial interest in both programs mentioned.
The data will be used in these two programs and results will not be
used commercially.

Thanks,

Maarten van Damme
The Netherlands
mvdamme@xs4all.nl