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Re:How Mapbox Is Winning Over Developers to Challenge Google... by Const-me on Tuesday May 08, 2018 @02:52PM (#17023630)
You don't need a web service for that. The data is free, search for "SRTM" and download the continents you need.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shuttle_Radar_Topography_Missi...

Re:How Mapbox Is Winning Over Developers to Challenge Google... by plopz on Tuesday May 08, 2018 @03:27PM (#17023984)
Sure but I have no expertise on how to take those files and turn them into a tiles that correspond with the same basemap image tiles. Also ideally the service would incorporate more than just SRTM, including for example the USGS high res DEM where available.
Re:How Mapbox Is Winning Over Developers to Challenge Google... by Const-me on Tuesday May 08, 2018 @04:12PM (#17024500)
> how to take those files and turn them into a tiles that correspond with the same basemap image tiles.

The format is very simple to make sense of. Each file is an array of 16 bit integer values in meters, and it maps 1x1 degrees areas. Each file contains 1201x1201 or 3601x3601 samples depending on resolution. The first/last row/columns of adjacent files overlap that’s why non-round numbers.

Both SRTM and tiles use Mercator projection, i.e. mapping them together is very simple, too. In the embedded software I’ve developed, I’ve layered SRTM-derived data on top of OSM tiles, worked quite well and wasn’t too hard to implement. Even though due to very slow target hardware (500MHz CPU, 256MB RAM, slow flash storage), I had to invent more optimized format for SRTM data (dense array of 32x32 tiles taking exactly 2kb/each, aligned by disk sector), and implement an offline converter.

> including for example the USGS high res DEM where available

I haven’t personally compared them, but before picking SRTM for that embedded GIS project I’ve read about them, and concluded SRTM is more reliable. Also the resolution is more or less the same, SRTM offers 25m horizontal resolution, that’s pretty high, IMO.

Re:How Mapbox Is Winning Over Developers to Challenge Google... by jsgo on Tuesday May 08, 2018 @03:52PM (#17024259)
Same boat, but does this help at all? https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/SRTM
Re:How Mapbox Is Winning Over Developers to Challenge Google... by traek on Tuesday May 08, 2018 @08:39PM (#17026591)
This is just what the comments you replied to were discussing
Re:How Mapbox Is Winning Over Developers to Challenge Google... by jsgo on Wednesday May 09, 2018 @11:23AM (#17030523)
You’re right, but seems to include implementations the user may be able to leverage? Specifically "In Use" and "Data in OSM format (XML)"