I think the best method to convert SRTM DEM file to MapInfo environment is to use GlobalMapper software. Conversion is very simple. Import to GM SRTM file and export to MapInfo Vertical Mapper format. Its really works.

Hi. you can try to use QGIS or this application

http://data.geocomm.com/dem/sdts2dem.html

Hi. you can download and use SRTM Converter from below link:

http://www.soi.city.ac.uk/~jwo/landserf/landserf200/doc/addons/srtm.html

If you have ArcGIS, then you can manage it easily. First of all convert image to point by a tool called raster to feature (point).

I would suggest Global Mapper, but it's not free. Many kinds of file conversions and easy to reproject.

You can use the tool Import/Export - Grid into SAGA GIS, www.saga-gis.org

Here you can easily import SRTM and then export in XYZ.

When you ask for free tools you basically refer to open source. I am a R-GRASS co-interface user, however possible ways to solve your problem are available in both media. I would suggest to use GRASS GIS where you can directly perform analysis on the SRTM datasets. For your information, r.out.xyz function converts DEM to xyz ascii format and other functions for raster analyses are also handy, check here: http://grass.osgeo.org/grass64/manuals/raster.html.

Yes, u can use Global mapper for converting elevation grid data to XYZ format very easily.

Thank you everyone for the prompt response. Special thanks to Miguel Arias, Mehdi Rahnama, Daniel Unverricht, Chiara Piccini & Avit Bhowmik for sharing the links. Let me work on them to find for myself what could be the best solution. But as I have already mentioned I am bound to Mapinfo - Vertical Mapper Environment & using the output of 3DEM & dm2xwin(DEM Point Selection V1.3 - freeware available at www.ezmdd.com). The beauty of this dm2xwin is that it enables you to visualize the data set along with data clipping in rectagular as well as circular masks. Let me tryout whether all your suggestions work well for me.

We did a web site for downloading SRTM DEM in different formats for wind energy.

One of those format is XYZ. You can use it freely : http://www.dataforwind.com

Enjoy !

SAGA GIS .......... u'll be addicted ........

I think the best method to convert SRTM DEM file to MapInfo environment is to use GlobalMapper software. Conversion is very simple. Import to GM SRTM file and export to MapInfo Vertical Mapper format. Its really works.

You can use GlobalMapper. It is very simple and quite useful.

Three years back, I used ArcGIS like souleymane Fall has elaborated. It was an easy to use tool

Either you can use ArcGIS or ERDAS imagine to convert SRTM to XYZ ascii file......

To Muhammad and Yahaya,

What for to go to ArcGIS and ASCII file when Anirvan would like to go driectly to MapInfo 6.5 enviromnent? As I said before the best method is to use GlobalMapper and direct conversion from SRTM to MapInfo Vertical Mapper.

I have successful used ArcGIS in research work; Use the Spatial Analyst Tools by creating contours under surface tools. Then you can Add XY Coordinate under Data Management tools, since elevation, Z will be automatically generated from your surface contour. You can export the data to Surfer or any other software where you can represent in 3D or other formats.

If you are already using Vertical Mapper there is nothing else that you need. From the VM grid manager, click Tools>Export then select MapInfo point table. Then open the new file and run the Coordinate Extractor from the MapInfo Tools menu.

GRASS GIS or QGIS can do that.. but you can do directly using GDAL. with something similar to: gdal_translate -of XYZ file.tif out.xyz

With gvSIG (http://gvsig.org) you can do it assign a point to each pixel with the Z value an later on write a column for X and Y coordinates. It is very simple. Also you can do it with almost every GIS software, Qgis , Grass, ArcGIS.

While I'm not sure you can obtain a free license, you can probably use Safe Software's FME. You can convert and reproject in one run and it's easy to edit if you need to change or duplicate the process. Also you can manipulate more than one file at a time.

You can use in ArcGis the function "SAMPLE"

ArcToolbox > Spatial Analyst Tools > Extraction>Sample. More information here http://www.exprodat.com/blogs/blog_Converting-ArcGIS-Rasters-to-XYZ-ASCII-Files.htm