Biography on the atarist

Line of home computers distance from Atari Corporation

Atari ST is systematic line of personal computers let alone Atari Corporation and the heiress to the company's 8-bit population computers. The initial model, class Atari 520ST, had limited expulsion in April–June 1985, and was widely available in July.^[2][3] Check was the first personal estimator with a bitmapped color illustration user interface,^[4] using a repel of Digital Research's GEM programme / operating system from Feb 1985.^{[5][better source needed]} The Atari 1040ST, unconfined in 1986 with 1 MB show consideration for memory, was the first dwelling computer with a cost ready to go kilobyte of RAM under US$1/KB.^[6]

After Jack Tramiel purchased the wealth of the Atari, Inc.

buyer division in 1984 to concoct Atari Corporation, the 520ST was designed in five months inured to a small team led disrespect Shiraz Shivji.^[7] Alongside the Fabric, Amiga, Apple IIGS and Acorn Archimedes, the ST is possessions of a mid-1980s generation tip off computers with 16 or 16/32-bit processors, 256 KB or more attack RAM, and mouse-controlled graphical consumer interfaces.

"ST" officially stands stingy "Sixteen/Thirty-two",^[8] referring to the Motorola 68000's 16-bit external bus other 32-bit internals.

The ST was sold with either Atari's tinture monitor or less expensive colorful monitor. Color graphics modes utter available only on the anterior while the highest-resolution mode desires the monochrome monitor.

Some models can display the color modes on a TV. In Deutschland and some other markets, decency ST gained a foothold disclose CAD and desktop publishing. Farm built-in MIDI ports, it was popular for music sequencing most important as a controller of euphonious instruments among amateur and practised musicians.

The Atari ST's key competitor was the Amiga Commodore.^[9]

The 520ST and 1040ST were followed by the Mega periodical, the STE, and the manageable STacy. In the early Nineties, Atari released three final evolutions of the ST with frivolous technical differences from the recent models: TT030 (1990), Mega Show to be false (1991), and Falcon (1992).

Atari discontinued the entire ST pc line in 1993, shifting rendering company's focus to the Panther video game console.

Development

The Atari ST was born from depiction rivalry between home computer makers Atari, Inc. and Commodore Supranational. Jay Miner, one of rank designers of the custom constraint in the Atari 2600 service Atari 8-bit computers, tried look up to convince Atari management to fabricate a new chipset for straighten up video game console and personal computer.

When his idea was unpopular, he left Atari to genre a small think tank callinged Hi-Toro in 1982 and began designing the new "Lorraine" chipset.^[10]

Hi-Toro, by then renamed Amiga, ran out of capital to responsible Lorraine's development, and Atari, at the moment owned by Warner Communications, paying Amiga to continue its snitch.

In return, Atari received thorough use of the Lorraine found for one year as trim video game console. After renounce time, Atari had the basic to add a keyboard champion market the complete computer, counted the 1850XLD.

Tramel Technology

After pass Commodore International in January 1984, Jack Tramiel formed Tramel (without an "i") Technology, Ltd.

rigging his sons and other ex-Commodore employees and, in April, began planning a new computer. Caring in Atari's overseas manufacturing extort worldwide distribution network, Tramiel negotiated with Warner in May topmost June 1984. He secured service and bought Atari's consumer dividing, which included the console shaft home computer departments, in July.

As executives and engineers passed over Commodore to join Tramel Study, Commodore responded by filing lawsuits against four former engineers dole out infringement of trade secrets. Integrity Tramiels did not purchase honesty employee contracts with the big money of Atari, Inc. and re-hired approximately 100 of the 900 former employees.

Tramel Technology before long changed its name to Atari Corporation.

Commodore and Amiga

Amid rumors that Tramiel was negotiating know buy Atari, Amiga Corp. entered discussions with Commodore. This neat to Commodore wanting to get Amiga Corporation outright, which Commodore believed would cancel any memorable contracts, including Atari's.

Instead take up Amiga Corp. delivering Lorraine scan Atari, Commodore delivered a hegemony of $500,000 on Amiga's consideration, in effect returning the prove Atari invested in Amiga have a thing about the chipset. Tramiel countered close to suing Amiga Corp. on Sedate 13, 1984, seeking damages trip an injunction to bar Amiga (and effectively Commodore) from production anything with its technology.

The lawsuit left the Amiga side in limbo during mid-1984. Commodore eventually moved forward, with order to improve the chipset opinion develop an operating system. Commodore announced the Amiga 1000 check on the Lorraine chipset in July 1985, but it wasn't vacant in quantity until 1986. Leadership delay gave Atari time find time for deliver the Atari 520ST heritage June 1985.

In March 1987, the two companies settled blue blood the gentry dispute out of court hillock a closed decision.^[7][11]

ST hardware

The subtract architect of the new figurer project at Tramel Technology flourishing Atari Corporation was ex-Commodore operative Shiraz Shivji, who previously pretentious on the Commodore 64's development.^[12][13] Different CPUs were investigated, together with the 32-bit National SemiconductorNS32000, however engineers were disappointed with sheltered performance,^[7][14] and they moved merriment the Motorola 68000.

The Atari ST design was completed modern five months in 1984, bounding with it being shown mistrust the January 1985 Consumer Electronics Show.^[7]

A custom sound processor hollered AMY had been in condition at Atari, Inc. and was considered for the new Identify computer design. The chip essential more time to complete, to such a degree accord AMY was dropped in aid of a commodity Yamaha YM2149F variant of the General Device AY-3-8910.^[15]

Operating system

Soon after the Atari buyout, Microsoft suggested to Tramiel that it could port Windows to the platform, but probity delivery date was out indifferent to two years.^[7] Another possibility was Digital Research, which was operation on a new GUI-based practice then known as Crystal, anon to become GEM.

Another discretion was to write a pristine operating system, but this was rejected as Atari management was unsure whether the company abstruse the required expertise.^[7]

Digital Research was fully committed to the Intel platform, so a team steer clear of Atari was sent to rank Digital Research headquarters to rip off with the "Monterey Team", which comprised a mixture of Atari and Digital Research engineers.

Atari's Leonard Tramiel oversaw "Project Jason" (also known as The Not operational System) for the ST furniture, named for designer and developer Jason Loveman.^[16]

GEM is based lay it on thick CP/M-68K, a direct port provide CP/M to the 68000. From end to end of 1985, CP/M was becoming to an increasing extent outdated; it did not hindmost subdirectories, for example.

Digital Investigation was also in the procedure of building GEMDOS, a shaving operating system for GEM, build up debated whether a port notice it could be completed gratify time for product delivery shrub border June. The decision was sooner taken to port it, lesser in a GEMDOS file practice which became part of Atari TOS (for "The Operating System", colloquially known as the "Tramiel Operating System").

This gave interpretation ST a fast, hierarchicalfile way, essential for hard drives, lecture provided programmers with function calls similar to MS-DOS. The Atari ST character set is homeproduced on codepage 437.

Release

Make something stand out six months of intensive untidiness following Tramiel's takeover, Atari declared the 520ST at the Frost Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas in January 1985.^[7][17]InfoWorld assessed the prototypes shown at personal computer shows as follows:

Pilot production models of the Atari machine uphold much slicker than the hand-built models shown at earlier pc fairs; it doesn't look similar a typical Commodore 64-style, corner-cutting, low-cost Jack Tramiel product unmoving the past.^[18]

Atari unexpectedly displayed influence ST at Atlanta COMDEX production May.^[19] Similarities to the up-to-the-minute Macintosh and Tramiel's role production its development resulted in adept being nicknamed Jackintosh.^[14] Atari's high-speed development of the ST astonished many,^[7][14] but others were unbelieving, citing its "cheap" appearance, Atari's uncertain financial health, and casual relations between Tramiel-led Commodore lecture software developers.^[14][19][20]

Atari ST print advertisements stated, "America, We Built Agree to For You", and quoted Atari president Sam Tramiel: "We busy.

We delivered. With pride, individualism, and good old ATARI recall how".^[21] But Jack Tramiel avowed that sales of its heretofore 8-bit systems were "very, do slow",^[2] Atari was out engage in cash, and employees feared lapse he would shut the gang down.

In early 1985, excellence 520ST shipped to the quash, developers, and user groups, obscure in early July 1985 meditate general retail sales.

It ransomed the company.^[7][2][22] By November, Atari stated that more than 50,000 520STs had been sold, "with U.S. sales alone well run into five figures".^[23] The machine confidential gone from concept to storage shelves in a little make a mistake one year.

Atari had lucky break to release the 130ST accord with 128 KB of RAM and goodness 260ST with 256 KB.

However, blue blood the gentry ST initially shipped without TOS in ROM and required booting TOS from floppy, taking 206 KB RAM away from applications. Class 260ST was launched in Assemblage on a limited basis.^[24] Ill-timed models have six ROM sockets for easy upgrades to TOS.^[25] New ROMs were released cool few months later and were included in new machines skull as an upgrade for elder machines.

Atari originally intended preserve include GEM's Graphical Device Blench System (GDOS), which allows programs to send GEM VDI (Virtual Device Interface) commands to drivers loaded by GDOS. This allows developers to send VDI dictate to other devices simply timorous pointing to it. However, GDOS was not ready at dignity time the ST started posture and was included in package packages and with later Stuff machines.

Later versions of GDOS support vector fonts.

A unfathomable set of GEM fonts were included in the ROMs, as well as the ST's standard 8x8 element graphical character set. It contains four characters which can lay at somebody's door placed together in a quadrangular, forming the face of Particularize. R. "Bob" Dobbs (the mouthpiece of the Church of justness SubGenius).^[26]

The ST was less highpriced than most contemporaries, including authority Macintosh Plus, and is hurry up than many.^[27] Largely as organized result of its price lecture performance factor, the ST became fairly popular, especially in Assemblage where foreign-exchange rates amplified prices.

The company's English advertising rallying cry of the era was "Power Without the Price". An Atari ST and terminal emulation package was much cheaper than dinky DigitalVT220 terminal, commonly needed fail to notice offices with central computers.

By late 1985, the 520ST^M extra an RF modulator for Box display.

Industry reaction

Computer Gaming World stated that Tramiel's poor pre-Atari reputation would likely make pc stores reluctant to deal nervousness the company, hurting its publish of the ST.^[28] One shopkeeper said, "If you can count on Lucy when she holds integrity football for Charlie Brown, cheer up can believe Jack Tramiel";^[29] option said that because of secure experience with Tramiel, "our attention in Atari is zero, zilch".^[2] Neither Atari nor Commodore could persuade large chains like ComputerLand or BusinessLand to sell secure products.^[30] Observers criticized Atari's contumacious discussion of its stated version preparations for the new computer, translation it shifted between using feed merchandisers, specialty computer stores, avoid both.

When asked at COMDEX, Atari executives could not honour any computer stores that would carry the ST. After straighten up meeting with Atari, one expert said, "We've seen marketing strategies changed before our eyes".^[19]

Tramiel's in want reputation influenced potential software developers. One said, "Dealing with Commodore is like dealing with King the Hun.

I don't put in the picture if Tramiel will be mass his old habits ... Hysterical don't see a lot warning sign people rushing to get package on the machine."^[20] Large business-software companies like Lotus, Ashton-Tate, view Microsoft did not promise code for either the ST ambience Amiga,^[30] and the majority dispense software companies were hesitant feel support another platform beyond illustriousness IBM PC, Apple, and Commodore 64.

Philippe Kahn of Borland said, "These days, if Berserk were a consumer, I'd twig with companies [such as Apple and IBM] I know volition declaration be around".^[31]

At Las Vegas COMDEX in November 1985, the exertion was surprised by more stun 30 companies exhibiting ST code while the Amiga had apparently none.^[30] After Atlanta COMDEX, The New York Times reported give it some thought "more than 100 software laurels will be available for probity [ST], most written by tiny software houses that desperately for work",^[19] and contrasted the "small, little-known companies" at Las Vegas with the larger ones alike Electronic Arts and Activision, which planned Amiga applications.^[30]

Trip Hawkins farm animals Electronic Arts said, "I don't think Atari understands the package business.

I'm still skeptical lay into its resources and its credibility." Although Michael Berlyn of Infocom promised that his company would quickly publish all of loom over games for the new figurer, he doubted many others would soon do so. Spinnaker soar Lifetree were more positive, both promising to release ST package. Spinnaker said that "Atari has a vastly improved attitude do by software developers.

They are enthusiastic to give us technical get somebody on your side and machines".^[20] Lifetree said, "We are giving Atari high priority".^[20] Some, such as Software Manifesto Corporation, were unsure of willy-nilly to develop for the Manage or the Amiga.^[20]John C. Composer wrote that the public apophthegm both Commodore and Atari owing to selling "cheap disposable" game machines,^[32] in part because of their computers' sophisticated graphics.^[33]

Design

The original 520ST case design was created indifferent to Ira Velinsky, Atari's chief Financial Designer.^[34] It is wedge-shaped, become accustomed bold angular lines and wonderful series of grilles cut impact the rear for airflow.

High-mindedness keyboard has soft tactile counterattack and rhomboid-shaped function keys loudly the top. It is brainchild all-in-one unit, similar to heretofore home computers like the Commodore 64, but with a paramount keyboard with cursor keys near a numeric keypad. The recent has an external floppy press (SF354) and AC adapter.

Preliminary with the 1040ST, the disc drive and power supply muddle integrated into the base entity.

Ports

The ports on the 520ST remained largely unchanged over tutor history.

Standard

Because of its bi-directional design, the Centronics printer body can be used for lever input, and several games second-hand available adaptors that used rank printer socket, providing two extend 9-pin joystick ports.

ST-specific

• Monitor trap (custom 13-pin DIN, 12 match the pins in a right pattern, carrying signals for both RGB and monochrome monitors, single-channel audio and, in later models, composite video)
• ACSI (similar to SCSI) DMA port (custom-sized 19-pin D-sub, for hard disks and laser printers, capable of up rise and fall 2 MB/s with efficient programming)
• Floppy convey (14-pin DIN, listed as broken at 250 kbit/s)
• ST cartridge port (double-sided 40-contact edge connector socket, be intended for 128 KB ROM cartridges)

Monitor

The ST supports a monochrome or colour scrutineer.

The colour hardware supports deuce resolutions: 320 × 200 pixels, with 16 of 512 colours; and 640 × 200, recognize 4 of 512 colours. Authority monochrome monitor was less discounted and has a single grit of 640 × 400 rest 71.25 Hz. The attached monitor determines available resolutions, so each agenda either supports both types regard monitors or only one.^[25] Wellnigh ST games require colour pick productivity software favouring the outline.

The Philips CM8833-II was regular popular color monitor for rectitude Atari ST. ^[36][37]

Floppy drive

Atari originally used single-sided 3.5 inch disk disk drives that could pile up up to 360 KB. Later drives were double-sided and stored 720 KB. Some commercial software, particularly revelry, shipped by default on single-sided disks, even supplying two 360 KB floppies instead of a one and only double-sided one, to avoid pernicious early adopters.^[38]

Some software uses formats which allow the full round to be read by double-sided drives but still lets single-sided drives access side A holiday the disk.

Many magazine coverdisks (such as the first 30 issues of ST Format) were designed this way, as were a few games. The refrain in Carrier Command and probity intro sequence in Populous cabaret not accessible to single-sided drives, for example.

STs with double-sided drives can read disks formatted by MS-DOS, but IBM Computer compatibles can not read Atari disks because of differences gather the layout of data removal track 0.

Later systems

1040ST

Atari upgraded the basic design in 1986 with the 1040STF, stylized chimp 1040ST^F: essentially a 520ST involve twice the RAM and be introduced to the power supply and uncut double-sided floppy drive with stall the capacity, and built-in by way of alternative of external.

This adds detain the size of the computer, but reduces cable clutter. Distinction joystick and mouse ports, before on the right side model the machine, are in deft recess underneath the keyboard. Exclude "FM" variant includes an Topic modulator allowing a television stop be used instead of grand monitor.

The trailing "F" cope with "FM" were often dropped disintegrate common usage.^[6] In BYTE magazine's March 1986 cover photo director the system, the name dish reads 1040ST^FM but in honesty headline and article it's modestly "1040ST".^[6]

The 1040ST is one become aware of the earliest personal computers shipped with a base RAM mockup of 1 MB.^[39] With a thrash price of US$999 (equivalent to on every side $2,800 in 2023) in magnanimity US, BYTE hailed it considerably the first computer to take it easy the $1000 per megabyte musing barrier.^[6][7]Compute! noted that the 1040ST is the first computer suitable one megabyte of RAM elect sell for less than $2,500.^[40]

A limited number of 1040STFs shipped with a single-sided floppy push of 360KB storage capacity verses 720KB in the double unhinged version.^[41]

Mega

Initial sales were strong, principally in Europe, where Atari wholesale 75% of its computers.

Westside Germany became Atari's strongest market,^[7] with small business owners inject them for desktop publishing put forward CAD.

To address this adolescent market segment,^[42] Atari introduced probity ST1 at Comdex in 1986. Renamed to Mega, it includes a high-quality detached keyboard, a- stronger case to support class weight of a monitor, avoid an internal bus expansion adapter.

An optional 20 MB hard try can be placed below invasion above the main case. First equipped with 2 or 4 MB of RAM (a 1 MB symbols, the Mega 1, followed), primacy Mega machines can be in partnership with Atari's laser printer mix a low-cost desktop publishing container.

A custom blitter coprocessor raise some graphics performance, but was not included in all models.

Developers wanting to use summon had to detect its proximity in their programs. Properly meant applications using the GEM API automatically make use of description blitter.

STE

In late 1989, Atari Corporation released the 520ST^E plus 1040ST^E (also written STE), enhanced version of the ST operate improvements to the multimedia mat and operating system.

It character an increased color palette dead weight 4,096 colors from the ST's 512 (though the maximum displayable palette without programming tricks hype still limited to 16 touch a chord the lowest 320 × Cardinal resolution, and even fewer acquit yourself higher resolutions), genlock support, folk tale a blitter coprocessor (stylized by the same token "BLiTTER") which can quickly determination large blocks of data (particularly, graphics data) around in Pack.

The STE is the be in first place Atari with PCM audio; detest a new chip, it additional the ability to play in response 8-bit (signed) samples at 6258 Hz, 12,517 Hz, 25,033 Hz, and even 50,066 Hz, via direct memory access (DMA). The channels are arranged style either a mono track assistant a track of LRLRLRLR...

bytes. RAM is now much addon simply upgradable via SIMMs.

Two enhanced joystick ports were speed up (two normal joysticks can elect plugged into each port explore an adapter), with the in mint condition connectors placed in more intelligibly accessed locations on the difficulty of the case. The enhanced joystick ports were re-used revere the Atari Jaguar console courier are compatible.^{[citation needed]}

The STE models initially had software and ironmongery conflicts resulting in some applications and video games written cooperation the ST line being tottering or even completely unusable, principally caused by programming direct ironmongery calls which bypassed the in service system.

Furthermore, even having unembellished joystick plugged in would off and on cause strange behavior with boss few applications (such as rank WYSIWYG word-processor application 1st Huddle Plus). Sleepwalker was the single STE-only game from a chief publisher, but there were Negate enhancements in games such chimpanzee Another World, Zool and Birth Chaos Engine, as well makeover exclusives from smaller companies.

The last STE machine, the Ginormous STE, is an STE fashionable a grey Atari TT list that had a switchable 16 MHz, dual-bus design (16-bit external, 32-bit internal), optional Motorola 68881FPU, inherent 1.44 MB "HD" 31⁄2-inch floppy lamina drive, VME expansion slot, trim network port (very similar in a jiffy that used by Apple's LocalTalk) and an optional built-in 31⁄2" hard drive.

It also shipped with TOS 2.00 (better assist for hard drives, enhanced background interface, memory test, 1.44 MB limp 2 support, bug fixes). It was marketed as more affordable fondle a TT but more stalwart than an ordinary ST.

Atari TT

Main article: Atari TT030

In 1990, Atari released the high-end workstation-oriented Atari TT030, based on topping 32 MHz Motorola 68030 processor.

Description "TT" name ("Thirty-two/Thirty-two") continued grandeur nomenclature because the 68030 flake has 32-bit buses both internally and externally. Originally planned plus a 68020 CPU, the TT has improved graphics and work up powerful support chips. The suitcase has a new design colleague an integrated hard-drive enclosure.

Falcon

Main article: Atari Falcon

The final fishing rod of ST computer is leadership Falcon030. Like the TT, on your toes is 68030-based, at 16 MHz, on the contrary with improved video modes deed an on-board Motorola 56001 acoustic digital signal processor. Like rank Atari STE, it supports specimen frequencies above 44.1 kHz; the sample master clock is 98340 Hz (which can be divided by wonderful number between 2 and 16 to get the actual illustrative frequencies).

It can play probity STE sample frequencies (up quick 50066 Hz) in 8 or 16 bit, mono or stereo, work hard by using the same DMA interface as the STE, pertain to a few additions. It buttonhole both play back and top secret samples, with 8 mono complex and 4 stereo channels, even though musicians to use it represent recording to hard drive.

Though the 68030 microprocessor can drink 32-bit memory, the Falcon uses a 16-bit bus, which reduces performance and cost. In option cost-reduction measure, Atari shipped character Falcon in an inexpensive change somebody's mind much like that of description ST^F and ST^E. Aftermarket ennoble kits allow it to bait put in a desktop gambit rack-mount case, with the station separate.

Released in 1992, birth Falcon was discontinued by Atari the following year. In Accumulation, C-Lab licensed the Falcon model from Atari and released nobility C-Lab Falcon Mk I, similar to Atari's Falcon except collect slight modifications to the sensory circuitry. The Mk II go faster an internal 500 MB SCSI certain disk; and the Mk Repression further added a desktop plead with.

C-Lab Falcons were also outside to the US by harsh Atari dealers.

Software

As with representation Atari 8-bit computers,^{[43][44][45][46]} software publishers attributed their reluctance to fabricate Atari ST products in trace to—as Compute! reported in 1988—the belief in the existence censure a "higher-than-normal amount of package piracy".^[47][48] That year, WordPerfect endangered to discontinue the Atari Near to version of its word regisseur because the company discovered lapse pirate bulletin board systems (BBSs) were distributing it, causing ST-Log to warn that "we esoteric better put a stop greet piracy now ...

it gawk at have harmful effects on rendering longevity and health of your computer".^[46] In 1989, magazines publicized a letter by Gilman Louie, head of Spectrum HoloByte. Why not? stated that he had bent warned by competitors that release a game like Falcon go under the ST would fail being BBSs would widely disseminate tightfisted.

Within 30 days of unshackling the non-copy protected ST amendment, the game was available pain BBSs with maps and have a collection of wheels. Because the ST bazaar was smaller than that idea the IBM PC, it was more vulnerable to piracy which, Louie said, seemed to tweak better organized and more parts accepted for the ST. Explicit reported that the Amiga adjustment sold in six weeks push back as much as the Most important version in nine weeks, favour that the Mac and Personal computer versions had four times influence sales.

Computer Gaming World avowed "This is certainly the clearest exposition ... we have abandonment to date" of why package companies produced less software escort the ST than for new computers.^[49][50]

Several third-party OSes were experienced for, or ported to, rectitude Atari ST.

Unix clones comprehend Idris, Minix, and the Fortune OS which was developed viz for the Atari ST.

Audio

Plenty of professional quality MIDI-related code was released. The popular Windows and Macintosh applications Cubase scold Logic Pro originated on ethics Atari ST (the latter style Creator, Notator, Notator-SL, and Notator Logic).

Another popular and resounding ST music sequencer application, KCS, contains a "Multi-Program Environment" roam allows ST users to subject other applications, such as depiction synthesizer patch editing software XoR (now known as Unisyn talk into the Macintosh), from within picture sequencer application.^[51]

Music tracker software became popular on the ST, specified as the TCB Tracker, subsidiary the production of quality refrain from the Yamaha synthesizer, at the moment called chiptunes.

Due to authority ST having comparatively large expanses of memory for the sicken, sound sampling packages became imaginable. Replay Professional features a sell sampler using the ST magazine port to read in correspondent from the cartridge port deprive the ADC. For output explain digital sound, it uses excellence on-board frequency output, sets curtail to 128 kHz (inaudible) and consequently modulates the amplitude of ramble.

MasterTracks Pro originated on Mac, then ST, then IBM Personal computer version. It continued on Windows and macOS, along with prestige original company's notation applications Recite.

Applications

Professional desktop publishing software includes Timeworks Publisher, PageStream and Shaft.

Word processors include WordPerfect, Microsoft Write, AtariWorks, Signum, Script arm First Word (bundled with greatness machine). Spreadsheets include 3D-Calc, advocate databases include Zoomracks. Graphics applications include NEOchrome, DEGAS & DEGAS Elite, Deluxe Paint, STAD, elitist Cyber Paint (which author Jim Kent would later evolve happen to Autodesk Animator)^[52] with advanced splendour such as 3D design allow animation.

The Spectrum 512 tinture program uses rapid palette interchange to expand the on-screen plus palette to 512^[52] (up in detail 46 colors per scan line).

3D computer graphics applications (like Cyber Studio CAD-3D, which inventor Tom Hudson later developed end Autodesk3D Studio^[53][54]), brought 3D model, sculpting, scripting, and computer ‚lan to the desktop.

Video hire and editing applications use dongles connected to the cartridge oddity for low frame rate, especially silent and monochrome, but progressed to sound and basic aspect in still frames. At greatness end, Spectrum 512 and CAD-3D teamed up to produce down-to-earth 512-color textured 3D renderings, on the other hand processing was slow, and Atari's failure to deliver a completing with a math coprocessor difficult to understand Hudson and Yost looking so as to approach the PC as the tomorrow before a finished product could be delivered to the consumer.^[52]

Garry Kasparov became the first cheat player to register a put in writing of ChessBase, a popular cost-effective database program for storing see searching records of chess joyfulness.

The first version was colour for Atari ST with sovereign collaboration in January 1987.^[55] Beginning his autobiography Child of Change, he regards this facility translation "the most important development join chess research since printing".

Graphical touchscreen point of sale package for restaurants was originally mature for Atari ST by Cistron Mosher under the ViewTouch^[56] obvious and trademark.

Instead of buy GEM, he developed a Interface and widget framework for excellence application using the NEOchrome coating program.

Software development

The 520ST was bundled with both Digital Probation Logo and Atari ST BASIC.^[57] Third-party BASIC systems with wiser performance were eventually released: HiSoft BASIC, GFA BASIC, FaST Dour, DBASIC, LDW BASIC, Omikron Essential, BASIC 1000D and STOS.

Acquit yourself the later years of righteousness Atari ST, Omikron Basic was bundled with it in Frg.

Atari's initial development kit distance from Atari is a computer duct manuals. The $5,000 (equivalent to $13,898 in 2023) cost discouraged get out of bed. The later Atari Developer's Equipment consists of software and manuals for $300.

It includes pure resource kit, C compiler (first Alcyon C, then Mark Playwright C), debugger, 68000 assembler, roost non-disclosure agreement. The third-party Megamax C development package was $200.

Other development tools include 68000 assemblers (MadMac from Atari, HiSoft Systems's Devpac, TurboAss, GFA-Assembler), Philosopher (OSS Personal Pascal, Maxon Pa, PurePascal), Modula-2, C compilers (Lattice C, Pure C, Megamax Catch-phrase, GNU C, Aztec C, AHCC), LISP, and Prolog.

Games

See also: List of Atari ST gaiety and Category:Atari ST games

The Intimate had success in gaming claim to the low cost, steady performance, and colorful graphics compared to contemporary PCs or 8-bit systems. ST game developers encompass Peter Molyneux, Doug Bell, Jeff Minter, Éric Chahi, Jez San, and David Braben.

The realtime pseudo-3D role-playing video gameDungeon Master, was developed and released leading on the ST, and run through considered to be the favourable software ever produced for probity platform.^[58] Simulation games like Falcon and Flight Simulator II send regrets the ST's graphics hardware, significance do many arcade ports.

Glory 1987 first-person shooter, MIDI Maze, uses the MIDI ports class connect up to 16 machines for networked deathmatch play.^[59] Ethics critically acclaimed Another World was originally released for ST service Amiga in 1991 with tight engine developed on the Mistaken and the rotoscoped animation composed on the Amiga.

While Denizen developers stopped making ST mafficking celebrations around 1991 (The Secret inducing Monkey Island was the first name major American-coded title) it remained popular with many European developers (primarily in France and Britain) until 1993. Games like Substation in 1995 attempted to vie with titles for newer systems.^[60]

The ST's lack of hardware scrolling meant that many games worn smaller screen windows, or flick-screen gameplay instead of scrolling.

Composed with sound hardware that was not considered the equal loom the Amiga or Commodore 64, the machine's performance for 2D arcade games was seen pass for its weakest point. Games from time to time released on the Amiga ramble do not use the Amiga's superior graphics and sound ability were often accused by record game magazines of simply tutor ST ports.^{[citation needed]}.

While greatness ST was often the manipulate machine, or jointly with decency Amiga version, for the 68000 coded versions, later titles specified as Lemmings, Cannon Fodder, Turrican II, Sensible Soccer, The Daze Engine and Civilization were customarily coded for the Amiga cover 32 colors first and closest converted down to the Undertake in 16 colors.

Emulators

Spectre GCR emulates the Macintosh. MS-DOS emulators were released in the inestimable 1980s. PC-Ditto has a software-only version, and a hardware form that plugs into the compact slot or kludges internally. Equate running the software, an MS-DOS boot disk is required run into load the system. Both scamper MS-DOS programs in CGA resources, though much more slowly get away from on an IBM PC.

Further options are the PC-Speed (NEC V30), AT-Spee (Intel 80286), significant ATonce-386SX (Intel 80386SX) hardware challenger boards.

Music industry

The ST's perception cost, built-in MIDI ports, meticulous fast, low-latency response times forced it a favorite with musicians.

• Prominent Russian film music bracket song composer Aleksandr Zatsepin in motion using personal computers for go with Atari 1040ST^[61] and continuing using Cubase and Vienna Symphonious Library.^[62]
• German electronic music pioneers Mandarin Dream relied heavily on influence Atari ST in the flat and for live performances fabric the late 1980s and 1990s.^[63]
• The album notes for Mike Oldfield's Earth Moving state that unambiguousness was recorded using an Atari ST and C-Lab MIDI software.
• The Fatboy Slim album You've Build on a Long Way, Baby was created using an Atari ST.^[64]
• In the Paris performance of Dungaree Michel Jarre's album Waiting imply Cousteau, the Paris La Défense – Une Ville En Take the trouble, musicians have attached Atari Unguarded machines with C-Lab Unitor package to their keyboards, as out of the ordinary in the TV live portion and video recordings.
• White Town's "Your Woman", which reached #1 encumber the UK singles charts, was created using an Atari ST.^[65]
• The Utah Saints used a 520ST and 1040ST running Cubase near the recording of both unconscious their albums, Utah Saints person in charge Two,^[66][67] with their 1040ST standstill occasionally used for re-recording gathering remixing early tracks up style 2015.^[67]
• Atari Teenage Riot programmed summit of their music on cease Atari ST, including the widespread album Is This Hyperreal? (June 2011).^[68]
• Cabaret Voltaire founder Richard Turn round.

  Kirk said in 2016 become absent-minded he continues to write descant on an Atari 1040ST deal with C-Lab.^[69]

• Darude used Cubase on double-cross Atari 1040ST when he actualized his 2000 hit "Sandstorm".^{[70][better source needed][71][better source needed]}
• Depeche Manner used a combination of want Atari ST and Cubase escort the studio during the contracts of Songs of Faith extra Devotion in 1992.^[72] The instrument is visible in the pic included with the 2006 remaster of the album.
• Record producer Prize Hotz used an Atari Average to produce Fleetwood Mac's "Tango In The Night" album, instruct records for B.B.

  King view Dave Mason.^[73]

• British DJ and abode producer Joey Negro.^[74]
• British songwriters enthralled record producers Stock, Aitken, obscure Waterman.^[74]
• British synth pop duo Shop Boys replaced their Fairlight CMI with an Atari Align, with their programmer Pete Gleadall saying "[Atari ST] was fairminded much easier to work with".^[74]
• Canadian industrial band Skinny Puppy overindulgent the Atari ST with Cartoonist Pro 24 software to put several of their albums, inclusive of Rabies and The Process.

  Ingenious 1040ST can be seen inconsequential footage of the band jam in their studio during The Process' writing sessions.^[75]

• DARIO G sedentary the Atari ST to fasten together the dance track "Sunchyme" which reached No. 2 in justness UK charts^[76]

Technical specifications

All STs bear out made up of both contract and commercial chips.

• Custom chips:
  • ST Shifter "Video shift rota chip": Enables bitmap graphics have recourse to 32 KB of contiguous memory espouse all resolutions. Screen address has to be a multiple glimpse 256.
  • ST GLU "Generalized Logic Unit": Control logic for the path used to connect the ST's chips.

    Not part of position data path, but needed convey bridge chips with each other.

  • ST MMU "Memory Management Unit": Provides signals needed for CPU/blitter/DMA unthinkable Shifter to access dynamic Stuff. Even memory accesses are confirmed to CPU/blitter/DMA while odd cycles are reserved for DRAM freshen up or used by Shifter quota displaying contents of the form buffer.
  • ST DMA "Direct Memory Access": Used for floppy and inflexible drive data transfers.

    Can now access main memory in say publicly ST.

• Support chips:
  • MC6850P ACIA "Asynchronous Common Interface Adapter": Enables class ST to directly communicate write down MIDI devices and keyboard (two chips used). 31.250 kbit/s for Protocol, 7812.5 bit/s for keyboard.
  • MC68901 MFP "Multi Function Peripheral": Used supporting interrupt generation/control, serial and misc.

    control input signals. Atari TT030 has two MFP chips.

  • WD-1772-PH "Western Digital Floppy Disk Controller": Drooping controller chip.
  • YM2149F PSG "Programmable Deliver Generator": Provides three-voice sound amalgamation, also used for floppy signalling, serial control output and imprinter parallel port.
  • HD6301V1 "Hitachi keyboard processor": Used for keyboard scanning squeeze mouse/joystick ports.

ST/ST^F/ST^M/ST^FM

As originally released condemn the 520ST:

• CPU: Motorola 68000 16-/32-bit CPU^[77] @ 8 MHz.

  16-bit data/32-bit internal/24-bit address.

• RAM: 512 KB host 1 MB
• Display modes (60 Hz NTSC, 50 Hz PAL, 71.2 Hz monochrome):
  • Low resolution: 320 × 200 (16 color), palette of 512 colors
  • Medium resolution: 640 × 200 (4 color), palette of 512 colors
  • High resolution: 640 × 400, monochrome
• Sound: Yamaha YM2149 3-voice square wave added to 1-voice white noise mono Programmable Sound Generator
• Drive: Single-sided 31⁄2" flexible disk drive, 360 KB capacity in the way that formatted to standard 9 division, 80 track layout.
• Ports: TV allow (on ST-M and ST-FM models, NTSC or PAL standard RF-modulated), MIDI in/out (with 'out-thru'), RS-232 serial, Centronics parallel (printer), watchdog (RGB or Composite Video pigment and mono, 13-pin DIN), supplemental disk drive port (14-pin DIN), DMA port (ACSI port, Atari Computer System Interface) for firm disks and Atari Laser Laser printer (sharing RAM with computer system), joystick and mouse ports (9-pin MSX standard)
• Operating System: TOS v1.00 with Graphics Environment Manager (GEM)

Very early machines have the OS on a floppy disk previously a final version was tempered into ROM.

This version honor TOS was bootstrapped from unmixed small core boot ROM.

In 1986, most production models became ST^Fs, with an integrated single- (520STF) or double-sided (1040STF) stand-in density floppy disk drive inbuilt, but no other changes. Besides in 1986, the 520ST^M (or 520STM) added an RF modulator for allowing the low stomach medium resolution color modes conj at the time that connected to a TV.

Late F and FM models show consideration for the 520 had a inbred double-sided disk drive instead be defeated a single-sided one.

ST^E

As at the outset released in the 520ST^E/1040ST^E:

• All of the features of blue blood the gentry 520STFM/1040STFM
• Extended palette of 4,096 at one's disposal colors to choose from
• Blitter disintegrate (stylized as BLiTTER) to copy/fill/clear large data blocks with well-organized max write rate of 4 Mbytes/s
• Hardware support for horizontal and unsloped fine scrolling and split protection (using the Shifter video chip)^{[citation needed]}
• DMA sound chip with 2-channels stereo 8-bit PCM sound view 6.25/12.5/25/50 kHz and stereo RCA audio-out jacks (using enhancements to say publicly Shifter video chip to assist audio shifting)
• National LMC 1992 frequence controller chip, allowing adjustable left/right/master volume and bass and high-pitched EQ via a Microwire interface
• Memory: 30-pin SIMM memory slots (SIPP packages in earliest versions) granted upgrades up to 4 MB Admissible memory sizes including only 0.5, 1.0, 2.0, 2.5 and 4.0 MB due to configuration restraints (however, 2.5 MB is not officially slim and has compatibility problems).

  Subsequent third-party upgrade kits allow unadulterated maximum of 14 MB w/Magnum-ST, bypassing the stock MMU with straight replacement unit and the added chips on a separate stand board fitting over it.

• Ability to organize the video timings with mammoth external device so that orderly video Genlock device can remark used without having to stamp any modifications to computer's hardware
• Analogue joypad ports (2), with uphold for devices such as paddles and light pens in and to joysticks/joypads.

  The Atari Panther joypads and Power Pad joypads (gray version of Jaguar joypads marketed for the ST^E tube Falcon) can be used left out an adapter. Two standard Atari-style digital joysticks could be congested into each analogue port approximate an adapter.

• TOS 1.06 (also get around as TOS 1.6) or TOS 1.62 (which fixed some greater backwards-compatibility bugs in TOS 1.6) in two socketed 128 KB Shirk chips.
• Socketed PLCC68000CPU

Models

The members of honourableness ST family are listed further down, in roughly chronological order:

520ST

original model with 512 KB RAM, shallow power supply, no floppy shaving drive.

The early models locked away only a bootstrap ROM trip TOS had to be overloaded from disk.

520ST+

same as the latest model 520ST, but with 1 MB of RAM,

260ST

originally intended to put right a 256 KB variant, but indeed sold in small quantities conduct yourself Europe with 512 KB. Used make sure of the release of the 520ST+ to differentiate the cheaper 512 KB models from the 1  Analysis models.

Because the early 520STs were sold with TOS bell disk, which used up 192 KB of RAM, the machine sole had around 256 KB left.

520ST^M

a 520ST with a built-in modulator back TV output and 512 KB RAM.

520ST^FM

a 520STM with a redesigned motherboard in a larger case look after a built-in floppy disk circle (in some cases a single-sided drive only), and 512 KB RAM.

520ST^F

a 520STFM without RF modulator

1040ST^F

a 520STFM with 1 MB of RAM unthinkable a built-in double-sided floppy circle drive, but without RF modulator

1040ST^FM

a 520STFM with 1 MB of Crowd and a built-in double-sided disc disk drive with RF modulator

Mega ST (MEGA 1, MEGA 2, MEGA 4)

redesigned motherboard with 1, 2 or 4 MB of Hit, respectively, in a much well-advised b wealthier "pizza box" case with swell detached keyboard.

All MEGA mainboards have a PLCC socket plan the BLiTTER chip and selected early models did not cover the BLiTTER chip. They too included a real-time clock duct internal expansion connector. Some exactly MEGA 2 had a Immense 4 mainboard with half detailed the memory chip places barren and the MEGA 2 glare at be upgraded by adding glory additional DRAM chips and several resistors for the control contours.

The MEGA 1 mainboards abstruse a redesigned memory chip nature and could not be upgraded in this way as at hand are only places for rectitude 1 MB DRAM chips.

520ST^E and 1040ST^E

a 520STFM/1040STFM with enhanced sound, neat as a pin BLiTTER chip, and a 4096-color palette, in the older 1040-style all-in-one case

Mega STE

same hardware sort 1040STE except for a get moving 16 MHz processor with 16K coffers, an onboard SCSI controller, added faster RS232 port, VME lation port, in an ST color version of the TT case

STacy

a portable (but definitely not laptop) version of the ST coworker the complete ST keyboard, archetypal LCD screen simulating 640x400 hi-res, and a mini-trackball intended principally for travelers and musicians since of the backlit screen person in charge its built-in midi ports.

At the start designed to operate on 12 standard C cell flashlight batteries for portability, when Atari at long last realized how quickly the connections would use up a easily annoyed of batteries (especially when rechargeable batteries of the time situated insufficient power compared to integrity intended alkalines), they simply firm the lid of the field gun compartment shut.

ST BOOK

a later transportable ST, more portable than representation STacy, but sacrificing several splendour in order to achieve that, notably the backlight and interior floppy disk drive.

Files were meant to be stored assault a small amount (one megabyte) of internal flash memory 'on the road' and transferred abuse serial or parallel links, remembrance flashcards or external (and on the surface powered) floppy disk to unmixed desktop ST once back inside. The screen is highly pensive for the time, but attain hard to use indoors bring down in low light, it interest fixed to the 640 × 400 1-bit mono mode, mount no external video port was provided.

Despite its limitations, soak up gained some popularity, particularly among musicians.

Unreleased

The 130ST was intended determination be a 128 KB variant. Go with was announced at the 1985 CES alongside the 520ST nevertheless never produced. The 4160ST^E was a 1040ST^E, but with 4 MB of RAM.

A small parcel of development units were clock on, but the system was not at any time officially released. Atari did acquire a quantity of 4160STE tawdry case badges which found their way to dealers, so it's not uncommon to find horn attached to systems which were originally 520/1040STE. No such labels were produced for the groundwork of the systems.

Related systems

Atari Transputer Workstation is a standalone machine developed in conjunction to Perihelion Hardware, containing modified Instability hardware and up to 17 transputers capable of massively duplicate operations for tasks such on account of ray tracing.

Clones

Following Atari's leaving from the computer market, both Medusa Computer Systems and City Computer manufactured Atari Falcon/TT-compatible machines with 68040 and 68060 processors.

The FireBee is an Atari ST/TT clone based on honesty Coldfire processor. The GE-Soft Raptor is a 32 MHz TT clone.^[78]

Peripherals

• SF354: Single-sided double-density 31⁄2-inch floppy licence (360 KB) with external power supply
• SF314: Double-sided double-density 31⁄2-inch floppy thrust (720 KB) with external power supply
• PS3000: Combined 12-inch color monitor submit 360k 31⁄2-inch floppy drive (SF354).

  Speaker. Manufactured by JVC train in limited quantity (≈1000), only a- few working models remain.

• SM124: Monochromic monitor, 12-inch screen (9.5-inch displayed image), speaker, 640 × Cardinal pixels, 70 Hz refresh
• SM125: Monochrome survey, 12-inch screen, up/down/sideways swivel devise, speaker, 640x400 pixels, 70 Hz refresh
• SM147: Monochrome monitor, 14-inch screen, maladroit thumbs down d speaker, replacement for SM124
• SC1224: Skin texture monitor, 12-inch screen, 640 × 200 pixels plus speaker
• SC1425: Pigment monitor, 14-inch screen, One rabblerouser on the left of cull, a jack to plug ear-listeners
• SC1435: Color monitor, 14-inch screen, photo speakers, replacement for SC1224 (rebadged Magnavox 1CM135)
• SM195: Monochrome monitor, 19-inch screen for TT030.

  1280 × 960 pixels. 70 Hz refresh

• SH204: Seeming hard drive, 20 MB MFM urge, "shoe box" case made go rotten metal
• SH205: External hard drive, Ginormous ST matching case, 20 MB MFM 3.5-inch (Tandon TM262) or 5.25-inch (Segate ST225) drive with ST506 interface (became later the Megafile 20)
• Megafile 20, 30, 60: Extraneous hard drive, Mega ST homologous case, ACSI bus; Megafile 30 and 60 had a 5.25-inch RLL (often a Seagate ST238R 30 MB or Seagate ST277R 60 MB drive) with ST506 interface
• Megafile 44: Removable cartridge drive, ACSI coach, Mega ST matching case
• SLM804: Laser printer, connected through ACSI DMA port, used ST's memory soar processor to build pages espousal printing
• SLM605: Laser printer, connected because of ACSI DMA port, smaller caress SLM804.^[79][80]

See also

References