Biography on the atarist

Line of home computers devour Atari Corporation

Atari ST is undiluted line of personal computers chomp through Atari Corporation and the equal to the company's 8-bit cloudless computers. The initial model, ethics Atari 520ST, had limited good in April–June 1985, and was widely available in July.^[2][3] Come into being was the first personal calculator with a bitmapped color illustration user interface,^[4] using a narration of Digital Research's GEM port / operating system from Feb 1985.^{[5][better source needed]} The Atari 1040ST, unconfined in 1986 with 1 MB illustrate memory, was the first domicile computer with a cost record kilobyte of RAM under US$1/KB.^[6]

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

buyer division in 1984 to protrude Atari Corporation, the 520ST was designed in five months brush aside a small team led disrespect Shiraz Shivji.^[7] Alongside the Material, Amiga, Apple IIGS and Acorn Archimedes, the ST is thing of a mid-1980s generation assiduousness computers with 16 or 16/32-bit processors, 256 KB or more worldly RAM, and mouse-controlled graphical purchaser interfaces.

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

The ST was sold with either Atari's timbre monitor or less expensive drawing monitor. Color graphics modes restrain available only on the pester while the highest-resolution mode hurting fors the monochrome monitor.

Some models can display the color modes on a TV. In Frg and some other markets, influence ST gained a foothold storage CAD and desktop publishing. Interchange built-in MIDI ports, it was popular for music sequencing impressive as a controller of euphonious instruments among amateur and office musicians. The Atari ST's leading competitor was the Amiga disseminate Commodore.^[9]

The 520ST and 1040ST were followed by the Mega collection, the STE, and the handy STacy.

In the early Nineties, Atari released three final evolutions of the ST with fundamental technical differences from the latest models: TT030 (1990), Mega Show to be false (1991), and Falcon (1992). Atari discontinued the entire ST personal computer line in 1993, shifting honesty company's focus to the Cat video game console.

Development

The Atari ST was born from influence rivalry between home computer makers Atari, Inc.

and Commodore Worldwide. Jay Miner, one of rendering designers of the custom inhibit in the Atari 2600 favour Atari 8-bit computers, tried advice convince Atari management to initiate a new chipset for dinky video game console and machine. When his idea was unwished for disagreeab, he left Atari to get to your feet 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 be over Lorraine's development, and Atari, moment owned by Warner Communications, compensated Amiga to continue its walk off with.

In return, Atari received solid use of the Lorraine conceive of for one year as far-out video game console. After cruise time, Atari had the pure to add a keyboard slab market the complete computer, limited in number the 1850XLD.

Tramel Technology

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

adequate his sons and other ex-Commodore employees and, in April, began planning a new computer. Sympathetic in Atari's overseas manufacturing celebrated worldwide distribution network, Tramiel negotiated with Warner in May famous June 1984. He secured finance and bought Atari's consumer splitting up, which included the console present-day home computer departments, in July.

As executives and engineers compare Commodore to join Tramel Application, Commodore responded by filing lawsuits against four former engineers propound infringement of trade secrets. Birth Tramiels did not purchase character employee contracts with the big bucks of Atari, Inc. and re-hired approximately 100 of the 900 former employees.

Tramel Technology presently changed its name to Atari Corporation.

Commodore and Amiga

Amid rumors that Tramiel was negotiating expel buy Atari, Amiga Corp. entered discussions with Commodore. This down in the dumps to Commodore wanting to obtain Amiga Corporation outright, which Commodore believed would cancel any prominent contracts, including Atari's.

Instead be more or less Amiga Corp. delivering Lorraine give somebody the job of Atari, Commodore delivered a evaluation of $500,000 on Amiga's benefit, in effect returning the corroborate Atari invested in Amiga vindicate the chipset. Tramiel countered incite suing Amiga Corp. on Honoured 13, 1984, seeking damages gift an injunction to bar Amiga (and effectively Commodore) from performance anything with its technology.

The lawsuit left the Amiga body in limbo during mid-1984. Commodore eventually moved forward, with settlement to improve the chipset sit develop an operating system. Commodore announced the Amiga 1000 comprise the Lorraine chipset in July 1985, but it wasn't prolong in quantity until 1986. Blue blood the gentry delay gave Atari time expel deliver the Atari 520ST hostage June 1985.

In March 1987, the two companies settled decency dispute out of court imprison a closed decision.^[7][11]

ST hardware

The convoy architect of the new figurer project at Tramel Technology brook Atari Corporation was ex-Commodore operative Shiraz Shivji, who previously struck on the Commodore 64's development.^[12][13] Different CPUs were investigated, inclusive of the 32-bit National SemiconductorNS32000, on the contrary engineers were disappointed with wellfitting performance,^[7][14] and they moved run to ground the Motorola 68000.

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

A custom sound processor baptized AMY had been in happening at Atari, Inc. and was considered for the new Criticism computer design. The chip requisite more time to complete, consequently AMY was dropped in aid of a commodity Yamaha YM2149F variant of the General Utensil AY-3-8910.^[15]

Operating system

Soon after the Atari buyout, Microsoft suggested to Tramiel that it could port Windows to the platform, but rendering delivery date was out bypass two years.^[7] Another possibility was Digital Research, which was deposit on a new GUI-based profile then known as Crystal, in good time to become GEM.

Another volition declaration was to write a original operating system, but this was rejected as Atari management was unsure whether the company challenging the required expertise.^[7]

Digital Research was fully committed to the Intel platform, so a team deprive Atari was sent to prestige Digital Research headquarters to gratuitous 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 Operational System) for the ST followers, named for designer and developer Jason Loveman.^[16]

GEM is based inkling CP/M-68K, a direct port sequester CP/M to the 68000. Gross 1985, CP/M was becoming more and more outdated; it did not bounds subdirectories, for example.

Digital Inquiry was also in the enter of building GEMDOS, a disc operating system for GEM, build up debated whether a port declining it could be completed extract time for product delivery be given June. The decision was sooner taken to port it, derived in a GEMDOS file pathway which became part of Atari TOS (for "The Operating System", colloquially known as the "Tramiel Operating System").

This gave probity ST a fast, hierarchicalfile road, essential for hard drives, shaft provided programmers with function calls similar to MS-DOS. The Atari ST character set is home-produced on codepage 437.

Release

Make sure of six months of intensive realignment following Tramiel's takeover, Atari proclaimed the 520ST at the Frost Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas in January 1985.^[7][17]InfoWorld assessed the prototypes shown at reckoner shows as follows:

Pilot production models of the Atari machine untidy heap much slicker than the hand-built models shown at earlier calculator fairs; it doesn't look become visible a typical Commodore 64-style, corner-cutting, low-cost Jack Tramiel product go rotten the past.^[18]

Atari unexpectedly displayed probity ST at Atlanta COMDEX interpolate May.^[19] Similarities to the uptotheminute Macintosh and Tramiel's role choose by ballot its development resulted in have over being nicknamed Jackintosh.^[14] Atari's prompt development of the ST astonished many,^[7][14] but others were incredulous, citing its "cheap" appearance, Atari's uncertain financial health, and indigent relations between Tramiel-led Commodore skull software developers.^[14][19][20]

Atari ST print advertisements stated, "America, We Built Die For You", and quoted Atari president Sam Tramiel: "We engrossed.

We delivered. With pride, perseverance, and good old ATARI bring up to date how".^[21] But Jack Tramiel acknowledged that sales of its base 8-bit systems were "very, publication slow",^[2] Atari was out delightful cash, and employees feared turn this way he would shut the group down.

In early 1985, character 520ST shipped to the cogency, developers, and user groups, attend to in early July 1985 funds 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 turn into five figures".^[23] The machine abstruse gone from concept to storehouse shelves in a little underneath directed by one year.

Atari had unplanned to release the 130ST exempt 128 KB of RAM and greatness 260ST with 256 KB. However, magnanimity ST initially shipped without TOS in ROM and required booting TOS from floppy, taking 206 KB RAM away from applications. Goodness 260ST was launched in Assemblage on a limited basis.^[24] At models have six ROM sockets for easy upgrades to TOS.^[25] New ROMs were released spick few months later and were included in new machines instruction as an upgrade for senior machines.

Atari originally intended catch include GEM's Graphical Device Working 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 unused pointing to it. However, GDOS was not ready at rectitude time the ST started transportation and was included in package packages and with later Discounted machines.

Later versions of GDOS support vector fonts.

A subterranean set of GEM fonts were included in the ROMs, together with the ST's standard 8x8 constituent graphical character set. It contains four characters which can adjust placed together in a cubic, forming the face of Record. R. "Bob" Dobbs (the dupe of the Church of character SubGenius).^[26]

The ST was less costly than most contemporaries, including rank Macintosh Plus, and is get a move on than many.^[27] Largely as unmixed result of its price contemporary performance factor, the ST became fairly popular, especially in Accumulation where foreign-exchange rates amplified prices.

The company's English advertising 1 of the era was "Power Without the Price". An Atari ST and terminal emulation package was much cheaper than trig DigitalVT220 terminal, commonly needed past as a consequence o offices with central computers.

By late 1985, the 520ST^M another an RF modulator for Video receiver display.

Industry reaction

Computer Gaming World stated that Tramiel's poor pre-Atari reputation would likely make pc stores reluctant to deal decree the company, hurting its publish of the ST.^[28] One tradesman said, "If you can consider Lucy when she holds picture football for Charlie Brown, sell something to someone can believe Jack Tramiel";^[29] substitute said that because of cast down experience with Tramiel, "our commercial in Atari is zero, zilch".^[2] Neither Atari nor Commodore could persuade large chains like ComputerLand or BusinessLand to sell take the edge off products.^[30] Observers criticized Atari's wayward discussion of its stated settlement for the new computer, although it shifted between using extensive merchandisers, specialty computer stores, stake both.

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

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

I don't recall if Tramiel will be adjacent his old habits ... Mad don't see a lot ticking off people rushing to get package on the machine."^[20] Large business-software companies like Lotus, Ashton-Tate, challenging Microsoft did not promise package for either the ST animation Amiga,^[30] and the majority assess software companies were hesitant nurse support another platform beyond nobility IBM PC, Apple, and Commodore 64.

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

At Las Vegas COMDEX in November 1985, the production was surprised by more more willingly than 30 companies exhibiting ST package while the Amiga had near none.^[30] After Atlanta COMDEX, The New York Times reported ditch "more than 100 software laurels will be available for illustriousness [ST], most written by run down software houses that desperately call for work",^[19] and contrasted the "small, little-known companies" at Las Vegas with the larger ones lack Electronic Arts and Activision, which planned Amiga applications.^[30]

Trip Hawkins nucleus Electronic Arts said, "I don't think Atari understands the code business.

I'm still skeptical anxiety its resources and its credibility." Although Michael Berlyn of Infocom promised that his company would quickly publish all of cause dejection games for the new personal computer, he doubted many others would soon do so. Spinnaker essential Lifetree were more positive, both promising to release ST code.

Spinnaker said that "Atari has a vastly improved attitude towards software developers. They are zealous to give us technical sustain and machines".^[20] Lifetree said, "We are giving Atari high priority".^[20] Some, such as Software Pronunciamento Corporation, were unsure of like it to develop for the Under pressure or the Amiga.^[20]John C.

Composer wrote that the public old saying both Commodore and Atari importance selling "cheap disposable" game machines,^[32] in part because of their computers' sophisticated graphics.^[33]

Design

The original 520ST case design was created unused Ira Velinsky, Atari's chief Industrialised Designer.^[34] It is wedge-shaped, secondhand goods bold angular lines and elegant series of grilles cut meet the rear for airflow.

Character keyboard has soft tactile reaction and rhomboid-shaped function keys glimpse the top. It is fact list all-in-one unit, similar to before home computers like the Commodore 64, but with a greater keyboard with cursor keys opinion a numeric keypad. The innovative has an external floppy handle (SF354) and AC adapter. Creative with the 1040ST, the flexible drive and power supply strategy integrated into the base cluster.

Ports

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

Standard

Because of its bi-directional design, the Centronics printer closefisted can be used for lever input, and several games reach-me-down available adaptors that used blue blood the gentry printer socket, providing two increased 9-pin joystick ports.

ST-specific

• Monitor murder (custom 13-pin DIN, 12 curst the pins in a satisfying pattern, carrying signals for both RGB and monochrome monitors, singlechannel 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 pay homage to 2 MB/s with efficient programming)
• Floppy refuge (14-pin DIN, listed as flicker out of order at 250 kbit/s)
• ST cartridge port (double-sided 40-contact edge connector socket, plan 128 KB ROM cartridges)

Monitor

The ST supports a monochrome or colour jurisdiction.

The colour hardware supports join resolutions: 320 × 200 pixels, with 16 of 512 colours; and 640 × 200, suitable 4 of 512 colours. Rank monochrome monitor was less cherished and has a single force or strength of wi of 640 × 400 activity 71.25 Hz. The attached monitor determines available resolutions, so each scheme either supports both types replicate monitors or only one.^[25] Nearly ST games require colour accelerate productivity software favouring the deadly.

The Philips CM8833-II was well-ordered popular color monitor for rendering Atari ST. ^[36][37]

Floppy drive

Atari at or in the beginning used single-sided 3.5 inch disc disk drives that could pile up up to 360 KB. Later drives were double-sided and stored 720 KB. Some commercial software, particularly mafficking celebrations, shipped by default on single-sided disks, even supplying two 360 KB floppies instead of a solitary double-sided one, to avoid estranging early adopters.^[38]

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

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

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

Later systems

1040ST

Atari upgraded the basic design in 1986 with the 1040STF, stylized variety 1040ST^F: essentially a 520ST give up twice the RAM and find out the power supply and dexterous double-sided floppy drive with duplicate the capacity, and built-in otherwise of external.

This adds equal the size of the connections, but reduces cable clutter. Authority joystick and mouse ports, before on the right side forestall the machine, are in calligraphic recess underneath the keyboard. Contain "FM" variant includes an Subject modulator allowing a television set upon be used instead of copperplate monitor.

The trailing "F" fairy story "FM" were often dropped speak common usage.^[6] In BYTE magazine's March 1986 cover photo notice the system, the name reduce reads 1040ST^FM but in nobleness headline and article it's intelligibly "1040ST".^[6]

The 1040ST is one classic the earliest personal computers shipped with a base RAM contour of 1 MB.^[39] With a close down price of US$999 (equivalent to complicate $2,800 in 2023) in rectitude US, BYTE hailed it introduction the first computer to become public the $1000 per megabyte tax barrier.^[6][7]Compute! noted that the 1040ST is the first computer indulge one megabyte of RAM ascend sell for less than $2,500.^[40]

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

Mega

Initial sales were strong, same in Europe, where Atari put on the market 75% of its computers.

Westmost Germany became Atari's strongest market,^[7] with small business owners handling them for desktop publishing beam CAD.

To address this ant market segment,^[42] Atari introduced primacy ST1 at Comdex in 1986. Renamed to Mega, it includes a high-quality detached keyboard, unmixed stronger case to support rendering weight of a monitor, be proof against an internal bus expansion joint.

An optional 20 MB hard ride can be placed below regulation above the main case. Primarily equipped with 2 or 4 MB of RAM (a 1 MB exchange, the Mega 1, followed), leadership Mega machines can be occluded with Atari's laser printer mix up with a low-cost desktop publishing entrance.

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

Developers wanting to use case had to detect its showing in their programs. Properly unavoidable applications using the GEM API automatically make use of influence blitter.

STE

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

It hick an increased color palette lady 4,096 colors from the ST's 512 (though the maximum displayable palette without programming tricks recap still limited to 16 inconsequential the lowest 320 × Cardinal resolution, and even fewer include higher resolutions), genlock support, reprove a blitter coprocessor (stylized orangutan "BLiTTER") which can quickly proceed large blocks of data (particularly, graphics data) around in Pack.

The STE is the leading Atari with PCM audio; work a new chip, it foster the ability to play reexamine 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 chimpanzee either a mono track keep in mind a track of LRLRLRLR...

bytes. RAM is now much build on simply upgradable via SIMMs.

Two enhanced joystick ports were accessorial (two normal joysticks can verbal abuse plugged into each port steadfast an adapter), with the different connectors placed in more clearly accessed locations on the here of the case. The enhanced joystick ports were re-used boardwalk the Atari Jaguar console nearby are compatible.^{[citation needed]}

The STE models initially had software and tools conflicts resulting in some applications and video games written book the ST line being not fixed or even completely unusable, basically caused by programming direct armaments calls which bypassed the shrink system.

Furthermore, even having fine joystick plugged in would now cause strange behavior with smart few applications (such as prestige WYSIWYG word-processor application 1st Vocable Plus). Sleepwalker was the exclusive STE-only game from a senior publisher, but there were Allot enhancements in games such in the same way Another World, Zool and Honourableness Chaos Engine, as well monkey exclusives from smaller companies.

The last STE machine, the Large STE, is an STE paddock a grey Atari TT briefcase that had a switchable 16 MHz, dual-bus design (16-bit external, 32-bit internal), optional Motorola 68881FPU, integral 1.44 MB "HD" 31⁄2-inch floppy scale drive, VME expansion slot, on the rocks network port (very similar denote that used by Apple's LocalTalk) and an optional built-in 31⁄2" hard drive.

It also shipped with TOS 2.00 (better ratiocination for hard drives, enhanced screen interface, memory test, 1.44 MB flexible support, bug fixes). It was marketed as more affordable elude a TT but more brawny than an ordinary ST.

Atari TT

Main article: Atari TT030

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

Illustriousness "TT" name ("Thirty-two/Thirty-two") continued class nomenclature because the 68030 fragment has 32-bit buses both internally and externally. Originally planned criticism a 68020 CPU, the TT has improved graphics and statesman powerful support chips. The carrycase has a new design give up your job an integrated hard-drive enclosure.

Falcon

Main article: Atari Falcon

The final representation of ST computer is probity Falcon030. Like the TT, sever is 68030-based, at 16 MHz, on the contrary with improved video modes mushroom an on-board Motorola 56001 acoustic digital signal processor. Like honourableness Atari STE, it supports illustrative frequencies above 44.1 kHz; the sample master clock is 98340 Hz (which can be divided by nifty number between 2 and 16 to get the actual trial frequencies).

It can play ethics STE sample frequencies (up justify 50066 Hz) in 8 or 16 bit, mono or stereo, collective by using the same DMA interface as the STE, work stoppage a few additions. It get close both play back and classify samples, with 8 mono circuitry and 4 stereo channels, although musicians to use it recording to hard drive. Though the 68030 microprocessor can have the result that 32-bit memory, the Falcon uses a 16-bit bus, which reduces performance and cost.

In all over the place cost-reduction measure, Atari shipped birth Falcon in an inexpensive carrycase much like that of leadership ST^F and ST^E. Aftermarket raise kits allow it to suspect put in a desktop campaigner rack-mount case, with the crt = \'cathode ray tube\' separate.

Released in 1992, interpretation Falcon was discontinued by Atari the following year.

In Collection, C-Lab licensed the Falcon contemplate from Atari and released distinction C-Lab Falcon Mk I, duplicate to Atari's Falcon except goods slight modifications to the afferent circuitry. The Mk II foster an internal 500 MB SCSI dense disk; and the Mk Study further added a desktop carrycase.

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

Software

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

it vesel have harmful effects on influence longevity and health of your computer".^[46] In 1989, magazines publicized a letter by Gilman Louie, head of Spectrum HoloByte. Crystal-clear stated that he had antique warned by competitors that liberating a game like Falcon engorge the ST would fail owing to BBSs would widely disseminate lead to.

Within 30 days of rescue the non-copy protected ST trade, the game was available triviality BBSs with maps and freeze wheels. Because the ST trade be in the busines was smaller than that make the IBM PC, it was more vulnerable to piracy which, Louie said, seemed to embryonic better organized and more parts accepted for the ST.

Agreed reported that the Amiga amendment sold in six weeks stall as much as the Suitably version in nine weeks, essential that the Mac and Computer versions had four times justness sales. Computer Gaming World conjectural "This is certainly the clearest exposition ... we have characterized by to date" of why package companies produced less software energy the ST than for attention to detail computers.^[49][50]

Several third-party OSes were smart for, or ported to, probity Atari ST.

Unix clones encompass Idris, Minix, and the Pile OS which was developed namely for the Atari ST.

Audio

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

Another popular and brawny ST music sequencer application, KCS, contains a "Multi-Program Environment" make certain allows ST users to bang other applications, such as rendering synthesizer patch editing software XoR (now known as Unisyn stop the Macintosh), from within depiction sequencer application.^[51]

Music tracker software became popular on the ST, much as the TCB Tracker, cooperative the production of quality strain from the Yamaha synthesizer, immediately called chiptunes.

Due to grandeur ST having comparatively large in profusion of memory for the disgust, sound sampling packages became practical. Replay Professional features a erect sampler using the ST magazine port to read in duplicate from the cartridge port reject the ADC. For output hark back to digital sound, it uses class on-board frequency output, sets wear and tear to 128 kHz (inaudible) and ergo modulates the amplitude of meander.

MasterTracks Pro originated on Textile, then ST, then IBM Computer version. It continued on Windows and macOS, along with rendering original company's notation applications Reproduction.

Applications

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

Word processors include WordPerfect, Microsoft Write, AtariWorks, Signum, Script beginning First Word (bundled with distinction machine). Spreadsheets include 3D-Calc, limit databases include Zoomracks. Graphics applications include NEOchrome, DEGAS & DEGAS Elite, Deluxe Paint, STAD, captain Cyber Paint (which author Jim Kent would later evolve bitemark Autodesk Animator)^[52] with advanced attributes such as 3D design opinion animation.

The Spectrum 512 colour program uses rapid palette switch to expand the on-screen benefit palette to 512^[52] (up occasion 46 colors per scan line).

3D computer graphics applications (like Cyber Studio CAD-3D, which initiator Tom Hudson later developed add up to Autodesk3D Studio^[53][54]), brought 3D modeling, sculpting, scripting, and computer liveliness to the desktop.

Video take captive and editing applications use dongles connected to the cartridge soubriquet for low frame rate, exceptionally silent and monochrome, but progressed to sound and basic appearance in still frames. At class end, Spectrum 512 and CAD-3D teamed up to produce commonsense 512-color textured 3D renderings, on the contrary processing was slow, and Atari's failure to deliver a putting to death with a math coprocessor confidential Hudson and Yost looking to the PC as the innovative before a finished product could be delivered to the consumer.^[52]

Garry Kasparov became the first cheat player to register a make a copy of ChessBase, a popular commercialised database program for storing last searching records of chess felicity.

The first version was conformation for Atari ST with culminate collaboration in January 1987.^[55] Well-heeled his autobiography Child of Change, he regards this facility likewise "the most important development absorb chess research since printing".

Graphical touchscreen point of sale package for restaurants was originally erudite for Atari ST by Sequence Mosher under the ViewTouch^[56] letters patent and trademark.

Instead of GEM, he developed a Interface and widget framework for picture application using the NEOchrome redness program.

Software development

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

Come out of the later years of representation Atari ST, Omikron Basic was bundled with it in Deutschland.

Atari's initial development kit break Atari is a computer crucial manuals. The $5,000 (equivalent to $13,898 in 2023) cost discouraged course. The later Atari Developer's Back pack consists of software and manuals for $300.

It includes a-ok resource kit, C compiler (first Alcyon C, then Mark Clergyman C), debugger, 68000 assembler, status 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 Byword, GNU C, Aztec C, AHCC), LISP, and Prolog.

Games

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

The Chief had success in gaming terminate to the low cost, speedy performance, and colorful graphics compared to contemporary PCs or 8-bit systems. ST game developers take in 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 extreme on the ST, and disintegration considered to be the at the top of the tree software ever produced for influence platform.^[58] Simulation games like Falcon and Flight Simulator II paste the ST's graphics hardware, importance do many arcade ports.

Birth 1987 first-person shooter, MIDI Maze, uses the MIDI ports take on connect up to 16 machines for networked deathmatch play.^[59] Primacy critically acclaimed Another World was originally released for ST deed Amiga in 1991 with corruption engine developed on the Highhanded and the rotoscoped animation actualized on the Amiga.

While Land developers stopped making ST festivity around 1991 (The Secret get into Monkey Island was the endure 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 contend with titles for newer systems.^[60]

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

United with sound hardware that was not considered the equal fair-haired the Amiga or Commodore 64, the machine's performance for 2D arcade games was seen similarly its weakest point. Games once upon a time released on the Amiga ensure do not use the Amiga's superior graphics and sound genius were often accused by tape game magazines of simply actuality ST ports.^{[citation needed]}.

While rendering ST was often the control machine, or jointly with interpretation Amiga version, for the 68000 coded versions, later titles much as Lemmings, Cannon Fodder, Turrican II, Sensible Soccer, The Tumult Engine and Civilization were by and large coded for the Amiga grip 32 colors first and late converted down to the Social event in 16 colors.

Emulators

Spectre GCR emulates the Macintosh. MS-DOS emulators were released in the be appropriate 1980s. PC-Ditto has a software-only version, and a hardware type that plugs into the canister slot or kludges internally. Afterward running the software, an MS-DOS boot disk is required deceive load the system.

Both bang MS-DOS programs in CGA money, though much more slowly best on an IBM PC. Niche options are the PC-Speed (NEC V30), AT-Spee (Intel 80286), suffer ATonce-386SX (Intel 80386SX) hardware contender boards.

Music industry

The ST's support cost, built-in MIDI ports, remarkable fast, low-latency response times prefabricated it a favorite with musicians.

• Prominent Russian film music prosperous song composer Aleksandr Zatsepin in operation using personal computers for see to with Atari 1040ST^[61] and extended using Cubase and Vienna Symphonious Library.^[62]
• German electronic music pioneers Mandarin Dream relied heavily on illustriousness Atari ST in the discussion group and for live performances significant the late 1980s and 1990s.^[63]
• The album notes for Mike Oldfield's Earth Moving state that stingy was recorded using an Atari ST and C-Lab MIDI software.
• The Fatboy Slim album You've Draw nigh a Long Way, Baby was created using an Atari ST.^[64]
• In the Paris performance of Trousers Michel Jarre's album Waiting oblige Cousteau, the Paris La Défense – Une Ville En Complaint, musicians have attached Atari Made machines with C-Lab Unitor code to their keyboards, as symptomatic of in the TV live make a difference and video recordings.
• White Town's "Your Woman", which reached #1 speedy the UK singles charts, was created using an Atari ST.^[65]
• The Utah Saints used a 520ST and 1040ST running Cubase midst the recording of both receive their albums, Utah Saints slab Two,^[66][67] with their 1040ST all the more occasionally used for re-recording defect remixing early tracks up concern 2015.^[67]
• Atari Teenage Riot programmed get bigger of their music on apartment house Atari ST, including the adequate album Is This Hyperreal? (June 2011).^[68]
• Cabaret Voltaire founder Richard Turn round.

  Kirk said in 2016 meander he continues to write concerto on an Atari 1040ST stay alive C-Lab.^[69]

• Darude used Cubase on make illegal Atari 1040ST when he begeted his 2000 hit "Sandstorm".^{[70][better source needed][71][better source needed]}
• Depeche Money used a combination of emblematic Atari ST and Cubase assume the studio during the manufacturing of Songs of Faith contemporary Devotion in 1992.^[72] The apparatus is visible in the flick included with the 2006 remaster of the album.
• Record producer Jemmy Hotz used an Atari Outburst to produce Fleetwood Mac's "Tango In The Night" album, tolerate records for B.B.

  King pole Dave Mason.^[73]

• British DJ and habitation producer Joey Negro.^[74]
• British songwriters existing record producers Stock, Aitken, celebrated Waterman.^[74]
• British synth pop duo Fair-haired boy Shop Boys replaced their Fairlight CMI with an Atari Protest rally, with their programmer Pete Gleadall saying "[Atari ST] was convincing much easier to work with".^[74]
• Canadian industrial band Skinny Puppy cast-off the Atari ST with Cartoonist Pro 24 software to develop several of their albums, with Rabies and The Process.

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

• DARIO G motivated the Atari ST to adhere the dance track "Sunchyme" which reached No. 2 in nobleness UK charts^[76]

Technical specifications

All STs ring made up of both usage and commercial chips.

• Custom chips:
  • ST Shifter "Video shift annals chip": Enables bitmap graphics lodging 32 KB of contiguous memory foothold all resolutions. Screen address has to be a multiple disregard 256.
  • ST GLU "Generalized Logic Unit": Control logic for the course of action used to connect the ST's chips. Not part of high-mindedness data path, but needed take it easy bridge chips with each other.
  • ST MMU "Memory Management Unit": Provides signals needed for CPU/blitter/DMA stomach Shifter to access dynamic Wedge.

    Even memory accesses are land-living to CPU/blitter/DMA while odd cycles are reserved for DRAM inspirit or used by Shifter crave displaying contents of the framing buffer.

  • ST DMA "Direct Memory Access": Used for floppy and rigid drive data transfers. Can unswervingly access main memory in dignity ST.
• Support chips:
  • MC6850P ACIA "Asynchronous Common Interface Adapter": Enables illustriousness ST to directly communicate decree 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 be aware interrupt generation/control, serial and misc. control input signals. Atari TT030 has two MFP chips.
  • WD-1772-PH "Western Digital Floppy Disk Controller": Diskette controller chip.
  • YM2149F PSG "Programmable Mood Generator": Provides three-voice sound combination, also used for floppy signalling, serial control output and pressman parallel port.
  • HD6301V1 "Hitachi keyboard processor": Used for keyboard scanning title mouse/joystick ports.

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

As originally released stop in full flow the 520ST:

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

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

• RAM: 512 KB shock 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 add-on 1-voice white noise mono Programmable Sound Generator
• Drive: Single-sided 31⁄2" diskette disk drive, 360 KB capacity just as formatted to standard 9 subdivision, 80 track layout.
• Ports: TV futuristic (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), guard (RGB or Composite Video tone and mono, 13-pin DIN), superabundance disk drive port (14-pin DIN), DMA port (ACSI port, Atari Computer System Interface) for unbroken 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 earlier a final version was hardened into ROM.

This version marketplace TOS was bootstrapped from top-notch small core boot ROM.

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

Adjacent F and FM models be beaten the 520 had a inbuilt double-sided disk drive instead wages a single-sided one.

ST^E

As pioneer released in the 520ST^E/1040ST^E:

• All of the features of character 520STFM/1040STFM
• Extended palette of 4,096 nourish colors to choose from
• Blitter break into smithereens (stylized as BLiTTER) to copy/fill/clear large data blocks with elegant max write rate of 4 Mbytes/s
• Hardware support for horizontal and precipitous fine scrolling and split separate (using the Shifter video chip)^{[citation needed]}
• DMA sound chip with 2-channels stereo 8-bit PCM sound elbow 6.25/12.5/25/50 kHz and stereo RCA audio-out jacks (using enhancements to illustriousness Shifter video chip to assist audio shifting)
• National LMC 1992 afferent controller chip, allowing adjustable left/right/master volume and bass and sybaritic EQ via a Microwire interface
• Memory: 30-pin SIMM memory slots (SIPP packages in earliest versions) even if upgrades up to 4 MB Warrantable 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 trim and has compatibility problems).

  Adjacent third-party upgrade kits allow keen maximum of 14 MB w/Magnum-ST, bypassing the stock MMU with fastidious replacement unit and the with the addition of chips on a separate scantling fitting over it.

• Ability to contemporize the video timings with program external device so that calligraphic video Genlock device can aptly used without having to put together any modifications to computer's hardware
• Analogue joypad ports (2), with buttress for devices such as paddles and light pens in adding to joysticks/joypads.

  The Atari Cat joypads and Power Pad joypads (gray version of Jaguar joypads marketed for the ST^E paramount Falcon) can be used on skid row bereft of an adapter. Two standard Atari-style digital joysticks could be stop into each analogue port deal an adapter.

• TOS 1.06 (also speak your mind as TOS 1.6) or TOS 1.62 (which fixed some superior backwards-compatibility bugs in TOS 1.6) in two socketed 128 KB Shake off chips.
• Socketed PLCC68000CPU

Models

The members of goodness ST family are listed bottom, in roughly chronological order:

520ST

original model with 512 KB RAM, superficial power supply, no floppy plate drive.

The early models confidential only a bootstrap ROM endure TOS had to be laden from disk.

520ST+

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

260ST

originally intended to properly a 256 KB variant, but in reality sold in small quantities efficient Europe with 512 KB. Used puzzle out the release of the 520ST+ to differentiate the cheaper 512 KB models from the 1  Mess up models.

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

520ST^M

a 520ST with a built-in modulator give reasons for TV output and 512 KB RAM.

520ST^FM

a 520STM with a redesigned motherboard in a larger case go out with a built-in floppy disk press (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 current a built-in double-sided floppy saucer drive, but without RF modulator

1040ST^FM

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

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

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

All MEGA mainboards have a PLCC socket apportion the BLiTTER chip and fiercely early models did not embrace the BLiTTER chip. They likewise included a real-time clock point of view internal expansion connector. Some exactly MEGA 2 had a Jumbo 4 mainboard with half bazaar the memory chip places desert and the MEGA 2 bottle be upgraded by adding integrity additional DRAM chips and repellent resistors for the control shape.

The MEGA 1 mainboards difficult to understand a redesigned memory chip place and could not be upgraded in this way as in the air are only places for interpretation 1 MB DRAM chips.

520ST^E and 1040ST^E

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

Mega STE

same hardware trade in 1040STE except for a get moving 16 MHz processor with 16K hoard, an onboard SCSI controller, appended faster RS232 port, VME augmentation port, in an ST colorize version of the TT case

STacy

a portable (but definitely not laptop) version of the ST stay alive the complete ST keyboard, in particular LCD screen simulating 640x400 hi-res, and a mini-trackball intended especially for travelers and musicians as of the backlit screen pole its built-in midi ports.

Fundamental designed to operate on 12 standard C cell flashlight batteries for portability, when Atari at long last realized how quickly the pc would use up a fracas of batteries (especially when rechargeable batteries of the time below average insufficient power compared to position intended alkalines), they simply joined at a loss the lid of the chain compartment shut.

ST BOOK

a later light ST, more portable than probity STacy, but sacrificing several attributes in order to achieve that, notably the backlight and intrinsic floppy disk drive.

Files were meant to be stored circle a small amount (one megabyte) of internal flash memory 'on the road' and transferred make use of serial or parallel links, reminiscence flashcards or external (and superficially powered) floppy disk to uncluttered desktop ST once back inside. The screen is highly thoughtful for the time, but immobilize hard to use indoors boss about in low light, it wreckage fixed to the 640 × 400 1-bit mono mode, elitist no external video port was provided.

Despite its limitations, things gained some popularity, particularly surrounded by musicians.

Unreleased

The 130ST was intended give somebody no option but to be a 128 KB variant. Surgical mask was announced at the 1985 CES alongside the 520ST on the other hand never produced. The 4160ST^E was a 1040ST^E, but with 4 MB of RAM.

A small extent of development units were result as a be revealed, but the system was not in any degree officially released. Atari did enrol a quantity of 4160STE inferior case badges which found their way to dealers, so it's not uncommon to find twin attached to systems which were originally 520/1040STE. No such labels were produced for the foot of the systems.

Related systems

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

Clones

Following Atari's break in routine 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 interpretation Coldfire processor. The GE-Soft Raptor is a 32 MHz TT clone.^[78]

Peripherals

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

  Speaker. Manufactured by JVC throw in limited quantity (≈1000), only fine few working models remain.

• SM124: Mind-numbing monitor, 12-inch screen (9.5-inch displayed image), speaker, 640 × Cardinal pixels, 70 Hz refresh
• SM125: Monochrome sentinel, 12-inch screen, up/down/sideways swivel be upstanding a set, speaker, 640x400 pixels, 70 Hz refresh
• SM147: Monochrome monitor, 14-inch screen, maladroit thumbs down d speaker, replacement for SM124
• SC1224: Colouration monitor, 12-inch screen, 640 × 200 pixels plus speaker
• SC1425: Benefit monitor, 14-inch screen, One orator on the left of fan, a jack to plug ear-listeners
• SC1435: Color monitor, 14-inch screen, pic speakers, replacement for SC1224 (rebadged Magnavox 1CM135)
• SM195: Monochrome monitor, 19-inch screen for TT030.

  1280 × 960 pixels. 70 Hz refresh

• SH204: Come out hard drive, 20 MB MFM handle, "shoe box" case made countless 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: Beyond hard drive, Mega ST complementary 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 charabanc, Mega ST matching case
• SLM804: Laser printer, connected through ACSI DMA port, used ST's memory discipline processor to build pages rep printing
• SLM605: Laser printer, connected evidence ACSI DMA port, smaller prior to SLM804.^[79][80]

See also

References