Gunstar Posted April 26, 2013 Share Posted April 26, 2013 (edited) Here is the MOBO of a 520ST that was given to me years ago, it never worked right since I got it, at first I think it was mis-matched simm cards, then later while I was messing around with it a couple small wires came loose. Anyway, about a dozen years ago I showed this ST, info on the upgrades were hard to come by, and I wasn't sure what was compatible with the 4096 color board (and at the time I didn't have a second chip to install in it anyway), I suspect the upgrade probably came with a hack of Neochrome or Degas, or both, to use with this board. As eluded too, it's a 4MB+4096 color board, made by John Russell Inovations, ©1989/90. I have finally gotten around to dragging this ST out again, and will attempt repairs, get some simm cards and install a second chip in the color board. I just thought I'd share, and see if anyone else knows anything about these upgrades and where information and software (for the 4096 colors) might be found. Sorry about blurry areas in the pictures, my camera's lens protector (clear plastic over top or the lense) is scratched. Edited April 26, 2013 by Gunstar Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zogging Hell Posted April 26, 2013 Share Posted April 26, 2013 So it's a second shifter upgrade? Cool. Nice simm upgrade as well. Try here, as I think the upgrade at the top of video upgrades on this hardware page is similar, although it is 32k colours http://atari4ever.free.fr/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GadgetUK Posted April 28, 2013 Share Posted April 28, 2013 Very interesting. What does the 4096 do, I mean I know it provides up to 4096 colours, but how - doesnt it need specific software to drive it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gunstar Posted April 28, 2013 Author Share Posted April 28, 2013 (edited) I've no idea as of yet, i suspect that it originally shipped with either it's own paint and display programs or came with hacked versions of Neochrome or Degas to work with the board. Maybe, even a hacked version of Spectrum 512... Edited April 28, 2013 by Gunstar Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+DarkLord Posted April 29, 2013 Share Posted April 29, 2013 Not sure about the hacked part, but I believe Photochrome would have taken advantage of the 4096 colors from that board... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
atarian1 Posted April 29, 2013 Share Posted April 29, 2013 I recall it being STE compatible. That is, if a software program takes advantage of the STE's 4096 color palette, the JRI 4096 upgrade will take advantage of it too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LoTonah Posted April 29, 2013 Share Posted April 29, 2013 I had one of those. It was awesome! ...or at least the demo disk it came with was awesome. Never saw another lick of software that took advantage of it. And a year later I had an STe so it didn't matter anymore. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+DarkLord Posted April 29, 2013 Share Posted April 29, 2013 Did you try Photochrome with it? It should have taken advantage of the increased color pallete. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gunstar Posted April 30, 2013 Author Share Posted April 30, 2013 Thanks for the info guys! I suggested hacks of Degas or Neochrome as possibilities becuase I know many hacks of these programs exist, I used to have several different hacks of Neochrome a few years back when I had an STE and MegaSTE, which took advantage of the 4096 color pallette. I think I had similiar Degas hacks too, IIRC. So I figured they were programs that could have been hacked for this upgrade too. But if it's STE compatible, then it's a moot point, I can use STE software, STE hacks and Photochrome (something I have yet to try). Of course I'll probably use Photochrome on my Falcon. I think there was also a hack for Spectrum 512 to use the entire 4096 color pallete of the STE too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gunstar Posted April 30, 2013 Author Share Posted April 30, 2013 (edited) If I can get a 68881 for this machine, then all I'd need is a blitter hack for it, if one exists. edit: Actually, I think I just realized again why I never bothered getting this ST up and running a decade ago, becuase it's so early a version there isn't even a slot for a math co-processor, let alone a Blitter. I ended up getting a 1040STf and then was given an STE and MegaSTE and I just forgot about it. I think this time I will get it running again regardless, and have a 4MB 4096 color ST next to my new Falcon. I can give the ST my Zip drive for it's HDD with ICD boot. edit 2: Doh! just remembered that the ST will need a SCSI adapter too! I think I'll have to get some CF or USB card drive for this ST instead...will Satandisk or UltraSatan work with a standard ST? It will have a least TOS 1.4 in it when it's all said and done as I think I have that version in a broken 1040. Edited April 30, 2013 by Gunstar Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnakiMana Posted April 30, 2013 Share Posted April 30, 2013 edit 2: Doh! just remembered that the ST will need a SCSI adapter too! I think I'll have to get some CF or USB card drive for this ST instead...will Satandisk or UltraSatan work with a standard ST? It will have a least TOS 1.4 in it when it's all said and done as I think I have that version in a broken 1040. Yes, it will work. You should read the thread called "Ultrasatan" in this forum. On page 8 there's a discussion regarding which TOS versions work, and how they differ is explained more in the following pages. But I'd read the whole thread if you're going to get one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GadgetUK Posted April 30, 2013 Share Posted April 30, 2013 You mentioned 68881 there, are their STFM revisions that have space for a 68881 on board? My STFM has blitter fitted but I didnt see anywhere for a 68881. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carmel_andrews Posted April 30, 2013 Share Posted April 30, 2013 (edited) Mr Gunstar...you sure that is just an ST and not an FM....case looks a bit big for an orig ST (1st pic) Have you tried Quantum Paint (or whatever it was called) I think some brit. s/w house did it (Eidersoft or sommat like that)...I think it was the first ST gfx program to emulate the amiga colour pallete, probably using some Vblank trickery Edited April 30, 2013 by carmel_andrews Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zogging Hell Posted April 30, 2013 Share Posted April 30, 2013 No FPU on any of the standard STs without some extra hardware jiggery pockery. The Mega ST can have one fitted with an add on. The TT and Mega STe were the only other machines bar the Falcon that could easily have an FPU fitted. The space on the board for the Blitter became fairly standard on everything but very early STFMs iirc, I can't remember if the STF has room for it as well. I think early STs can have it fitted but it has to piggy back the 68k somehow (if memory serves me correctly). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gunstar Posted April 30, 2013 Author Share Posted April 30, 2013 You mentioned 68881 there, are their STFM revisions that have space for a 68881 on board? My STFM has blitter fitted but I didnt see anywhere for a 68881. yeah, i edited that post (though before you replied), saying it didn't have the slot for a co-processor, etc. But I don't see anywhere for a blitter to be fitted either, unless it's already installed... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gunstar Posted April 30, 2013 Author Share Posted April 30, 2013 (edited) Mr Gunstar...you sure that is just an ST and not an FM....case looks a bit big for an orig ST (1st pic) Have you tried Quantum Paint (or whatever it was called) I think some brit. s/w house did it (Eidersoft or sommat like that)...I think it was the first ST gfx program to emulate the amiga colour pallete, probably using some Vblank trickery Well, it is a model with an internal drive and modulator if that's what you mean, I didn't have (and still don't ATM) the top case handy to see if it says fm on it, probably, it just wasn't important to me to state the exact model. but the mother board says revision D. Edited May 1, 2013 by Gunstar Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gunstar Posted April 30, 2013 Author Share Posted April 30, 2013 (edited) Did you try Photochrome with it? It should have taken advantage of the increased color pallete. I haven't tried anything with it, I got it years ago, and there was something wrong with it from the start. I don't even remember how I obtained this one anymore. But at the time, I opened it up, it had two simms in it and the one video shifter chip, and the whole upgrade seemed quite daunting to me at the time; I was in my first year of electronics and didn't trust myself and couldn't find any information on the upgrades and no one on the sites could help me then either. So it went in a box and put away, as I didn't have room for it anyway, I already had at least one other ST at the time too. I am now finally getting around to putting it on one of my "front burners" (as opposed to the "back burner") to be repaired along with one of my 1200XL Mobo's. I still need to get simm cards and a second shifter chip and re-attach a few wires in the right spots (unkown at this time), before I can try anything with it. Edited May 1, 2013 by Gunstar Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zogging Hell Posted May 1, 2013 Share Posted May 1, 2013 yeah, i edited that post (though before you replied), saying it didn't have the slot for a co-processor, etc. But I don't see anywhere for a blitter to be fitted either, unless it's already installed... Sorry didn't see it, have a tendancy to daudle on replies... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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