Getting into the ST?

[+remowilliams]

On 9/30/2022 at 1:39 PM, Atari8guy said:

And if you have a real ST and don't want to pay the going rate for an MT32 (they are pricey)...you can emulate on an Raspberry Pi - you still need a MIDI to USB cable though.

mt32-pi does work incredibly well.  I've got a Serdashop case/board for the one I have for my retropc, no MIDI/USB cable needed for it.

 

<https://github.com/dwhinham/mt32-pi>

 

<https://www.serdashop.com/MP32L>

[Atari8guy]

On 10/1/2022 at 7:01 PM, remowilliams said:

mt32-pi does work incredibly well.  I've got a Serdashop case/board for the one I have for my retropc, no MIDI/USB cable needed for it.

 

<https://github.com/dwhinham/mt32-pi>

 

<https://www.serdashop.com/MP32L>

That's awesome, I'm gonna look into the hat....does it come off easy?  I don't have a pi I wanted 100% dedicated to use as an MT32

[zzip]

4 minutes ago, Atari8guy said:

That's awesome, I'm gonna look into the hat....does it come off easy?  I don't have a pi I wanted 100% dedicated to use as an MT32

With the Pi's are you can just pop out the SD card with the mt32-pi on it when you want to use it for something else

[MarkC]

Well I finally got an Atari STFM, once again after about 30 years...😁

 

 

Can anyone tell me what version of TOS this will be from the screenshot....?

 

[+remowilliams]

On 10/3/2022 at 1:59 PM, Atari8guy said:

That's awesome, I'm gonna look into the hat....does it come off easy?  I don't have a pi I wanted 100% dedicated to use as an MT32

It just sits on the GPIO header so it is easy to remove, and as zzip pointed out you can always just pop out the mt32-pi card and pop in your regular os/boot card leaving the hat/case on.

 

 

24 minutes ago, MarkC said:

Can anyone tell me what version of TOS this will be from the screenshot....?

That is TOS 1.04

[MarkC]

 

I have seen in one of these threads Utility software that lists all the spec of the machine.....

What's the best place for utilities?

 

[+remowilliams]

33 minutes ago, MarkC said:

I have seen in one of these threads Utility software that lists all the spec of the machine.....

What's the best place for utilities?

This is a good site for that https://sites.google.com/site/stessential/

 

Sysinfo will list all kinds of information including TOS/memory config

[MarkC]

Thanks for the link.

Do I need the Atari Language Disk...?

I was looking through the manual and says to insert the disk before turning on.

If so is this the correct thing.

 

Edited November 3, 2022 by MarkC

[Zogging Hell]

20 hours ago, MarkC said:

Thanks for the link.

Do I need the Atari Language Disk...?

I was looking through the manual and says to insert the disk before turning on.

If so is this the correct thing.

 

 

You really don't need that, it has a couple of utilities to adjust some things on the desktop and a programming language, ST Basic, but the GEM desktop will load fine with a blank disk. ST Basic is completely dire, so the only thing of value on there is the simple control panel accessory... and there are better versions of that (though they do use more memory).

[oky2000]

Any game/application I have boots from it's own disk so yes as ZH says you don't need it unless you want to load something from that language disk specifically. Any disk will drop you into the GEM desktop, even a blank formatted disk.

 

The first time I got to check out an ST in person was the original model with no TOS in ROM in the shops and you had to load that in first then you could load other stuff. I did really like those isometric icons on the insert TOS disk alert box on the screens they left them stuck on in the shop

[MarkC]

It's been decades since I last had an ST....😉

Is there any problem starting up without a disk in, does it cause wear on the drive?

 

Have been trawling through my old games (a lot need a joystick, so that's another purchase), some say insert disk and start Atari, others you have to click on the A drive and run the program.

Edited November 5, 2022 by MarkC

[snarkdluG]

You don't have to have a disk in when you boot it. But it will take up to a minute for the desktop to show up. No harm will be inflicted on the drive. But there is not much to do with the computer after that. An empty disk will speed things up.

 

Most games should auto boot from disk. Programs most often need GEM to to be run first. So that needs to be started from the desktop.

 

There are also modern hard drive solutions that can be attached to your Atari. 

[MarkC]

Is there any way I can connect this Joystick to my ST....?

Is there such an adapter (15 pin).

 

Edited November 10, 2022 by MarkC

[oky2000]

Most PC joysticks are analogue, a few were digital to analogue so it's still communicating to the PC with analogue inputs. Unfortunately they work in a completely different way from what I remember.

[MarkC]

I assume you can get joysticks for the Atari, obviously used.

A couple of my games 'require' a joystick, Paperboy being one.

 

Edit: just seen the same joystick (put Atari ST connector) on eBay for £17.99 used.

Edited November 10, 2022 by MarkC

[+remowilliams]

There are even options for new Atari DB9 sticks such as:

 

https://www.amazon.com/Hyperkin-Trooper-Controller-not-machine-specific/dp/B07M5HYTZL

 

[oky2000]

My joystick of choice is the Euromax Zipstik, about as arcade quality in that handheld form factor you can get for me personally. Don't like the buttons on the Competition Pro. 

[Steril707]

I am usually an Amiga guy, but always had a soft spot for the STs and there specially the 520ST. Never owned one, though.

I'd love to keep that setup very compact though, so my question is how difficult would it be to have only the machine itself with some external storage solution (probably Gotek) connected to my BENQ BL702 (which works splendidly with my Amigas)? What kind of hardware and cables could accomplish this, and would this be a pain in the ass to get running that way?

[+DarkLord]

8 hours ago, Steril707 said:

I am usually an Amiga guy, but always had a soft spot for the STs and there specially the 520ST. Never owned one, though.

I'd love to keep that setup very compact though, so my question is how difficult would it be to have only the machine itself with some external storage solution (probably Gotek) connected to my BENQ BL702 (which works splendidly with my Amigas)? What kind of hardware and cables could accomplish this, and would this be a pain in the ass to get running that way?

 

If I were going for the low profile thing, I'd pick up an original 520ST. I'd add the following:

 

SD mass storage:

 

https://tinyurl.com/2543rpt2

 

That would get you going, but personally, I'd also add:

 

TT Touch - keyboard upgrade (if available)

 

TOS v1.4 (minimum; I love TOS v2.06 and up so I'd add a switcher)

 

A good memory upgrade - 1 meg at least, 4 preferable.

 

Lothareks' NETUSBee (super great way to transfer files with UIP Tool):

 

https://lotharek.pl/productdetail.php?id=46

 

Cordless/wireless mouse:

 

https://retrohax.net/shop/commodore/mouster/

 

Now, the above items would leave you in seriously good shape, with a

minimum of cables or desktop real estate involved.

 

Also, to call Atari BBS's <nudge,nudge><wink,wink> (it's the "retro" thing to do!),

a WiModem232:

 

https://www.cbmstuff.com/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=59?

 

HTH's. 

 

[oky2000]

I had the 520STM and external disk drive on a small desk back in early 1986, it was not that much bigger than a C64 considering it has a numeric keypad equipped proper keyboard, smaller than the Acorn and Commodore 128k offerings.

 

If you want to use even less desk space I suppose an original Mega ST with the TV/monitor on top. I have one I bought over a decade ago that somebody cut the case to fit a 1040STF disk drive so I could put a gotek in that but to be honest I have two old Win XP era PCs with internal disk drives I could write out new disk images anyway and it annoys me that asswipe butchered the case over 15 years ago when they could have bought an SF314 and used that without cutting the case.

[+DarkLord]

Hmm, not being disagreeable but I think an original 520ST would

still have a smaller footprint than a Mega ST with it's separate

keyboard.

 

Just a thought... 

 

[oky2000]

5 hours ago, DarkLord said:

Hmm, not being disagreeable but I think an original 520ST would

still have a smaller footprint than a Mega ST with it's separate

keyboard.

 

Just a thought... 

 

You can put the keyboard on top of the monitor when not in use  

 

You can't put the monitor on top of the 520ST/STFM though so you need desk space for monitor plus 520ST and external drive on the desk but the Mega ST is about the same size as the footprint of a monitor/14" TV etc and the drive is built in was my thinking. 

 

 

 

[+DarkLord]

A valid point - guess it's 6 of one and a 1/2 dozen of the other. 

 

[MarkC]

I got around desk space like this, Monitor stand for £25 Amazon.

 

[oky2000]

I only have CRT TVs and monitors