Clarification please?

[Kalwren]

Hi folks!

 

I'm looking around Ebay, as I want to buy an Atari 1040 ST. But after looking at a 4MB RAM upgrade kit, it's saying that it will only work with the 520/1040ST and NOT the FM series.

 

I don't know what the difference is between the 1040ST and the 1040STFM.

 

Can someone clarify this for me please? Or point me in a direction with an article about it?

 

Thanks in advance, I appreciate the help.

[Rybags]

The FM has both modulator and floppy drive built in, as well as an internal power supply.

 

It's fair to assume that the motherboard would be quite different to the initial STs.

 

If you're looking to buy, at the very least go for an STe.

 

Extra features include 4096 colours instead of 512, fine-scrolling and graphics blitter and a better version of TOS. Plus, better sound capabilities than the joke YM "synthesizer".

 

They also (not 100% on this) use the old 30-pin SIMM slots, so upgrading to 4 Meg is cheap and easy.

Edited November 22, 2005 by Rybags

[Womble76]

Yeh - only the STE series had sim slots on the motherboard making upgrading easier. The upgrade kits are just 4x1Mb 30 pin SIMMs so you can only install these into an STE. They wont work with the 520ST or 1040STs tho despite what the seller says. I assume you mean this

 

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/4Mb-memory-upgrade-f...1QQcmdZViewItem

 

Earlier models ST/STM/STF/STFM had their ram soldered onto the board, they were upgradable but you had to resort to hand soldering the upgrades on, or using special circuitry that piggybacked onto some of the chips inside. Basically its a messy process and you will really struggle to find these 3rd party upgrade kits these days. If you really need 4Mb then the STE is the way to go - I have bought a few and they often are already at 4Mb anyway, its not easy to tell from GEM what you have installed so a lot of sellers just dont know, they assume a 1040 is only a 1Mb machine even tho its been upgraded for years. If you only think you need 4Mb then you probably dont - it wont run any games any better and some just dont like anything above 1Mb (thats a rare fault tho). 4Mb is nice to have but its only really of use if you are going to be doing high res DTP or sample editing - and who is going to us an ST for that these days. If you only want it for games then a 1040 anything will be fine, tho with an STE you get stereo sound output, more colours and hardware scrolling - tho few games actually make use of these features.

[Rybags]

So, this bloke on EBay wants 7 quid "Buy it now" for 4x1 meg SIMMs.

 

I only have about 50 of them in my cupboard.

[Womble76]

I agree its high but if you want a set theres not many other avenues to use to get them. The market for them isnt what it was a few years ago - anyone into ST machines upgraded their E series years ago.

 

re motherboards being different - oooh yeh. I can take an STFM/STE apart in my sleep but I got my 1st 520 ST last night, its just weird inside - everything looks familiar but alien at the same time. Obviously they are electrically almost identical to the FMs but layout wise they are very different.

Edited November 22, 2005 by Womble76

[Gunstar]

Yeh - only the STE series had sim slots on the motherboard making upgrading easier. The upgrade kits are just 4x1Mb 30 pin SIMMs so you can only install these into an STE. They wont work with the 520ST or 1040STs tho despite what the seller says. I assume you mean this

 

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/4Mb-memory-upgrade-f...1QQcmdZViewItem

 

Earlier models ST/STM/STF/STFM had their ram soldered onto the board, they were upgradable but you had to resort to hand soldering the upgrades on, or using special circuitry that piggybacked onto some of the chips inside. Basically its a messy process and you will really struggle to find these 3rd party upgrade kits these days. If you really need 4Mb then the STE is the way to go - I have bought a few and they often are already at 4Mb anyway, its not easy to tell from GEM what you have installed so a lot of sellers just dont know, they assume a 1040 is only a 1Mb machine even tho its been upgraded for years. If you only think you need 4Mb then you probably dont - it wont run any games any better and some just dont like anything above 1Mb (thats a rare fault tho). 4Mb is nice to have but its only really of use if you are going to be doing high res DTP or sample editing - and who is going to us an ST for that these days. If you only want it for games then a 1040 anything will be fine, tho with an STE you get stereo sound output, more colours and hardware scrolling - tho few games actually make use of these features.

969802[/snapback]

 

Actually it is possible to use these simms in regular ST's, it's just not plug and play, you have to do just as much work with wiring and soldering as any other chip upgrade that was made available for the ST's by third parties. I'm upgrading my STFM to 2.5 megabytes right now using extra 30 pin simms I have on hand.