Atari Computer Hardwares And Systems

The Atari ST line of computers is based on the 68000 processor family from Motorola.

Different models with different features have been produced by Atari:

130 ST, 260 ST, 520 ST

(Sixteen/Thirty-two)

The first line of ST computers released in 1985. These early ST models can be distinguished from later ones by their smaller case, which is a consequence of the external FloppyDrive and the external power unit. On these models, the TOS operating system has to be loaded from a floppy disk.

ST baseline specifications in a nutshell:

• Motorola 68000 running at 8MHz.
• RAM memory storage of 128kB, 256kB or 512kB (depending on model).
• External 128k cartidge port.
• External FloppyDrive port.
• Built-in MIDI?, dual joystick, ACSI?, serial and parallel ports.
• Yamaha 3-voice Frequency Modulation sound generator.
• Integrated VideoController generating 3 VideoModes?: 320x200x16 and 640x200x4 from 512 colors, plus a 640x400x2 black & white mode which requires a specific monochrome monitor.

See Also

520 STf, 1040 STf

(Sixteen/Thirty-two with Floppy)

This is the most well known model, with the power unit and FloppyDrive integrated in the case. A lower cased 'f' has been added near the ST label of the computer case to distinguish this second model. The TOS resides now in a ROM chip. Early versions had only a single sided FloppyDrive.

STf specifications in a nutshell:

• Includes ST baseline specifications.
• + RAM memory storage of 512kB or 1MB (depending on model).
• + Built-in double density FloppyDrive (single sided or double sided, depending on model).
• + Integrated TOS operating system in a ROM chip.

Mega ST 2/4

The Mega ST series was released in 1987. The general outlook is a more professional, with the desktop base unit and the external keyboard.

Mega ST specifications in a nutshell:

• Includes STf specifications.
• + RAM memory storage of 2MB or 4MB (depending on model).
• + BLiTTER chip (faster graphics)
• + Internal expansion bus, and a 68881 coprocessor slot.

STacy

Released in 1989, the STacy is the portable version of the Atari ST. Its (quite big) folded case is typical, with its more or less 6kg weight. It includes a 9 inches monitor and a track ball.

STacy specifications in a nutshell:

• Includes Mega ST specifications.
• + Integrated 9 inches monochrome LCD monitor.
• + Integrated track ball.
• + Optional internal hard drive (20MB or 40MB, depending on model).

520 STe, 1040 STe

(Sixteen/Thirty-two Enhanced)

Released in 1990, this model looks like an STf, but an 'e' replaces the 'f' on the case label. Audio and video enhancements have been added. RAM can be upgraded up to 4MB with SIMM supports.

STe specifications in a nutshell:

• Includes STf specifications.
• + Extensible RAM memory storage up to 4MB.
• + BLiTTER chip (faster graphics).
• + Enhanced VideoController with extended color palette supporting up to 4096 colors.
• + Support for horizontal and vertical fine scrolling.
• + Video GENLOCK capability.
• + Stereo 8-bit DMA sound.
• + Two extra joystick ports.

Mega STe

Released in 1990, it looks like but has a bigger case than the Mega ST. This allows an optional internal hard drive. The 68000 processor has been accelerated, along with a RAM cache, and a VME expansion port.

Mega STe specifications in a nutshell:

• Includes STe specifications.
• + Motorola 68000 running at 16MHz with a 16kB instruction cache.
• + Internal VME expansion bus.
• + 68881 coprocessor slot.
• + 3 serial ports.
• + Localtalk compatible netwirking port.
• + Optional internal hard drive.

TT030?

(Thirty-Two)

Released in 1990, the TT 030 looks like a Mega STe because of the same case, but it is a completly new hardware compared to the ST line computers. It includes a fast 68030 processor, with FastRam reserved for CPU, several serial ports, new video resolutions.

TT030? specifications in a nutshell:

• Includes Mega STe specifications.
• + Motorola 68030 running at 32MHz with a dual 256bytes cache.
• + Integrated 68882 math coprocessor.
• + Up to 32MB RAM (up to 12MB ST-RAM and up to 256 MB TT-RAM on a later daughter board).
• + 4 serial ports.
• + Internal/External SCSI-1 bus.
• + Enchanced VideoController with extra VideoModes? 320x480x256, 640x480x16 out of 4086 colors and 1280x960x2 monochrome.
• - No BLiTTER chip.

Caveats

See Also

ST Book

Released in 1992, the ST Book is a lightweight (2 kg) portable ST computer designed to replace the STacy. The ST Book has a small footprint (A4) for the time it was released, which is closer from portable PC size standards. The machine has no internal FloppyDrive and thus data is transfered over a serial cable, using a built-in ST Book transfer software.

ST Book specifications in a nutshell:

• Includes STacy specifications.
• + Mouse vector pad and integrated numeric keypad.
• + Built-in Hard Drive (40MB or 65MB, depending on model).
• + Processor expansion slot.
• + Optional external FloppyDrive

Falcon030?

Released in 1992, the Falcon 030 is an enhanced STe with a 68030, a DSP, new audio and VideoController, internal IDE hard disk and external SCSI bus.

Falcon030? specifications in a nutshell:

• Motorola 68030 running at 16MHz with a dual 256bytes cache.
• Standard configurations with 1, 4 or 14MB RAM.
• VideoModes? from 320x200 to 768x480 with 16-bit mode (hi-color) or palette from 2 to 256 colors out of 262144.
• BLiTTER chip for faster graphics.
• GENLOCK-ready design (though the video signal has to be strengthened to be usable)
• External SCSI-1 bus (with a confusing mini sub 50 connector said to be "SCSI-2 connector").

Caveats

See Also

Atari Clone Computers

Some Atari clones have also been produced, which have new motherboard, new CPU, ISA and PCI sockets, tower case.

Medusa T40

Released in 1994 by Medusa Systems (Swizerland), the Medusa T40 is a TT030? clone. It is an enhanced TT shipping a 68040.

• Motorola 68040 running at 32MHz with a dual 4kB cache.
• 8MB TT-RAM on board, extensible up to 128MB.
• Internal ISA expansion slot with 16-bits bus (shipped with ET4000 graphic card).
• Internal IDE hard drive.
• Yamaha 3-voice Frequency Modulation sound generator.

Eagle

Released in 1995 by the German company GE-Soft, the Eagle is a TT030? clone. The Eagle is a sort of full speed TT030, in which everything runs at 32MHz.

Eagle specifications in a nutshell:

• Includes TT030? specifications.
• + 32MHz main bus and RAM.
• + Up to 14MB of ST-RAM and up to 256MB of TT-RAM.
• + Internal VME expansion bus with 8 available slots.
• + PC video board on VME bus (SuperNova, Matrix and ET4000 cards were available)

Hades 040/060

Released in 1996 by Medusa Systems, the Hades computer is an enhanced TT shipping a 68040 or a 68060. The 060 version was released later in 1997.

• Motorola 68060 running at 60MHz with a dual 8kB cache (or 68040 running at 32MHz with a dual 4kB cache, depending on model).
• EDO memory slots for up to 1GB RAM on board.
• PCI bus rev 2.00 with 4 PCI slots for extension boards (Star Track DSP board, NE2000 ethernet board, SCSI board, among others).
• Shipped with an ATI Rage Pro 8MB PCI board.
• 2 ISA slots and 1 VME slot on board.
• Internal EIDE hard drive.
• Integrated TT compatible SCSI-1 bus.

Milan 040/060

An ST clone released in 1998 (Milan 060, also called Milan II was released in 2001). It is built on an Intel chipset providing PCI bus and shipping a 68040 or a 68060.

• Motorola 68060 running at 50MHz (up to 60MHz) with a dual 8kB cache (or 68040 running at 25MHz with a dual 4kB cache, depending on model).
• 4 EDO slots for up to 512MB RAM (SD-RAM slots with Milan 060).
• 4 PCI slots and 3 ISA slots.
• Internal IDE hard drive.

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