Imho, having used atari emulation many times on 1040st, and my cousin having it for music composition, it was the best computer of it's era, way beyond commodore, apple, pc, for creativity tasks
I had one of these and yes it wasnt as powerful as an Amiga but it was probably the best if its era. These also were not glorified games machines. I used to use mine for capturing and messing around with audio and video (Video ST and Mastersound). Also the ST running cubase software was THE midi sequencer of choice right up to the mid 90's, the majority of electronic dance music of the late 80's into mid 90's was done using an ST...and yes the games were fun too!
Its funny how the C64, Amiga, ST etc were pushed as games machines as well as business and Graphice etc but it took the humble ibm pc+windows to deliver a truly multifunctional bit of kit as lets be honest the C64, Amigas ST etc were nothing more than glorified games machines ....
@Jacksiin1 Fuck off mate, the PC Couldn't even multitask while Commodore considered it so old hat they didn't even bother advertising the amiga's ability to do so after the first couple of years.
@Jacksiin1 And at that point in time, the IBM PC (and clones) were garbage as games machines - something that was important at the time in the home. IMO, the ST and Amiga were both better all rounders. But if it was pure business use you were after (in an office for example) then without doubt you'd be better off with a PC or Mac.
@slugnbozo Haha PC or Mac Vs atari ST. No way. Unless you have to use it for weird industrial hardware with the ISA slots the PC offers precisely fuck all over an atari mega 4 + hd + Laser printer bundle. Hell, even PC laser printers alone cost more than that entire atari setup did, with both less fonts and lower resolution.
its not 520 ST. Its 520 STfm (fixed disk inbuild, modulator for TV (antenna)). Normal 520ST without Floppy looks better. Its a little bit smaler and Joyports are on right side like C64.
@michaelboett173Based solely on my experience using Atari ST emulators, the ST seemed like a fairly powerful PC! It seemed more powerful than Apple2gs, C64 & also, say....an SNES console of 5+yrs later. Also, Commodore/Amiga was even MORE powerful, then IBM, Atari or Apple! Don't understand "Why" they failed. Amiga made GREAT machines. As a musician, I remember in the mid 80's, the local music store had 1 with "sampling" based software. Really nice PC's. I STILL use Amiga (emulators).
@gjc82071 Amiga more powerful? OK the Amiga had a few chips to assist with graphics, and a stereo sound chip, but its processor was slower, its ram was slower, Its highest un-interlaced resolution was lower and had a slower refresh rate. Don't go on about HAM modes, because that was just pallet switching like Spectrum 512 on the ST.
@meowmmmmm IObviously you are more knowledgeable than I am with vintage PC's. My main point was, Commodore/Amiga made good machines! Why was it them who failed, & not say....Apple? I guess 4, totally separate PC/OS systems (IBM, Atari, Apple, Commodore/Amiga) was too many. Especially in what could be considered a still relatively "new" (compared with current PC sales) home PC market. Not enough $ales to go around? Hey, so were Acorn & Spectrum also "distinct/separate"? (like Apple vs IBM)
@meowmmmmm You still think HAM is pallet switching?
Pallet switching does not increase the number of on screen colours, it is a limited form of animation technique where on screen colours are changed on a frame by frame basis. HAM works by calculating pixel colour relative to the one immediately next to it, in one frame.
The amiga's highest non laced resolution was 1024x1024. Like your 640x400 mode it required a different monitor.
What good is 0.74 Mhz when you have nothing else? lol.
@meowmmmmm - as a fan of both machines I should point out the following:
The Atari St can be considered an Amiga without all the fancy custom hardware.
The Atari STe (1989) was Atari's attempt at playing catch up to the Amiga technology (1985), but its Blitter was not as powerful as the Amiga's, it had no copper chip, a smaller colour palette, lower resolutions and less flexible DMA sound. Nice machine though.
The Amiga was TECHNICALLY much more powerful than the ST/STe.
Blast from the past. I have a 520STE.
wisteela 5 days ago
Imho, having used atari emulation many times on 1040st, and my cousin having it for music composition, it was the best computer of it's era, way beyond commodore, apple, pc, for creativity tasks
mozzy76 1 week ago
"it weighs less then 300pd. Lol
ballplus12 2 weeks ago
Isn't that keyboard at 0:02 from Atari XL/800? Doesn't look like it's from ST.
KubaPSP 4 months ago
I had one of these and yes it wasnt as powerful as an Amiga but it was probably the best if its era. These also were not glorified games machines. I used to use mine for capturing and messing around with audio and video (Video ST and Mastersound). Also the ST running cubase software was THE midi sequencer of choice right up to the mid 90's, the majority of electronic dance music of the late 80's into mid 90's was done using an ST...and yes the games were fun too!
Electronicdays 7 months ago
THAT THING LOOKED FOOKIN FAST FOR ATARI DAMN SON
nyse STR8 UP NICCA
tonicunrest 9 months ago
an fantastic classic commercial god I love the old computers for collecting
maartenkoster 11 months ago
this add made me want one...
(I wont get one though)
Bradkalproductions 1 year ago
Its funny how the C64, Amiga, ST etc were pushed as games machines as well as business and Graphice etc but it took the humble ibm pc+windows to deliver a truly multifunctional bit of kit as lets be honest the C64, Amigas ST etc were nothing more than glorified games machines ....
Jacksiin1 1 year ago
@Jacksiin1 And you're saying PC's weren't used for games even to this day?
MrMaddog 1 year ago
@Jacksiin1 Fuck off mate, the PC Couldn't even multitask while Commodore considered it so old hat they didn't even bother advertising the amiga's ability to do so after the first couple of years.
richardmaudsley77 10 months ago
@Jacksiin1 And at that point in time, the IBM PC (and clones) were garbage as games machines - something that was important at the time in the home. IMO, the ST and Amiga were both better all rounders. But if it was pure business use you were after (in an office for example) then without doubt you'd be better off with a PC or Mac.
slugnbozo 5 months ago
@slugnbozo Haha PC or Mac Vs atari ST. No way. Unless you have to use it for weird industrial hardware with the ISA slots the PC offers precisely fuck all over an atari mega 4 + hd + Laser printer bundle. Hell, even PC laser printers alone cost more than that entire atari setup did, with both less fonts and lower resolution.
doritostheking 1 month ago
its not 520 ST. Its 520 STfm (fixed disk inbuild, modulator for TV (antenna)). Normal 520ST without Floppy looks better. Its a little bit smaler and Joyports are on right side like C64.
michaelboett173 1 year ago
@michaelboett173Based solely on my experience using Atari ST emulators, the ST seemed like a fairly powerful PC! It seemed more powerful than Apple2gs, C64 & also, say....an SNES console of 5+yrs later. Also, Commodore/Amiga was even MORE powerful, then IBM, Atari or Apple! Don't understand "Why" they failed. Amiga made GREAT machines. As a musician, I remember in the mid 80's, the local music store had 1 with "sampling" based software. Really nice PC's. I STILL use Amiga (emulators).
gjc82071 1 year ago
@gjc82071 Amiga more powerful? OK the Amiga had a few chips to assist with graphics, and a stereo sound chip, but its processor was slower, its ram was slower, Its highest un-interlaced resolution was lower and had a slower refresh rate. Don't go on about HAM modes, because that was just pallet switching like Spectrum 512 on the ST.
meowmmmmm 1 year ago
@meowmmmmm IObviously you are more knowledgeable than I am with vintage PC's. My main point was, Commodore/Amiga made good machines! Why was it them who failed, & not say....Apple? I guess 4, totally separate PC/OS systems (IBM, Atari, Apple, Commodore/Amiga) was too many. Especially in what could be considered a still relatively "new" (compared with current PC sales) home PC market. Not enough $ales to go around? Hey, so were Acorn & Spectrum also "distinct/separate"? (like Apple vs IBM)
gjc82071 1 year ago
@meowmmmmm You still think HAM is pallet switching?
Pallet switching does not increase the number of on screen colours, it is a limited form of animation technique where on screen colours are changed on a frame by frame basis. HAM works by calculating pixel colour relative to the one immediately next to it, in one frame.
The amiga's highest non laced resolution was 1024x1024. Like your 640x400 mode it required a different monitor.
What good is 0.74 Mhz when you have nothing else? lol.
richardmaudsley77 10 months ago
@meowmmmmm - as a fan of both machines I should point out the following:
The Atari St can be considered an Amiga without all the fancy custom hardware.
The Atari STe (1989) was Atari's attempt at playing catch up to the Amiga technology (1985), but its Blitter was not as powerful as the Amiga's, it had no copper chip, a smaller colour palette, lower resolutions and less flexible DMA sound. Nice machine though.
The Amiga was TECHNICALLY much more powerful than the ST/STe.
JasperAbraxxious 8 months ago
You could realize you need a Mac.
MrJJackYT 1 year ago
@MrJJackYT The atari ST series were so much better than macs, it's incredible. The OS was a bit uglier, but that was it.
richardmaudsley77 1 year ago
less than 300pounds..... but really, 1 less penny than 300.
vegunited06 2 years ago
I Love Atari ST
jawanowabe 2 years ago 2
My favorite game for my 520ST was 'Better Dead than Alien"
scottieray 2 years ago
I had it too. Space Harrier and Bomb Jack on games disk 2 if I remember rightly :)
wizk1 2 years ago 2
what was on disc 1? outrun and something, can't remember :-/
djslug1984 2 years ago
Actually, on 2nd thought, it was Bomb jack and Outrun on disk 2. Disc 1 had Space Harrier and Carrier Command lol
wizk1 2 years ago
He was playing Pop'n'Music ........
AzumiRM 2 years ago
this is much later ad, 89 or 90 I think...
kimosaaaabe 2 years ago
I had the discovery pack, it was mint
JonnyInfinite 3 years ago
Gosh I miss my Atari ST
ckunz70 3 years ago