MACHINE REFERENCE

Atari ST

Name: Atari ST
Brand: Atari Corporation

The Atari ST was Jack Tramiel’s 68000 computer, first sold in 1985 as the 520ST, with a built-in MIDI interface and the GEM desktop.

Why it matters

The ST gave a 16-bit 68000 and a graphical desktop to home users at $799, undercutting the Amiga 1000, and its built-in MIDI ports made it popular with musicians. The line ran from 1985 to 1993 through the 1040ST, Mega, STE, TT and Falcon. Over 3 million were sold in Europe alone.

What to check before you buy

Check the model; a 520ST, 1040STe and Mega ST differ in RAM, case and compatibility.
Test the floppy drive; belts and heads wear and the drive is the usual weak point.
Ask about a monitor. Mono monitors and colour monitors are not interchangeable.
Look for the MIDI ports, which are the reason many are bought.
Check that the TOS version suits the software you want to run.

Atari 520ST computer in the Helsinki Computer and Game Console Museum

Photo: MKFI, Wikimedia Commons (Public domain)

Released

1985

RAM

512 KB (520ST); up to 4 MB on later models

CPU

Motorola 68000, 8 MHz

Launch price

$799.99 with a monochrome monitor; $999.99 with a colour monitor (US)

Manufacturer

Atari Corporation

Form factor

Keyboard computer

CPU

Motorola 68000, 8 MHz

Chipset

ST Shifter, GLU, MMU and DMA chips, MC68901 MFP, WD1772 floppy controller and Yamaha YM2149 sound chip

RAM

512 KB (520ST); up to 4 MB on later models

ROM

TOS in ROM; the earliest 520STs loaded TOS from disk

Graphics

Low: 320 x 200 in 16 of 512 colours; medium: 640 x 200 in 4 colours; high: 640 x 400 monochrome

Audio

Yamaha YM2149 three-voice sound chip (STE added 8-bit stereo DMA sound)

Storage

3.5-inch floppy (360 KB single-sided or 720 KB double-sided); hard drives through the ACSI port

Ports

MIDI in and out, RS-232, Centronics parallel, monitor, two joystick and mouse ports, floppy, ACSI

Atari TOS with Digital Research’s GEM desktop

PSU

External power supply

Units sold

Over 3 million in Europe (reported)

Successors

1040ST (1986), Mega series, STE (1989), TT030 (1990), Mega STE (1991), Falcon030 (1992)

STE software conflicts

STE models have hardware differences that break some ST software which called the hardware directly instead of using the operating system.

1984 Jack Tramiel buys Atari's consumer division
1985 The ST is announced at the January Consumer Electronics Show and goes on sale in the spring
1986 The 1040ST and the Mega line follow
1989 The STE arrives
1993 The ST line is discontinued