grant74 Posted August 27, 2011 Share Posted August 27, 2011 Hi guys - hope all fellow Atarians are doing ok and enjoying whats left of summer time! - Just a quick one - I accidentally stumbled across some interesting pics on the net the other day (dont worry - just Atari!) - so here is a link for you guys - see what ya think - its only a mock-up, but hey, if one of us wins the euro lottery and buys Atari............ I know, I know - its a nice dream though! http://pichaus.com/atari-st-computer-concept-@1eec8d6be466eb2d7969d848cbb7bc6d/ comments welcome please guys! Cheers all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
svenski Posted August 27, 2011 Share Posted August 27, 2011 Amazing pics, I'd buy one Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldSchoolRetroGamer Posted August 27, 2011 Share Posted August 27, 2011 (edited) Damn that is beautiful! My god if only. What would be perfect is a true and real modern implementation of the ST hardware fully compatible, fully maxed out with modern connections (SATA/USB 3.0 etc) with the entire ST library of games and apps available BUILT IN. This combined with THAT case design, hell I would buy that! Certainly better than the "new" Commodore machines that are nothing but PC's with Commodore badge. Hey, you started the dream so I can add to it! Edited August 27, 2011 by OldSchoolRetroGamer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+rdemming Posted August 27, 2011 Share Posted August 27, 2011 It looks cool but I fail to see what it has to do with an Atari ST. It is not ST compatible and it does not look like an ST apart from being a "computer with integrated keyboard" design. Instead of the Atari ST label, it could have an Amiga 500 or Archimedes 3000 label. Robert Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oky2000 Posted August 27, 2011 Share Posted August 27, 2011 Damn that is beautiful! My god if only. What would be perfect is a true and real modern implementation of the ST hardware fully compatible, fully maxed out with modern connections (SATA/USB 3.0 etc) with the entire ST library of games and apps available BUILT IN. This combined with THAT case design, hell I would buy that! Certainly better than the "new" Commodore machines that are nothing but PC's with Commodore badge. Hey, you started the dream so I can add to it! That may be so for the crappy C64x yes sure but the 256 colour C64 DTV motherboard + keyboard + SD card adapter + Retrogenius ultimate C64 DVD = your ST wish to be fair I could build these but how much would people pay me for my time? White would look better IMO though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
atarian63 Posted August 28, 2011 Share Posted August 28, 2011 I would buy one, looks way better than that pc in a commodore crap. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
atarian1 Posted August 28, 2011 Share Posted August 28, 2011 Use this case for the Firebee! I would rather have the back not slope down like the Amiga. That aspect makes it too much like the Amiga. Besides, I think you have fit a power supply in the back too if it was raised like the original 520ST. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grant74 Posted August 28, 2011 Author Share Posted August 28, 2011 I'd love one myself - White or black would be cool - think I'd go with black with blue backlighting though. Would be good if it was backwards ST compatible though - it'd have to have TOS as at least a secondary OS (is that even possible!) - hate to think of it as just another Bill Gates special! - then again, maybe that could be a way for Atari to fight its way back to the front of the mainstream and reign supreme again! Nothing wrong with a bit of fantasy eh! I def think that if somebody has got the technical know how they should at least build a few of these so-called "ST-2"'s and maybe auction them off - for charity maybe? Get Atariage put permanently on the map! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+pboland Posted August 28, 2011 Share Posted August 28, 2011 Just need a wireless mouse and built in midi with high end sound support (meaning low latency sound and multiple ins and outs). It would be a musicians dream machine. I only say that because atari made its name in the 16 bit computer area (at least in the States) with musicians. Heck, I used an 1040STe for midi production myself. On a side note, How hard would it be to make a custom OS based on Linux and make it backwards compatible with TOS? Just a thought. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frogstar_robot Posted August 29, 2011 Share Posted August 29, 2011 Just need a wireless mouse and built in midi with high end sound support (meaning low latency sound and multiple ins and outs). It would be a musicians dream machine. I only say that because atari made its name in the 16 bit computer area (at least in the States) with musicians. Heck, I used an 1040STe for midi production myself. On a side note, How hard would it be to make a custom OS based on Linux and make it backwards compatible with TOS? Just a thought. This essentially exists but YMMV: http://aranym.org/features.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tickled_Pink Posted August 30, 2011 Share Posted August 30, 2011 (edited) I miss the time when computers were 'simple'. Priced right, something like this could resurrect the 'home' computer. This would have to be backward compatible with the original ST but with severely beefed up video/audio specs. To keep up with the crowd the ST support may well have be emulated, not just to allow for faster processing and general gaming but also to reduce the cost. Unfortunately it would be pointless basing it on the old Motorola architecture or its derivatives. If you don't want to make it another intel, there's always the PowerPC route. Then again, if you really aren't interested in processing power as such, there's the option of basing such a machine on ARM. Would be fast enough for some half decent 3D and still be powerful enough for onboard ST emulation. Me? I love the look of the mockup. Never owned an Amiga so it looks fine to me. Edit: NVIDIA are developing CPUs with ARM instruction set and built-in GPUs at the minute. Edited August 30, 2011 by Tickled_Pink Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oky2000 Posted August 30, 2011 Share Posted August 30, 2011 I miss the time when each new machine was REVOLUTIONARY (eg PET-C64-A1000-3DO) PowerPC architecture has peeked with IBM designed triple core Xenon CPU (XBOX 360 CPU). A fine start but no Atari or Commodore next gen designer bothered to pick up the phone and call IBM! It's pathetic when a $75 complete motherboard could power a machine capable of the latest games and can have an Atari/C= fast efficient OS converted to run on it. Makes you sick looking at M$ Windows & OS X kludges chugging away like fat kids doing 10k marathons. Do not want! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mckafka99 Posted August 30, 2011 Share Posted August 30, 2011 Judging by the pictures, looks like the intent would be to call it the Atari ST(Squared). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+pboland Posted August 31, 2011 Share Posted August 31, 2011 Unfortunately it would be pointless basing it on the old Motorola architecture or its derivatives. If you don't want to make it another intel, there's always the PowerPC route. Then again, if you really aren't interested in processing power as such, there's the option of basing such a machine on ARM. Would be fast enough for some half decent 3D and still be powerful enough for onboard ST emulation. You might have something. In another topic someone posted this link: An ARM Linux box for $25 It might be perfect for a home computer with the Atari name on it. Power without the price. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shredder11 Posted August 31, 2011 Share Posted August 31, 2011 Just need a wireless mouse and built in midi with high end sound support (meaning low latency sound and multiple ins and outs). It would be a musicians dream machine. I only say that because atari made its name in the 16 bit computer area (at least in the States) with musicians. Heck, I used an 1040STe for midi production myself. On a side note, How hard would it be to make a custom OS based on Linux and make it backwards compatible with TOS? Just a thought. Ahh you mean the new FireBee... Official FireBee Website Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+pboland Posted August 31, 2011 Share Posted August 31, 2011 Just need a wireless mouse and built in midi with high end sound support (meaning low latency sound and multiple ins and outs). It would be a musicians dream machine. I only say that because atari made its name in the 16 bit computer area (at least in the States) with musicians. Heck, I used an 1040STe for midi production myself. On a side note, How hard would it be to make a custom OS based on Linux and make it backwards compatible with TOS? Just a thought. Ahh you mean the new FireBee... Official FireBee Website Not at $860 (599 Euros)! I think $25 sounds better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tickled_Pink Posted August 31, 2011 Share Posted August 31, 2011 Just need a wireless mouse and built in midi with high end sound support (meaning low latency sound and multiple ins and outs). It would be a musicians dream machine. I only say that because atari made its name in the 16 bit computer area (at least in the States) with musicians. Heck, I used an 1040STe for midi production myself. On a side note, How hard would it be to make a custom OS based on Linux and make it backwards compatible with TOS? Just a thought. Ahh you mean the new FireBee... Official FireBee Website Not at $860 (599 Euros)! I think $25 sounds better. I agree. Unfortunately projects such as Firebee, worthy though they are, are never going to be mass market. I looked deeper into NVIDIA's association with ARM and the stuff I read says that NVIDIA think that ARM processors are going to supercede Intel's x86 architecture. A version of Windows 7 has already been written to work with ARM. Personally, if another Atari computer was to be launched, I'd prefer it to stick to the lines of GEM simply because of ease of use. There's many people out there who struggle to get to grips with Windows, think Linux is rocket science, and who can't see the point in spending a fortune on a Mac just to check out facebook, so there is a niche market in there that could be tapped. Build a system at a similar price to an Xbox with similar capabilities and you have a market. Simple as that. Certainly, Linux could be used as a base for the new OS - just look at Android. But it would have to be a closed system. A problem with Windows, Android and Linux is that they have to cater for a wide variety of configurations and that adds to the complexity of options available to the user, Building an OS for a single system configuration and having the OS built-in without charging the user for it, with free online updates, would be a big selling point. I still baulk at the idea of having to pay for an OS. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+pboland Posted September 1, 2011 Share Posted September 1, 2011 Just need a wireless mouse and built in midi with high end sound support (meaning low latency sound and multiple ins and outs). It would be a musicians dream machine. I only say that because atari made its name in the 16 bit computer area (at least in the States) with musicians. Heck, I used an 1040STe for midi production myself. On a side note, How hard would it be to make a custom OS based on Linux and make it backwards compatible with TOS? Just a thought. Ahh you mean the new FireBee... Official FireBee Website Not at $860 (599 Euros)! I think $25 sounds better. I agree. Unfortunately projects such as Firebee, worthy though they are, are never going to be mass market. I looked deeper into NVIDIA's association with ARM and the stuff I read says that NVIDIA think that ARM processors are going to supercede Intel's x86 architecture. A version of Windows 7 has already been written to work with ARM. Personally, if another Atari computer was to be launched, I'd prefer it to stick to the lines of GEM simply because of ease of use. There's many people out there who struggle to get to grips with Windows, think Linux is rocket science, and who can't see the point in spending a fortune on a Mac just to check out facebook, so there is a niche market in there that could be tapped. Build a system at a similar price to an Xbox with similar capabilities and you have a market. Simple as that. Certainly, Linux could be used as a base for the new OS - just look at Android. But it would have to be a closed system. A problem with Windows, Android and Linux is that they have to cater for a wide variety of configurations and that adds to the complexity of options available to the user, Building an OS for a single system configuration and having the OS built-in without charging the user for it, with free online updates, would be a big selling point. I still baulk at the idea of having to pay for an OS. I couldn't agree more. Just think of the idea of a true home computer. If you could get the price point around $150.00 for a complete home computer, I think you'd have something. Think about it, those vtech toy computers sell for as much as $100. What's another $50 for something that can go on the web and send email. Just a thought. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nathanallan Posted September 1, 2011 Share Posted September 1, 2011 Tickled and pboland you are both very right as far as I am concerned. Excellent comparison to the Vtech game systems. :thumbsup: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+wood_jl Posted September 1, 2011 Share Posted September 1, 2011 This will probably happen, sooner or later. As soon as "the cloud" becomes more popular, I wouldn't be surprised to see companies like Google release such a device - made in China, of course - for cheap, locked in to their services. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spurge Posted September 1, 2011 Share Posted September 1, 2011 I love the look of it and would buy one also if it were real. It would fail though if were just a pc inside an ST looking case. It needs to be unique and I would go as far as saying it'd need it's own OS. What happened to BeOS ? That was an awesome OS and could be used. Minuet OS, a 64bit 100% assembler written OS, could you imagine the speed and efficiency of this OS. I do agree with what someone mentioned earlier, that there just might be a niche market out there looking for a simple to use computer that just works well, is fast and isn't too expensive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tickled_Pink Posted September 1, 2011 Share Posted September 1, 2011 (edited) Another point of encouragement as well is the success of the, quite frankly underpowered, netbooks. It's always surprised me how popular they became. We recently bought one and despite having a dual-core AMD processor, it's a dog under the pre-installed Windows 7. Imagine if a system like BeOS was developed in assembler from the ground up. Even on a slower and cheaper CPU it would fly, compared to 'more powerful' systems running the bloat that is Windows (and Linux to some extent these days). BTW: BeOS is now Haiku - an Open Source OS. http://haiku-os.org/ Edited September 1, 2011 by Tickled_Pink Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tickled_Pink Posted September 1, 2011 Share Posted September 1, 2011 Oops. Looks like the ARM processor being developed by NVIDIA I mentioned earlier is actually the Tegra 2. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+pboland Posted September 1, 2011 Share Posted September 1, 2011 (edited) Here's another possible one board computer for an Atari (power without the price) type home computer. It's called the BeagleBoard-xM: A little steep on the price ($149.00 from DigiKey) compared to the Raspberry Pi but, it is an option. Edited September 1, 2011 by pboland Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tickled_Pink Posted September 1, 2011 Share Posted September 1, 2011 Just seen the description of the layout. As soon as I spotted that it had a DSP I knew it was using one of the TI devices I had been looking at a couple of hours earlier. TI do a more powerful device that's a full third faster at 3,000 MIPS, with or without an integrated PowerVR core. It's cool that the BeagleBoard is an open architecture. The cost would come down with serious mass manufacturing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Like us on Facebook
Follow us on Twitter
AtariAge on Instagram
Watch us on YouTube
Chat on Discord
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.