Is the STE worth it?

[adolobe]

Im looking for some advice.

 

I currently have a Mega ST with 4mb of ram and a few 1040 STF's.

 

Im aware some of the STE wont work with my ultrasatan or satandisk but what about the HxC?

 

So its the STE worth the upgrade?

[Tenorman]

I don't think that the HxC would be an issue because the problem with some of the STEs is the DMA chip which would affect ACSI devices but not floppy drives.

 

If you already have a Mega ST, I don't think I would bother. You've already got a blitter so all you would be gaining would be the improved sound, and there isn't really a whole lot that takes advantage of that.

[GadgetUK]

I've got an STFM with Blitter and 4Mb, my STe with 4Mb is ready to go in the loft

 

If you didn't have an ST it makes sense to get an STe due to SIMMS, blitter and DMA audio, but except for a few STe only games and demos I prefer to stick with the STFM.

[GadgetUK]

And as mentioned above, HxC works on any STe, its just the DMA chip in earlier STe's that corrupts HDD's when writting - see Lothareks site, there's a link to 'disclaimer by Jookie' which details the problem and probably mentions the dodgy DMA chip part number.

Edited April 10, 2013 by GadgetUK

[ParanoidLittleMan]

Bad DMA chip can be replaced - yes, it costs some money and effort, but chances to get such STE aren't big.

Basically it depends from how much it will cost, and how much you will use enhanced features - the benefit/cost ratio

[abraXXious]

I lucked out twice - two STes, both have the dud DMA.

 

Oh well.

 

Hey GadgetUK, why do you prefer the STFM over the STe? I thought the STe was just an STFM with some extra goodies? In what way is the STFM better than the STe? Or is it more compatible?

[+DarkLord]

I prefer the STe over the ST myself. Too many advantages to ignore.

[adolobe]

Thanks everyone for the suggestions, but i bit the bullet and bought a Mega STE. It was just to good of a deal at $200 in my eye's

[GadgetUK]

ooOO! Where did you get that, that is a good deal for Mega STe!

[GadgetUK]

STFM tends to be more compatible with originals etc. Most games have been fixed for STe anyway but I was one of those people back in the day that disliked the STe as it brought nothing to the table appart from DMA sound, DMA HDD corruptions in the initial release, and there are no games for STe only that I am bothered about. If I was really going to use an STe it would be a mega STe for the additional clock speed.

 

Edit: should also say theres a sentimental aspect, I had an STFM back in the day, plus ive added HxC to the STFM, added 4Mb and Blitter, and RAM switch, upgraded TOS, so I kinda want to put it to use

Edited April 11, 2013 by GadgetUK

[+poobah]

Thanks everyone for the suggestions, but i bit the bullet and bought a Mega STE. It was just to good of a deal at $200 in my eye's

That's a great price for a MSTe!

 

The MSTe is my favorite ST machine, followed closely by the MegaST (especially with an accelerator)

[adolobe]

ooOO! Where did you get that, that is a good deal for Mega STe!

 

Amibay, its yellowed so it will need some Retr0brite when it gets here. You can see where the monitor use to sit on top. lol

Edited April 11, 2013 by adolobe

[Charlie_]

Amibay, its yellowed so it will need some Retr0brite when it gets here. You can see where the monitor use to sit on top. lol

 

That is still a great price. Does it have an internal HDD (or at least the acsi card) and a good working Keyboard?

 

Believe it or not, I paid $800 for my 1st MSTE from Best electronics. It is in like new condition and the keyboard was new old stock.

I was told it had been in use in the Atari offices that Best acquired. Still, a crazy price.

 

My second I picked up by contacting a seller on ebay after the auction finished with no bids. I didn't want the included monitor (hi-res one)

So I got it for $300 shipped. Needed the keyboard mylar replaced, and the case has some minor damage but it is a good working MSTE.

The mobo in this one is nice because the simm slots have metal hold-downs. Not the easy to break plastic ones.

 

Best of luck with yours, post pictures when you get it!

[adolobe]

 

 

That is still a great price. Does it have an internal HDD (or at least the acsi card) and a good working Keyboard?

 

Believe it or not, I paid $800 for my 1st MSTE from Best electronics. It is in like new condition and the keyboard was new old stock.

I was told it had been in use in the Atari offices that Best acquired. Still, a crazy price.

 

My second I picked up by contacting a seller on ebay after the auction finished with no bids. I didn't want the included monitor (hi-res one)

So I got it for $300 shipped. Needed the keyboard mylar replaced, and the case has some minor damage but it is a good working MSTE.

The mobo in this one is nice because the simm slots have metal hold-downs. Not the easy to break plastic ones.

 

Best of luck with yours, post pictures when you get it!

 

It does come with keyboard and mouse though they are heavily yellowed, but I'll probably end up getting a new keyboard from Brad vs the tideous process for trying to Retr0brite the keys one by one. Plus I much prefer the Alfadata mouse over the stock Atari ones.

 

This one does include a 40meg internal HD that is in working order. But I will pull it once it gets here and replace with an Internal UltraSatan if this one doesnt have the dodge DMA chip. It was originally going into my Mega ST, and it still might depending on the DMA.

 

I had considered ordering a new one from Best and Brad quoted me $795, I know his stuff is good as previsouly I purchased a New 1040STM and Mega ST form him and both look awesom. But at $200 for a yellowed Mega STE I just couldnt pass it up.

 

Worse case senario if Retr0brite doenst restore it to my satisfaction I can always resell it and put towards a new Mega STE or just keep my Mega ST4

[+wood_jl]

This one does include a 40meg internal HD that is in working order. But I will pull it once it gets here and replace with an Internal UltraSatan if this one doesnt have the dodge DMA chip. It was originally going into my Mega ST, and it still might depending on the DMA.

 

I thought it's only the STe and not the Mega STe that possibly had the bad DMA chips. But now you have me wondering.

[Charlie_]

It does come with keyboard and mouse though they are heavily yellowed, but I'll probably end up getting a new keyboard from Brad vs the tideous process for trying to Retr0brite the keys one by one. Plus I much prefer the Alfadata mouse over the stock Atari ones.

 

This one does include a 40meg internal HD that is in working order. But I will pull it once it gets here and replace with an Internal UltraSatan if this one doesnt have the dodge DMA chip. It was originally going into my Mega ST, and it still might depending on the DMA.

 

I had considered ordering a new one from Best and Brad quoted me $795, I know his stuff is good as previsouly I purchased a New 1040STM and Mega ST form him and both look awesom. But at $200 for a yellowed Mega STE I just couldnt pass it up.

 

Worse case senario if Retr0brite doenst restore it to my satisfaction I can always resell it and put towards a new Mega STE or just keep my Mega ST4

 

I don't like the Atari mice much either. I use a couple I purchased from Amiman here in the forums. They move the cursor faster and work better for Arkanoid.

 

I forget what Best told me about the price of a new KB. It was very high though....

[Charlie_]

I thought it's only the STe and not the Mega STe that possibly had the bad DMA chips. But now you have me wondering.

 

http://joo.kie.sk/ultrasatan/steproblem/

[+wood_jl]

Darklord! Where are you?

 

About this bad DMA chip in Mega STe. I'm particularly curious how this worked out. Because STe (not Mega STe) all shipped without hard drives, they bad DMA chips were obviously peddled to unsuspecting owners, many of whom never tried a hard drive, thus never had an issue, and never knew.

 

But many (most???) Mega STes shipped with hard drives, did they not?

 

Wouldn't that result in a few Mega STe-only possibilities:

 

(1) Atari sold machines with hard drives installed and bad DMA chips which would scramble the hard drives right out of the box.

(a) These machines would have likely been repaired under warranty, as no new owner could use it

 

(2) Machines with the bad DMA chips worked ok with real hard drives but only scramble the images using UltraSatan (hence it's news on Jookies page)

 

(3) Atari only shipped bad DMA chips in Mega STes that did NOT ship with hard drives, unsuspecting owners only knew if they tried (1) a hard drive or (2) an Ultrasatan or (3) either.

 

The point is: How could they sell a Mega STe with a hard drive that would scramble the disk brand new right out of the box?

Edited April 11, 2013 by wood_jl

[+DarkLord]

In bed asleep - I worked 12.5 hours last night.

 

I've got a Mega STe, and it works fine. I'm undecided about the Mega STe having a bad DMA chip.

 

I followed that link, but when you read it carefully, Jookie doesn't actually say that the Mega STe

has the bad DMA chip. It reads like he's reporting a rumor to me.

 

If anyone out there *actually* had a Mega STe with a known bad DMA chip, it would be nice if

they reported it (with pictures would be cool too).

 

By far, the majority of reports I've seen is that a very limited number of STe's had this chip.

 

That's just what I've read, seen and heard. Everyone's mileage may vary of course....

[GadgetUK]

Yes, and just to clarify, the bad DMA affects all hard drives, not just USatan.

[atarian1]

From memory, it was only the 1040STe that had the potential bad DMA chip. The 1040STe was the first STe model released and people reported the problem right when it was released. Atari never officially acknowledged it (cheapskate Tramiel bastards!) so it was quietly fixed and swept under the rug. Atari was still getting rid of the last 520STFMs when the 1040STe was released. After 520STFM supplies ran out, they released the 520STe. By the time the 520STe came out, and then the MegaSTe, the DMA chip problem was a distant memory. Moral of the story: To avoid the bad DMA issue, buy a 520STe or MegaSTe. When they were released, the bad DMA chip issue was fixed.

[ParanoidLittleMan]

I never heard about bad DMA in Mega STE. And in Mega STE DMA chip is PLCC (smaller, square shaped), not DIL (dual in line) - at least in mine.

[+wood_jl]

Thank you thank you guys, for the info - about Mega STe and STe DMA chip. Sort of thought what you guys were saying, but of course I know very little about this stuff.

[simonsunnyboy]

On STE advantages, if you are into demos and modern scene stuffs, many fantastic demoscene releases of the last years have been made for 4MB STEs and take advantage of them. However I agree with others if it goes for old existing games, in that case a 1040STFM is likel the most compatible bet with few gains on the STE side.

[+poobah]

The way I read Jookie's site, it's all anecdotal based on the few machines he has seen, and in particular he notes that he hasn't had a problem with MSTe systems.

I've never heard of a bad DMA in an MSTe before.