Original model (no floppy) ST upgrade options?

[LoTonah]

Hi everyone,

 

I've had a 1040STM for years, (and a 520STFM). Have a friend who is going to give me an original 520ST, but I would like to know what options I have for it. Probably few, because it was quickly replaced by the models with the drives built in.

 

I don't even know if it has TOS in ROM...is that still available? If so, how high can I go?

 

Curious about memory upgrades, SD card or CF card upgrades (yes, I'd be okay with making a small slot for access to swapping cards), CPU upgrades, etc.

 

It comes with the external floppy drive as well. Wouldn't mind upgrading that to a 1.44 drive, if that is even possible.

 

So what can I do with this? If I have good options, I may sell off the other two units and just keep this one, since my wife is bugging me to slim down the museum again. Grrrr.

[exxosuk]

You could check out my site for a lot of common things..

 

http://www.exxoshost.co.uk/atari/last/index.htm

[LoTonah]

Hi exxosuk,

 

I've been to your website before. Your stuff looks great! Definitely bookmarking it.

 

I guess I need to take possession of it, and then take it apart to answer a few of my questions. For instance, I can find specifications all over the web on what CPU it used, sound chip, etc. Should I assume that the board is the same as the 260ST?

 

http://www.old-computers.com/museum/photos.asp?t=1&c=922&st=1

 

If that is the same board, then can I assume that your 6 chip to 2 chip TOS upgrade would work? Also, i sure hope that the ROM area has sockets, arthritis is making soldering harder each year. Is 1.04 the highest I can expect it to go?

 

I'd love to push this as far as technically possible.

[ParanoidLittleMan]

I don't even know if it has TOS in ROM...is that still available? If so, how high can I go?

Curious about memory upgrades, SD card or CF card upgrades (yes, I'd be okay with making a small slot for access to swapping cards), CPU upgrades, etc.

It comes with the external floppy drive as well. Wouldn't mind upgrading that to a 1.44 drive, if that is even possible.

TOS 1.04 is on what can upgrade with simple chip replacement. Can use TOS 2.06 with simpler logic add on, but question is has it sense ? That TOS is not for gaming. There are switchable TOS solutions too.

Storage: HD floppy (1.44, but on Atari it is rather 1.6 MB) upgrade is relative simple, but I would not recommend it in 2017. It will be not so easy to use, to transfer SW on such floppies, not to mention unreliable work. Time of floppies, floppy drives is simply out.

I can recommend instead it some Flash card based mass storage - will be even cheaper than HD floppy, considering prices of disks and less nerving. And simpler for usage is external UltraSatan for instance. There is already plenty of SW what you can use with it.

[exxosuk]

Hi exxosuk,

 

I've been to your website before. Your stuff looks great! Definitely bookmarking it.

 

I guess I need to take possession of it, and then take it apart to answer a few of my questions. For instance, I can find specifications all over the web on what CPU it used, sound chip, etc. Should I assume that the board is the same as the 260ST?

 

http://www.old-computers.com/museum/photos.asp?t=1&c=922&st=1

 

If that is the same board, then can I assume that your 6 chip to 2 chip TOS upgrade would work? Also, i sure hope that the ROM area has sockets, arthritis is making soldering harder each year. Is 1.04 the highest I can expect it to go?

 

I'd love to push this as far as technically possible.

 

As said above. TOS1.04 is the max you can go for on the ST without adding more logic to do the ROM decoding. My v2.2 booster actually gives 16MHz boost with TOS104 and TOS206 built on board.

http://www.exxoshost.co.uk/atari/last/V22BOOSTER/index.htm

 

I do sell a TOS104 kit which people have fitted to the ST. That does the 6 chip to 2 chip conversion onboard, so it can be used on any ST/F/M.

https://www.exxoshost.co.uk/atari/last/storenew/#0085

 

There is a lot of info on my site if you want to hardhack it all yourself, or other guides on the net.

http://www.exxoshost.co.uk/atari/last/tos/index.htm

 

I do suggest that anything you upgrade, that once tested, solder it into the motherboard. Sockets end up causing so many issues long term that I could try and avoid it where possible.