Help getting my ST out of the attic and onto my desk

[bfollowell]

OK, it's taken me almost 25 years, but I'm officially fed up with having my ST in the attic.

 

I was always an 8-bit guy. The STs came out when I was in college and, as much as I drooled over them, I just couldn't afford one. I bought a used 1040STFM setup in about '94, but I've never really had a place to put it. These days, if I need my 8-bit or 16-bit Atari fix, I typically play around through emulation. Still, it's killing me knowing I have this classic old machine sitting in a storage bin in the attic. My gaming desktop has a slide out keyboard tray, so there's room on the desk for my 1040. I just don't have room for an extra old CRT monitor.

 

This leads into the reason for my post. What is the current, best way to hook an ST up to an LCD monitor? I won't be buying a new monitor, so I'm planning to use an extra HDMI input on my current monitor. Naturally, since my monitor is only about three years old, it doesn't recognize the old 15kHz horizontal signal from the ST.

 

I looked around through the forums, but most of what I'm seeing is 8-10 years old. I've seen several videos and posts about a GBS8220 card to convert the ST signal to VGA. I've also read some about a similar converter, the Ambery AV-1M. From there, it would be easy enough to convert the VGA signal to HDMI. That's a lot of adapting and converting though. I'm wondering if there's a better way to do what I want. I'm only willing to spend about $100 or so to accomplish this, and I realize the results aren't going to be perfect. I'll settle for usable. I'd mostly be using this for gaming, rather than any serious computing or productivity work.

 

Any ideas?

 

Thanks.

 

[mellis]

OK, it's taken me almost 25 years, but I'm officially fed up with having my ST in the attic.

 

I was always an 8-bit guy. The STs came out when I was in college and, as much as I drooled over them, I just couldn't afford one. I bought a used 1040STFM setup in about '94, but I've never really had a place to put it. These days, if I need my 8-bit or 16-bit Atari fix, I typically play around through emulation. Still, it's killing me knowing I have this classic old machine sitting in a storage bin in the attic. My gaming desktop has a slide out keyboard tray, so there's room on the desk for my 1040. I just don't have room for an extra old CRT monitor.

 

This leads into the reason for my post. What is the current, best way to hook an ST up to an LCD monitor? I won't be buying a new monitor, so I'm planning to use an extra HDMI input on my current monitor. Naturally, since my monitor is only about three years old, it doesn't recognize the old 15kHz horizontal signal from the ST.

 

I looked around through the forums, but most of what I'm seeing is 8-10 years old. I've seen several videos and posts about a GBS8220 card to convert the ST signal to VGA. I've also read some about a similar converter, the Ambery AV-1M. From there, it would be easy enough to convert the VGA signal to HDMI. That's a lot of adapting and converting though. I'm wondering if there's a better way to do what I want. I'm only willing to spend about $100 or so to accomplish this, and I realize the results aren't going to be perfect. I'll settle for usable. I'd mostly be using this for gaming, rather than any serious computing or productivity work.

 

Any ideas?

 

Thanks.

 

 

 

This question has been asked an answered many times (just search through the forum). Nevertheless, I applaud you for pressing forward and getting that real hardware out of the attic, so here is a summary:

 

Easy - high quality image:

Use an RGB CRT monitor (an Atari SC1224) or one from a third party that can sync down to 15Khz.

 

Easy/cheap - high quality monochrome (B&W only) image:

Get an ST->VGA adapter cable. The only ST resolution that will work is B&W high (640x400).

 

Hard/cheap - Low quality image:

You have an STFM (not an STF), so if you search around, you can find out how to pick a composite video signal (usually a yellow RCA input on your TV) up from the monitor port on the back of your ST. However, composite upscaling on most LCD TVs is crap, and that video signal is a poor way to view ST video even on a real CRT.

 

Hard/Expensive - High quality image:

Use a dedicated video upscaler and feed it RGB signals from your ST's monitor port. You will need to understand how to build a cable to get the video signals from the ST's monitor port to the upscaler, and then how to configure that device properly.

[+SoulBuster]

I went the route of locating a modern monitor from this site

 

http://15khz.wikidot.com/printer--friendly/

 

I found 3 brand new Dell E1914H with 04FF47 in the serial number on eBay for $84 ea. Bought 2 of them.

 

In conjunction with the monitor I bought a device from

 

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

 

Called UBE VIDEO ADAPTER (you will need to scroll down some) 30 British Pounds (about $45 US)

 

 

With this combination, I can use all three resolutions on any ST. Not for the Falcon and I do no know if the TT had a regular monitor port, but would work on that if it does. Also if used on a Mega ST, you will not be able to use the external floppy port.

 

A nice bonus, medium resolution does not look squished on these monitors like it does on the SC1224.

[bfollowell]

Well, I really didn't want another monitor on my desk, but I caved and have ordered an NEC MultiSync LCD 1970VX off ebay. Hopefully, it will be in good working condition. When I get the Best Electronics VGA cable, it, with that monitor, will allow me to use all three resolutions on my Atari. I think, in the long run, this was really my best option. Now I need to look into retr0brighting and do a cleanup/restoration on my ST before I'm ready to put it on my desk. If I remember correctly, the drive was having issues as well. While finding a 3.5" replacement drive shouldn't be too hard, I refuse to modify my case, and if I remember correctly, my drive had the really wide eject button, so I think that's going to cause me some issues. I may have to get creative before it's all said and done.

 

Thanks for the replies and suggestions guys.

[jefffulton]

I just did this EXACT SAME THING!!!!! I used the Best Electronics Multisync ST RGB cable and the Ambery CGA --> VGA box together. It's about $160 total for both and looks very good. Depending on the Quality of your LCD you may get a grey box and some minor background lines in the picture, but it's fine and 10000X better then the RF connection.

I just purchased and Ultra Satan from Lotherk to use as a USB hard drive. ...that's still in the mail.

OK, it's taken me almost 25 years, but I'm officially fed up with having my ST in the attic.

 

I was always an 8-bit guy. The STs came out when I was in college and, as much as I drooled over them, I just couldn't afford one. I bought a used 1040STFM setup in about '94, but I've never really had a place to put it. These days, if I need my 8-bit or 16-bit Atari fix, I typically play around through emulation. Still, it's killing me knowing I have this classic old machine sitting in a storage bin in the attic. My gaming desktop has a slide out keyboard tray, so there's room on the desk for my 1040. I just don't have room for an extra old CRT monitor.

 

This leads into the reason for my post. What is the current, best way to hook an ST up to an LCD monitor? I won't be buying a new monitor, so I'm planning to use an extra HDMI input on my current monitor. Naturally, since my monitor is only about three years old, it doesn't recognize the old 15kHz horizontal signal from the ST.

 

I looked around through the forums, but most of what I'm seeing is 8-10 years old. I've seen several videos and posts about a GBS8220 card to convert the ST signal to VGA. I've also read some about a similar converter, the Ambery AV-1M. From there, it would be easy enough to convert the VGA signal to HDMI. That's a lot of adapting and converting though. I'm wondering if there's a better way to do what I want. I'm only willing to spend about $100 or so to accomplish this, and I realize the results aren't going to be perfect. I'll settle for usable. I'd mostly be using this for gaming, rather than any serious computing or productivity work.

 

Any ideas?

 

Thanks.

 

[bfollowell]

Well, I finally chanced powering on my old STF and the SC1224 monitor. They both worked, though the mouse didn't work in every direction. I'll need to check the solder joints on the mouse/joystick port. I also found out this baby is sporting TOS 1.0. I'll definitely need to update that to TOS 1.04 soon, as I think I want to replace the failing floppy drive with a Gotek floppy emulator and I've read that I need at least TOS 1.04 in order for that to work correctly. I may need to pickup a new/old Atari mouse too. I know I could replace it with a better mouse, but I'm already using it with a multisync LCD and replacing the floppy for a USB emulator; I want to keep my ST experience as authentic as I can otherwise.

[pixelmischief]

I could replace it with a better mouse, but...I want to keep my ST experience as authentic as I can otherwise.

 

 

When the pain becomes too great to bear, you might consider a TOM adapter and an optical USB mouse. Just make sure the USB mouse supports the PS/2 protocol.