Almerian

The new one is a bit of a mixed bag. Specs say more ripple & noise and lower no load power consumption/higher energy efficiency level.

I saw that too. Looks like a bidding war? I bought one on Ebay for less than half of that BIN yesterday. Mind you, just the untested computer and the tatty original box. But that box was important, it's on its way to Europe.

Compared to the regular ST, the Mega ST adds the RTC, the blitter, a Megabus expansion slot (FPU, Graphics card), and an external keyboard with Cherry MX black switches. The 520ST(/+/M) memory can be expanded. It requires soldering (piggyback or expanded memory board).

Some tips: You can still buy new Epson or Oki (9 or 24 pins) dot matrix printers. These usually have USB and Centronics parallel connectors and are "Epson" (ESC/P or ESC/P2) compatible. I bought an OKI ML3390eco (European model) refurb (factory repaired/like new) in 2019, for 83 euros. You can buy a telex roll holder for this Oki, great if you want to print old style banners. Ribbons are easy to get. I also have a second hand Brother HL-5370DW laser printer, it has Wifi, USB and parallel interfaces. It is both laserjet PCL and Epson compatible. Great value. Look for the XETEC Graphix AT parallel interface on Ebay. It can print program listings with ATASCII characters on Epson compatibles with a dip switch setting. No program needed.

The production is in China and shipping is from there.

Infinity is mentioned in this single post topic https://atariage.com/forums/topic/195232-infinity-by-matrix-software/ Which links to this interesting article: https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1985-03-08-8501130835-story.html

The exposed key switches look like these with the stem broken off: https://deskthority.net/wiki/MEI_Sabrecoil

If you have a go at repairing it, first check that your power supply is ok. Should be 5v dc under load. If you have the ingot type power supply, throw it away and get a new one https://atariage.com/forums/topic/293810-ingot-power-supply-garbage-can/

Update: got the PDF. 😄 Star Micronics has lots of PDF User manuals for their legacy printers but not for the little STX-80. I have been looking for a User Manual for this little thermal printer for 10 years, so I thought I'll try my luck here. A PDF scan will do too. Any language. Anybody?

There are about ten SC1435's on UK Ebay now with shipping to Europe, but it looks like you are in the US(?).

I see some DVI connectors with black plastic part here: https://www.elecbee.com/en/90-dvi-connectors

That looks great! You will not see the connector when a DVI cable is attached. For obvious reasons, you can't spray paint the metal and plastic parts of the DVI connector. But with patience and a brush you can paint the white plastic part.

It comes with Kernel and Basic and you can use a PS/2 keyboard with it.

I f you want to keep using the UK power supply (is it built-in or separate?) and can't change the mains voltage it needs, you'll need a step-up converter. Something like this (check the Watts): https://www.amazon.com/Power-Bright-VC100W-Voltage-Transformer/dp/B000MWAKVU

If you are going to use the external round floppy connector, you might not have to change anything on the drive itself. I seem to remember that an external drive connected to the floppy port was automatically a "B" drive on ATARI ST models with an internal drive. That's because only the "B" drive select is made available on the external floppy connector of those models, connected to the "drive 0 select pin" of the round floppy connector. The only exception would be the original ST, ST+, and STM computers as they did not have an internal drive. In short, no need to change the drive number then, just connect the drive to the "drive 0 select" on the round floppy connector.

Just a heads up that the ZX Spectrum Next Issue 2 kickstarter is now in its last 17 hours. The last chance to get this wonderful new boxed 8 bit computer. I already own one from the first Kickstarter and just pledged for this new one. Almost forgot to pledge. It's going to be so exciting to open a box with new computer, delve in the manual and explore.

The one by tf_hh, it plugs into the shifter socket and needs some wires soldered. Doesn't use the MMU socket. https://atariage.com/forums/topic/307594-announcement-tfhh-goes-st-some-new-gadgets-made-by-me/

There's not much, a little bit of that is here (part 1, there are multiple parts): https://dadhacker-125488.ingress-alpha.easywp.com/the-atari-st-part-1/

Cubase needs high resolution. You need to use an Atari high resolution monitor (640x400) or something like a VGA monitor that is compatible with Atari high resolution.

You misunderstood. Different IC. The 6850 is not the keyboard controller. The 6850 communicates with the keyboard controller(HD6301V1P CO70122), which is a part of the keyboard.

CO70122 from Best Electronics in the US, or from here: https://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-Atari-520-1040-ST-STE-Mega-TT-Falcon-030-computer-keyboard-IC-chip-C070122/152380452432

You need the specific Atari keyboard controller, it has code in ROM in it.

One for me please.

Two for me (one for XL, one for 800).