Release date of the 520STFM?

[BSA Starfire]

Hi All,

 

I'm trying to figure out exactly which year we bought our brand new, just released 520STFM. I know it had TOS 1.0 as it played Arkanoid no problems and also it had single sided drive. I'm fairly sure it was 1986? It came from Silica Shop & included NeoChrome & 1st Word, that was it. I know the huge game bundles came later right?

Also anyone know when the double sided drive became standard?

Finally when was TOS 1.04 installed as standard on the FM, just trying to date the machine I have now.

 

Best regards,

Chris

[oky2000]

My magazine archive is offline right now otherwise would check the adverts in an older magazine but I think it was 1986 as the FM IIRC was released not long after the STM (at which point it was dropped to £299 without SF354) so Autumn/Winter 86 is my guess.

 

I don't think Atari announced the drive upgrade on the FMs but one of the packs had double sided disks so probably with that pack (STFM Summer Pack perhaps?)

[ParanoidLittleMan]

Yes, STFM is at 1986.

TOS 1.04 at 1989 .

Although I would not use term 'standard' considering floppy and TOS versions.

[oky2000]

Didn't the 1040STF (one without the modulator) come out the same time as the 520STM and come with a double sided drive from day one?

[BSA Starfire]

Thanks for the reply's folks. Nice to know my memory was right.

[+wood_jl]

Oh, no! The Atari 1040ST (in the United States, anyway) came out well-before the 520STfm!

 

As far as my memory goes, it was something like this:

 

1. 520ST - the original, with the external power supply. (1985)

 

2. 1040STf - double-sided drive from day one (1986)

 

3. 520STm - same as the original 520ST with external power supply and no built-in drive, but with RF modulator (TV output) (1986- early)

 

4. 520STfm - 512k version of the 1040ST and with TV output and - originally - single-sided drive (late-1986 to 1987)

 

5. 1040STfm - just added TV support to 1040ST, and this was considerably later, like 1988.

 

 

Does anybody else have a similar recollection?