What was included in the box with the 520STM at launch?

[oky2000]

Obviously there was a language disk, was logo on a separate disk too though? Also, was 1st Word included with the first UK 520STM+SF354 £499 bundle at launch?

 

I'm trying to put together a machine which was exactly as I would have received when I got mine a month or two after the 520STM was available in early to mid 86.

[+DarkLord]

Wow, set the WABAC machine for the mid eighties Sherman!

 

Honestly, I can't remember what all was in mine. Language disk for sure. I don't

remember LOGO, but I did get Atari ST Basic. The one where you could do a

peek/poke and get the face.

[Fletch]

My 520st came with an external 354, the US Atari Language disk and 1st Word. I have the LOGO disk, but I don't recall that coming with my 520st

[oracle_jedi]

I seem to recall buying my 520STm in 1986 from Silica Shop in Kent.

 

No disk drive bundle, I had to buy an SF354 later on. The TV modulator was built in and GEM was included on ROM.

 

My documents are all packed away as I am moving (again) but from memory the basic ST included:

 

Atari 520STm computer.

Atari ST1 mouse

 

Black power brick

RF TV cable

 

1st Word Plus disk (don't remember a manual for this).

CP/M 68k disk

Atari ST BASIC, disk and manual

Atari Logo, disk and manual

GEM Paint disk

A demo version of Time Bandit (maybe 1 to 4 levels playable?)

 

I don't know what was included by Atari UK and what Silica Shop added to the bundle. I think the original magazine adverts looked something like this:

 

http://wotsit.thingy.com/haj/ads-images/size2/atari-st-feb86.jpg

 

This ad says there is GEM Write, but I recall First Word Plus in my package.

 

This is all from memory of things 25 years ago, treat accordingly.

[tjlazer]

I bought one from Fry's Electronics in San Jose, CA in 1986. Mine came with Language Disk, 520ST Manual, RF cable, ST Mouse, ST Basic Sourcebook manual and I am sketchy if it came with the Atari ST Logo book or not. Some language disks have Logo on the disk.

[Retro Rogue]

Mine, also purchased in '86, was the same as tjlazer's. I know mine came with logo as well, but I can't remember if it was on the language disc or a separate logo disc. All I do remember is being horribly disappointed with the ST BASIC environment. Seemed extremely sluggish. Having been used to the 8-bits as well, it also took some getting used to not having BASIC as part of the system interface.

[oky2000]

I definitely had ring bound 520STM hardware user guide, Basic user guide, pale blue Logo user guide.Not 100% sure about 1st Word user guide though did have the program. I had 5 extra disks from retailer too (Neo, CPM,demos, Megaroids and slideshow on each). Language disc and 1st Word disc only.

 

Two polys, 1 cardboard box with PSU,RF lead and mouse in white small cardboard box IIRC. the RF lead had in-line black box about half the width of an audio cassette box with embossed Atari logo too.

[tjlazer]

yeah mine did not come with more than the Language Disk. No First Word. It did have Basic, NeoChrome and Logo on the disk.

 

Haha memories. One thing I remember on my unit was that the 520ST keyboard did not seat level on the table, it was a little twisted and the unit rocked a little. I was not happy about that. LOL

[Fletch]

Agreed. I hated ST BASIC. The only good thing about it was the little pipe smoking guy icon that you could program to pop up all over the screen.

 

It was slow, the separate output window seemed bizarre, and the screen redraws had lots of ghosting.

 

I did program a hockey program with it, but never enjoyed the experience at all.

 

 

 

Mine, also purchased in '86, was the same as tjlazer's. I know mine came with logo as well, but I can't remember if it was on the language disc or a separate logo disc. All I do remember is being horribly disappointed with the ST BASIC environment. Seemed extremely sluggish. Having been used to the 8-bits as well, it also took some getting used to not having BASIC as part of the system interface.

[+DarkLord]

Yep, that was the one I mentioned earlier. There were some peek/pokes I think that

made him popup.

[AtariGeezer]

The smoking guy came up by printing 4 characters to the screen IIRC...

 

10 FULLW 2: CLEARW 2: GOTOXY 3,0 

20 PRINT "Attack of the killer Bobs!" 

30 FOR D=l TO 900: NEXT: CLEARW 2 

40 X = INT(RND*17)*2: Y=INT(RND*9)*2 

50 GOTOXY X,Y 

60 PRINT CHR$(28) + CHR$(29); 

70 GOTOXY X.Y+1 

80 PRINT CHR$(30)+CHR$(31); 

90 GOTO 40

Edited August 17, 2013 by AtariGeezer

[TXG/MNX]

My box came with FOAM aswell

[+DarkLord]

The smoking guy came up by printing 4 characters to the screen IIRC...

 

Ah, kk - thanks!

[AtariGeezer]

My 520's came with the Box, Foam inserts, Language Disk, Manual, Mouse and of course a 520ST

No Logo Disk, not even with my 1040's. These were bought NEW in 86 to 90...

[Retro Rogue]

The smoking guy came up by printing 4 characters to the screen IIRC...

 

Tried it, this is what I got:

 

[oky2000]

I remember typing in the Basic CAD modelling program from the ST USER supplement in Atari ST.....might do it again for a laugh and upload it to youtube Actually ST User had quite a few of those ST Basic program listings. I remember writing one which was sort of a virtual crystal garden.

 

All the stuff with slow screen refreshing was instantly improved when I got my cracked copy of Turbo ST (software blitter application) to be fair to GEM.

 

I eventually managed to find a mint cartridge based copy of FAST ST BASIC though so I might see if I can write some really modern business apps like CRM tools on an 8mhz 1985 computer that people pay £1000s for today (suckerzzzzzz)

[tjlazer]

 

 

http://www.megalexto...t/00036033.html

 

]>I'm sure that most of you are familiar with the four characters within the ST[/color]

>character set which, when arranged properly, create the image of a gentleman

>smoking a pipe (and liking it, apparently--he's smiling). I've heard that the

>guys at Atari gave this figure a name when they designed the ST. My question

>is this: Does anyone know the name of the The Guy Smoking The Pipe?

 

The guy with the pipe is J.R. "Bob" Dobbs. Run down to

your local bookstore and find _The book of the Subgenius_

and _Three fisted tales of "Bob"_ for more info.

 

Seems like some of the folks at Atari had Slack way back.

Edited August 18, 2013 by tjlazer

[AtariGeezer]

I eventually managed to find a mint cartridge based copy of FAST ST BASIC though so I might see if I can write some really modern business apps like CRM tools on an 8mhz 1985 computer that people pay £1000s for today (suckerzzzzzz)

 

You don't see the FAST BASIC cart on ebay too often, where did you find yours and for how much?

[+remowilliams]

What was included in the box with the 520STM at launch?

 

One word.

 

Awesome.

[oky2000]

You don't see the FAST BASIC cart on ebay too often, where did you find yours and for how much?

 

Tell me about it, you see maybe one disk based copy a year but I went on ebay one day, did my custom search which searches the entire site from the root (and has many exclusions to remove things like "atari teenage riot" or "opel commodore" etc) and one just popped up for an £14.99 buy it now. No box but I will use a good condition box and print the glossy cover for the top and the box looks the same as the manual cover.

[AtariGeezer]

Tell me about it, you see maybe one disk based copy a year but I went on ebay one day, did my custom search which searches the entire site from the root (and has many exclusions to remove things like "atari teenage riot" or "opel commodore" etc) and one just popped up for an £14.99 buy it now. No box but I will use a good condition box and print the glossy cover for the top and the box looks the same as the manual cover.

 

Cool, I was extremely lucky in picking up the complete package 2 years ago for $5.50 + shipping.

My max bid was $24.00, but no one else bid on it...

It may have been listed in the wrong category? I too search from the root with a filter such as:

"atari -5200 -7800 -2600 -jaguar -wifi -xbox -nintendo -lynx -demo -sticker -sears -coleco -tee"

[oky2000]

Cool, I was extremely lucky in picking up the complete package 2 years ago for $5.50 + shipping.

My max bid was $24.00, but no one else bid on it...

It may have been listed in the wrong category? I too search from the root with a filter such as:

"atari -5200 -7800 -2600 -jaguar -wifi -xbox -nintendo -lynx -demo -sticker -sears -coleco -tee"

 

I do that too although only exclude things like t-shirts,adverts,replicas,PC CDROMs etc as I like to see the prices on all BINs for vintage Atari stuff Have on for consoles from G7000 to 3DO

[Retro Rogue]

Mine, also purchased in '86, was the same as tjlazer's. I know mine came with logo as well, but I can't remember if it was on the language disc or a separate logo disc. All I do remember is being horribly disappointed with the ST BASIC environment. Seemed extremely sluggish. Having been used to the 8-bits as well, it also took some getting used to not having BASIC as part of the system interface.

 

Forgot to mention, my 520ST (early 520ST, though not the TOS on disk version) was also packed with 1st Word and Megaroids.

 

 

[oky2000]

I'm going to see if I can find it in an Atari magazine but I think 1st Word was a replacement for GEM Write which was previewed as the one to be originally the pack in WP application (together with GEM Draw IIRC.