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Best ST for Gaming?


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I am looking to pick up an ST soon and foolishly though the TT and Falcon would be best because they are the most powerful, but apparently there are some compatibility issues with the game library.

 

I would be doing some word processing and other stuff, but I am mostly looking to game on my ST, so I was wondering what the best "all around" ST model is for gaming purposes.

 

Thanks!

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A 1040STe would be my choice. Easy RAM upgrades, TV out, better sound and color make the STe a worthy choice.

 

A 1040STe is a great choice but difficult to locate in the USA. Being that you are from Vermont, you might have better luck finding one in Canada. They were quite popular there.

 

If you cannot locate an STe then look for a STFM model if you plan on using RF out or buying a composite cable. The STf models do not support composite and you will be limited to using ST specific monitors. (Without special converters)

Edited by Fletch
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Erm, not "ST specific", all RGB capable monitors will work, including the NEC MultiSync 1970VX and NX as has been found out accidentally, but also all those Commodore monitors aimed at the Amiga and professional/broadcast video monitors such as Sony's PVM/BVM models, albeit these will not display the high resolution usually.

 

CRT monitors that display all three ST resolutions include the original NEC MultiSync, the GS (grayscale), II and 3D models, Commodore 1940, 1942, 1960, 1962, M1764, etc., and some monitors by Mitsubishi (EUM-1491A and EUM-2951A, e.g.).

 

One will need an adapter cable though, preferrably with a switch to change between ST high (being detected as VGA by all monitors I tried) and colour resolutions (which have a 15.x kHz horizontal frequency and a 60 or even 50 Hz (PAL games) vertical frequency just like a TV signal).

 

On this side of the pond we're much better off due to the French invented SCART connector that can still be found on almost any TV and incorporates RGB, composite and stereo pins in one - rather bulky - plug. These can be bought on eBay UK, e.g. - I'd aim for a small TV set with external PSU intended for caravan use like this one (but not at that ridiculous price), as external PSUs can easily be replaced if they are not 110V capable already.

Edited by Thorsten Günther
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You should absolutely find a way to connect the ST via RGB instead of composite - the picture quality will be much better.

 

Other than that, a HxC or other FDD replacement will suffice for gaming, an Ultrasatan is the modern version of an external HDD, but will only work correctly if your STE does not have the dreaded DMA chip bug and requires driver software.

 

Upgrading RAM beyond 1 meg will not be necessary for most games (an exception being Wolfenstein 3D), but some games will load their levels from RAM instead of FDD/HDD if you have 2 or 4 megs.

 

A CPU upgrade will increase the frame rate of some games (mostly 3D stuff), but currently they seem to be hard to find (most are intended for the DIL CPU found in older ST models and will require an DIl to PLCC adapter and/or may not even fit under the STe keyboard/shielding).

 

Must-have STe exclusive games are: Obsession Pinball, Stardust, Sleepwalker, Dynabusters+, Zero 5, Alien Blast

 

Must-have STe anhanced games are: Wings of Death, ChuChu Rocket, The Chaos Engine, Esprit, Oxyd, Oxyd 2, Zool, Venus the Flytrap, Wolfenstein 3D (requires 2 megs of RAM), Leavin' Teramis, Zool, Alpha Waves, Magic Boy

 

And of course the STe will run the vast library of ST games which includes hundreds of great titles (Dungeon Master, Xenon, Staglider, etc.)

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Erm, not "ST specific", all RGB capable monitors will work, including the NEC MultiSync 1970VX and NX as has been found out accidentally, but also all those Commodore monitors aimed at the Amiga and professional/broadcast video monitors such as Sony's PVM/BVM models, albeit these will not display the high resolution usually.

 

CRT monitors that display all three ST resolutions include the original NEC MultiSync, the GS (grayscale), II and 3D models, Commodore 1940, 1942, 1960, 1962, M1764, etc., and some monitors by Mitsubishi (EUM-1491A and EUM-2951A, e.g.).

 

One will need an adapter cable though, preferrably with a switch to change between ST high (being detected as VGA by all monitors I tried) and colour resolutions (which have a 15.x kHz horizontal frequency and a 60 or even 50 Hz (PAL games) vertical frequency just like a TV signal).

 

On this side of the pond we're much better off due to the French invented SCART connector that can still be found on almost any TV and incorporates RGB, composite and stereo pins in one - rather bulky - plug. These can be bought on eBay UK, e.g. - I'd aim for a small TV set with external PSU intended for caravan use like this one (but not at that ridiculous price), as external PSUs can easily be replaced if they are not 110V capable already.

 

I'm really trying to avoid having a million cables, adaptors, upscalers, etc. this go around haha...have got into too much of that lately with my RGB modded N64.

 

Would something like this work?

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEC-MultiSync-LCD2190UXp-21-21-3-Professional-High-Resolution-LCD-Monitor-/301647653250?hash=item463b99e982:g:angAAOSwYGFUxZRU

 

Or even better:

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEC-MultiSync-LCD2080UX-20-LCD-Monitor-Ships-from-USA-/291599165547?hash=item43e4aa286b:g:Ah0AAOSwI-BWJCPV

 

What cable will I need? I take it a standard 15 pin VGA cable is out of the question? It's probably a 9 pin or something and is 15kHz needing conversion to 30kHz and one of these..

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/15Khz-RGB-RGsB-RGBS-to-VGA-XGA-Converter-Scaler-/350497862833?pt=US_Vintage_Computers_Mainframes&hash=item519b4cf4b1

 

Or please tell me there is a simpler way..

Edited by travistouchdown
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The two monitors you mentioned will most likely not work in colour modes (several models have been tried, but so far, only the 1970VX/NX model firmware seems to be able to cope with 15kHz horizontal frequency - the same is true for most TV sets with a VGA connector: they will display "out of range" for a 15 kHz input via VGA, while the same horizontal frequency is perfectly fine for them when using the composite, s-video or SCART input). "Three mode" cables look similar to the ones you mentioned, but feature a 4x(AFAIK) switch usually placed in a small box, these are the two (left: TS Datensysteme, right: Lindy) I own:

 

http://www.forum64.de/wbb3/index.php?page=Attachment&attachmentID=86545

Edited by Thorsten Günther
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The two monitors you mentioned will most likely not work in colour modes (several models have been tried, but so far, only the 1970VX/NX model firmware seems to be able to cope with 15kHz horizontal frequency - the same is true for most TV sets with a VGA connector: they will display "out of range" for a 15 kHz input via VGA, while the same horizontal frequency is perfectly fine for them when using the composite, s-video or SCART input). "Three mode" cables look similar to the ones you mentioned, but feature a 4x(AFAIK) switch usually placed in a small box, these are the two (left: TS Datensysteme, right: Lindy) I own:

 

Sweet, I will keep an eye out for those models, but specifically the NEC 1970VX or NX model.

 

Where can you buy one of the cables that will go from an STe to a 15pin VGA?

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The STs do not have a built-in speaker, but the ST monitors (and most other colour monitors suitable for the ST) have one each. The RCA out is only needed for monaural ST models such as the original ST, STF(M) and Mega ST, the STE has stereo jacks right beneath its power switch.

 

The cable you are mentioning seems to lack the 4x switch, this one is needed to "tell" the ST whether there's an SM124 or SC1224 connected. I recommend finding someone with soldering skills who can reproduce this schematic:

 

http://www.forum64.de/wbb3/index.php?page=Attachment&attachmentID=88353

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The STs do not have a built-in speaker, but the ST monitors (and most other colour monitors suitable for the ST) have one each. The RCA out is only needed for monaural ST models such as the original ST, STF(M) and Mega ST, the STE has stereo jacks right beneath its power switch.

 

The cable you are mentioning seems to lack the 4x switch, this one is needed to "tell" the ST whether there's an SM124 or SC1224 connected. I recommend finding someone with soldering skills who can reproduce this schematic:

 

http://www.forum64.de/wbb3/index.php?page=Attachment&attachmentID=88353

 

Good to know! I think i'm going to get this cable to use with my NEC LCD monitor and look for an official Atari cable to use with my SM124 or SC1224 (when I find one.) Really appreciate everyones input (especially you Thorsten) and now I suppose we can turn this thread back to gaming :)

 

I have Gauntlet and Winter Games heading my way so far and have bids in on several other ST games.

Edited by travistouchdown
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Gauntlet will surely push that ST ... don't forget Gauntlet 2 of course but stay clean of no.3 lol

Depending on what games you like I've just recently been enjoying The Immortal, Hunter (ACE), Chaos Engine, Alien World .. I'll be playing Ghouls And Ghosts later on!

Enjoy your ST :-)

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