Just bought a 520ST - what else do I need?

[spacecadet]

Just bought my first ST - it's a 520STM, with a separate floppy drive. It doesn't seem to be coming with a mouse. I assume I really pretty much need one?

 

What else do I need to get started? All I really care about doing with it is playing some games and generally futzing around, but I don't plan to do anything serious.

 

It's coming with an RF cable. I assume I'd want something better ASAP. I do have a CGA monitor with analog RGB inputs in the room where I plan to use this. Is there an existing cable that'd let me connect to that or would I need to make my own? I *may* have a VGA monitor that works in my attic and I know Best makes a cable but I'm not sure if it's a multisync monitor.

 

Anything else I should know? I more or less bought this on a whim and I'm worried I'm in a little bit over my head at the moment. I have some limited experience with both 520 and 1040ST's when they were current, which is why I feel some nostalgia for them, but the ones I used weren't mine and I'm realizing I don't even know the nitty gritty stuff about how to get one actually working. I need like a quick-start guide or something.

[zzip]

You can use it without a mouse, I think ALT+ cursor keys simulates mouse movement, but it's annoying and you will probably want to find a mouse.

 

Using the RF cable might be easiest- And for game use that isn't bad, I don't think it's easy to connect these to VGA monitors IIRC, but maybe people have solved that through custom cables?

[leech]

An interesting / fun thing I did. Buy an DB9 extension cable (because reaching under the keyboard is annoying, and after so many years the ports get damaged), then get one of these; http://www.ebay.com/itm/Best-Amiga-Atari-ST-C64-C128-Commodore-Mouse-Gamepad-Joystick-USB-adapter-TOM-/232039311802?rmvSB=truethen you can use a USB mouse.

 

For my Falcon, I bought this; https://www.amazon.com/Logitech-Rechargeable-Touchpad-Multi-Touch-Navigation/dp/B0093H4WT6

 

Also, I'd make sure it has at least 1mb of ram, and then order this;

 

http://www.lotharek.pl/product.php?pid=94

 

That should cover most of your bases.

 

As far as monitors go, you need a VGA one that supports 15khz for it to work with the Best Electronics Cable. There is a list somewhere of compatible LCD ones (I ended up getting three, though I think my BenQ one looks the nicest. Was trying to find the wiki for you, but am getting ready for work.)

 

Depending on the CGA monitor, if it supports RGB and you have the pinouts, might not be too bad to create a custom cable, or hell one of the Atari cables may just work out of the box with it.

[leech]

You can use it without a mouse, I think ALT+ cursor keys simulates mouse movement, but it's annoying and you will probably want to find a mouse.

 

Using the RF cable might be easiest- And for game use that isn't bad, I don't think it's easy to connect these to VGA monitors IIRC, but maybe people have solved that through custom cables?

Was the Alt+Arrows support added in later TOS versions? If this is still a stock 520STm with external floppy, I'm thinking it has TOS 1.00/1.02?

[pepilloelgrillo]

If you want to play games, you would need a DB9 joystick, as most of the game can't be played with other control. The others need a mouse, so you can look for an atari-compatible mouse, or buy an ps/2 or USB mouse adapter.

 

An RGB cable (if you live in Europe), or an S-video (for USA) is a good idea for connecting to LCD TVs, but it's possible to find some problems on image sync (blinking), so you would need a scart-hdmi adapter.

 

And if you don't have a computer with FDD, usb floppy emulators are the best way to enjoy 95-99% of the games/programs from this wonderful computer.

 

Enviado desde mi Moto G (4) mediante Tapatalk

[zzip]

Was the Alt+Arrows support added in later TOS versions? If this is still a stock 520STm with external floppy, I'm thinking it has TOS 1.00/1.02?

 

It worked on my 520STfm, which was TOS 1.00 on Rom.

 

I don't know about the original disk-based TOS. But I thought those models didn't have RF? Confused..

[leech]

It worked on my 520STfm, which was TOS 1.00 on Rom.

 

I don't know about the original disk-based TOS. But I thought those models didn't have RF? Confused..

Cool, good to know. Stupid that more operating systems don't have this feature by default, you have to enable it.

[spacecadet]

Thanks for all the tips. Sounds like I can at least get it running using the alt-arrow thing (hopefully) and connecting it to my TV through RF. In the meantime I'll just figure out the most cost-effective mouse solution. That was the thing I made a mistake on - if I'd realized that was going to be at least another $30, I probably wouldn't have bid. (That's 1/3 the price I did pay.)

 

I can probably live with the RF connection for a little while, but I may just end up building a cable for my RGB monitor. Just in case, I'm attaching a pic of my monitor inputs - has anyone seen a cable that'd work between the ST and this? I don't see any on Ebay but maybe it would be listed as something other than an ST monitor cable.

 

[zzip]

Thanks for all the tips. Sounds like I can at least get it running using the alt-arrow thing (hopefully) and connecting it to my TV through RF. In the meantime I'll just figure out the most cost-effective mouse solution. That was the thing I made a mistake on - if I'd realized that was going to be at least another $30, I probably wouldn't have bid. (That's 1/3 the price I did pay.)

 

I can probably live with the RF connection for a little while, but I may just end up building a cable for my RGB monitor. Just in case, I'm attaching a pic of my monitor inputs - has anyone seen a cable that'd work between the ST and this? I don't see any on Ebay but maybe it would be listed as something other than an ST monitor cable.

 

 

I do recall that there was a driver for PC serial mice- you used to be able to find those dirt cheap because nobody wants them anymore. Just remember they get plugged into the serial port with a 9-pin to 25-pin adaptor (and they mice often come with these adaptors), not the ST mouse port even though the connector is the same

 

more info here: http://atari.org/hosted/quickfaq/stfaq_3.htm#5