Newbie - How to change TOS Language?

[RetromaniaPT]

 

Hi guys,

 

I'm a newbie on the atari scene and recently ive bought my first atari st, its a 520ste.

But after powering it up ive noticied that the TOS is in french.

 

How and where can i change the default language?

 

Thanks in advance ;)

[ParanoidLittleMan]

Can not change it without replacing TOS ROM chips. Language is built in ROMs.

Only by Falcon it is possible.

[anzac]

Welcome to the Atari world :)

 

The Atari ST operating system (TOS) is stored in a couple of ROMs on the motherboard. This includes the system language up until the Falcon030 IIRC

 

you need to replace those chips with ones with the desired language.

 

there are many solutions that include dual 1.62/2.06 TOS versions for the STe.

 

 

[RetromaniaPT]

Hi,

 

Thanks for your replies

If i buy one of those chips with a newer version of TOS, is there any soldering required? or i can easily remove them because they are installed in sockets?

 

Btw whats the last version of tos? 2.06?

 

@anzac

Whats the advantage of that dual solution you told me about?

 

Thanks!

Edited May 15, 2021 by RetromaniaPT

[bfollowell]

For a 520STe, the latest regular version of TOS released for it was 1.62. Yours very likely comes with 1.60 or 1.62, just French. Even though it was released with/for the Mega STe, the 520/1040STes work great with the latest TOS release which, as you said, is 2.06. It adds a lot of features, but there were problems with some game compatibility, especially earlier games. However, thirty years later, many of those compatibility issues have been fixed so that they're no longer an issue. Still, a dual-TOS setup with TOS 1.62 and 2.06, with whichever language you choose would give you the ultimate in regards to compatibility. Depending on what you want to do with it though, just going with TOS 2.06 would probably do you just fine.

 

@ParanoidLittleMan has fixed a lot of the compatibility issues with older titles, so he likely has much better advice when it comes to TOS versions, so hopefully, he'll pipe back in with his opinions.

 

One thing to keep in mind is that key mapping is also controlled by the TOS ROMs, so when you swap to U.S. or U.K. TOS for example, all of the key locations will change to the standard for that reason. Those two use QWERTY key configuration. I believe French may use an AZERTY configuration. You'll probably need to pull key caps and rearrange them or, if your a perfectionist, swapping the keyboard. Rearranging the key caps would likely work fine.

 

 

[anzac]

Just out of curiosity, RetromaniaPT, Portugal?

 

Edit: your profile says so. I’m near Braga.

Edited May 15, 2021 by anzac

[RetromaniaPT]

@anzac

yep thats right, im from Gaia

Ive been an Amigan all my life, but now ive decided it was time to turn to the dark side ?

Edited May 15, 2021 by RetromaniaPT

[ParanoidLittleMan]

14 hours ago, RetromaniaPT said:

Hi,

 

Thanks for your replies

If i buy one of those chips with a newer version of TOS, is there any soldering required? or i can easily remove them because they are installed in sockets?

 

Btw whats the last version of tos? 2.06?

 

@anzac

Whats the advantage of that dual solution you told me about?

 

Thanks!

In case of STE it is in sockets, 99.9% . You can open it and look. 2x 32 pin chips, or less chance 2x 28 pin chips, but sockets are 32 pin always.

TOS 2.06 is last one good for ST, STE . But it is not so good for gaming. Has some advantages over 1.62 - better Desktop for instance.

Dual TOS is good because you can set one, what is better for your current session.  I used even quad TOS in STE - still 2x 32 pin EPROMs, so goes in original sockets, needs couple switches, resistors. Then can go on 1.62, 2.06 and some modded TOS, or other languages .

 

And now comes a question: which language, since there is no Portugal TOS v. ?

 

Btw. I solved multilingual TOS 1.04 (very similar to 1.62) . Can select UK, De, Fr, ES after reset. And it is complete - not only text (messages) are what changes, but keyboard mapping/tables, special code for each lang. in keyboard reading part. Only thing I couldn't do are that keyboard caps changing too ?  And all it fits in original space thanks to packing and optimizing.  Can do same with 1.62 .

 

[anzac]

I’ve always used UK with my Ataris since the 80s

 

maybe one day we can arrange something  if you want to see other models working like MegaSTe, TT or Falcon. Or more obscure stuff like Lynx and Jaguar

[RetromaniaPT]

@ParanoidLittleMan

On 5/15/2021 at 4:44 PM, ParanoidLittleMan said:

And now comes a question: which language, since there is no Portugal TOS v. ?

 

Btw. I solved multilingual TOS 1.04 (very similar to 1.62) . Can select UK, De, Fr, ES after reset. And it is complete - not only text (messages) are what changes, but keyboard mapping/tables, special code for each lang. in keyboard reading part. Only thing I couldn't do are that keyboard caps changing too ?  And all it fits in original space thanks to packing and optimizing.  Can do same with 1.62 .

I know there isnt any TOS in portuguese, i guess the most obvious choice for me will be English UK.

Since i will use my STE mainly for gaming and the demoscene, i think 1.62 will be the best choice for me.

BTW nowadays whats the fair price for a pair of TOS chips?

 

@anzac

I only collect what has nostalgic and sentimental value to me, or because i owned it or because ive used at a friends house.

Back in the day since i didnt knew the existance of MegaSTe, TT and Falcon and i didnt knew anyone that had one of those, i dont have any particulary interest on them, because they dont have any meaning to me.

 

On the other hand, back in the day i knew the atary lynx handheld and also the jaguar console.

Im a commodore and sinclair user since the 80s and 90s, those are the systems that i really love to collect and play.

 

Atari at least for me, means atari 2600 jr. and the ST ?

 

But hey i see no problem, one day we can surely met (after the pandemic) to see those machines working, its always a way to gain knew knowledge on the scene.

BTW ive a friend on the retro scene, that also lives in Braga

 

 

 

 

Edited May 18, 2021 by RetromaniaPT

[anzac]

yeah, i understand. i used a MegaST and a regular STe when i was young. the other models i saw only in magazines.

 

in the same vein, i respect the Amiga scene, but for me personally, the platform means nothing sentimentally.

 

i usually buy my TOS ROMs either from EXXOS or this store http://www.atariancomputing.com/store

 

enjoy the ST!

[RetromaniaPT]

Well i've finally had the spare time to copy sysinfo to a floppy and i couldnt be happier with the results!

I have TOS 1.62 and 1mb ram, it appears the seller from which ive bought my STE had already done those upgrades ?

 

I dont need to spend more money on upgrades, for gaming i think its perfect as is.

Someday i might upgrade it to 4mb ram, and thats it ?

 

What do you guys think?

 

Edited July 13, 2021 by RetromaniaPT

[ojanhk]

The confit looks great for gaming, if you only plan games it will be ok for 95% of the games. 
If you change TOS for an English version you will have problems with the keyboard mapping, it will be mapped to QWERTY while a French STE surely have an AZERTy keyboard.

[moulinaie]

On 5/14/2021 at 8:50 PM, RetromaniaPT said:

 

Hi guys,

 

I'm a newbie on the atari scene and recently ive bought my first atari st, its a 520ste.

But after powering it up ive noticied that the TOS is in french.

 

How and where can i change the default language?

 

Thanks in advance

 

You can update yourself and learn French ?