Atari ST Touchpad/Light Pen?

[BLarry71]

I recently acquired an Atari 520STfm, and was interested in using it for drawing artwork and such. So I wanted to find some sort of TouchPad or Lightpen that will work with it, but so far I've had no luck on Internet searches. I've found lots of peripherals for the 8-bit Ataris, but none for the ST series. My questions are:

 

1. Does anyone know of some good input devices, especially touch pads, for the ST?

2. Do the 8-bit devices work on the ST (like the Atari Touch Tablet, etc.)?

 

Those are two questions I couldn't figure out from the Internet alone, so I figured maybe someone here had had some experience in that area and would like to share... Thanks!

[+Stephen Moss]

I recently acquired an Atari 520STfm, and was interested in using it for drawing artwork and such. So I wanted to find some sort of TouchPad or Lightpen that will work with it, but so far I've had no luck on Internet searches. I've found lots of peripherals for the 8-bit Ataris, but none for the ST series. My questions are:

 

1. Does anyone know of some good input devices, especially touch pads, for the ST?

I have a few Atari bits and peices I am selling off, one of which is a Tabby Graphics Table, price is £7.50 including postage. You can find some info by viewing the sale page on my website, or goto my main site and clicking on the sale button. As I mentioned on the sale page it works with some programs but not others for example IIRC it works with HyperPaint but not Delux Paint or visa versa. It definately works in the main desktop so it might be non GEM compatible software that it does not like.

2. Do the 8-bit devices work on the ST (like the Atari Touch Tablet, etc.)?

 

Those are two questions I couldn't figure out from the Internet alone, so I figured maybe someone here had had some experience in that area and would like to share... Thanks!

Don't know about that one I'm afraid.

[krupkaj]

2. Do the 8-bit devices work on the ST (like the Atari Touch Tablet, etc.)?

The Touch Tablet doesn't work. ST has no analog signals in its joystick connectors.

 

But maybe you can make adapter and connect the Touch Tablet to STE enhanced joystick. Unfortunately I do not know any program which can use that this way.

[jens]

Hi.

I have a graphics tablet from Rhotron I think.

Did not come to test it though.

It was designed for 16/32 bit Ataris.

Go for one of them.

[+Stephen Moss]

I have a few Atari bits and peices I am selling off, one of which is a Tabby Graphics Table, price is £7.50 including postage.

This item has now been sold.

[jttheninja]

Thread necromancy: I have a 1040STf and Deluxe Paint. Are there any tablets that would work with it? []

[Muzz73]

What about the Koala Pad that you see people using on the Atari 8-bit machines? Do those work on the ST line as well? Being that the joystick protocol between the two systems are identical, it should just be a matter of software, right?

[nicholas042893]

I'm looking for a tablet for my 520STFM, has anyone had any luck finding a good option for one?

[+rdemming]

Old thread but not everything is answered.

 

The Atari ST joystick ports are handled by the keyboard processor. This means that there is no support for light guns/pens (the keyboards processor does not know about the screen counter). Also there are no analogue inputs so paddles and the Atari touch tablet do not work on an ST. The third party touch tablets that work with the ST work differently. For example the Wacom and Tabby graphics tablet connect to the serial port.

 

But the STE/Falcon have the enhanced joystick port. These support analogue input and also a light gun/pen. Thus with the right adapter paddles can be connected and the Atari light gun/pen too. Back in the time I experimented with the Atari light gun on an STE. It worked but the accuracy was not great.

 

Robert

[Lynxpro]

Old thread but not everything is answered.

 

The Atari ST joystick ports are handled by the keyboard processor. This means that there is no support for light guns/pens (the keyboards processor does not know about the screen counter). Also there are no analogue inputs so paddles and the Atari touch tablet do not work on an ST. The third party touch tablets that work with the ST work differently. For example the Wacom and Tabby graphics tablet connect to the serial port.

 

But the STE/Falcon have the enhanced joystick port. These support analogue input and also a light gun/pen. Thus with the right adapter paddles can be connected and the Atari light gun/pen too. Back in the time I experimented with the Atari light gun on an STE. It worked but the accuracy was not great.

 

Robert

 

Well, the Atari Light Gun wasn't ever known for its accuracy.

 

But if you could get it working with a DB9-to-Enhanced Joystick Port adapter and software jiggery-pokery, that means it could be done with the Jaguar too.

[+rdemming]

 

Well, the Atari Light Gun wasn't ever known for its accuracy.

 

But if you could get it working with a DB9-to-Enhanced Joystick Port adapter and software jiggery-pokery, that means it could be done with the Jaguar too.

 

Yes, Matthias Domin describes how to use a Sega light gun on the Jaguar (scroll down to light guns). An Atari light gun must be possible too.

Using Atari paddles on a Jaguar is on most Jaguars not possible because Atari left out the ADC circuitry on most production batches. Only the earliest Jaguars have ADC. But you can add them if your Jaguar does not have them. Again Matthias Domin has described how to add the ADC circuitry.

 

Robert

[nicholas042893]

Old thread but not everything is answered.

 

The Atari ST joystick ports are handled by the keyboard processor. This means that there is no support for light guns/pens (the keyboards processor does not know about the screen counter). Also there are no analogue inputs so paddles and the Atari touch tablet do not work on an ST. The third party touch tablets that work with the ST work differently. For example the Wacom and Tabby graphics tablet connect to the serial port.

 

But the STE/Falcon have the enhanced joystick port. These support analogue input and also a light gun/pen. Thus with the right adapter paddles can be connected and the Atari light gun/pen too. Back in the time I experimented with the Atari light gun on an STE. It worked but the accuracy was not great.

 

Robert

Thanks for the link to the Tabby! I also found Wacom drivers for the Atari ST, but so far I can't find any documentation pointing to which models to be on the lookout for. You don't happen to know where I would find that, do you?

 

Taylor

[johannesmutlu]

LGR will may do a review of the atari ST lightpen but am not sure,but if he will,i will and cant wait for it to see it in action.

Lightpens are fashinating me since 1 year and day,you can simulate a touchscreen experience with it by digging out your good old crt tv/screen, eventrough the atari st lightpen while track down the position of the crt lightbeam ,but the zx spectrum lightpen uses flashes of light to track down the position of it but its somewhat limited.

So you were better off with an atari ST lightpen.