The History of Personal Computing

eBay Episode 7 – Atari ST

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Atari ST brochure

On today’s show, we’re covering the Atari ST, a “GEM” of a computer that helped spark an interest in music and MIDI.

From Wikipedia: “The Atari ST is a line of home computers from Atari Corporation and the successor to the Atari 8-bit family. The first ST model, the 520ST, was released in June 1985. “ST” officially stands for “Sixteen/Thirty-two”, which referred to the Motorola 68000’s 16-bit external bus and 32-bit internals. The Atari ST is the first personal computer to come with a bit-mapped color GUI, using a version of Digital Research’s GEM released in February 1985. The 1040ST, released in 1986, is the first personal computer to ship with a megabyte of RAM in the base configuration and also the first with a cost-per-kilobyte of less than USD$1.”

Jeff & David, along with our guest co-host Chuck Hunnefield, a former user and salesperson of the Atari ST line of computers, discuss the system, along with personally selected eBay favorites.

http://www.historyofpersonalcomputing.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/HofPC-eBay-7.mp3

Links mention in this episode:

  • MFM hard drive emulation in progress
  • Apple Lisa “clone” – PiXL
  • Atari: Game Over documentary about the ET cartridge find
  • Star Raiders II (finally) released for Atari 400/800
  • Story about Star Raiders II

    • Auctions picked for this episode:

    • Jeff’s
      • Large ATARI ST computer package, Working Stacy portable computer
      • Vintage Lot of 2 Atari 520ST & 1040ST Computer Video Game Console for Parts
      • VT-100 Terminal Emulator Cartridge Atari 1040 ST/STE New No Box
      • Chuck’s
        • Vintage 1985 Atari 520ST Computer w/ SM124 Monitor Mouse F
          • ...more
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          The History of Personal ComputingBy David Greelish and Jeff Salzman