Atari ST

Atari ST. The Atari ST is a family of 16-bit home computers released by Atari Corporation in 1985. Conceived by Jack Tramiel following his departure from Commodore International, it was a direct competitor to the Commodore Amiga and the Apple Macintosh. The "ST" officially stands for "Sixteen/Thirty-two," referencing the Motorola 68000's 16-bit external data bus and 32-bit internal architecture.

History

The development of the Atari ST began under the codename "RBP" (Rock Bottom Price) at Atari Corporation's Sunnyvale, California facilities. Led by Shiraz Shivji, the team aimed to create a powerful yet affordable machine to compete in the burgeoning 16-bit era. A critical decision was the adoption of the Motorola 68000 microprocessor and the Digital Research's GEM graphical interface, creating a GUI-based alternative to Microsoft's MS-DOS systems. The computer was unveiled at the Winter Consumer Electronics Show in 1985, with first units shipping later that year. Its launch sparked intense rivalry with the Commodore Amiga, often referred to as the "ST vs. Amiga wars," defining a significant chapter in home computer history.

Hardware

At the core of the Atari ST was the Motorola 68000 central processing unit running at 8 MHz. The system utilized a series of Custom chips, including the GLUE and MMU for system control, and the Shifter for video display. It featured the Yamaha YM2149 Programmable Sound Generator for audio, which was identical to the chip in the Commodore 64. A key innovation was the inclusion of MIDI ports as standard, a first for a mass-market computer. The base models shipped with either 512 KB or 1 MB of RAM, expandable via internal slots. Display output supported both color via a proprietary monitor and high-resolution monochrome via a separate output, catering to different user needs.

Software

The Atari ST's operating system was TOS (The Operating System), which integrated the GEM desktop from Digital Research. This provided a Macintosh-like graphical user interface. The platform became renowned for its strength in music production, largely due to its built-in MIDI ports, fostering software like Cubase from Steinberg and Notator from C-Lab. It was also a strong platform for digital art, with programs like Degas Elite and NEOchrome. In gaming, it hosted popular titles such as Dungeon Master from FTL Games, Oids, and ports of arcade hits from companies like Psygnosis and Electronic Arts.

Models and variants

The original series, known as the 520ST and 1040ST, referred to their memory configurations. The enhanced 1040STF included an internal floppy disk drive. The Atari STE, released in 1989, added enhanced graphics and sound capabilities. For professional users, Atari released the Atari TT030 in 1990, featuring a more powerful Motorola 68030 processor. The final model in the line was the Atari Falcon, released in 1992, which incorporated a Motorola 68030 and a Motorola 56001 DSP. Several third-party clones and expansions were also produced, such as systems from Milan Computer and graphics cards from Creative Micro Designs.

Legacy and impact

The Atari ST left a profound legacy, particularly in music technology. Its built-in MIDI ports made it an inexpensive and reliable platform for sequencing, cementing its role in the development of electronic music genres and used by artists like Jean-Michel Jarre and Fatboy Slim. It helped democratize Desktop publishing and Computer art in Europe. Although it ultimately lost market share to the IBM PC compatible and Commodore Amiga, the ST fostered a dedicated community. Its influence is remembered through software emulation projects and its enduring status among Retrocomputing enthusiasts.

Category:Atari computers Category:Home computers Category:1985 introductions