SYSPMZT@gecrdvm1.crd.ge.com (03/02/91)
I'm a long time owner of a 1040 ST, from the early days, though suprisingly I know little about the guts/upgrades or even available software. I use the machine for MIDI sequencing, and that's about it. After 4 years or so, my machine is getting pretty shabby, and has a nifty disk controller problem, besides being a TOS 1.1 machine with the file dialog bug and the like. I'm also severely memory constrained. I don't want to invest any money in a machine I'm convinced will roll over and expensively die one day soon. So, I've been thinking about getting a Mega 4, but I can't really afford the full deal, even already owning a monitor (my 3rd, actually). A local music store starting selling 1040's with monitors for $599 recently, and it got me to thinking: I don't really care about the blitter chip for my application (do I?), and don't really need the new keyboard (I only press single key commands at a time), and though I'd like the detached keyboard, I can live without it. So, finally, my questions: Can I easily upgrade the memory of a new 1040, can I do it myself (I don't solder well), or are there a number of firms/ individuals that can do this for me? If the latter is the best recommendation, any advice on who to do the upgrade? Lastly, am I missing out on anything big by not going with the Mega 4? I don't read ST magazines, and poke my head into this category infrequently, so I'm not as well-educated as I should be on the subject. All advice very gratefully appreciated, Phil Z.
carter@cat27.cs.wisc.edu (Gregory Carter) (03/03/91)
SYSPMZT@gecrdvm1.crd.ge.com writes indubitably:
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I'm a long time owner of a 1040 ST, from the early days, though suprisingly
I know little about the guts/upgrades or even available software. I use
the machine for MIDI sequencing, and that's about it.
After 4 years or so, my machine is getting pretty shabby, and has a nifty
disk controller problem, besides being a TOS 1.1 machine with the file
dialog bug and the like. I'm also severely memory constrained. I don't
want to invest any money in a machine I'm convinced will roll over and
expensively die one day soon.
So, I've been thinking about getting a Mega 4, but I can't really afford
the full deal, even already owning a monitor (my 3rd, actually). A local
music store starting selling 1040's with monitors for $599 recently, and
it got me to thinking: I don't really care about the blitter chip for my
application (do I?), and don't really need the new keyboard (I only press
single key commands at a time), and though I'd like the detached keyboard,
I can live without it.
So, finally, my questions: Can I easily upgrade the memory of a new 1040,
can I do it myself (I don't solder well), or are there a number of firms/
individuals that can do this for me? If the latter is the best recommendation,
any advice on who to do the upgrade? Lastly, am I missing out on anything
big by not going with the Mega 4? I don't read ST magazines, and poke my
head into this category infrequently, so I'm not as well-educated as I should
be on the subject.
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MMmmm, I think the best thing for you to do, is to save your money and buy
a MEGA 4...
Even better, if your needs aren't impendably pressing on you, get a MEGA 4
STe.
You could be missing out if you go with a 1040, it depends on your goals
and the relative kinds of work you want to do. I forked out the massive
dollars for my machine because I wanted all of the capabilities of finally
owning an Atari machine that you can upgrade without voiding your warranty.
With a VME bus, the possibilities are endless! But I also wanted a faster
machine too, since I do a lot of programming and hate to wait for anything!
I also run Mac software for a lot of things like programming, DTP, WP. and
just to be in a nice computing environment that is pleasant.
You also won't get the new TOS 2.05. Its pretty nice, and was an unexpected
BONUS as I always though t the desktop SUCKED MASSIVELY, and was kinda in
the ROMS because Atari was afraid using the extra space for a multitasking
OS would be overkill, so they just made the desktop and "threw it in there.".
But let me get straight to the point:
1) If you buy a 1040ST, you won't be able to get the SST board that Mr. Small
is making for the MEGA machines, in the same configuration that is. I
do believe in the 1040ST implementation he is cutting the floating point
support because of space constraints. THAT WOULD SUCK.
2) To my knowledge, Large Screen displays are only available for the MEGA.
So if you want a nice large screen display in your future sometime,
forget it.
3) You can internally install a hard disk in the MEGA, which EGADS, probably
one of the most unexpected PLUSES you can get! IMAGINE THIS, ONE power
cable for the computer and ONE for the monitor and THATS ALL. NO MORE
RATS NEST! I don't even need a power strip to plug my machine in someplace
as I only need a two outlet wall socket which does just fine.
(I live in a dorm, so SPACE COUNTS, SO WHAT IF I AM 24! I still act like
a teenager, dam proud too!)
4) OK the last point I would like to make is THE DETACHABLE KEYBOARD.
I didn't think it was such a big deal, BUT IT IS. If I couldn't
lazily relax on my bed while doing cs536 asignments I would go nuts
like those poor slobs down in the terminal room who have to live in the
computer lab 20 hours a week! (HA HA. Poor things....SUFFER! :) )
Well those are my reasons! There are more, but I don't like typing long
messages...
--Gregorygaudreau@juggler.East.Sun.COM (Joe Gaudreau (Spaced for Rent)) (03/05/91)
SYSPMZT@gecrdvm1.crd.ge.com writes:
=So, I've been thinking about getting a Mega 4, but I can't really afford
=the full deal, even already owning a monitor (my 3rd, actually). A local
=music store starting selling 1040's with monitors for $599 recently, and
=it got me to thinking: I don't really care about the blitter chip for my
If you're on a budget, but want 4meg the ez way, try a 520/1040 Ste and
upgrade the RAM to 4 meg with 4 1 meg simms. They simply snap in. No
soldering, no software. Just snap. The machine has a few extra goodies
but otherwise is a 1040st of old.
The Mega-4/Ste's are rather nice and have a HD as a bonus. If you don't
really need a powerhouse, the 1040 Ste is probably fine... and cheap!
Like $400 for the cpu, isn't it?
Joe
-=-