Re: Atari 1024ST-FM questions...

Mark Bedingfield <atari030@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

Mitchell Spector wrote:
[...]
glue won't fix) and coming with a generic PC serial
mouse with an AM/AT switch on bottom. Still, I'm now
wondering if it's dead or alive...

Its not serial, its an Amiga/Atari mouse.

Ahh, that's what the AM/AT stands for (AMiga/ATari).
At the very least it looked like a modified PC serial mouse,
underneath the switch I can see "MS" and "PC" embedded
in the plastic. Interesting, I have a similar Amiga mouse with
the same switch and never realized it was Atari compatible.

Plugged into the RF connector to my TV set but all I
get is a black screen. If I tap on the keyboard, I get a
"beep" feedback sound through the TV's speakers if
that means anything. I can hear the floppy drive trying
to seek, looking for a disk for about a minute, but when
it gives up, GEM does *not* load up. Shouldn't be in ROM?

It is.

And if memory serves right, it should just come up on its
own after several seconds if there is no boot device found.
There's no special key press to boot GEM from firmware, right?

Shouldn't I see some image on screen?

Yup, a green desktop.

Yep, I remember that from my Atari 520 ST-FM!

I tried an old Windows-based program called WDFCopy
v0.09 to create a bootable disk, but after inserting it in the
ST, it just gives up after a few brief seconds (not certain it
created a proper disk though, it's been years since I last
tried tinkering with an Atari ST).

Just use a blank formatted DD disk. The Atari ST doesn't need a boot disk.

If I don't have one available, will it still boot into GEM?
(seems to me my 520 ST-FM did if I left it on long enough)

Anyhow, I used the Apple IIGS back in the 80's, and
tinkered with the Amiga on and off in the 90's but never
had a chance to play with the Atari ST. Any chance of
getting this one working, or am I out of luck, again? :)

I would build/buy a video cable to suit composite output. It is better
than mucking around trying to tune the TV to as a monitor.

Something like this;

http://tinyurl.com/5fftyf

Thanks, that should be helpful, but that's assuming the
RF modulator is faulty (I've seen that before on other
computers, but usually you don't get picture OR sound--in
this case I can hear the "beeps" pressing keys which
tells me it is tuned in correctly).

To make a composite cable you just use pins 1, 2 and 13. I will draw a
schematic for you when I get a minute. Bugger it, here you go;

http://members.optusnet.com.au/~startreks/stcct.html

Is pin #2 composite-video and pin #13 ground?
I have RGB monitors that work at NTSC/15.75 kHz
and could wire a cable, but I'm not likely to find that
non-standard DIN-13 connector.

Incidentally, I opened up the Atari ST today to have
a look inside. The motherboard is labeled "C070789-001
Revision D/Action D2". Most of the chips are soldered
in, but I tried pressing down on the socketed ones. Also
unplugged the keyboard and floppy--still just a black
screen and the "beep" (or "click") when I reconnect
the keyboard and tap keys. Actually it continuously beeps
if you have the keyboard disconnected.

Either the RF modulator is faulty or something else is
blown. Kind of reminds me of my C64's that won't boot
up and just show a black screen (in those cases, I think
they have bad RAM). Ah well, if I had a bootable Atari
disk I could at least see if it's a video problem or not.
I may just give it away or toss it eventually...

Mitchell Spector
.

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