History Platform / AtariST

Jack wanted a new computer, and fast. A lot of his loyalists from Commodore had left to follow him, so a combination of Atari and ex-Commodore engineers started working frantically to get something ready for the Winter Consumer Electronics Show coming up in January '85. The Motorola 68000 was chosen to be the UsefulNotes/{{C|entralProcessingUnit}}PU. UsefulNotes/{{R|andomAccessMemory}}AM started at 128K, but was 512K by the time the computer was done. A custom UsefulNotes/{{G|raphicsProcessingUnit}}PU called Shifter allowed three screen modes. Sound would be the General Instrument AY-3-8912. The operating system was to be a port of Digital Research's CP/M, but it proved too primitive and was replaced by a new OS that DR was developing, called GEMDOS. A graphical user interface on top of GEMDOS completed the OS, called TOS ("Total Operating System", or "Tramiel Operating System", but usually just "The Operating System"). Since Jack's computer had similar features to the Platform/AppleMacintosh but sold at a far lower price, it was nicknamed the "Jackintosh" by the press. On later systems, TOS evolved into [=MultiTOS=], a multitasking Platform/{{UNIX}}-like operating system, an early example of a commercialized open source project as it was derived from the [=MiNT=] project.

The ST was upgraded in 1986 with one megabyte of RAM, and apart from that the only upgrades were TOS updates and an internal floppy drive. The big update came in 1989 with the STE, which had a 4096-color palette, a [[UsefulNotes/GraphicsProcessingUnit blitter]], and DMA sound. But with so many older [=STs=] out there, game developers couldn't use the new features. The ST was further developed into two 68030-based computers: The TT, a Mac-like workstation, and the Falcon, a successor to the ST. The latter lasted only one year before Atari left the computer business to focus on the [[Platform/AtariJaguar Jaguar]]. After the Falcon's cancellation, due to the platform's continuing popularity in music production, C-Lab, the maker of the Logic sequencer software, produced new Falcon machines for several years under license from Atari, including a rack-mounted model for use in studios.

* UsefulNotes/{{G|raphicsProcessingUnit}}PU: Atari "Shifter", 32KB onboard memory.

The '''Atari 520ST''' went on sale in July 1985. It was very successful, [[GermansLoveDavidHasselhoff especially in Europe]] despite facing stiff competition with the Platform/{{Amiga}} which launched around the same time. Its strongest points were its low cost and built-in UsefulNotes/{{MIDI}} ports. It was embraced by musicians, and continues to be used by them today. In America, it faced stiff competition from the same Amiga it had to compete with in Europe, but also the Platform/AppleMacintosh and even the inferior PC, which was being given rudimentary music capabilities in the form of an [=AdLib=] [=OPL2=] add-on card and the slightly better EGA graphics. FandomRivalry ensued between the ST and Amiga communities, while the Mac managed to stay above the fray. Game developers saw the ST and Amiga as very similar, so many games were released for both simultaneously. The most famous original ST game is ''VideoGame/DungeonMaster''.

* [[UsefulNotes/GamingAudio Sound]]: Yamaha [=YM2149=] (clone of the General Instrument AY-3-8912) PSG audio chip, also used to control the floppy disk drive and serial and parallel ports. a DMA-driven stereo DSP was added on [=STe=] machines. [[note]]Don't let the fact that it's a PSG Chip fool you tho- when paired with the Motorola 68000, this chip was actually almost as capable as the Amiga's ''Paula'' DSP- Gods, as well as several tracker programs, could use it to handle multi-channel wavetable playback at the expense of a higher-than-usual CPU load and some compromises (in Gods' case, removal of some of the more taxing animations in the title screen).[[/note]]

Jack wanted a new computer, and fast. A lot of his loyalists from Commodore had left to follow him, so a combination of Atari and ex-Commodore engineers started working frantically to get something ready for the Winter Consumer Electronics Show coming up in January '85. The Motorola 68000 was chosen to be the UsefulNotes/{{C|entralProcessingUnit}}PU. UsefulNotes/{{R|andomAccessMemory}}AM started at 128K, but was 512K by the time the computer was done. A custom UsefulNotes/{{G|raphicsProcessingUnit}}PU called Shifter allowed three screen modes. Sound would be the General Instrument AY-3-8912. The operating system was to be a port of Digital Research's CP/M, but it proved too primitive and was replaced by a new OS that DR was developing, called GEMDOS. A graphical user interface on top of GEMDOS completed the OS, called TOS ("Total Operating System", or "Tramiel Operating System", but usually just "The Operating System"). Since Jack's computer had similar features to the Platform/AppleMacintosh but sold at a far lower price, it was nicknamed the "Jackintosh" by the press. On later systems, TOS evolved into [=MultiTOS=], a multitasking UsefulNotes/{{Unix}}-like operating system, an early example of a commercialized open source project as it was derived from the [=MiNT=] project.

On January 13, 1984, for reasons known only to him, Commodore founder and president Jack Tramiel resigned. He took a short break, then got back into the computer business. Meanwhile, Creator/{{Atari}} was losing a million dollars a day in the wake of UsefulNotes/TheGreatVideoGameCrashOf1983, and parent company Warner Communications wanted to sell it. Tramiel bought the consumer hardware division of Atari in July, creating Atari Corporation (Warner retained a minority stake). (The arcade division stayed with Warner as Atari Games, and went through its own separate history of ownership changes, including partial ownership by {{Creator/Namco}}, until Time Warner sold it to Creator/MidwayGames in 1996.)

On January 13, 1984, for reasons known only to him, Commodore founder and president Jack Tramiel resigned. He took a short break, then got back into the computer business. Meanwhile, Creator/{{Atari}} was losing a million dollars a day in the wake of UsefulNotes/TheGreatVideoGameCrashOf1983, and parent company Warner Communications wanted to sell it. Tramiel bought the consumer hardware division of Atari in July, creating Atari Corporation (Warner retained a minority stake). (The arcade division stayed with Warner as Atari Games, and went through its own separate history of ownership changes, including partial ownership by {{Creator/Namco}}, until Time Warner sold it to {{Creator/MidwayGames}} in 1996.)

Jack wanted a new computer, and fast. A lot of his loyalists from Commodore had left to follow him, so a combination of Atari and ex-Commodore engineers started working frantically to get something ready for the Winter Consumer Electronics Show coming up in January '85. The Motorola 68000 was chosen to be the UsefulNotes/{{C|entralProcessingUnit}}PU. UsefulNotes/{{R|andomAccessMemory}}AM started at 128K, but was 512K by the time the computer was done. A custom UsefulNotes/{{G|raphicsProcessingUnit}}PU called Shifter allowed three screen modes. Sound would be the General Instrument AY-3-8912. The operating system was to be a port of Digital Research's CP/M, but it proved too primitive and was replaced by a new OS that DR was developing, called GEMDOS. A graphical user interface on top of GEMDOS completed the OS, called TOS ("Total Operating System", or "Tramiel Operating System", but usually just "The Operating System"). Since Jack's computer had similar features to the UsefulNotes/AppleMacintosh but sold at a far lower price, it was nicknamed the "Jackintosh" by the press. On later systems, TOS evolved into [=MultiTOS=], a multitasking UsefulNotes/{{Unix}}-like operating system, an early example of a commercialized open source project as it was derived from the [=MiNT=] project.

The '''Atari 520ST''' went on sale in July 1985. It was very successful, [[GermansLoveDavidHasselhoff especially in Europe]] despite facing stiff competition with the UsefulNotes/{{Amiga}} which launched around the same time. Its strongest points were its low cost and built-in UsefulNotes/{{MIDI}} ports. It was embraced by musicians, and continues to be used by them today. In America, it faced stiff competition from the same Amiga it had to compete with in Europe, but also the UsefulNotes/AppleMacintosh and even the inferior PC, which was being given rudimentary music capabilities in the form of an [=AdLib=] [=OPL2=] add-on card and the slightly better EGA graphics. FandomRivalry ensued between the ST and Amiga communities, while the Mac managed to stay above the fray. Game developers saw the ST and Amiga as very similar, so many games were released for both simultaneously. The most famous original ST game is ''VideoGame/DungeonMaster''.

The ST was upgraded in 1986 with one megabyte of RAM, and apart from that the only upgrades were TOS updates and an internal floppy drive. The big update came in 1989 with the STE, which had a 4096-color palette, a [[UsefulNotes/GraphicsProcessingUnit blitter]], and DMA sound. But with so many older [=STs=] out there, game developers couldn't use the new features. The ST was further developed into two 68030-based computers: The TT, a Mac-like workstation, and the Falcon, a successor to the ST. The latter lasted only one year before Atari left the computer business to focus on the [[UsefulNotes/AtariJaguar Jaguar]]. After the Falcon's cancellation, due to the platform's continuing popularity in music production, C-Lab, the maker of the Logic sequencer software, produced new Falcon machines for several years under license from Atari, including a rack-mounted model for use in studios.

* ''VideoGame/AlteredBeast''

On January 13, 1984, for reasons known only to him, Commodore founder and president Jack Tramiel resigned. He took a short break, then got back into the computer business. Meanwhile, Creator/{{Atari}} was losing a million dollars a day in the wake of UsefulNotes/TheGreatVideoGameCrashOf1983, and parent company Warner Communications wanted to sell it. Tramiel bought the consumer hardware division of Atari in July, creating Atari Corporation (Warner retained a minority stake). (The arcade division stayed with Warner as Atari Games, and went through its own separate history of ownership changes, including partial ownership by {{Creator/Namco}}, until Time Warner sold it to {{Creator/Midway}} in 1996.)

On January 13, 1984, for reasons known only to him, Commodore founder and president Jack Tramiel resigned. He took a short break, then got back into the computer business. Meanwhile, Creator/{{Atari}} was losing a million dollars a day in the wake of UsefulNotes/TheGreatVideoGameCrashOf1983, and parent company Warner Communications wanted to sell it. Tramiel bought the hardware division of Atari in July, creating Atari Corporation (the games division stayed with Warner, as Atari Games).

Jack wanted a new computer, and fast. A lot of his friends from Commodore had left to follow him, so a combination of Atari and ex-Commodore engineers started working frantically to get something ready for the Winter Consumer Electronics Show coming up in January '85. The Motorola 68000 was chosen to be the UsefulNotes/{{C|entralProcessingUnit}}PU. UsefulNotes/{{R|andomAccessMemory}}AM started at 128K, but was 512K by the time the computer was done. A custom UsefulNotes/{{G|raphicsProcessingUnit}}PU called Shifter allowed three screen modes. Sound would be the General Instrument AY-3-8912. The operating system was to be a port of Digital Research's CP/M, but it proved too primitive and was replaced by a new OS that DR was developing, called GEMDOS. A graphical user interface on top of GEMDOS completed the OS, called TOS ("Total Operating System", or "Tramiel Operating System", but usually just "The Operating System"). Since Jack's computer had similar features to the UsefulNotes/AppleMacintosh but sold at a far lower price, it was nicknamed the "Jackintosh" by the press. On later system, TOS evolved into [=MultiTOS=], a multitasking UsefulNotes/{{Unix}}-like operating system, an early example of a commercialized open source project as it was derived from the [=MiNT=] project.

[[quoteright:240:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/atarist_1842.jpg]]

** ''VideoGame/DejaVu''

Jack wanted a new computer, and fast. A lot of his friends from Commodore had left to follow him, so a combination of Atari and ex-Commodore engineers started working frantically to get something ready for the Winter Consumer Electronics Show coming up in January '85. The Motorola 68000 was chosen to be the UsefulNotes/{{C|entralProcessingUnit}}PU. UsefulNotes/{{R|andomAccessMemory}}AM started at 128K, but was 512K by the time the computer was done. A custom UsefulNotes/{{G|raphicsProcessingUnit}}PU called Shifter allowed three screen modes. Sound would be the General Instrument AY-3-8912. The operating system was to be a port of Digital Research's CP/M, but it proved too primitive and was replaced by a new OS that DR was developing, called GEMDOS. A graphical user interface on top of GEMDOS completed the OS, called TOS ("Total Operating System", or "Tramiel Operating System", but usually just "The Operating System"). Since Jack's computer had similar features to the UsefulNotes/AppleMacintosh but sold at a far lower price, it was nicknamed the "Jackintosh" by the press. On later system, TOS evolved into [=MultiTOS=], a multitasking UsefulNotes/{{Unix}}-like operating system, an early example of a commcercialized open source project as it was derived from the [=MiNT=] project.

* ''VideoGame/StreetFighter''

Jack wanted a new computer, and fast. A lot of his friends from Commodore had left to follow him, so a combination of Atari and ex-Commodore engineers started working frantically to get something ready for the Winter Consumer Electronics Show coming up in January '85. The Motorola 68000 was chosen to be the UsefulNotes/{{C|entralProcessingUnit}}PU. UsefulNotes/{{R|andomAccessMemory}}AM started at 128K, but was 512K by the time the computer was done. A custom UsefulNotes/{{G|raphicsProcessingUnit}}PU called Shifter allowed three screen modes. Sound would be the General Instrument AY-3-8912. The operating system was to be a port of Digital Research's CP/M, but it proved too primitive and was replaced by a new OS that DR was developing, called GEMDOS. A graphical user interface on top of GEMDOS completed the OS, called TOS ("Total Operating System", or "Tramiel Operating System", but usually just "The Operating System"). Since Jack's computer had similar features to the UsefulNotes/AppleMacintosh but sold at a far lower price, it was nicknamed the "Jackintosh" by the press.

The ST was upgraded in 1986 with one megabyte of RAM, and apart from that the only upgrades were TOS updates and an internal floppy drive. The big update came in 1989 with the STE, which had a 4096-color palette, a [[UsefulNotes/GraphicsProcessingUnit blitter]], and DMA sound. But with so many older [=STs=] out there, game developers couldn't use the new features. The ST was further developed into two 68030-based computers: The TT, a Mac-like workstation, and the Falcon, a successor to the ST. The latter lasted only one year before Atari left the computer business to focus on the [[UsefulNotes/AtariJaguar Jaguar]].

The Atari 520ST went on sale in July 1985. It was very successful, [[GermansLoveDavidHasselhoff especially in Europe]] despite facing stiff competition with the UsefulNotes/{{Amiga}} which launched around the same time. Its strongest points were its low cost and built-in UsefulNotes/{{MIDI}} ports. It was embraced by musicians, and continues to be used by them today. In America, it faced stiff competition from the same Amiga it had to compete with in Europe, but also the UsefulNotes/AppleMacintosh and even the inferior PC, which was being given rudimentary music capabilities in the form of an [=AdLib=] [=OPL2=] add-on card and the slightly better EGA graphics. FandomRivalry ensued between the ST and Amiga communities, while the Mac managed to stay above the fray. Game developers saw the ST and Amiga as very similar, so many games were released for both simultaneously. The most famous original ST game is ''VideoGame/DungeonMaster''.