Atari 520ST (boxed) + External hard drive + software

 Home > Browse Our Collection > Computers > Atari > Atari 520ST (boxed) + ... hard drive + software
 

This is the original model ST, which has a much thinner back as it does not contain the 3.5 FDD that can be found built into all the subsequent models. The drive is connected externally via a lead. The power supply is also external. This model was not on the market for long, and was replaced by the Atari STFM.

In 1985 Atari Corporation introduced its new 16-bit computer system. It was called the 520ST, 520 being the memory size and ST for Sixteen/Thirty Two bit processor. The Atari ST originally had its OS delivered on floppy disk since the OS ROMs were not ready for shipping. The 520ST represented a major step forward in computer design and OS design.

However many rough spots do show through, for instance a lack of hardware scrolling, this most likely is a result of the machine being rushed market to gain a lead on the soon to be released Commodore computer system which used technology by the Amiga company.

Amiga had been bought by Commodore who were previously supplied finance by Atari, for development to use the technology in the Atari 1850XL computer before the Tramiels bought Atari.

This money was paid back, and development of the ST was completed in around 6 months, an incredible feat by the company, and various engineers who had followed Tramiel from Commodore.

The ST computer utilized the Digital Research GEM interface for a graphics environment. (As an interesting note, Apple Computer sued Digital Research for the GEM "Look & Feel" on the PC version and Digital Research was forced to change it, however Apple never sued Atari or Digital for the version used on the Atari ST's. Perhaps Apple felt that the Atari ST's were not going to be a enough of a threat to merit a lawsuit.)

The Atari ST enjoyed much success in Europe, but was unfortunately undone not only by the superior Amiga, but by the amount of software that Atari chose to give away in bundles with the computer, leading publishers to limit or stop producing software completely for the Atari machine.

This system was very kindly donated by Clare Hayes-Bradley.

Manufacturer: Atari
Date: 1985



Comment on This Page

Atari 520ST (boxed) + External hard drive + software Manuals:

Item Manufacturer Date
Atari 520ST and 1040ST Technical Reference Manual (Copy) Atari Unknown
Commodore Technote - Addressing Change Commodore Unknown
Olivetti DE 520 System General Manual Olivetti Unknown
Olivetti DE 520 System and Magnetic Tapes Olivetti Unknown
Olivetti DE523 System and Serial Printers Olivetti Unknown
Control Data 6000 Series Computer Systems Control Data Corporation 1966
Bulletin Applications Development Control Data Corporation Sep 1966
IBM System 360 Operating System FORTRAN IV (G and H) Programmers Guide IBM Jul 1969
Control Data Central Computer - Volume 1 CDC Control Data 22 Feb 1973
Control Data Central Computer - Volume 2 CDC Control Data 22 Feb 1973
IBM - Virtual Machine/System Product - VM/Pass-Through Facility - General Information - Release 3 IBM Oct 1986

Magazines RELATED to Atari 520ST (boxed) + External hard drive + software in our Library

Item Manufacturer Date
Monitor - The UK Atari Computer Owners Club - Issue 10 Unknown
Antic - The Atari Resource May 1983 May 1983
Antic - The Atari Resource June 1983 Jun 1983
Antic - The Atari Resource August 1983 Aug 1983
Antic - The Atari Resource September 1983 Sep 1983
Antic - The Atari Resource November 1983 Nov 1983
Antic - The Atari Resource January 1984 Jan 1984
Antic - The Atari Resource February 1984 Feb 1984
Antic - The Atari Resource April 1984 Apr 1984
Antic - The Atari Resource June 1984 Jun 1984
Antic - The Atari Resource October 1984 Oct 1984
Atari User - May 1985 May 1985
Practical Computing - June 1985 Jun 1985
Atari User - June 1985 Jun 1985
Antic - The Atari Resource June 1985 Jun 1985
Personal Computer World - June 1985 1 Jun 1985
Atari User - August 1985 Aug 1985
Practical Computing - September 1985 Sep 1985
Atari User - September 1985 Sep 1985
Atari User - October 1985 Oct 1985
Atari User - November 1985 Nov 1985
Atari User - February 1986 Feb 1986
Atari User - March 1986 Mar 1986
Personal Computer World Special: Business Computing The 1986 Survival Guide Apr 1986
Atari User - April 1986 Apr 1986
Antic - The Atari Resource April 1986 Apr 1986
Atari User - May 1986 May 1986
Practical Computing - August 1986 Aug 1986
Atari User - January 1987 Jan 1987
Atari User - February 1987 Feb 1987
Personal Computer World - February 1987 1 Feb 1987
Atari User - April 1987 Apr 1987
Atari User - May 1987 May 1987
Atari User - June 1987 Jun 1987
The Micro User - July 1987 - Vol 5 No 5 Database Publications Ltd Jul 1987
Atari User - July 1987 Jul 1987
Atari User - August 1987 Aug 1987
Atari User - September 1987 Sep 1987
Atari User - November 1987 Nov 1987
Atari User - March 1988 Mar 1988
Atari User - July 1988 Jul 1988
Atari User - August 1988 Aug 1988
The Micro User - April 1989 - Vol 7 No 2 Database Publications Ltd Apr 1989
PCW Focus - May 1989 1 May 1989
Personal Computer World - December 1990 1 Dec 1990
Byte January 1986 16 Sep 2009
Byte June 1986 16 Sep 2009

Catalogues RELATED to Atari 520ST (boxed) + External hard drive + software in our Library

Item Manufacturer Date
Silica - Computers and Video Games Silica 1 Oct 1994

Other Systems Related To Atari 520ST (boxed) + External hard drive + software:

Item Manufacturer Date
Atari 800 with Programmer Kit Atari Inc 1st January 1979
Atari 400 with Aftermarket Keyboard Atari November 1979
Atari 800 Atari November 1979
Atari 400 Atari November 1979
Centipede Arcade Cabinet Atari 1980
Atari 1200XL Atari 1982
Atari 800XL Atari 1983
Atari 600XL Atari June 1983
Atari 520 STFM Atari 1985
Atari 65XE Atari 1985
Atari 520 STM Atari 1st January 1985
Atari 1040 STE Atari 1986
Atari 520 STM Atari 12th September 1986
Atari Mega ST 2 Atari 1987
Atari ST Mega 1040 Tower Power Atari 1988
Atari 1040STFM Atari 1989
Atari 1040STFM (David Arnold) Atari 1989
Atari 520 STE Atari 1989
Atari 1040STF Atari 1989
Atari Portfolio Atari 1989
Atari Stacy 2 Atari 9th December 1989
Atari Mega 4 Atari 1990
Atari TT030 Atari 1990
Atari Falcon Atari 1990
Atari Mega/STE Atari 1991

This exhibit has a reference ID of CH34261. Please quote this reference ID in any communication with the Centre for Computing History.

 

Atari 520ST (boxed) + External hard drive + software

  Games Archive   [9]
  Software Archive   [1]
  Peripherals   [1]
  Promotional Items   [3]

Click on the Image(s) For Detail


Articles

Help support the museum by buying from the museum shop

View all items

Founding Sponsors
redgate Google ARM Real VNC Microsoft Research
Heritage Lottery Funded
Heritage Lottery Fund
Accredited Museum