Atari 1040STF
 | |
| Atari 1040STF | |
| Specifications | |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Atari Corporation |
| Type | Home computer / personal computer |
| Released | January 1, 1986 |
| Discontinued | 1990 |
| Intro price | US$999.99 (with colour monitor); US$799.99 (with mono monitor) |
| CPU | Motorola MC68000 @ 8 MHz |
| Memory | 1 MB RAM |
| Storage | Internal 3.5-inch DS/DD 720 KB floppy drive; external floppy via 14-pin DIN; external ACSI hard disks |
| Display | 320×200 (16 colours), 640×200 (4 colours), 640×400 (mono) |
| Sound | Yamaha YM2149F (3 voices + noise) |
| Dimensions | 78 mm × 470 mm × 330 mm (3.1 × 18.5 × 13 in) approximately |
| Weight | ≈5.5 kg (12 lb) |
| OS / Firmware | Atari TOS 1.00 / 1.02 / 1.04 (192 KB ROM) |
| Predecessor | Atari 520ST |
| Successor | Atari 1040STE |
The Atari 1040STF is a model in the Atari ST family featuring 1 MB of RAM and an internal double-sided floppy disk drive. The designation stands for 1040 (1040 KB / 1 MB RAM), ST (Sixteen/Thirty-two), and F (internal Floppy drive). Released in 1986, the 1040STF was notable as the first personal computer to ship with 1 MB of RAM as standard and the first to break the US$1-per-kilobyte price barrier.
Unlike the later 1040STFM, the 1040STF does not include an RF modulator — it requires a dedicated monitor (Atari SM124 monochrome or SC1224 colour) or an external RGB-to-video adapter for display. This made it more suited to professional and semi-professional use than as a home computer connected to a television.
History
[edit | edit source]The 1040STF was introduced at the January 1986 Consumer Electronics Show as Atari's flagship ST model. At US$999.99 including a colour monitor, it dramatically undercut the Apple Macintosh Plus (which also had 1 MB of RAM but cost US$2,599 without a monitor). This pricing strategy, combined with the ST's built-in MIDI ports, positioned the 1040STF strongly in the music production and desktop publishing markets.
The "F" designation indicated the internal floppy drive, distinguishing it from the base "1040ST" model designation (which in practice was rarely sold without a drive). Atari subsequently released the 1040STFM, which added an RF modulator for television output, and the 1040STE, which featured enhanced hardware including DMA audio and hardware scrolling.
The 1040STF was the machine that established the ST as a serious platform for professional MIDI music production. Studios worldwide adopted it for its low-latency MIDI timing (driven by the MC6850 ACIA at a fixed 31.25 kbit/s with minimal jitter), and sequencers like Steinberg Pro-24 and C-Lab Creator/Notator became industry standards on the platform.
Architecture
[edit | edit source]- CPU: Motorola MC68000 @ 8 MHz
- Architecture: 16/32-bit (32-bit internal, 16-bit external data bus, 24-bit address bus)
- RAM: 1 MB (16× 256k×4 or equivalent DRAM configuration, arranged in two 8-bit banks)
- ROM: 192 KB TOS — early units: TOS 1.00 in 6× 32 KB ROMs; later units: TOS 1.02 or 1.04 in 2× 128 KB ROMs
- Custom ICs: Shifter (C025914), GLUE (C025915), MMU (C025912), DMA (C025913)
- BLiTTER: Not standard; some boards have an unpopulated footprint for the optional BLiTTER chip
Major ICs
[edit | edit source]| Function | Part Number | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| CPU | MC68000P8 / MC68000FN8 | 8 MHz, DIP-64 or PLCC-68 |
| Video Shifter | C025914-38A | Pixel serialiser |
| GLUE | C025915-38A | Bus timing, video timing |
| MMU | C025912-38 / C100109 | DRAM row/column multiplexer |
| DMA Controller | C025913-38 | ACSI/floppy DMA |
| FDC | WD1772-02-02 | Floppy disk controller |
| MFP | MC68901 | Multi-function peripheral |
| ACIA (×2) | MC6850 | Keyboard/IKBD and MIDI |
| Sound/PIO | YM2149F | 3-voice PSG + parallel I/O |
| RS-232 drivers | MC1488 / MC1489 | Serial port level conversion |
Connectors
[edit | edit source]Rear panel:
- Power: IEC C14 mains inlet (internal SMPS)
- Floppy (external): 14-pin DIN
- ACSI (Hard Disk): DB-19 female
- Serial (Modem): DB-25 male, RS-232C
- Parallel (Printer): DB-25 female
- Video/Monitor: 13-pin DIN (analog RGB, mono, sync, audio)
Note: No RF output — the 1040STF does not include an RF modulator.
Left side:
- MIDI In: 5-pin DIN
- MIDI Out: 5-pin DIN
- Cartridge: 40-pin edge connector
- Reset button
Under keyboard:
- Port 0: DE-9 male (mouse/joystick)
- Port 1: DE-9 male (joystick)
Display
[edit | edit source]- Low resolution: 320×200, 16 colours from 512-colour palette (9-bit RGB), ~50/60 Hz
- Medium resolution: 640×200, 4 colours, ~50/60 Hz
- High resolution (mono): 640×400, monochrome, ~71.2 Hz (requires SM124/SM125)
The 1040STF has no RF modulator and no composite video output. A dedicated Atari monitor (SM124 mono, SC1224/SC1435 colour) or an external RGB-to-SCART/component adapter is required for display.
Sound
[edit | edit source]- PSG: Yamaha YM2149F — 3 square-wave channels + noise, 5-bit envelope generator
- MIDI: Built-in MIDI In/Out at 31.25 kbaud — the feature that defined the ST as a music production platform
- Audio output: Mono line-level on pin 1 of the 13-pin monitor DIN
Internal Floppy Drive
[edit | edit source]The 1040STF includes an internal 3.5-inch double-sided, double-density (DS/DD) floppy drive:
- Capacity: 720 KB formatted (80 tracks × 2 sides × 9 sectors × 512 bytes)
- Controller: WD1772 at 8 MHz, 250 kbit/s data rate
- Common drive models: Epson SMD-340/360, Citizen OSDA, Alps DFxx
Internal Power Supply
[edit | edit source]The 1040STF uses an internal switched-mode power supply:
| Rail | Voltage | Typical Current | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|
| +5V | 5.0V ±5% | ~3.0A | Logic, RAM, all ICs |
| +12V | 12.0V ±10% | ~0.5A | Floppy drive motor, RS-232 |
| −12V | −12.0V ±10% | ~0.05A | RS-232 negative rail |
WARNING: The internal PSU contains mains-voltage components and capacitors that may retain dangerous charge after the machine is unplugged. Always disconnect from mains and wait at least 5 minutes before servicing.
Differences from the 1040STFM
[edit | edit source]| Feature | 1040STF | 1040STFM |
|---|---|---|
| RAM | 1 MB | 1 MB |
| Internal Floppy | Yes (DS/DD 720 KB) | Yes (DS/DD 720 KB) |
| RF Modulator | No | Yes |
| TV Output | No (monitor only) | Yes (via RF) |
| Internal PSU | Yes | Yes |
| Target Market | Professional / monitor users | Home / TV users |
Known Issues
[edit | edit source]- PSU capacitor failure: The internal SMPS is a common failure point due to aged electrolytic capacitors. Symptoms include failure to power on, intermittent shutdowns, or unstable voltage rails. Recapping the PSU is strongly recommended as preventive maintenance.
- TOS ROM version: Early 1040STF units shipped with TOS 1.00, which has known bugs (most notably in the desktop and file copy routines). Upgrading to TOS 1.04 or TOS 2.06 resolves these issues and improves compatibility with later software and hard disk drivers.
- Floppy drive failure: Internal drives can develop worn heads, dirty head assemblies, or degraded belts.
- Keyboard membrane degradation: Common to all ST models.
- DRAM failure: Ageing DRAM chips can cause crashes, garbled display, or boot failure.
Service and Repair
[edit | edit source]Software Compatibility
[edit | edit source]With 1 MB of RAM, the 1040STF was compatible with virtually all ST software:
- Music production: Steinberg Pro-24, Cubase, C-Lab Creator/Notator, Dr. T's KCS
- Desktop publishing: Calamus, PageStream, Publishing Partner
- Word processing: 1st Word Plus, WordPerfect
- Programming: GFA BASIC, Lattice C, Mark Williams C, Pure C
- Games: Dungeon Master, Starglider, Carrier Command, Xenon, Populous, Captive
See Also
[edit | edit source]- Atari 520ST — 512 KB original model
- Atari 520STFM — 512 KB with floppy and RF modulator
- Atari 1040ST — General 1040ST article
- Atari 1040STFM — 1 MB model with RF modulator
- Atari 1040STE — Enhanced successor
References
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