Storm ST: 8 MB Alt-RAM + RTC + more

[czietz]

In case you've missed it - couldn't announce it here for obvious reasons.

The Thunder/Storm/Lightning team is proud to announce the Storm ST, an 8 MB alternate RAM board for the ST/MegaST.

What you’ll get:

• 8 megabytes of additional RAM (alternate RAM, like on the MonSTer or Magnum ST) usable with TOS 2.06, EmuTOS, FreeMiNT, MagiC and Geneva.
  (Note: TOS 1.x lacks the API for adding alt-RAM and is therefore not supported -- same as with any other alt-RAM board.)
• Real time clock (RTC): separate board, but included in the price.
• Combine it with a Cloudy to also get a flashable dual-TOS board. When combining Storm ST and Cloudy, the TOS on the Cloudy can be selected via software. The last selection is kept over a power-down thanks to the battery-backed RTC.
• Fully compatible with a variety of expansions, e.g., Cloudy, Lightning ST, 12 MHz acceleration, PAK, ...

Storm ST.jpg

See http://wiki.newtosworld.de/index.php?title=Storm_ST for more photos and details.

Price: 70 € incl. worldwide shipping, or 100 € in a bundle with the Cloudy (flashable dual-TOS board).

Orders and inquiries via email: thunderstorm@tuxie.de.

Please do not place your orders in this thread!

[frost]

Hi,
I have a question regarding the Storm/Cloudy/Lightning stack on a Mega ST. My Mega ST has a blitter patch soldered on the CPU. I guess I should keep it as is while mounting the CPU on the top of the stack ? I didn't see any mention about it on the wiki.
Thanks

[czietz]

I have a question regarding the Storm/Cloudy/Lightning stack on a Mega ST. My Mega ST has a blitter patch soldered on the CPU. I guess I should keep it as is while mounting the CPU on the top of the stack ?

Storm ST, Lightning ST, and Cloudy contain no replacement for the Blitter patch. If it is needed before their installation, it's also needed after installation and should be kept. Thus, it comes down to the question: Is the Blitter patch required in your machine? I don't own a Mega ST, but I know a lot of Mega ST owners that have removed the patch without consequences.

There is even an official document (from Atari) that shows, depending on manufacturer and datecode of the Blitter, whether the patch is needed ("oui") or not ("non"):

blit.png

[frost]

Thanks a lot, I wasn't aware of that.

[czietz]

PS: We will include Storm Disk software with the Storm ST: a reset-proof RAM disk optimized for use with the Storm ST. It's size is of course configurable. For example, with the Storm ST you could have 4 MB extra RAM in your ST for applications and 4 MB for the RAM disk (or any other split).

[DarkLord]

Wow, looks great.

So if you used it with a Pak board, you wouldn't need anything else, TOS wise,
since TOS v3.06 is there already.

Thanks! (and thanks for supporting the Atari community)

PS How hard is this to install? Much soldering? Will it fit in a STacy?

[czietz]

So if you used it with a Pak board, you wouldn't need anything else, TOS wise,
since TOS v3.06 is there already.

Yes, one of my co-developers confirmed to me that he successfully used the Storm ST with TOS 3.06 on the PAK.

Thanks! (and thanks for supporting the Atari community)

You're welcome!

PS How hard is this to install? Much soldering? Will it fit in a STacy?

With a stock ST the only soldering that is required is installing a DIP64 socket on top of the existing CPU, which is a fairly easy task, imho. (No desoldering of the CPU is required.) But when you have a PAK, you will already have removed the original CPU, I guess, and put a socket in its place. Then it's plug and play since the Storm ST is "stackable", i.e., it can go between mainboard and PAK, without any soldering.

As for the STacy, I'm afraid I can't answer that. I have never even seen a STacy (apart from photos), and I don't know much space there is. The Storm ST is a really compact board, though, thanks to 4-layer PCB design and the use of BGA ICs. Maybe you can judge from the photos on our wiki page (http://wiki.newtosworld.de/index.php?title=Storm_ST) how much space it'll take.

[DarkLord]

Thanks for the quick reply.

The board looks very compact, and well designed.

Ugh, space in a STacy is horrible, at best. I had to move the internal P/S
board to the (not in use) battery compartment to have enough room for the
Pak board. The CPU is already socketed, as you surmised. I'm thinking that I
might try it using one of those CPU extenders - where there's a will, there's
(usually) a way.

Thanks again.