The Atari ST magazine preservation project

[TheNameOfTheGame]

Good stuff I will double check all the scans, there's over 2,000 pages so please bare with me

There are around 10MB to 20MB per page, each page around 2400 x 3500px on my monitor they are reduced to 25%, so I think that is what they will be released as.

I was trying compression, but I can tell at even 1% it messes up some quality. Will try and get them all as small as possible without loosing any quality, its gonna take several dvds otherwise.

Do you use Gimp? There is a good method in the Gimp program called "threshold", if your scans are black and white only, then adjust the threshold to about 95 or so can drastically reduce the MBs of the image.

I think it is at Colors->Threshold in the menu. I thought AC was black and white but I could be wrong.

After adjusting the threshold, you may need to soften the image back up. I use Filter->Blur->Blur from the menu and it does pretty good.

[TheNameOfTheGame]

Any news? My ipad is dying to see those AC scans

[Marakatti]

I think it was last year when I contacted AM and others, it was some time ago, but basically if anything was water marked, they didn't want it, no matter how small the mark was. Mine are just a small note on the bottom of the page where the page numbers are kinda thing, not exactly "spoiling them" IMHO. I could probably upload a couple issues each week onto my webspace and let people download and re-host them on a more permanent server, that maybe the way to go. Will try and sort it out soon

Who did you contact from our end? This is the first time I hear about this. Personally I think if there's a small watermark it doesn't bother me. Altought I hate watermarking because if people want to "steal" something they do it anyway so I never bothered. For me it's more important to keep these things freely available for preservation

[exxos]

Any news? My ipad is dying to see those AC scans

We are going though all the scans currently, There are a few pages each issue that curled up on the edges so went a bit out of focus, so those are being re-scanned at the moment. Theres like 2,000 pages in total so it will take some time to double check them all and do re-scans. Some did not scan totally level, so those are being edited or re-scanned also.

A lot of problems are around pages 30-40 as the center folds prevent a good scan of the page, so that's slowing things down a bit too. Overall the AC and AW mags are all scanned, its just making sure they are all as good as they can be. No point in rushing though it all. I tried a A3 scanner, though the quality was rather drab.

I will upload the first couple of issues probably in about a weeks time. It takes a full day at least to scan and edit a whole issue, so its not a quick thing to get done. Though it will be ongoing until they are all double checked .

[exxos]

I think it was last year when I contacted AM and others, it was some time ago, but basically if anything was water marked, they didn't want it, no matter how small the mark was. Mine are just a small note on the bottom of the page where the page numbers are kinda thing, not exactly "spoiling them" IMHO. I could probably upload a couple issues each week onto my webspace and let people download and re-host them on a more permanent server, that maybe the way to go. Will try and sort it out soon

Who did you contact from our end? This is the first time I hear about this. Personally I think if there's a small watermark it doesn't bother me. Altought I hate watermarking because if people want to "steal" something they do it anyway so I never bothered. For me it's more important to keep these things freely available for preservation

I have no idea who I talked too, it was a year ago maybe more. All the scans were done months ago, but as I couldn't find hosting I never finished checking all the scans. The scans overall are going to take a fair few GB. Though I will probably just host a lower res version myself or on torrents, and just produce DVDs full of the higher res scans for those who want them. The scans show at 25% size on my monitor, so even 75% reduction isn't too bad.

I do plan on also going though each page and editing out "old age" or " a bit tatty" problems. These are mags which are a few years old, but they are not "off the shelf new" so I think some editing here and there can make them as new again. Though it will take even more time to edit them, so its likely those ones will become "beerware" dvd editions probably available next year sometime.

Of course if anyone has all these issues still sealed and does not mind them being ripped apart to be scanned then get in touch

[exxos]

AW always had some cool covers

aw.jpg

[Mug UK]

Liking the smelling pistake on the cover: The 'defintive' guide?

[TheNameOfTheGame]

Any news? My ipad is dying to see those AC scans

We are going though all the scans currently, There are a few pages each issue that curled up on the edges so went a bit out of focus, so those are being re-scanned at the moment. Theres like 2,000 pages in total so it will take some time to double check them all and do re-scans. Some did not scan totally level, so those are being edited or re-scanned also.

A lot of problems are around pages 30-40 as the center folds prevent a good scan of the page, so that's slowing things down a bit too. Overall the AC and AW mags are all scanned, its just making sure they are all as good as they can be. No point in rushing though it all. I tried a A3 scanner, though the quality was rather drab.

I will upload the first couple of issues probably in about a weeks time. It takes a full day at least to scan and edit a whole issue, so its not a quick thing to get done. Though it will be ongoing until they are all double checked .

Can you can send me a few raw pages? I can run them through Gimp and see if the sizes can be reduced.

[exxos]

I have not tried "gimp" though only the resolution can be reduced, even if you convert them to jpg with 1% compression, I can tell a lot of loss on quality, they are all in png format at the moment. Lossless compression and simple resolution reduction is the only way to go. I will upload some pages tomorrow if you want to try, though its just going to be a resolution reduction as compression in pdf I doubt will be lossless anyway. Something will have to be lost somewhere to get the sizes down, a small amount of compression and lower res will probably have to be done.

[exxos]

Liking the smelling pistake on the cover: The 'defintive' guide?

[TheNameOfTheGame]

I have not tried "gimp" though only the resolution can be reduced, even if you convert them to jpg with 1% compression, I can tell a lot of loss on quality, they are all in png format at the moment. Lossless compression and simple resolution reduction is the only way to go. I will upload some pages tomorrow if you want to try, though its just going to be a resolution reduction as compression in pdf I doubt will be lossless anyway. Something will have to be lost somewhere to get the sizes down, a small amount of compression and lower res will probably have to be done.

Ok, thanks for putting up some pages; that will be great.

[MagikGimp]

I found this page through a Google search as the preview text includes a reference to an edition of ST Fun. I'd seen this particular magazine on an auction but it was snapped up before I could get it myself. I'm intrigued by it because I've never seen or even heard of it before. I get the impression through reading this thread that there were a LOT of mags for the ST, many of which I have never encountered before...
Concerning ST Fun only for the time being, what happened to the reference made to it on this thread (I can't find it) and does anyone have any scans of any of the issues or even general information about it at all? What with "Fun" being such a general word to search for alongside "Atari", "ST", "magazine" etc. I can't find a single thing about ST Fun so any info would be much appreciated. Cheers.

[TheNameOfTheGame]

I found this page through a Google search as the preview text includes a reference to an edition of ST Fun. I'd seen this particular magazine on an auction but it was snapped up before I could get it myself. I'm intrigued by it because I've never seen or even heard of it before. I get the impression through reading this thread that there were a LOT of mags for the ST, many of which I have never encountered before...
Concerning ST Fun only for the time being, what happened to the reference made to it on this thread (I can't find it) and does anyone have any scans of any of the issues or even general information about it at all? What with "Fun" being such a general word to search for alongside "Atari", "ST", "magazine" etc. I can't find a single thing about ST Fun so any info would be much appreciated. Cheers.

I saw that auction too. Was wondering why I never saw it before. Another magazine I had never heard of until recently is "ST Source".

[MagikGimp]

Another magazine I had never heard of until recently is "ST Source".

I swear, there are so many! A preservation project couldn't be more important.

[snoopy]

Hi guys!
No idea where to post this, so I'll necromance this old thread.

If you are missing some mags, check this out:

https://archive.org/details/computermagazines

The Internet Archive has a huge classic computermag collection online. If you don't know the Internet Archive:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet_Archive

They've got tons of Atari ST related magazines.

Examples:
https://archive.org/details/atari-user-uk-magazine
https://archive.org/details/stformatmagazine
https://archive.org/details/atari-computing-uk
https://archive.org/details/ataristuser
https://archive.org/details/stamigaformat
https://archive.org/details/atariexplorer
https://archive.org/details/start-magazine

This is just what I could find with one quick glance. There is way more on this site for sure.
Though I guess, you have accomplished much higher resolution scans than they did and no idea how complete their collections are.
I hope this helps.

Btw: They are always interested in retro stuff they don't have yet. Maybe they are also interested in your scans.

[badflame]

Do you still have them? How much do you want for each magazine?

I'm looking for anyone who includes this advertisement:

Thanks

[MagikGimp]

I'm looking for anyone who includes this advertisement:

I've seen that before. I'll check my remaining ST Formats for sale tomorrow for you.

[badflame]

Ok, thanks.

In case it helps, I know that this magazine includes it: http://www.stformat.com/stampede05/

[TheNameOfTheGame]

Ok, thanks.

In case it helps, I know that this magazine includes it: http://www.stformat.com/stampede05/

Did you work on the ad or something?

[penguin]

Sadly, not all Atari magazines are included in IA's classic mag collection:

https://archive.org/details/@mjaap
https://archive.org/details/@matthias_jaap

[Maartau]

Interesting to follow .

[MagikGimp]

Sadly I don't have an copy with that ad in; neither can I find it in any of the issues around the time that STampede was published nor in any ST Format from 1990 (the year of the game's release) except only as part of a larger spread with three other games:

ST Format - issue 11

I was however able to find another scan of the ad online at the lovely looking French Amstrad CPC site http://cpcrulez.fr but I have no idea what their source is:


Peter Ward also has it on his site albeit at a smaller size- http://www.retrogamesmaster.co.uk/2016/03/08/sly-spy/

Did you work on the ad or something?

I presume you meant to address that question to badflame. I'm far too young!

[TheNameOfTheGame]

Oops yes, meant to address that to badflame.

[badflame]

Sadly I don't have an copy with that ad in; neither can I find it in any of the issues around the time that STampede was published nor in any ST Format from 1990 (the year of the game's release) except only as part of a larger spread with three other games: ST Format - issue 11[/color][/i]

I was however able to find another scan of the ad online at the lovely looking French Amstrad CPC site http://cpcrulez.fr but I have no idea what their source is: http://cpcrulez.fr/GamesAdvert/Sly_Spy_Secret_Agent.jpg

Peter Ward also has it on his site albeit at a smaller size- http://www.retrogamesmaster.co.uk/2016/03/08/sly-spy/

Thanks for your kind reply.

Both adverts are very interesting for me. But I need scans at 600 dpi of both.

The first is included, as you say, in ST Format - issue 11 (June 1990) and the second (the most urgent) in STampede issue 5 (September 1990).

If someone have these magazines or any other with these adverts, please, tell me. I'm willing to pay for them or an scan of quality at 600 dpi.

Did you work on the ad or something?

Not, I'm collaborating with the creator of the original illustration, Bob Wakelin, restoring his lost artworks using old advertising.

Anyone who collaborates with me contributing scans, will be recognized faced the own Bob Wakelin.

Here you have my facebook, with some other finished restorations: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=546942943

Greetings to all.

[MagikGimp]

Some fantastic work there; both old and new! While it's a shame the originals are lost (I guess artists never think commercial work will amount to much in the future?) you wouldn't know to see such spectacular restorations.

About the Sly Spy one- it might still be worth getting in touch with the other sources I mentioned. Mr Ward doesn't say where he got his scan from and you'll have to brush up on your French if you message that CPC site.