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Atari 1040 restarting endlessly when trying to play a game

T

tonata

Experienced Member
Joined
Sep 11, 2019
Messages
190
Location
France
Hi,

I just bought an Atari 1040 STE.
It works OK, I can access the contents of floppy drives, etc. But when I try to run a game, it starts restarting endlessly. One game said that the Atari is in high resolution and it can not change to medium.
I have a mono chrome SM124 monitor. So this monitor is almost useless for games?

So what are the solutions? An Atari to VGA converter? I have seen this one: https://centuriontech.eu/product/st2vga-r4/. But in this case I need a VGA monitor capable of 15Khz horizontal sync signal, right?
 
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Pretty much all games run in the medium-res color mode, there are very few exceptions.

Try Monkey Island, that one supports the monochrome mode.

As for conversion: monochrome mode can be converted to VGA, color mode can be converted to SCART RGB. For any other conversions, you need additional hardware.
 
Actually the list of games which can run in Atari Hi-res mode is longer than you might think, have a look at this thread over on Atari-Forum.


Being able to play games in mono and actually wanting to are not necessarily the same thing though, the majority of games look better in colour. There are a few exceptions such as Starglider which, with its 'vector' wireframe graphics might look more evocative in hi-res mono.

The main reason to have an Atari mono monitor is because most 'productivity' type software needs one and that includes the majority of the MIDI sequencer programs which were available for the ST.

If you had / have SCART in France then an Atari-ST SCART RGB cable will give you the best colour picture for medium and low resolution modes, but you would need a standard definition TV or video monitor with SCART to work with that - most VGA monitors, although technically RGB monitors, will ironically only work with an ST in hi-res mono mode when connected with a specially made cable.
 
SiriusHardware said:
Actually the list of games which can run in Atari Hi-res mode is longer than you might think, have a look at this thread over on Atari-Forum.
Click to expand...
Well, sort of. If you list versions that had an extra high-res release, list demos and even make every Flight Simulator II scenery its own entry, then yes, you can make an artificially long list. Also, you can see that it's heavily game engine related. If you are not a fan of adventures from Sierra or Lucasfilm, half of the list is gone already. :p

The ST had 2.500 games. About 150 games with mono support is pretty much nothing.
 
And even those games, like Monkey Island, look a lot better in colour. If tonata's main interest is games it will be well worth the effort to acquire some sort of colour display. An original working mono monitor is of potential interest to other ST owners who are interested in the 'serious' stuff as well, so it should be possible to move it on.

About 150 games with mono support is pretty much nothing
Click to expand...

In that case you won't mind sending me 150 euros. After all, it's pretty much nothing. ;)
 
I got it. Thank you all!
I need to buy an Atari RGB to scart cable (around 18 euros ebay). Then I can use a small TV or my scart to HDMI converter and then ... you guessed it - my HDMI to VGA adapter :). This kind of setup works for Amiga as well.

Indeed! This computer was used by a "professional"! I have the midi cables, a full copy of Cubase (with disks, cartridge and manual) and there are some stickers on the keyboard (which I suppose were for the Cubase software?). And I just wanted to play games ... :)

Hmm, what is the Cubase cartridge for? A license?
 
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It's very likely a dongle which is what allows the Cubase software to run. Don't lose it, original copies of Cubase WITH a dongle are quite popular, original copies of Cubase without one are useless. I have heard that it is not impossible to plug the cartridges in upside down, try not to do that because it will be toast if you do.

Keep it all together, if you ever decide to sell it, the computer, the hi res monitor plus an original copy of Cubase together form an instant MIDI workstation for anyone who happens to want one.
 
For the record there is a different list of mono compatible games half way down this thread on Atariage: Many of them are also in the first thread pointed to above, but some are not. You may find something to your taste here.

forums.atariage.com

Commercial only games compatible with mono screen?

I tried looking on Atari-Legend but they only have exclusive monochrome game search function search not mono compatible as was hinted at in an old thread? Also I don't want to know about PD games or shareware, only proper full price games sold in shops. Not bothered if they are mono only or mono ...
forums.atariage.com forums.atariage.com
 
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