New boards for remaking Atari ST(E) with some add-ons

Started by Petari, 03-03-2023, 12:33:44

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Petari

So, I saw some adverts, questions about them. Saw photos, 1 board self. As I see the point is to make new boards partially because there is lot of problems with 30+ year old factory boards, which are hard or impossible to fix. And of course, to do some changes, add some things - like expansion slot(s), hard disk adapters (now rather Flash card adapters) and like. All it sounds pretty good and useful.
But ... what I saw today on Exxos site makes me think that it is not so useful, and that it will be pretty much expensive .  So, price of empty board only is some 170 GBP (plus shipping) .  Then looked prices of diverse components for Atari ST, and they are pretty expensive. Not surprise, of course, as time passes they will be more and more rare, ergo ...  There are some floppy drives (for sure over 20-30 years old ones) offered for some 50 bucks.  So, if someone starts with such board (and there may be some others) will need much more than 170 bucks to put together working ST semi-clone.  Like 600 bucks.  Unless has few old STs from which can get components. But not all, for sure.  And it still will be with very old parts in big percentage. Ergo - chances for failure are big.
  Comparison with FPGA retro computer HW emulators is inevitable.  Price - about 200 bucks (MiSTer) . What it offers - beside ST(E) emulation a plentyyyyyy other oldies.  Usage - with modern peripherals. Floppy drive ? No such, no support (well, I don't know is there some what has it) - maybe for some it will be big disadvantage - well, then feel free to go other way - original Atari or semi-clone . My opinion is that such things belong rather in museum, and that will be more and more true.

 Here to add that I really did not like what was written by Exxos on forum, about his board - talking about problems with packing, that can not send parts with it, and like. Empty boards, empty promises  :)
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