Are you a collector?

[WizWor]

I'm not a collector of anything. I'm not trying to complete collections or accumulate rare stuff. I like playing Atari games on real Atari hardware.

Edited July 13, 2007 by WizWor

[Allas]

I have Atari computer with extensive amount of software via SIO2PC. Maybe I can said I collect images software in PC, but im not a collector of real cartridges, diskettes or hardware. I have some 130XE and some 800XL for emergency backup. I'd prefer hardware on stock conditions (no mods), but I use SIO2PC and MyIDEFlash cart for manage my preferred software.

[JellE]

Yup... definitely a collector... don't play much

[guus.assmann]

Interesting question...

 

My reason for having many different systems is that I like to build hardware.

 

The last "big" item was a Freezer for the 8-bit.

Design by someone in Austria (Hiass) and PCB design and production in the Netherlands. (Later also in Germany)

All contact trough E-Mail. Once this was done, funding for series produktion from Germay.

All in all an international happening.

 

So most my Atari systems are disassembled, yet working fine.

And non is standard, boxed, mint-condition, sealed etc. (A box is just taking up valuable space and should be recycled)

 

BR/

Guus

[+davidcalgary29]

Interesting question...

 

My reason for having many different systems is that I like to build hardware.

 

The last "big" item was a Freezer for the 8-bit.

Design by someone in Austria (Hiass) and PCB design and production in the Netherlands. (Later also in Germany)

All contact trough E-Mail. Once this was done, funding for series produktion from Germay.

All in all an international happening.

 

So most my Atari systems are disassembled, yet working fine.

And non is standard, boxed, mint-condition, sealed etc. (A box is just taking up valuable space and should be recycled)

 

BR/

Guus

 

Can you please provide more details about your special projects and post a few pics, if available? And what is a "freezer"?

[+Guitarman]

I am the worst!! I collect and use, so I have Atari HW & SW in various stages of storage and setup. I have a desk with the ever rotating 8/16/32bit Atari setup at all times. I use to have a recording studio in my garage. Let me rephrase that.... I still have a studio in my garage....I just can't get to it!!! Hopefully, once I get through the 3 collections I recently acquired, I can get things back to normal.

Edited July 13, 2007 by Guitarman

[Ross PK]

I buy games to play, mainly the ones that I remember playing as a kid that I think I'd still enjoy now.

 

Still, just the fact of having the original games feels great in itself. It's nice to just look over at them sometimes, so I guess that's a bit collectorish.

Edited July 13, 2007 by Ross PK

[Pengwin]

I just voted that I played games on and used my Atari for non-gaming activities today, although this isn't strictly true. My A8 is in storage as I don't have the room for it right now, so I am using Atari800MacX. But if I did have the room, then I would have been using my 800XL.

 

But I buy stuff to use. If it's still wrapped in cellophane, I'm afraid the cellophane comes off.

Edited July 13, 2007 by Pengwin

[doctorclu]

I remember Toy Story and the sadness of an unopened toy. I feel the same way of collecting.

 

My action figures are set up where I can pull them out and look at them (I've even played with them lately) and then have the ability to put them back in the packaging that I specifically windowed, and return to display.

 

That is as close I get to "still in the original packaging"

 

My Atari 800/Atari 800xl is used for BBS'ing and competing in the Atariage video game contest. In other words, I like to use my computer to interact with people.

[accousticguitar]

I'm not a collector of anything. I'm not trying to complete collections or accumulate rare stuff. I like playing Atari games on real Atari hardware.

Ditto

[nathanallan]

Not a collector but I like to have a nice setup for any rig. I actually will use the 800XL and ST for writing letters and making printed pictures as well as playing a few games on now and then. Though I guess I lean toward collecting

 

Nathan

[VW]

Definitely for playing although I do try to buy games off Ebay that I enjoyed back in the old days even if it may be quite a while before I get to them. Currently I am on the verge of finishing Ultima V for the Atari ST (thanks for no A8 version Origin ) two years after buying a CIB ST version off Ebay and almost 20 years after buying it for PC when it first came out. I never finished it or got very far on the PC but when I finally decided to really play it, I wanted to do it right

Edited July 13, 2007 by VW

[WizWor]

two years after buying a CIB ST version off Ebay

What is CIB?

[JellE]

Complete in Box

[WizWor]

Complete in Box

thank you!

[guus.assmann]

Interesting question...

 

My reason for having many different systems is that I like to build hardware.

 

The last "big" item was a Freezer for the 8-bit.

Design by someone in Austria (Hiass) and PCB design and production in the Netherlands. (Later also in Germany)

All contact trough E-Mail. Once this was done, funding for series produktion from Germay.

All in all an international happening.

 

So most my Atari systems are disassembled, yet working fine.

And non is standard, boxed, mint-condition, sealed etc. (A box is just taking up valuable space and should be recycled)

 

BR/

Guus

 

Can you please provide more details about your special projects and post a few pics, if available? And what is a "freezer"?

About pictures, I'll see what I can do.

 

A Freezer is a piece of hardware (obviously) that is connected to the PBI of the 600 / 800XL or to the busses of the XE system.

(Not the XEGS) It has a nice red botton on it. If this button is pressed, the computer is interupted.

And now, a monitor program can be started. The current status can be stored on disk. (And restored from disk)

This way, any program can be manipulated.

Also, it's possible to emulate cartridges. 8K, 16K, OSS and Sparta-dos can be emulated. There's a total of 512K Flashrom and also 128K (or 512K option) S-Ram. 60 pieces of 8K cartridges can be stored. And the Atari can flash it on the card.

All of these goodies are pluggable. (Nosoldering)

And all information is available. Schematis diagrams, Logic, source code, all.

Have a look at http://www.abbuc.de/shopabbuc/index.php

Documentation is available in English as well.

[guus.assmann]

Other projects? (I've made PCB's for most of these.)

65C02 processor to replace the 6502 Sally.

Memory upgrades for almost all models. 130XE compatible of course.

Internal Spartados.

OSS Cartridge with Basic XL and XE, Mac65, Action, all four in one.

Serial port using 65C51 Uart.

65C816 to replace Sally.

Happy clone.

Turbo 1050 rebuild.

USB-port.

RTC.

Black box clone, including Floppy-board and upgrade with printer-spooler.

SIO2IDE.

SIO2PC.

[Beetle]

Hi

 

Back in the days, my atari interest was almost only gaming and watching demos.

A bit of music editing (Chaos Music Composer).

Of course for the demos, i had to upgrade memory of my 800XL, and i got a speeder

for my floppy. That was almost all of my hardware modding back in the days.

 

Then i started family, built a house

and had an Atari break of about 8 years.

 

When i came back to Atari and showed my son my "Time Machine" my interest in

hardware upgrades grew fast. I needed a new memory upgrade and wanted a mass

storage solution. I built several SIO2IDE interfaces and finally got a SIO2SD.

I also fulfilled a dream from the old days and got me a TurboFreezer (which i built

into my 800XL instead of hooking it onto the PBI.

 

The second SIO2IDE i built got its own case, the probably known "Atari 1001".

This production grew my interest in larger casemods to Ataris.

 

I voted for "I have / buy Atari items to play with.", but in fact that matches my interests

only partly. "I have / buy Atari items to mess around with." would fit better

 

Have fun,

Beetle

Edited July 14, 2007 by Beetle