Muzz73 Posted August 30, 2015 Share Posted August 30, 2015 The affair that I shall call simply "A8" began years ago, with the mistress known as 1200XL. It continued with the maidens 800XL and 600XL, and lasted for several glorious years. Then along came Colleen, also known as "800". She hasn't been in my life for long, but she has had an effect on me unlike any other. Whether it's late nights playing Qix or Star Raiders together, or my senseless noodling about, in repeated (failed) attempts at learning Atari BASIC, she always seems more than happy to suit my needs at the proverbial drop of a hat. I introduced her to my wife, who seemed to approve, or at least wasn't bothered by her presence. Our future together seems quite promising, and I am a very lucky man. OK, in all seriousness - yes, I came into an Atari 800 a few months ago and there's something about it that makes me like it so much more than my 800XL or my 600XL (I donated the 1200XL to a collector friend years ago). In browsing these forums, I see that there are many others who prefer the 800 to the others as well. What is it you like best about it? The keyboard? The styling of the case? The fact that it's built like a tank? Opinions, please. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adam242 Posted August 30, 2015 Share Posted August 30, 2015 What is it you like best about it? The keyboard? The styling of the case? The fact that it's built like a tank? Opinions, please. All of the above, plus four front-mounted joyports, the video quality and the (little-used) expansion slots. Besides, the 800 is the first, the original... the XLs and XEs were mainly cost-reduced versions of the same design, with not much new to offer. With the addition of an Incognito card to your 800, there is really little compelling reason to use an XL or XE instead. (Ducking for the inevitable backlash I'm going to get for that statement!) I have at least one of every Atari 8-bit - I love the 1200XL, and 600XLs will always have a special place in my heart (first model I owned in '84), but Colleen rocks. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muzz73 Posted August 31, 2015 Author Share Posted August 31, 2015 Ah, yes... I have an Incognito and am waiting very patiently to have it installed... I am a fool when it comes to soldering and don't want to ruin anything. I also have a brand new 3GB microdrive waiting to marry up to it, as soon as everything is installed. I'm really looking forward to it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Westphal Posted August 31, 2015 Share Posted August 31, 2015 Well, I have a brand new LCD TV, and the xl's don't look that great on it, but the 800 looks fantastic. Must be separate chroma/luma making a difference. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kyle22 Posted August 31, 2015 Share Posted August 31, 2015 Ah, yes... I have an Incognito and am waiting very patiently to have it installed... I am a fool when it comes to soldering and don't want to ruin anything. I also have a brand new 3GB microdrive waiting to marry up to it, as soon as everything is installed. I'm really looking forward to it! Let us know how the microdrive works. I tried one and it didn't work at all. A flash CF card works great, but I'd like to know if anyone finds a particular type of microdrive that works. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flashjazzcat Posted August 31, 2015 Share Posted August 31, 2015 If it can't do 8-bit PIO mode, it has no hope of working. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kyle22 Posted August 31, 2015 Share Posted August 31, 2015 (edited) After reading through a LONG .pdf located here: http://www.hgst.com/tech/techlib.nsf/techdocs/28A9F3EE3F60001686256FAC00656B41/$file/Hitachi3K6CFTypeIIOEMSpec1.11.pdf it seems that these drives should work. Look at the "Set Features" command on page 136. The downside is they're expensive. Look here: http://www.esaitech.com/hitachi-3k6-0a40270-4gb-3600rpm-cf-128kb-buffer-microdrive.html Does anyone know if the current Incognito or SDX drivers issue the "Set Features" command? Edit: See below for a link for dirt cheap ones. Edited August 31, 2015 by Kyle22 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flashjazzcat Posted August 31, 2015 Share Posted August 31, 2015 (edited) Does anyone know if the current Incognito or SDX drivers issue the "Set Features" command? As their author, I can confirm they use the "Set Features" command to enable 8-bit PIO mode. This is necessary because Incognito and SIDE have a data register only 8-bits wide. If the device doesn't support 8-bit mode, it won't work. This certainly appears to include many SD/CF adapters. Microdrives, meanwhile, appear an expensive and risky investment. Having said that, the Hitachi drive does implement 8-bit mode (01H). I think the thing to watch out for would be the operating voltage (3.3 or 5v). Edited August 31, 2015 by flashjazzcat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kyle22 Posted August 31, 2015 Share Posted August 31, 2015 (edited) Thanks for the info Jon. I looked around a little more, and found cheap ones here: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Hitachi-3K4-Microdrive-4GB-CompactFlash-CF-replacement-drive-for-Apple-iPod-Mini-/251162844234?hash=item3a7a78dc4a I know they're somewhat shock sensitive, and need to be shut down correctly, but I want to know if they work, and how well they work. Edit: Page 33 of the above (long) .pdf shows both 3.3 and 5v compatibility. Edited August 31, 2015 by Kyle22 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flashjazzcat Posted August 31, 2015 Share Posted August 31, 2015 That doesn't look too bad at all. Worth a punt if it runs on 3.3v. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muzz73 Posted August 31, 2015 Author Share Posted August 31, 2015 I can't remember the brand of microdrive that I have (I remember it being a common name, though), but it's a 3GB CF form factor. It's the same one that I use in my 800XL's MyIDE2, so I am hoping that it works well with the Incognito. I'll let you all know how it goes (whenever I can get this thing installed). Colleen is also going to get a POKEY stereo board once the Incognito is up and running. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flashjazzcat Posted August 31, 2015 Share Posted August 31, 2015 (edited) That's a good point about MyIDE II. I Recall trying a CF/SD adapter in mine and finding that it worked, which undermined my assumption that the SIDE issues were all about 8-bit mode troubles. Edited August 31, 2015 by flashjazzcat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shawn Jefferson Posted September 1, 2015 Share Posted September 1, 2015 There must be something about the XL if so many people (me included) bought an Incognito to put into their 800 to make it act like an XL. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
_The Doctor__ Posted September 1, 2015 Share Posted September 1, 2015 The 800XL became the swiss army knife of Atari, so many modification for it, all the software appeared to either work on it or could be made to work on it.... I have often wondered why The Tail of Beta Lyrae always works on my 800XL's and 1200XL for that matter but not on my XE's... I mean the XL has a memory upgrade that works fine with all the XE stuff.. but TTBOL still doesn't work correctly on the 130XE's. rock solid cartridge and expansion ports on the XL... The 800 was the original swiss army knife... With the icognito it hase reclaimed the crown... All of the 800 and XL XE goodness and hardware wrapped up in the best chassis all four ports and yes pbi... what more could the 8 bit be.. Love the 800 all over again.... The fires burn bright once more! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RickR Posted September 1, 2015 Share Posted September 1, 2015 I have a 400 that I absolutely adore. It's a 70's design masterpiece. 800XL is my go-to machine and has been for over 30 years. But that 400 just puts a smile on my face every time I see it. I can see your points about the 800. It's a great machine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muzz73 Posted September 1, 2015 Author Share Posted September 1, 2015 I'd love to get one of each of the most common A8's. I have an 800, an 800XL and a 600XL, so that puts me halfway there. I need a 400, a 65XE and a 130XE. I may be coming into a 400 soon and one can still get new XE's from B&C and Best, so I hope to get there, someday. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiwilove Posted September 1, 2015 Share Posted September 1, 2015 (edited) Yes - I would like to get an Atari 400 and 800 too - one day. (but they have to be at an affordable price/cost to me). It would be full circle for the 800 - and I really would like to get a 16K Atari 400 - just to show what it can do... Harvey Edited September 1, 2015 by kiwilove Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frankie Posted September 2, 2015 Share Posted September 2, 2015 There is nothing like the 800 keyboard. Much better then any 800xl, even better then the 1200xl Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+DrVenkman Posted September 2, 2015 Share Posted September 2, 2015 I'd love to get one of each of the most common A8's. I have an 800, an 800XL and a 600XL, so that puts me halfway there. I need a 400, a 65XE and a 130XE. I may be coming into a 400 soon and one can still get new XE's from B&C and Best, so I hope to get there, someday. I have such a set, except for a 65XE. Also, you need a 1200XL. There is nothing like the 800 keyboard. Much better then any 800xl, even better then the 1200xl I would agree EXCEPT for those damned 800 keycaps. Or rather, the square plastic housings that surround each keyswitch mechanism and hold the keycaps. On at least some variants of the keyboard those square housing crack at the corner and keys come off (and get lost!) waaaaay too easily. But I like 1200XL feel almost as much and those keys don't risk popping off unexpectedly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muzz73 Posted September 2, 2015 Author Share Posted September 2, 2015 Yes, I suppose I'll need to get another 1200XL at some point. I found one at a thrift store, bought it and loved it (my first 8-bit Atari), but an Atari collector friend in France REALLY liked it, so I donated it to his collection when he came out to visit back in 1998. I think it had a fairly low serial #, too (if we were reading it right). I liked the fact that it still used a simple PSU like the 400/800 line, had a side-mounted cartridge port and, well, being that it was my first A8, it was just special. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+slx Posted September 15, 2015 Share Posted September 15, 2015 Yes, I suppose I'll need to get another 1200XL at some point. I found one at a thrift store, bought it and loved it (my first 8-bit Atari), but an Atari collector friend in France REALLY liked it, so I donated it to his collection when he came out to visit back in 1998. I think it had a fairly low serial #, too (if we were reading it right). I liked the fact that it still used a simple PSU like the 400/800 line, had a side-mounted cartridge port and, well, being that it was my first A8, it was just special. It's a slippery slope Started out with an 800 and now got all except an 800XE (and of course Arab/Hebrew machines). Now I only need to get them all working.... The 800 is much more of a substantial "computer" than the later "all in a keyboard" machines although it was interesting to hear on ANTIC that the "all in the keyboard" was a design target for Jay Miner. With Incognito it can do almost everything the later machines can do and look better at it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muzz73 Posted September 16, 2015 Author Share Posted September 16, 2015 Yes, I can't wait to have my Incognito installed. I am a doofus when it comes to soldering, so I am waiting for a friend of mine to do it. Waiting... and waiting... :/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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