Resurrected (sort of) my original Atari 800xl!

[leech]

So a very long time ago, I was moving my 800xl from upstairs to downstairs, and had dropped it down the stairs. Pretty sure it was at that point that it no longer showed any color on the screen.

 

I had posted to a forum (thought it was this one, but I can't find the post) asking if anyone knew how I could fix it. This was many many years ago, and the answers I got were of the 'reseat your chips' variety. Well, tonight I decided to once again attempt to fix it, so I managed to find an Atari Field Service Manual, and it had suggested adjusting the 'R38' pot. I guessed it was the little adjustable thing (actually, it really started 'cause I was bored, took it apart and wondered if that little knob was what I needed to adjust, then looked that up.)

 

Sure enough that fixed the issue! My question is though, is it odd that the slot for adjusting it is on the top side of it? there is a hole in the bottom of the 800xl where it is, so you'd think you'd be able to take a flathead and turn it there, but there is nothing there but the bottom of what you need to adjust.

 

Either way, now my 800xl has color again! Granted, I have a 130XE, 600XL, XEGS and 800 on top of that one, but I don't have a power supply for the 800, will have to track one down one of these days.

 

Love the old 8-bits, they live through everything.

[morelenmir]

I am pretty sure my both my REVC and REVD 800xl's have a hole drilled through the motherboard to access the potentiometer without opening the case. Interesting - what version is your machine?

[Roydea6]

http://www.deafequipment.co.uk/product/2790/FMG731/Twiddling-stick-adjustment-trim-tool

 

 

Trim adjustment tool

 

 

 

[leech]

The hole is there, it's just the adjustment tool would have to go in through the top (there is a hole in the shielding right above it) the hole in the bottom only reaches where the plastic prongs are holding it in.

 

Not sure where to look at the revision, I have a D-364 on the bottom in blue ink, next to the serial number.

 

I did notice last night while looking on ebay that I must have an older model, because mine came with a black brick power supply, whereas the newer ones have a power supply that's designed to look like the case, and has a black label on the bottom. Also mine is from Taiwan, whereas the newer ones look like they're from Hong Kong.

[ryanmercer]

Either way, now my 800xl has color again!

 

Interesting. 2 of mine only display black and white. I'll have to add this of my list of things to check.

[leech]

It's easy enough, it was right under the shift key. While the hole on the bottom of mine wasn't usable, you can pop off the keyboard, and there was a hole through the shielding to adjust it.

[bbking67]

I've seen folks drive a screw through the trim pot hole more than once... then you get no colour.

[leech]

I actually used no screw driver at all, I hadn't noticed the shielding had a whole in it for it, so I had taken the shielding off and moved the nob around. It was then that I thought 'what is this for?' and looked it up and found it was for doing the color adjusting