How are you preparing for the End of Atari?

[GlowingGhoul]

I believe we're going through the final phase of easy​ Atari 8-bit collecting.

 

 

Supply is plentiful and cheap, as are spare parts, and if you're willing to pay a premium you can even get most pieces of equipment brand new. Not as good as when they were literally being thrown away, but still not bad.

 

Since I've been delving into other platforms like the Apple II and Amiga, I see that it's much harder to collect those. Try finding a spare keyboard, even used, for an Apple II Platinum or spare parts to fix a keyboard, those will be used if you can find them.

 

 

 

So what are you doing to ensure a lifetime supply? Are you stocking up on your favorite model, or are you ok with using a different machine if for instance your one and only 1200XL dies? Do you keep spare parts?

 

For me, I've settled on the 800XL and 600XL. I have numerous of each, including some brand new. I have spare keyboards. I have extras of the upgrades I consider essential.

 

I reluctantly keep 1050's around in case I run into a game that won't work from a modern storage device.

[Umberto]

With best and B & C still around I am not really all that worried about it now, maybe in 10 years

[GlowingGhoul]

With best and B & C still around I am not really all that worried about it now, maybe in 10 years

 

You can no longer buy an 800XL from either of them, for instance.

[Gunstar]

They are running out of stock on a lot of items. I use the Best Catalog, but if I look at the online addendum or call, many items are no longer in stock or have drastically risen in price as stock gets nearly depleted. This is true of B&C too. There are plenty of odd-ball replacement parts and whatnot still, but most of the commonly needed parts or popular items are being sold out. You already have to go to eBay or similar to hope you find stuff. I think worst of all is for 1200XL parts since it's rare compared to other models and has become highly sought after in recent years after being plentiful and dirt cheap up until the last two years or so.

 

I'm doing what I can, I'm not trying to get a lot, but I do have a couple extra 1200XL motherboards and extra 1050 drive mechanisms, etc.

I have a few extra of the Atari's custom chips on hand, both NTSC and PAL. So I'm just preparing to have what I need to keep at least one system up and running, I'm not looking to hoard multiple computers and peripherals, but just parts for what I have. Though I do hope to get another 800 system one day.

Edited November 22, 2016 by Gunstar

[GlowingGhoul]

I don't feel bad about keeping multiples. I'm pretty sure most of the people into actual hardware had them when they were young, and that's an ever shrinking pool

Edited November 22, 2016 by GlowingGhoul

[Clint Thompson]

I want a new 130XE but even that has risen in price to the point where I'm even unsure if I should bother and just get another used unit.

[Bryan]

Still waiting for a way to make NMOS chips at home.

[GlowingGhoul]

Still waiting for a way to make NMOS chips at home.

 

How about a new Atari 8-bit motherboard, using the same core chips, but updated ala the C64 Reloaded?

[SIO2]

Still waiting for a way to make NMOS chips at home.

You just cut some paper clips, lay the pieces on wax paper, pour some epoxy over. When the epoxy cures, bend the legs down.

 

Maybe not.

 

Someday we can 3D print them.

[shoestring]

How about the various FPGA solutions ?

 

I think these would be great alternatives considering the scarcity of parts / working machines we ultimately face in the future.

 

A little expensive now but who knows in 10 years.

[GlowingGhoul]

How about the various FPGA solutions ?

 

I think these would be great alternatives considering the scarcity of parts / working machines we ultimately face in the future.

 

A little expensive now but who knows in 10 years.

 

I find them unsatisfying. To use the C64 scene as a comparison, the guy that made the best FPGA C64 implementation (Chameleon) still designed and built a C64 motherboard using modern components but kept the original processor, video and audio chips.

 

There's a "feel" to the original hardware that the FPGA's and emulators are lacking for me. I would think people completely new to the Atari 8-bit would be fine with it though.

Edited November 22, 2016 by GlowingGhoul

[ACML]

Yes, I do have a supply of spares. I have actually thinned out the collection to just what I really like. One item I have been procuring lately is SIO2SDs. Today they are plentiful, but that pool or units is very small compared to the number of 8-bits still in the wild. To me, Lotharek's cased SIO2SD is best example out there, but the most costly. You now see others making the SIO2SD with and without cases that are cheaper than Lotharek's. He may decide after this current batch that there is no longer enough profit trying to compete with the new entries. He probably counted on selling X units a month and it may be no longer worth his time to run another batch. Boy I wish there would be another run of Incognitos. I missed out on that little gem. I'd buy three minimum if they were to be made available again. Just like that "poof", they are gone.

 

To this day I am still amazed at how well Atari Home Computers have stood the test of time. I am limiting my opinion to the three original machines though, the 400, 800 and 1200XL. More often than not, they are still going strong after 35+ years. A real testament to the quality components Atari put into these machines. Remember, the 400/800/1200XL were meant to sell for $600 and $1,000 in 1980. Buying an 800 in 1980 is like shelling out $2,500 on a PC today. They weren't toys and certainly not cheap. How many consumer electronics still work after 30+ years?

 

Yes, by all means keep spares because the supply is drying up. One should always have a couple extra 9VAC power bricks. The power boards on the 400 and 800 are most prone to go since they have the large (liquid) capacitors and voltage regulators. I don't worry about disk drives as I've moved on to the SIO2SD. The XL line has a one and done spare feature since everything is on one motherboard. Best and B&C are running out of inventory. Ebay is the best chance to find unique Atari stuff in the wild. Prices on Atari 8-bit have been surging in the last year or so. That is an indicator to me that interest is on the rise and supply has suffered. Are we all hoarding or are new retro computer geeks coming home for nostalgia?

 

Get em while you can, cause when you hear the "poof", they're gone!

Edited November 22, 2016 by ACML

[+CyranoJ]

Altirra. Preperation complete.

[spacecadet]

Keeping in mind Atari 8 bits aren't really my "first love"...

 

I personally will probably look for another 800XL if/when mine dies, but if I can't find one for a decent price, c'est la vie. I'm reaching the age where I'm ok with letting go of things when it seems like they're finally receding out of my reach. I'm sure that'd eventually be true of my Apple II or my Intellivision or whatever too; the things that really were my firsts.

 

There's also just so much that I have yet to experience from that era even though I lived through it, I'd probably just migrate to whatever else there is that's cheap. There's still a ton of C64 stuff out there...

[GlowingGhoul]

 

 

I personally will probably look for another 800XL if/when mine dies, but if I can't find one for a decent price, c'est la vie.

 

French is very appropriate, here you go!

 

ATARI-800XL-BRAND-NEW-SEALED

 

[Andromeda Stardust]

Would now be a good time to secure an EXGS and keyboard? I'm primarily a cartridge gamer and could care less about disk drives and other junk. One issue is a lot of games require the keyboard for executive functions or starting the game, then revert to joysticks, so without a keyboard many games are useless.

 

Or would I be better off with a 5200 and a trackball? (I can build a digital joystick for those games that support them).

[+Philsan]

 

How about a new Atari 8-bit motherboard, using the same core chips, but updated ala the C64 Reloaded?

ZX Spectrum Next solution is state of the art:

http://atariage.com/forums/topic/257184-atari-8-next-zx-spectrum-next/

[+mytek]

I'm working on one of these...

 

 

- Michael

[SIO2]

Would now be a good time to secure an EXGS and keyboard? I'm primarily a cartridge gamer and could care less about disk drives and other junk. One issue is a lot of games require the keyboard for executive functions or starting the game, then revert to joysticks, so without a keyboard many games are useless.

 

Or would I be better off with a 5200 and a trackball? (I can build a digital joystick for those games that support them).

XEGS and a flash cart gets my vote. XEGS keyboards were not great quality but the 5200 is an investment by the time you do an AV mod, get a flash cart, figure out a workable controller. Then you can only play a small portion of the games the XEGS will.

[Matej]

I hope in 3D sintering printers and

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Selective_laser_sintering

 

3D chip nanomanufacturing:

http://www.ims.co.at/

 

Will be cheap in near future.

So we will be able to reproduce brand new Atari 130XE for example.

Maybe with build in all upgrades (rapidus, vbxe, 4mb ram, soundboard and what will come next).

 

So we need make 100% docs of all HW (Atari 8bit).

And make cloud or hub for it. Opensource documentation project.

 

So we will re-engineering whole system. And produce new better brand new systems.

Edited November 22, 2016 by Matej

[+Larry]

 

I find them unsatisfying. To use the C64 scene as a comparison, the guy that made the best FPGA C64 implementation (Chameleon) still designed and built a C64 motherboard using modern components but kept the original processor, video and audio chips.

 

There's a "feel" to the original hardware that the FPGA's and emulators are lacking for me. I would think people completely new to the Atari 8-bit would be fine with it though.

 

What is the new mobo called?

[+kheller2]

 

French is very appropriate, here you go!

 

ATARI-800XL-BRAND-NEW-SEALED

 

 

That thing is over $700 US. That's as bad as the 800XLF motherboard from Israel for $500

Edited November 22, 2016 by kheller2

[Matej]

Its called C64 RELOADED:

https://icomp.de/shop-icomp/en/shop/product/c64-reloaded.html

[+kheller2]

As for stockpiling, back in the late 90's I picked up several chipsets, sio cables and ports, and a couple 1050 mechs from an Atari mail order house that was closing shop (the name escapes me). Sad to say but the mid 90's seemed to be the bubble for cheap and easy to come by Atari gear for me.

 

To this day if I see a good deal on gear I'll pick it up, it is a sickness. It's just very rare anymore that I find good deals, let alone Atari computers at all anywhere here in Eastern PA, USA. Yes they are out there, but no where near the piles of C= and Apple and even CoCos I find. I once stumbled upon a warehouse/thrift shop sort of thing where the owners scared me a bit, but they certainly had enough Apple II's and CoCo's to keep someone happy for a long time. To me it seemed they picked up dozens when schools got rid of them. They had a dirty bare 800XL and 130XE for $100 each, (I just use that place as a secret stash of IBM Model M keyboards, $5 a pop)

[The Usotsuki]

I'd kill to be able to buy Ms for that little.