Atari 800 Troubleshooting - (check me please)

[+DrVenkman]

Looks like some soldering/wire work :

 

http://atariage.com/forums/topic/212773-incognito-install-a-collectors-perspective/

 

Maybe Incognito 2 needs less?

 

Also, does anyone know what the bus/edge connector on the back of the 800 main board is for ? the inaccessible one?

 

A bit of soldering work doesn’t bother me in the slightest.

 

That edge connector, I understand, was used for factory testing assembled systems before they were cased up. Someone will no doubt correct me if I’ve conflated recollections here.

[Bryan]

I believe that's correct.

[DavidMil]

That edge connector, I understand, was used for factory testing assembled systems before they were cased up. Someone will no doubt correct me if I’ve conflated recollections here.

 

They put those machines on large carrousels and ran 'burn in tests' for a company specified time before adding the outer plastic cases. This was still the standard

all the way into 2000's for just about every computer company in the US.

The holes in the case may have been for bypass switches or other modifications.

 

DavidMil

[Xebec]

Very cool background on the edge connector -- I assume it's never been used for any upgrades or modifications then?

[Bryan]

Very cool background on the edge connector -- I assume it's never been used for any upgrades or modifications then?

Although you could use it for some things, it's not in a very useful place once the machine is assembled.

[Kyle22]

The original Incognito requires a little soldering, but it's easy. The most difficult part is removing and replacing the RD4/5 resistors.

 

The connector is for factory diagnostics. It provides lots of useful signals.

 

Not really necessary to use them if you have Incognito because its PBI has most of them and more.