600XL Mem. Mod??

[A2600]

How is this possible??

 

Is it expensive? do you need soldering experience??

 

Whats requierd to complete this nifty project??

[+DamonicFury]

Well, I know there are two types of 600XL memory modifications. One is an 1064 module made by Atari itself that simply plugs into the expansion port in the back of the machine. Here's a pic and a place to buy:

 

http://www.worldofatari.safeshopper.com/31/41.htm?624

 

Personally, I didn't want to go this route, since I liked how nice and compact the 600XL is and it seemed a bit 'ugly' to have this thing hanging off the back. So despite being a bit of a soldering amateur I bought the solder-ed in upgrade from B & C Computervisions.

 

http://www.myatari.com/bc800hw.txt

 

(I wouldn't be surprised if it could be had for cheaper, but it helped that they also sell 2600 Road Runner new in box for 20$) Much to my surprise and amazement, I didn't break my 600XL, and it worked! It involved pulling and replacing two chips, and pulling a some other chips in order to solder jumper wires between their legs and other parts of the 600XL motherboard. It's probably super-easy for those who are a whiz at this kind of thing, for me, it was probably just dumb luck that everything worked fine. I'd HIGHLY recommend owning one of those special-ized chip-pulling devices as it would be way easy to bend or break pins while doing this modification otherwise.

 

The 600XL was my first Atari computer, and I really like it's small size and top loading cartridge slot. It's a nostalgic thrill for me to use it as my primary Atari computer again.

[Gunstar]

Ahh, the memories of our first Atari. Mine was the 130XE, so it was always my "nostalic" computer, although I owned an 800 soon after and now own 800, 800xl, 1200xl and the 130xe. I had a friend who had the 600XL and the 1064 memory module, it worked well. I always made fun of the extra loading for Alternate reality: dundgeon on his computer, because he had 64k as opposed to my 128k and less loading. 600Xl was a good computer though, and the memory module makes it as good as an 800xl.

[TXG/MNX]

Hi,

 

Look at this side to do it yourself http://trident.mcs.kent.edu/~clisowsk/8bit.../600xl64Ka.html

 

or

 

http://www.atariarchives.org/cfn/05/07/0026.php

[PFonck]

I used the DIY version as pointed out by TXG/MNX, and as you'll see on the pictures on my website there isn't much that can go wrong

[surfnmadness]

I did the next best thing to the $26 upgrade,

 

Just purchased an Atari 800XL with everything to keep my 600XL company for under $28 on Ebay after shipping.

 

The two of them are getting along beautifully!

 

sURFN

[Sikor]

You also can find schema or ask Jurek Sobola - 600xl You can upgreat to 64or more Kb (like 800xl).