ApolloBoy Posted June 10, 2003 Share Posted June 10, 2003 Which computer would you choose? The 400 or the 600XL? I'd pick the 600XL because it's smaller and it doesn't have that horrible membrane keyboard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tyranthraxus Posted June 10, 2003 Share Posted June 10, 2003 The 600XL wins easlily but why wasn't called the 400XL? The constant name changes of the 8-bit line I think hurt it because it never got a chance for name recognition. However, unless you are wanting to re-experience your old computer why don't you look for the more powerful yet similar looking 800xl? John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TXG/MNX Posted June 10, 2003 Share Posted June 10, 2003 hmm I think it was because Atari sold the number '400' to IBM... TXG/MNX Ps. I have many random numbers for sale, anyone ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WolfBeyond Posted June 10, 2003 Share Posted June 10, 2003 But.....Which ones have 4 controller ports for 4 way games like M.U.L.E? My 130xe did not and the only 2 that I know that have them are the original 400 and 800. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shawn Jefferson Posted June 10, 2003 Share Posted June 10, 2003 The 600XL wins easlily but why wasn't called the 400XL? 1200XL / 2 = 600XL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ApolloBoy Posted June 11, 2003 Author Share Posted June 11, 2003 But.....Which ones have 4 controller ports for 4 way games like M.U.L.E? My 130xe did not and the only 2 that I know that have them are the original 400 and 800. The 400 and the 800 have 4 joystick ports. The XL and XE computers only have 2. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tyranthraxus Posted June 11, 2003 Share Posted June 11, 2003 The 600XL wins easlily but why wasn't called the 400XL? 1200XL / 2 = 600XL Man it just boggles the mind these numbers and the various systems they put out! Now if my incomplete 8-bit knowlege is correct : 400Xl 16k ram, 800xl 48k ram, 1200xl 64k ram. So why not call the 1200 a 1600XL? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goochman Posted June 11, 2003 Share Posted June 11, 2003 You go things wrong. The 1200 came out before the XL line - 400/800/1200 - The 1200 missed the mark when it came to public opinion for the XL line was rolled out - 600XL/800XL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
svenski Posted June 11, 2003 Share Posted June 11, 2003 I think XL stood for eXtended Line. Goochman is correct, the 1200XL came out before the 600XL and 800XL. There were also several RAM variations on the 800. It launched with 16K, later sold with 32K, then finally sold with 48K. As for the difference between the 400 and 600XL, the 400 was sold as a beginner's machine, ideal for children (Atari made a big deal of the 'wipe-clean' membrane keyboard). The 600XL was sold as a value for money, serious home computer that was as good in the office as it was at home. By dropping 2 of the joystick ports, Atari partly freed up the (I think) PIA chip which was then used for switching in/out of BASIC, self tests and helping with RAM management. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SmileyDude Posted June 11, 2003 Share Posted June 11, 2003 You go things wrong. The 1200 came out before the XL line - 400/800/1200 - The 1200 missed the mark when it came to public opinion for the XL line was rolled out - 600XL/800XL The 1200XL was the odd machine that came out between the 400/800 (hence the 1200 portion of the name) and the 600/800XL (hence the XL portion of the name). I do recall that it was originally supposed to be just 1200, but AFAIK, it was only released as 1200XL officially. The 1200XL wasn't a bad machine, but it did have it's problems. Since it was an XL, it had all the problems of the XL (translator disk anyone?) with none of the benefits (like built in BASIC). Also, the cart slot was recessed on the side, and there was a lot of 3rd party carts that didn't work with it. The thing was big and ugly, but IMO, it had the best keyboard of any of the Atari line. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mendon Posted June 11, 2003 Share Posted June 11, 2003 ..... but IMO, it had the best keyboard of any of the Atari line Agreed 100percent!!! On the other hand, I HATED the XE keyboards. They just felt wrong for whatever reason. But that's just my opinion.. others might like them. Also, the cart slot was recessed on the side, and there was a lot of 3rd party carts that didn't work with it. Didn't know that about the cartridge port. I've never used my 1200XL that much for gaming so I never tried inserting game cart's in it other than maybe Pac-Man or something like that. Thanks for the info!! Mendon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shawn Jefferson Posted June 11, 2003 Share Posted June 11, 2003 The 600XL wins easlily but why wasn't called the 400XL? 1200XL / 2 = 600XL I thought I remembered reading somewhere that this was the case, but I can't seem to find it. As I think more about it, I believe I was getting the story of the 1200XL/600XL confused with something I read about the 1050 disk drive. Of course I can't find it now! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SmileyDude Posted June 11, 2003 Share Posted June 11, 2003 Didn't know that about the cartridge port. I've never used my 1200XL that much for gaming so I never tried inserting game cart's in it other than maybe Pac-Man or something like that. Thanks for the info!! I actually have a cart around someplace that we had to hack away the plastic on it to get it to fit in the 1200XL slot. It was the cart for the modem that we had (300 baud... those were the days ). If I find it, I'll post a picture of it up. Luckily, we had other machines as well -- a couple of different 400s, and the 65xe... so, we didn't have to use the hacksaw on all the carts Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tyranthraxus Posted June 12, 2003 Share Posted June 12, 2003 Okay so thats the mystery of the 1200XL but I still don't see a valid reason for renaming the 400 as 600... Nor do I understand the switch to 65XE, etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SmileyDude Posted June 12, 2003 Share Posted June 12, 2003 Okay so thats the mystery of the 1200XL but I still don't see a validreason for renaming the 400 as 600... Nor do I understand the switch to 65XE, etc. The XE line is simple -- well, relatively The 65XE has 64k, the 130XE has 128k. I think the reason why it's 65XE and not 64XE is because of the C-64 -- i.e, this one goes to 11 And, the 130XE is twice the 65XE, so hence it's name The 600XL was actually prototyped with the 1200 -- the line would've been 400/600XL/800/1200XL. When the 800XL came out, they kept the old name for the 600XL. It's actually not too bad once you look at them -- it sure beats trying to figure out Apple's naming scheme for the Mac in the late 80's/early 90's... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tempest Posted June 12, 2003 Share Posted June 12, 2003 IIRC the 400 and 800 were so named because they were originally supposed to have 4K and 8K respectively. Obviously Atari wised up and bumped up the base memory a bit. Tempest Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DEBRO Posted June 12, 2003 Share Posted June 12, 2003 IIRC the 400 and 800 were so named because they were originally supposed to have 4K and 8K respectively. Obviously Atari wised up and bumped up the base memory a bit. Tempest I heard they were named 400/800 because that was their original price tag I think I heard that from the Stella @ 20 series. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tempest Posted June 12, 2003 Share Posted June 12, 2003 I thought the original price tags were $600 and $1200. Tempest Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DEBRO Posted June 12, 2003 Share Posted June 12, 2003 I thought the original price tags were $600 and $1200. Tempest WOW No wonder I couldn't get one when I was a kid. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bryan Posted June 12, 2003 Share Posted June 12, 2003 I think the 65XE was an abbreviation of 65536 bytes. Kind of like how today's hard drives are measured using the 1000 Meg per Gig inflated figure. -Bry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Room 34 Posted June 12, 2003 Share Posted June 12, 2003 400Xl 16k ram, 800xl 48k ram, 1200xl 64k ram Well, if the proportions based on RAM size were consistent, the 800 should've been the 1200 and the 1200 should've been the 1600! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jetboot Jack Posted June 12, 2003 Share Posted June 12, 2003 My father in 1980 bought me an 800 and a 410, the next year I got a disc drive -- I think he paid $999 for the 16K 800, and then extra for the 410 and Basic, even though we lived in the UK I had a US machine, 'cos he travelled on business a lot... I still have the machine today, and even though it is a bit battered it still works sTeVE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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