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Quon

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    Female
  • Interests
    Generally any retro console system, but of course, Atari was my first sin as a child.

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  1. Sounds like the same issue with the 2600... S-Video is relatively simple to achieve, and RGB is a little more complicated, but achievable
  2. And I would imagine it's a very cheap mod to achieve really, so it kind of makes it not worth ignoring...
  3. And screwing with HAM enthusiasts is a hobby in itself I practice every time I turn on one of my 150mW modded RC transmitters... not to mention it can mess with some people's WiFi hehehehe But I am noticing that there are a lot of options for this computer, I never realised just how much has been made for it (what am I getting myself into? )!! I think for now, I'm going to concentrate on getting the computer, which I will probably take my time with that and not simply get the first one I find, and then maybe go on with the 64K upgrade, and then after see the different options... one step at a time.
  4. OK, I found one thing interesting on this video... I noticed the monitor used is a 16:9 aspect ratio screen, but the image seems to look as it's supposed to, without the black side bars you usually get and without having a stretched look... is this a video mod, something unique to this program that is being used in the video or does the computer actually support 16:9 aspect ratio (something I highly doubt personally, but sometimes you find surprises). I would use it on a 4:3 ratio display anyway, I find it keeps that retro look much better in general, but I was curious...
  5. When I said remove the shielding entirely, I meant remove the entire RF module, as in the shielding and what's inside, as they are usually a a removable module... but I see from the video that you are referring to the metal plate that covers the entire circuit board, not the RF module... still, if the RF module isn't going to be used, removing it lowers power consumption and the socket hole can be used for an S-Video mod with an actual S-Video standard 4 pin socket... no? The shielding itself I would just dremel out the piece that's in the way, like I did with the S-Video circuit on my 2600jr when I placed that in the place of the original RF module. EDIT: OK, I think I just answered part of this when I put on the "Building a maxed out Atari 600XL (Part 1)" video... as there's no RF module in that one
  6. If the video out has RGB capability, I wouldn't need S-Video out. And also, if I have that, can't the entire RF shield be removed if it's no longer going to be used, like I have done on the Master System II and the 2600? That would give more room still as well as lower power needs slightly... Or it there something inside the RF module that the RGB would requiere?
  7. Well... with what you have all said, I think I am sold on the 600XL, and as I said, I'm not going to be turning it into an ultimate powerhouse, I just want it to be upgraded to a point where it's comfortable to use Thanks everyone!!
  8. In those aspects I like to be inventive, like, "if I can't fit it here, I'll adapt it to fit slightly to the left", or "I don't need this plastic on the case to be that thick... where did I put my dremel?"... I find inventive modding to be part of the overall fun, having a problem to solve. If it was straight forward I think I wouldn't get so much enjoyment out of it. So, in those aspects I'm not too worried, and as I said, i don't think I will be adding a lot of expansions into it, just what I need.
  9. 4MB?!?!?! It can really take that much?!?!?! WOW!! I wasn't expecting that much!! I was thinking 128k, maybe 256k... but 4MB!! I don't think I would ever need that much!! Availability, I'm limited to what I can find on Ebay, but being in Europe, I have the PAL models readily available to choose from. I thought the 600XL didn't have monitor out, period. I didn't know the PAL versions had a monitor out!! Is it composite only or does it do RGB too?
  10. RGB would be a "must" I guess, as I do live in Europe, and I might as well take full advantage of the SCART port we have. Graphics chips and processor, I guess I would look into those if I start to encounter problems that would justify an upgrade. Memory is something I find a little more important because of program sizes, especially if it's a cassette or disk program, so it can load in no problem, and give room for larger games if I decide to be adventurous one day in my rocking chair and I'm fed up with knitting. Stereo... I'm not bothered about it, I'm used to mono, seeing as that's what we got on the 2600 even in PAL regions anyway, and I'm not so much into the musical aspects of it, I'm not making music or anything like that... as long as it makes pretty sounds, I don't care if it's one speaker or two really, although, all that said, I imagine the stereo mod wouldn't be that big. Out of the box, I would go for video output and memory... and then take it from there if I see they are needed.
  11. Sadly, very often, when a new model of something comes out, it's in part to make production cheaper... that's another reason I was going for the XL line rather than the XE line. Also, the XE seems larger, the cartridge port on the back seems a bit more clunky, and, to be honest, if I want a computer that looks like an Atari ST, I'll get myself an Atari ST!! I think the XL line has its own identity in that sense, and from videos I have seen (mainly 800XL videos), the keyboard doesn't seem that bad. But, I guess taking it apart, cleaning and all that might be in order, I mean, a few gallons of water have definitely passed under the bridge since they were made!!
  12. Thanks for that!! I'll watch that in bed on the TV, a little light entertainment before I go to bed!! There are a lot of videos onYoutube, but trying to find the ones that give the right information, sometimes you end up finding contradicting ones!! I'll have a look into that!! I'm not in a rush, but obviously it's not good to get a system thinking you will be able to do something and then finding you can't because it's too limited. I mean, I know there are other things other than BASIC I need to look in to, but, that will be later on down the road.
  13. I understand... but on one hand, I don't have much room as I only have a small studio apartment, and even a couple of inches off the back of a case can help when it comes to desk size,, and on the other hand I am not intending to upgrade it to the max, so I don't be putting that much in... video upgrade (Is there an RGB mod for it? I haven't looked...) and RAM really... and on the Nintendo 64 controller other other hand, I like a challenge anyway!! I'm not new to the Atari brand, but I certainly am to Atari's with keyboards!!
  14. Hi everyone!! I want to get into an 8-bit computer to... let's say catch up on all I didn't learn about BASIC, and possibly find a sideline hobby making a game or something like that. I've had Commodores and Spectrums in 8-bit, but I never had an Atari. But, that said, the "middle generation" has always caught my eye as being very interesting computers, namely the 600XL and the 800XL, so I am aiming for one of these. I am trying to find some information on the 600XL, as it's the one that most interests me, as I do enjoy modding too, and it seems to be the one that "needs" more modding to it, but I guess my main question is, can it be modded memory wise to beyond a factory 800XL? A lot of places talk about going up to 64K, but I can't seem to find more information beyond that, as people tend to centre solely on the 800XL from there on, but at the same time, I do like the slightly more compact form factor of the 600 too, but, of course, I don't want to get one and regret it because I can't get much out of it. I don't need to reach "as high" as an 800XL is capable of, but it would be nice to know what it can have. So... I guess the bottom line is, is it worth getting a 600XL for getting into basic (non capital this time, no pun intended) things, and advancing from there maybe a little, but obviously not getting too deep?
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