Cantaloupe

Thanks again.

Thanks for that. Out of interest - if you I did get an NTSC machine, how easy would it be to use it here? Is it just a case of buying some kind of adapter, or does it even matter nowadays with modern digital TVs?

First post which includes what is probably a stupid question, reckoned this was probably the best place on the forum to put it, and hopefully someone can help. I had an 800XL as a kid which I loved, a few years later I sold it to get a Spectrum +2 and quickly realised that I preferred the Atari! I'd love to get hold of one and see them on ebay etc. from time to time. My question is - do I need to get a "PAL" machine. I have some vague knowledge/memory that the 800XL came in different versions depending on what TV system was used e.g. NTSC in America, and PAL in the UK and Ireland etc. I'm not sure if this would affect the machine or just any games I tried to play on it or whatever, or if it's even an issue now. So if I bought an "NTSC" system would it work here in Ireland or must I get a PAL machine (if there is even such a thing and my interpretation is correct)! Apologies for what is probably a really stupid question based on my lack of knowledge. Great forum by the way. I have been checking out different retro Atari sites and even managed to find a scanned copy of the old Compute 3rd book of Atari and some other bits and pieces which I owned as a kid. I grew up in Scotland and it was quite difficult to get hold of software and literature about the 800XL, most people had Spectrums and Commodore 64's at the time there, I only knew one other guy who had an 800XL. Shame the internet and this forum wasn't around then! There was a bookstore in Glasgow which sold titles imported from the States and that's where I got hold of Compute, Byte etc and learned to program in Atari BASIC, typing in the programmes listed in things like the spiral-bound Compute 3rd book and seeing how they worked. I never got to grips with the hardware etc. as you can tell from my question, but that's something I'd like to get into. Any help on my question gratefully received, as well as any other tips around getting hold of an 800XL other than the usual ebay etc.