seastalker

Hi Bryan - sent PM a while back but know you are a busy individual.

My post #3 on this page I'm updating with pictures. I mentioned having bad CPU Sally 6502C CO14806 and the old odd legged CO60472-D (Delay). When replacing them with known good ones, I STILL get the screen as pictured. Anyone seen this before and know what to do on a fully socketed 600xl with all tested and working chips? A clue may be in sorting what may have caused the 3 chips to fail but the 600xl was given to me so I don't know the history. Bad PSU? Loose socket? Bad crystal?

Thanks for that. Will check those. I also don't need to look into a happy drive option as the software loading is good when I want it FAST and the real 1050 when I want the memories.

Same- don't think it was Zenith, but likely Sony through RF switch - moderately lighter and whiter shade of blue. It was still glorious or I suppose we won't be talking about it today.

Yeah- at those prices I will continue to live vicariously through youtube or someday at a Super Firebee or much later FPGA solution should one come to be. I do enjoy the study of Atari history all the same.

Perfect- thanks! I will utilize both responses and experiment a little. Nice to know I may be able to use RespeQt software to write to real floppies. Now if I get a KryoFlux device I may really be set up for archiving.

Thanks- I've swapped some chips these past years and I'm curious at the finer details of such nuances. It makes for an easy adjustment, but I suppose it also makes for many an Atari user to have slight nostalgic variances as to what their true shade of blue was.

Thanks for the specs and answers! So fascinated to hear more about it. It sounds more of a successor or new line and departure from the ST line, or dare I say similar to XL/XE departures from the original 400/800. Was there Falcon exclusive games and software? It's a chapter of Atari business strategy that would make for an interesting mini documentary on youtube. "Btw. Falcon is much slower than Atari TT. Just has more features -DSP, blitter, HW scroll, more colors ..." Those comparisons are pure gold and just what I am looking for in the history. I hope more videos get made on the falcon in general.

In this Youtube video, it is claimed the Antonia 4MB upgrade requires a 600xl to be upgraded first. to 64k. Is this true JR or do you know otherwise? It may be worth it to upgrade to 64kb regardless - xrbrevin, would eBay item number: 151057118990 fit the bill?

For you lucky Falcon owners, may I pick your mind? I was solely an 800XL owner back in the 80s. I have a MIST to live my ST world now. In rock paper scissors, it looks like the falcon was the LAST Atari computer and spec-wise beats out the rest of the ST line, yes? Basically, is a Falcon 100% backwards compatible with the ST line or was it so BECAUSE it was IN the ST line, just the best of the best and maxed out? Also, did it run emulators to be backwards compatible with 400/800 XL/XE series or others like ZX Spectrum? Also, I can't escape the feeling that I heard once ago that there was more than one model of Falcon. I know the 030, but was there an 060? I'd love to know what upgrades and expansions have been out there since then. What would a fully maxed Falcon entail?

Hi! Just posting as I may get a KryoFlux so I may contribute to this.

I've had a time lapse of Atari 8 bit real hardware and getting set up again. I successfully made my own cable last year following a guide by the wonderful YT channel, ' The Modern Atari 8bit computer.' Loading with PC software went just fine last year, but I now have my old 1050 and hope to add it to the mix. Never owning more than one floppy back in the day, I ask: 1. What is the cable setup? Is it SIO to SIO from 1050 to 800xl and then SIO2USB cable from one (the other) 1050 input to a PC usb input? 2. Would a setup only use the real 1050 as a swappable drive, or both in tandem? Even better would be to have the ability to WRITE to floppy, both save games AND writing software from PC to real 5.25 floppy. Does any software do this or am I in for a KryoFlux device only? I do have some NOS shrink-wrapped software so I may get into archiving and software preservation.

On both 600xls and 800xls, in doing the chip swaps, often a GTIA swap results not just in a screen color change, but SPECIFICALLY a purple one instead of the BLUE ready prompt. I've noticed a link to purple chips and troublesome boards. I've adjusted the potentiometer to make it blue again just fine, but then I'm curious. From a tech nerd level, I'd like to know the REASON for this. Is it that not all GTIA chips are factory adjusted the same, or is that a purple screen from a GTIA means it has degraded in some way or slowly dying? Anyone encounter this?

With my MIST able to do 1MB and display beautifully, and an 800xl with UAV and memory upgrade, I have some ideas on some 600xls, XEGS and even a 400. I'm sure we'd love to put Lotharek's, Bryan's, and Simius's goodies in EVERY machine, but if budget is an issue, I thought it fun to organize some upgrades. XEGS- at stock, I may keep it at my significant others. Standard video cables to a flat panel or likely a soon added CRT. I have 10 carts and that may be fun to set up like a game console with the keyboard usually unplugged. 800xl - has S-video as mentioned and memory upgrade- used with a 1050 stock drive and SIOtoUSB as my main workhorse. Maybe U1MB down the road but it already surpasses a 130XE and I DO have my MIST with old IBM CRT w. VGA. 600xl - more than one. This is where it gets interesting. RF is a PITA to still be using, and 16kb is limiting. An Atari 1064 is rare to find and looks like it loses the small footprint of the 600xl; it is also expensive to the point, it's hard to justify that over Lotharek's U1MB. I saw guides of how to do an internal 64k upgrade, but anyone have a link for the proper RAM chips to buy on ebay? I hope the retro shops start offering all-in one part kits. Then there is video. Simius's Sophia seems the easiest and then dremel the 2-3 switch big enough for a DVI port. Is a cheap composite kit available, maybe using the hole where the RF is? 400 - Probably stay stock video - I can't imagine heavy typing but for games like Star Raiders and F-15 Strike Eagle it may be cool. Anyone have a ram upgrade?

Just got two fully socketed 600xls. Using a new power supply, one 600 is not working and I swapped all chips out (and thus reseated) and the good one found three bad chips on the bad: ANTIC (CO21697), CPU Sally 6502C CO14806 and the old odd legged CO60472-D (Delay). After putting them aside, I put the GOOD versions from the working board into the bad hoping I'd just need the three chips to fix it. No dice. Now, it powers up to an odd screen I'd not seen before (pix soon). I was hoping not to desolder willy nilly. 1. Any way to tell a PAL 600xl from an NTSC one? 2. I followed the Black screen/Red screen guides from http://atari.boards.net/thread/893/black-screen-problems-fix-checklist so all steps from Star Raiders to channel 2-3 moving tried. 3. Any next troubleshooting steps? I can try the clock timer if my pics look like that may be the issue.

Re-editing this post: I found Flashback 2 mods online. Has anyone done a step by step VIDEO guide to the cart mod? Also is there a kit of all the parts available or even partially pre-assembled? Also, has anyone done an internal storage solution other than a harmony cart without a shell?

Thank you Philsan and flashjazzcat for the valuable information and also JAC! I watched your video YEARS ago that stayed with me.. "the best computer in 1983 was.. the atari 800xl" The best computer now is... the atari 800XL!! Always loved that!!

So I'm ready to revisit a flash cart solution to not need a PC or laptop. I'm out of the loop on the latest. With respect to all creators to give us multiple options, is there a feature comparison or pros/cons list of the current options? How does the latest "the!cart" compare to the capabilities of the brewing academy's "Ultimate Cart" or AtariMax, and the ones I'm likely unfamiliar with?

Got hold of one of these beauties- the Atari DMP2000. Anyone have one in the box to check the bar code for me? I NEARLY saw it online but can't quite read it from the low res pics. I'd be happy for the UPC EAN etc. If anyone if interested in this working model, let me know. THANKS!

Anyone have suggestions of where to send 800xl boards for repair? I know Bryan can but he is insanely busy based off the posts here. I have a nearly working board with a UAV. I'd love to have at least one XL back up and running.

I have a Commodore 1084S-D1 monitor that has separate chroma/luma (Svideo before Svideo) inputs on the back. I recently purchased an adapter cable with male Chroma/luma for the monitor and converts to a female Svideo. I am trying to get my Atari 800xl (Bryan Svideo mod), C64 Reloaded and MIST with conversion cables ending in Svideo out working with the monitor but I only get black and white or monochome at best if I adjust the hue and color. If I use a video cable with separate chroma/luma without the adapter I get Svideo color. I'd rather be able to plug in devices with a standard svideo cable. I can't figure this one out. Anyone know what the problem is? Thanks.

I love how one letter can make a whole new meaning out of a word. I still like the idea of an atari that is named after a legendary dessert.

Has the naming origin of Éclaire ever been addressed? A creator can name it what they like and I like it fine, yet it does seem random. Numerically, Atari had 400/800/600xl/800xl/1200 etc and then the console naming with Lynx and Jaguar. How did a wonderfully delicious French pastry win the title? Yes I do know Atari anything can be deemed 'delicious.' LOL Also, as this is an FPGA project, is it possible to run other system's cores in theory if ported? That would be cool to see. .

You are still a young pup if for no other reason than for a adoration of Atari products.

toptenmaterial - Please check- PM in progress