Atari 130XE WTF?

[cbmeeks]

I just rec'd my first 130XE. While it was a little dirty, it is cleaning up very well.

 

I fired it up and everything works fine and I noticed a toggle switch on the back. There was a sticker that said " 130 | 800 "

 

I put it in "130" mode and loaded the 130 version of Mario 2007 and it works great.

 

My question is, was this switch normal? I haven't tried 800 mode yet because I am still cleaning.

 

There are no factory indications that the switch was normal. But, it is very professionally installed. I even took it apart and it looks good.

 

Thanks

 

cbmeeks

[Allas]

It's a mod for sure. Better, use as 130XE to avoid problems, there is little reasons to change at 800 mode.

[cbmeeks]

That's what I was thinking. What would you need to do in order to switch to 800 mode? Disable 64k of ram??

[MEtalGuy66]

I bet its just a ROM switcher.

[JR>]

That's what I was thinking. What would you need to do in order to switch to 800 mode? Disable 64k of ram??

 

It probably just switches between 2 OS versions.

[cbmeeks]

Ahh...cool.

 

So, now I'm on a hunt for cool software that shows off my 130XE. hehehe

[racer raul]

I have a 130xe that has some bad memory... but with a fully working 800xl in use, I often debate if its even worth fixing it.

 

I keep hanging on to it just in case there are some crazy homebrew fad to write games that take advantage of the added memory. I'd fix it for sure then.

[+Larry]

I have a 130xe that has some bad memory... but with a fully working 800xl in use, I often debate if its even worth fixing it.

 

I keep hanging on to it just in case there are some crazy homebrew fad to write games that take advantage of the added memory. I'd fix it for sure then.

 

I remember reading that frequently you can just piggyback a new memory chip on top of the old (friction fit). This allows quick testing and many times will work when the bad chip is "piggybacked." I've never had need to do this -- has anyone here done it? Might be a Q&D way to find your bad chip (unless you already know which it is).

 

-Larry

[+remowilliams]

I remember reading that frequently you can just piggyback a new memory chip on top of the old (friction fit). This allows quick testing and many times will work when the bad chip is "piggybacked." I've never had need to do this -- has anyone here done it? Might be a Q&D way to find your bad chip (unless you already know which it is).

Yes, I have - quite a few times now. It's a very handy troubleshooting method.

[racer raul]

I remember reading that frequently you can just piggyback a new memory chip on top of the old (friction fit). This allows quick testing and many times will work when the bad chip is "piggybacked." I've never had need to do this -- has anyone here done it? Might be a Q&D way to find your bad chip (unless you already know which it is).

Yes, I have - quite a few times now. It's a very handy troubleshooting method.

Good to know fellows...thx

[peteym5]

I have a 130XE with a XL/XE OS and 800 OS with a switch on the back. These simply enable you to run 800 software instead of using a translator program. Some old games will not work with the XL/XE OS.

[cbmeeks]

I have to admit. I really love my 130XE. Especially that I have S-Video support on my 1084S WOOHOO!!!

[MEtalGuy66]

I remember reading that frequently you can just piggyback a new memory chip on top of the old (friction fit). This allows quick testing and many times will work when the bad chip is "piggybacked." I've never had need to do this -- has anyone here done it? Might be a Q&D way to find your bad chip (unless you already know which it is).

Yes, I have - quite a few times now. It's a very handy troubleshooting method.

Good to know fellows...thx

 

Why? If one chip went BAD then others will be sure to follow. The 130XE (16 DRAM chip versions) used the most notorioulsy cheap/shitty ram that could possibly be procured in the mid-late 80s.

 

Just remove all of the RAM, and find an old PC/XT/AT (8088, 80286, or 80386) board and steal all the 41256 DRAMS off of it to replace the ones in your atari. It wint care that they are 256kx1 instead of 64kx1... The extra adress line is on pin one which is orphaned on the atari motherboard.

 

This is how I fix them. I DO NOT try to "troubeshoot" 130XE factory DRAMs.. They go straight in the trashcan. I have learned this the hard way from YEARS of "fixing" 130xes..

 

If you can't find an old PC motherboard that has these chips (They are 16 pin DIPs, obviously) then you can buy them from JAMECO, BG-Micro, and a variety of other vendors. Be sure and get the 256x1 part. Like I said, it wont hurt anything, and if you want to upgrade to 320k in the future, you just wire up the extra adress line and add a 74LS158 multiplexer.