Which One?

[applekevin]

Hi,

I like really old computers. I'm especially into 8-bits. Right now I'm really into collecting Apple II stuff, but I've been wanting to get an Atari really bad. (Well I really want an ST, but thats out of my price range.) Which one should I get and what accesories. I really like to build one "super" system, with all the cool stuff for it

[+Philsan]

If you don't want to mod, an Atari 130XE (it has 128KB, s-video output, bug-free Basic rev. C).

 

To emulate a disk drive:

- SIO2PC (I use the USB version): connects the Atari to the PC (also with Vista) and the PC becomes a disk drive and a printer.

- SIO2SD: instead of floppy disks you use SD cards (see below, you can buy it from AtariAge user Pigula).

 

EDIT

If you want to complete an aesthetical perfect setup, you can buy an XF551 disk drive and an XMM801 dot matrix printer or an XDM121 daisy wheel printer (available cheaply from B & C).

Edited January 27, 2008 by Philsan

[Tickled_Pink]

An XF-551 disk drive would be cool. But they're hard to find at a decent price. Or get a 1050 drive with a happy mod. On the Atari you can daisy-chain up to 4 drives to it.

[applekevin]

I WOULD like to mod it out

[Urchlay]

I WOULD like to mod it out

 

The best modding machines are the 1200XL (lots of room in the case, and all the chips are socketed) and the 800XL (probably the most common Atari, sometimes the chips are socketed but not always). The XE series are kind of a pain to mod due to the cheap construction (chips are never socketed, and the traces on the board are really flimsy and easy to delaminate while desoldering). Also, on the few XEs I've worked on, the board labels (C123, R456, U1, etc) are hidden under the components instead of being visible like they are on the XLs.

[applekevin]

So like, what all do they have as far as cool add-ons for the Atari's what do I need to run all the software? Im very new to this machine.

[Allas]

I WOULD like to mod it out

 

The best modding machines are the 1200XL (lots of room in the case, and all the chips are socketed) and the 800XL (probably the most common Atari, sometimes the chips are socketed but not always). The XE series are kind of a pain to mod due to the cheap construction (chips are never socketed, and the traces on the board are really flimsy and easy to delaminate while desoldering). Also, on the few XEs I've worked on, the board labels (C123, R456, U1, etc) are hidden under the components instead of being visible like they are on the XLs.

 

 

have 1200XL memories socketed?

[mimo]

I WOULD like to mod it out

 

The best modding machines are the 1200XL (lots of room in the case, and all the chips are socketed) and the 800XL (probably the most common Atari, sometimes the chips are socketed but not always). The XE series are kind of a pain to mod due to the cheap construction (chips are never socketed, and the traces on the board are really flimsy and easy to delaminate while desoldering). Also, on the few XEs I've worked on, the board labels (C123, R456, U1, etc) are hidden under the components instead of being visible like they are on the XLs.

 

 

have 1200XL memories socketed?

All the IC's on a 1200XL are socketed

[Tickled_Pink]

The only problem I've found with heavy modding is that the machine can become flaky. I have one heavily modded system that's never quite worked as well as it should. It has a 256K mod, 4 OS ROM, dual Pokey and an extra PIA which is used to control a Cupid parallel printer port.

 

So if you want to get into mods, my advice is to not go overboard with the mods on one machine.

[tjlazer]

Hi,

I like really old computers. I'm especially into 8-bits. Right now I'm really into collecting Apple II stuff, but I've been wanting to get an Atari really bad. (Well I really want an ST, but thats out of my price range.) Which one should I get and what accesories. I really like to build one "super" system, with all the cool stuff for it

 

I would get an 800XL to start off, and a 520ST system as it is very cheap. ~$20 too much for you? Of course you will need a disk drive and monitor. I would check craigslist for a deal often. If your in the states that is.

[WizWor]

I would get an 800XL to start off, and a 520ST system as it is very cheap. ~$20 too much for you? Of course you will need a disk drive and monitor. I would check craigslist for a deal often. If your in the states that is.

I've never been tempted to get an ST. The Amiga was THAT generation Atari anyway, wasn't?

 

I haven't been tempted to mode anything either. My 800 had a broken SIO, so I soldered a cable directly to it. That's my only mode If I could find an SIO, I'd fix it.

 

I have a bunch of Atari's. My original was a 400. That was a great computer for $99.99 (after rebate), but it's not an Atari I'd buy -- not enough memory, the membrane keyboard -- there are better options. Hard to beat four person Asteriods, though. After that, I had an 800xl. I used this for years. Played just about every game (fixxl). The keyboard was good enough to get me through college. Missed the four player Asteroids, though. My last Atari 'in the day' was a 130xe. At the time, I did some things that used the extra memory, but I mostly just wanted it. I don't think it was/is as good as the 800xl. In the early 90's, I stumbled across a nearly new xegs for $20. This is my favorite Atari. I don't use the keyboard much, but it's fine. Composite video out is good. It plays just about anything. I have a couple of these. I keep a 8 Mbit Flash Cartridge in the slot for the impromptu bout of river raid. Since Steve will drop an image on the cart, I think this combination is a great first step for anyone. You can be playing a lot of games on a nice machine for less than $100.

 

I'd like to get a 1200xl, but I don't think it'd be my everyday machine and I couldn't bring myself to cut one.

[tjlazer]

I've never been tempted to get an ST. The Amiga was THAT generation Atari anyway, wasn't?

 

Why get an ST? Well for one it's Atari! AND it has about the same graphics and games as the Amiga. (actually a lot of games for the Amiga are straight ST ports!) But the big bonus is the ablility to transfer downloadable disk images off the net to a real disk using a PC! Yes the ST and PC use the same file system so transfering disks is easy. Even in XP with Floppy Image. The Amiga is extremely hard to do this as it has a different file system. There are creative ways but not as easy as for the ST. I should know I have both platforms.

[WizWor]

Why get an ST? Well for one it's Atari! AND it has about the same graphics and games as the Amiga.

OK, if you want to collect all things with an Atari label, but Jay Miner is the father of the Amiga. So I think that is the legitimate descendant of the 8-bit computers (Miner creates the Amiga, Atari passes on it, Commodore forces out Tramiel, Commodore buys Amiga, Tramiel buys Atari's computer division and develops the ST).

 

If there ever was one.

 

One of the things I liked about Atari was their loyalty to the customer base. Unlike Commodore and Apple, Atari's new 8-bits generally worked well with software and peripherals from previous generations. I probably would have gotten an ST if it had an integrated 8-bit emulator so I could run my old games using new peripherals. Instead, I stuck with my 8-bit until I could afford an Intel PC.

 

You have an ST. Did you have one 'in the day' or did you begin using the ST recently (last 20 years, LOL)? Do you use it actively or is it a collectible? Since you have both, could you elaborate a bit on how you use each?

Edited February 2, 2008 by WizWor

[tjlazer]

Why get an ST? Well for one it's Atari! AND it has about the same graphics and games as the Amiga.

OK, if you want to collect all things with an Atari label, but Jay Miner is the father of the Amiga. So I think that is the legitimate descendant of the 8-bit computers (Miner creates the Amiga, Atari passes on it, Commodore forces out Tramiel, Commodore buys Amiga, Tramiel buys Atari's computer division and develops the ST).

 

If there ever was one.

 

One of the things I liked about Atari was their loyalty to the customer base. Unlike Commodore and Apple, Atari's new 8-bits generally worked well with software and peripherals from previous generations. I probably would have gotten an ST if it had an integrated 8-bit emulator so I could run my old games using new peripherals. Instead, I stuck with my 8-bit until I could afford an Intel PC.

 

You have an ST. Did you have one 'in the day' or did you begin using the ST recently (last 20 years, LOL)? Do you use it actively or is it a collectible? Since you have both, could you elaborate a bit on how you use each?

 

You are correct in that the Amiga is the succesor to the Atari 800. Funny how that worked out, and that the CEO of C= ran Atari!

 

I actually had a Atari 800XL then a C=64 back in the day (1984-85). Then I got a 520ST, and then an Amiga 1000! Been using C= and Atari's ever since! I just collect them now and play games on them nothing serious...

Edited February 2, 2008 by tjlazer