Atari 800 Fault

[spudmanno5]

Hi

 

I recently made the decision to dive back into my old days and buy an old Atari 800 (wel the first computer i ever owned was an Atari 800xl). I recently bought a nice package off ebay. I have tested it now and played a few games. Now here is the problem. Sometimes the system seems to crash when i use the tape recorder deck. Sometimes when i press a play or rewind, etc button either the system crashes or sometimes i get random characters on the screen. As i say, this is only occaisionally not all the time. I suspect 2 problems:

 

1) Old age of hardware/maybe faulty

2) Or it is related to a power problem. I notice the PSU is not the original Atari one (it has an output of 9.5 volts which is weird).

 

Any, has anyone any thoughts on this? Many thanks for your help in advanced.

 

Regards

[UNIXcoffee928]

The simple solution is to buy a real Atari 800 power supply, a 1050 disk drive, and an SIO2PC cable.

 

While you are waiting for them to arrive, power everything down, touch some grounded point to ensure that you are static free, then clean the contacts on the SIO port with a Q-Tip & rubbing alcohol. Blow out the inside of the 410 SIO connector, there may be dust in there... Plug and unplug the 410 cable about 20 times to clear any oxidation that may be on the pins.

 

Check for unusual kinks or abnormalities in the 410's data cable, or excessive looseness where the cable is permanently attached in the back of the 410. The 410 is the most likely source of the problem, the 800's were very robust & are not that prone to failure.

 

It's a good idea to run a new head cleaner tape & demagnetizer through the 410 a few times, as well. Check the Pinned topic on maintenance at the top of the forum, there are many good tricks listed there. Be sure to test with several different tapes, and try writing to a new tape, & reading it back.

 

Good luck!

[LYNXGUY]

The simple solution is to buy a real Atari 800 power supply, a 1050 disk drive, and an SIO2PC cable

 

I couldn't agree more as my best friend and i got an 800 from a Goodwill store and it cam with a ATARI power supply but all we saw was a B&W screen and we then new right away it was the power supply so he went online ordered a new one and it has been fine since.

We think it might have been an Atari floppy drive power supply.

[spudmanno5]

The simple solution is to buy a real Atari 800 power supply, a 1050 disk drive, and an SIO2PC cable.

 

While you are waiting for them to arrive, power everything down, touch some grounded point to ensure that you are static free, then clean the contacts on the SIO port with a Q-Tip & rubbing alcohol. Blow out the inside of the 410 SIO connector, there may be dust in there... Plug and unplug the 410 cable about 20 times to clear any oxidation that may be on the pins.

 

Check for unusual kinks or abnormalities in the 410's data cable, or excessive looseness where the cable is permanently attached in the back of the 410. The 410 is the most likely source of the problem, the 800's were very robust & are not that prone to failure.

 

It's a good idea to run a new head cleaner tape & demagnetizer through the 410 a few times, as well. Check the Pinned topic on maintenance at the top of the forum, there are many good tricks listed there. Be sure to test with several different tapes, and try writing to a new tape, & reading it back.

 

Good luck!

 

hi thanks for the replies guys! ok i will hunt for a new psu unit i think. the question is where/can i buy a new psu from? (apart from ebay). i have a few additional things i found out. the crashing thing with the tape drive happens even without a tape inside. also i noticed 2 key points here:

 

1) the system is more prone to crash when i use the play button

2) the power LED on the Atari 800 system itself seems to dim slightly (for a second) when i use the tape player (play, rewind, etc)

 

anyway i will try out the tips in the above quote as well. would getting a new/another tape deck help out as well. mine is an xc12 (the one with the xe look).

 

many thanks again for your replies.

 

regards

 

edit

 

it also seems to be crashing a bit more lately too.

Edited July 23, 2008 by spudmanno5

[Bryan]

I never seen the LED dim in response to cassette operations on any Atari. That's very strange.

[mimo]

The simple solution is to buy a real Atari 800 power supply, a 1050 disk drive, and an SIO2PC cable.

 

While you are waiting for them to arrive, power everything down, touch some grounded point to ensure that you are static free, then clean the contacts on the SIO port with a Q-Tip & rubbing alcohol. Blow out the inside of the 410 SIO connector, there may be dust in there... Plug and unplug the 410 cable about 20 times to clear any oxidation that may be on the pins.

 

Check for unusual kinks or abnormalities in the 410's data cable, or excessive looseness where the cable is permanently attached in the back of the 410. The 410 is the most likely source of the problem, the 800's were very robust & are not that prone to failure.

 

It's a good idea to run a new head cleaner tape & demagnetizer through the 410 a few times, as well. Check the Pinned topic on maintenance at the top of the forum, there are many good tricks listed there. Be sure to test with several different tapes, and try writing to a new tape, & reading it back.

 

Good luck!

 

hi thanks for the replies guys! ok i will hunt for a new psu unit i think. the question is where/can i buy a new psu from? (apart from ebay). i have a few additional things i found out. the crashing thing with the tape drive happens even without a tape inside. also i noticed 2 key points here:

 

1) the system is more prone to crash when i use the play button

2) the power LED on the Atari 800 system itself seems to dim slightly (for a second) when i use the tape player (play, rewind, etc)

 

anyway i will try out the tips in the above quote as well. would getting a new/another tape deck help out as well. mine is an xc12 (the one with the xe look).

 

many thanks again for your replies.

 

regards

 

edit

 

it also seems to be crashing a bit more lately too.

 

If you want new, then I can highly recommend Best Electronics

don't be put off by the clunky website, Brad is fantastic to deal with.

Also B+C computervisions, they have an evil bay shop under the name MyAtari, again Bruce and Cath are great to deal with

[LYNXGUY]

2) the power LED on the Atari 800 system itself seems to dim slightly (for a second) when i use the tape player (play, rewind, etc)

 

I am thinking that the power supply has less watts/volts than the ATARI needs and there is not enough to power the 800 and the tape deck and play used more power than FWD or REW does I believe.

 

You can get an 800 power supply on EBAY for about $9.99 and sometimes less if nobody outbids you, Hmmmm I just thought of something I might have an extra power supply but I have to look for it but if I do I will let you know.

[spudmanno5]

2) the power LED on the Atari 800 system itself seems to dim slightly (for a second) when i use the tape player (play, rewind, etc)

 

I am thinking that the power supply has less watts/volts than the ATARI needs and there is not enough to power the 800 and the tape deck and play used more power than FWD or REW does I believe.

 

You can get an 800 power supply on EBAY for about $9.99 and sometimes less if nobody outbids you, Hmmmm I just thought of something I might have an extra power supply but I have to look for it but if I do I will let you know.

 

hi yeah that would be great thanks if you got a spare one. i have got in touch with those 2 companies mentioned. am waiting for their reply.

 

Regards

 

edit

 

i will see if i can get info on my current PSU and see if that helps.

Edited July 24, 2008 by spudmanno5

[LYNXGUY]

OK I did in fact find an extra/duplicate power supply and the specifics are as follows.......

 

Part # C017945

 

INPUT:

120V

60Hz

50W

 

OUTPUT:

9V AC

31 VA

 

If anyone cane tell me if this is what an 800 needs then I will send you the extra one,

Edited July 24, 2008 by L¥NXGU¥

[spudmanno5]

OK I did in fact find an extra/duplicate power supply and the specifics are as follows.......

 

Part # C017945

 

INPUT:

120V

60Hz

50W

 

OUTPUT:

9V AC

31 VA

 

If anyone cane tell me if this is what an 800 needs then I will send you the extra one,

 

hi

 

ok got some pretty dull news. i was searching through this forum for people who had a similar sort of problem and i came across this thread:

 

http://www.atariage.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=129103

 

so i decided to get the same maplin ac-ac psu here:

 

http://www.maplin.co.uk/module.aspx?Module...4&doy=11m10

 

when i tried this on my machine i still get the same problem as before (apart from the power LED doesn't dim at all this time). i have also got a response from the 2 companies i got in touch with about getting a new PSU. one has it. but does this sound like a system fault now rather than a power supply problem? anyway the specs for the 2 psu are:

 

Maplin AC-AC:

 

Input 230v - 50Hz 33.5w

Output 9v - 3200mA 28.8va

 

 

Tadmod:

 

Input 240v 50Hz

Output 9.5v 1.5AMP

 

 

I dont really know what the amp stuff means so maybe someone can make sense of this. Anyway does anyone else have any other clues. Would getting an official Atari 800 PSU help me?

 

Regards

[+bf2k+]

Maplin AC-AC:

 

Input 230v - 50Hz 33.5w

Output 9v - 3200mA 28.8va

 

 

Tadmod:

 

Input 240v 50Hz

Output 9.5v 1.5AMP

 

 

I dont really know what the amp stuff means so maybe someone can make sense of this. Anyway does anyone else have any other clues. Would getting an official Atari 800 PSU help me?

 

Regards

 

Well the Maplin is 3200ma = 3.2amps so that tells you that the Maplin can deliver roughly twice as much current as the other one. The Tadmod has 14.25VA compared with 28.8VA on the Maplin. Volt-Amps(VA) formula -> voltage * amps = VA

 

Neither can deliver as much current (amps) as the Part # C017945 = 31VA @ 9VAC so that would tend to make me go for the Part # C017945.

[mimo]

I use the Maplin one for my 800 and 1050, perfectly adequate for the job.

Maybe the crashing is un-related to the tape deck, and possibly faulty ram or other components getting hot after running for a while.

Also have you tried stripping down your 800 and re seating all the components?

[+poobah]

I use the Maplin one for my 800 and 1050, perfectly adequate for the job.

Maybe the crashing is un-related to the tape deck, and possibly faulty ram or other components getting hot after running for a while.

Also have you tried stripping down your 800 and re seating all the components?

 

Sounds to me like there is a fault in the programmer recorder, and it is drawing too much current from the computer.

[mimo]

Also, have you tried the other cassette player? Did you get the same problems? Maybe there is a short in the SIO cable or the SIO connector?

Also I guess you are in the UK, anywhere near Leicester? maybe I could take a look if you are

 

Sorry Poobah missed your post, that is what I am thinking as well.

 

@Spudmann, I also misread your post, Maybe another cassette deck would work, I have a working XC12 here if you want to make an offer (I have recently used it to test over 100 cassette games that I bought so I know it works fine)

Have you tried to play a game cartridge with the cassette NOT plugged in? Do you still have crashing problems?

Edited July 25, 2008 by mimo

[Bryan]

I tend to think the recorder may be at fault as well. There is a motor control line in the SIO cable that's tied to the computer's power through a transistor. It's possible that a fault in the recorder could cause it to pull too much power from this line. The good news is that recorders are cheap. The bad news is that many of them need new belts after being in storage for 25 years.

[LYNXGUY]

Sounds to me like there is a fault in the programmer recorder, and it is drawing too much current from the computer.

 

That could be the trouble and maybe you can try playing a cartridge game of a game from a floppy disk without the tape player hooked up and if all is good the the recorder is the problem or if you still have problems you can rule out the recorder as the problem ??

[spudmanno5]

I use the Maplin one for my 800 and 1050, perfectly adequate for the job.

Maybe the crashing is un-related to the tape deck, and possibly faulty ram or other components getting hot after running for a while.

Also have you tried stripping down your 800 and re seating all the components?

 

Well the maplin one acts the same as the other PSU. Apart from the socket at the end of the cables of the Maplin PSU seems to get VERY hot after a while. I have also tried stripping/reseating all the components of the Atari 800, but same result. This problem doesnt happen after a while, it happens straight away (well as soon as you use a cassette player).

 

 

Also, have you tried the other cassette player? Did you get the same problems? Maybe there is a short in the SIO cable or the SIO connector?

Also I guess you are in the UK, anywhere near Leicester? maybe I could take a look if you are

 

Sorry Poobah missed your post, that is what I am thinking as well.

 

@Spudmann, I also misread your post, Maybe another cassette deck would work, I have a working XC12 here if you want to make an offer (I have recently used it to test over 100 cassette games that I bought so I know it works fine)

Have you tried to play a game cartridge with the cassette NOT plugged in? Do you still have crashing problems?

 

Yeah i will make you an offer for it. Look in your PM. Thanks

 

 

Sounds to me like there is a fault in the programmer recorder, and it is drawing too much current from the computer.

 

That could be the trouble and maybe you can try playing a cartridge game of a game from a floppy disk without the tape player hooked up and if all is good the the recorder is the problem or if you still have problems you can rule out the recorder as the problem ??

 

I have no carts at all to test with. But the system itself seems to run fine as long as there is no cassette player activity. This crashing problem only happens during a split second when you press one of the cassette player functions. When there is cassette activity you either get a) a quick flicker on the screen (sometimes it goes black and white for a split second too) but the system is still running fine and you can load up the software/ game as normal or b) the system crashes altogether and sometimes resulting in the screen disappearing or random garble/characters appear on the screen. Hope this helps.

 

Regards

[spudmanno5]

I use the Maplin one for my 800 and 1050, perfectly adequate for the job.

Maybe the crashing is un-related to the tape deck, and possibly faulty ram or other components getting hot after running for a while.

Also have you tried stripping down your 800 and re seating all the components?

 

Well the maplin one acts the same as the other PSU. Apart from the socket at the end of the cables of the Maplin PSU seems to get VERY hot after a while. I have also tried stripping/reseating all the components of the Atari 800, but same result. This problem doesnt happen after a while, it happens straight away (well as soon as you use a cassette player).

 

 

Also, have you tried the other cassette player? Did you get the same problems? Maybe there is a short in the SIO cable or the SIO connector?

Also I guess you are in the UK, anywhere near Leicester? maybe I could take a look if you are

 

Sorry Poobah missed your post, that is what I am thinking as well.

 

@Spudmann, I also misread your post, Maybe another cassette deck would work, I have a working XC12 here if you want to make an offer (I have recently used it to test over 100 cassette games that I bought so I know it works fine)

Have you tried to play a game cartridge with the cassette NOT plugged in? Do you still have crashing problems?

 

Yeah i will make you an offer for it. Look in your PM. Thanks

 

 

Sounds to me like there is a fault in the programmer recorder, and it is drawing too much current from the computer.

 

That could be the trouble and maybe you can try playing a cartridge game of a game from a floppy disk without the tape player hooked up and if all is good the the recorder is the problem or if you still have problems you can rule out the recorder as the problem ??

 

I have no carts at all to test with. But the system itself seems to run fine as long as there is no cassette player activity. This crashing problem only happens during a split second when you press one of the cassette player functions. When there is cassette activity you either get a) a quick flicker on the screen (sometimes it goes black and white for a split second too) but the system is still running fine and you can load up the software/ game as normal or b) the system crashes altogether and sometimes resulting in the screen disappearing or random garble/characters appear on the screen. Hope this helps.

 

Regards

[LYNXGUY]

But the system itself seems to run fine as long as there is no cassette player activity.

 

Well there you go it looks to me as the cassette player is the culprit

[spudmanno5]

But the system itself seems to run fine as long as there is no cassette player activity.

 

Well there you go it looks to me as the cassette player is the culprit

 

well i may need a cartridge to do a thorough test of course. i am buying another recorder off someone here so hopefully that may solve it.

 

regards

[spudmanno5]

But the system itself seems to run fine as long as there is no cassette player activity.

 

Well there you go it looks to me as the cassette player is the culprit

 

check your pm.

[LYNXGUY]

Well the maplin one acts the same as the other PSU. Apart from the socket at the end of the cables of the Maplin PSU seems to get VERY hot after a while

 

Well this doesn't seem right to me and you need an ATARI PSU for Atari computers

 

i am buying another recorder off someone here so hopefully that may solve it.

 

Well after you receive the new tape player try it and if everything is fine then we won't worry about the PSU but if the same thing happens then I will send you a PSU.

[mimo]

Well the maplin one acts the same as the other PSU. Apart from the socket at the end of the cables of the Maplin PSU seems to get VERY hot after a while

 

Well this doesn't seem right to me and you need an ATARI PSU for Atari computers

 

i am buying another recorder off someone here so hopefully that may solve it.

 

Well after you receive the new tape player try it and if everything is fine then we won't worry about the PSU but if the same thing happens then I will send you a PSU.

 

1- You don't need an Atari PSU, just one that outputs the correct voltage and enough or more Amps

2-I guess you are talking about a 120volt PSU which will be no use in the UK

3-PSUs get hot

[spudmanno5]

Well the maplin one acts the same as the other PSU. Apart from the socket at the end of the cables of the Maplin PSU seems to get VERY hot after a while

 

Well this doesn't seem right to me and you need an ATARI PSU for Atari computers

 

i am buying another recorder off someone here so hopefully that may solve it.

 

Well after you receive the new tape player try it and if everything is fine then we won't worry about the PSU but if the same thing happens then I will send you a PSU.

 

1- You don't need an Atari PSU, just one that outputs the correct voltage and enough or more Amps

2-I guess you are talking about a 120volt PSU which will be no use in the UK

3-PSUs get hot

 

hi

 

update here. received tape recorder yesterday. unfortunately i get the same results. if not worse. the play motor seems to run when i do the "start - enter" thing at boot, even when the play button isnt pressed down!!! also there is more screen flicker/interfearnace. also the sound goes more fuzzy. one of the atari dealers says it could be a afaulty pokey chip. it can still load games (in the same method as the other tape deck). so basically no change. anyway i will try the psu thing.

 

regards

Edited August 1, 2008 by spudmanno5

[spudmanno5]

Well the maplin one acts the same as the other PSU. Apart from the socket at the end of the cables of the Maplin PSU seems to get VERY hot after a while

 

Well this doesn't seem right to me and you need an ATARI PSU for Atari computers

 

i am buying another recorder off someone here so hopefully that may solve it.

 

Well after you receive the new tape player try it and if everything is fine then we won't worry about the PSU but if the same thing happens then I will send you a PSU.

 

check your pm