Uses for a dead 800XL?

[JohnBuell]

So, sadly, I recently acquired an 800XL that I didn't know was dead until I got it home and tried to hook it up. The right light comes on, and the monitor "blanks", but nothing else happens. Any troubleshooting suggestions? Might it be salvageable? Any parts that I should pry out of it if it isn't? Anybody want to take the cartridge port, joystick ports, and my 7" lcd tv and try to make a portable out of it?

 

Or should I just go the doorstop route?

[spookt]

If the chips are socketed and you have another 800XL just swap one chip at a time until you find the culprit. If not have you reseated all the socketed chips?

 

I *never* toss Atari stuff. FAR too useful for spares and they can usually be fixed. If I was in the US I'd take it off your hands. I'm sure others here would be interested.

[jaybird3rd]

What color is the screen when you power it up? It might just be a bad chip.

[JohnBuell]

The screen stays black and there's no sound at all. Doesn't matter if I try starting it holding nothing down, holding Option down, or with a cartridge inserted.

[qix_maniac]

So, sadly, I recently acquired an 800XL that I didn't know was dead until I got it home and tried to hook it up. The right light comes on, and the monitor "blanks", but nothing else happens. Any troubleshooting suggestions? Might it be salvageable? Any parts that I should pry out of it if it isn't? Anybody want to take the cartridge port, joystick ports, and my 7" lcd tv and try to make a portable out of it?

 

Or should I just go the doorstop route?

 

is the keyboard good? that's always worth a few bucks

[JohnBuell]

So, sadly, I recently acquired an 800XL that I didn't know was dead until I got it home and tried to hook it up. The right light comes on, and the monitor "blanks", but nothing else happens. Any troubleshooting suggestions? Might it be salvageable? Any parts that I should pry out of it if it isn't? Anybody want to take the cartridge port, joystick ports, and my 7" lcd tv and try to make a portable out of it?

 

Or should I just go the doorstop route?

 

is the keyboard good? that's always worth a few bucks

 

I can't really tell yet, I haven't started taking anything apart.

[+skr]

I would check the RAM. You find the RAM chips on the left side of the mainboard. Just turn the computer on and try to figure out if some of the chips gets really hot. Just put your fingers on it. You will feel the difference. If the RAM is dead, the chips can be replaced easily.

[qix_maniac]

So, sadly, I recently acquired an 800XL that I didn't know was dead until I got it home and tried to hook it up. The right light comes on, and the monitor "blanks", but nothing else happens. Any troubleshooting suggestions? Might it be salvageable? Any parts that I should pry out of it if it isn't? Anybody want to take the cartridge port, joystick ports, and my 7" lcd tv and try to make a portable out of it?

 

Or should I just go the doorstop route?

 

is the keyboard good? that's always worth a few bucks

 

I can't really tell yet, I haven't started taking anything apart.

 

OK. was asking cause I have an atari 800xl with a keyboard with 2 missing keys. everything works great except #2 & insert Key missing...keyboard and system work good with exception of missing keys :-) ...a new keyboard is $25 so I'd be willing to trade for a frogger cartridge or return of jedi or something along those lines

[jaybird3rd]

The screen stays black and there's no sound at all. Doesn't matter if I try starting it holding nothing down, holding Option down, or with a cartridge inserted.

The last Atari computer that I had with this problem had a bad CPU. If you want to try to fix it, I would start with that since it's a very simple operation (it's part number CO14806). The RAM would be the next thing I would try if replacing the CPU doesn't work.

[+orpheuswaking]

If it's socketed I could trade you a working unit

[Marius]

Haha... uses for a dead 800XL... which reminds me of a sentence I used to read on Thunderdome Atari BBS years ago.

 

Uses for a C64? Use it as a DOOR STOP....

 

Perhaps you could use your dead 800xl as a door stop as well ...

 

Anyway: I'd say: try to fix it... It is a fabulous machine!

 

Marius

[lbaeza]

The perfect door stop is a Sinclair ZX 81:

 

 

Regards

[Havok69]

Haha - at my last place we used an old Macintosh as a door stop for our equipment room...

[JohnBuell]

Haha - at my last place we used an old Macintosh as a door stop for our equipment room...

 

Here at work we use an old APC UPS for a door stop when we need one. Good old lead batteries.

 

Ibaeza: Maybe I should have kept my Timex-Sinclair hunk of junk from 1983. Lord knows where it is now. A landfill, probably.

[LYNXGUY]

I have 2 dead ATARI 800 computers that I have no use for.

[JohnBuell]

If any of you are near Chicago, there will be vendors and trading at VCF/MW next month. If I can't get this 800XL working by then, I'm selling it for parts.