Calling All 400s!

[xrbrevin]

NTSC model with SCCC and 48k/52k expansion

S/Nos

Printed: AV 385051

Handwritten: AV 132681 7/23

 

 

Edited February 25, 2020 by xrbrevin
Chalfonts

[Colleton]

I have four NTSC 400s and didn't realize that three of them were from the same production week.

 

002926  052

218039  292

265437  292

265854  292

[SS]

I've owned this 400 for a few months now but haven't had the chance to really do much with it before today.  So far, so good.  Everything that *should* work with it seems to be working, including the Ultimate Cart.  I do have tf_hh's "48/52K RAM Card" and "Super Color CPU Card" to put into it at some point; maybe in March when I have a scheduled day off all to myself.

 

I am completely new to the 400 and have always been an XL guy up to this point, so what is the deal with the two different serial numbers? 

 

NTSC

ATARI / 252

AV 214653 (top sticker)

AV 091995-16 (bottom sticker)

 

[xrbrevin]

further to my post #225 - i forgot the stamped number:

PAL model with RAM board modded to 32k

S/N: 050 008702 G

Stamp: Atari / 501

 

[xrbrevin]

Further to my post #226 - i forgot the stamped number:

NTSC model with SCCC and 48k/52k expansion

S/Nos

Printed: AV 385051

Handwritten: AV 132681 7/23

Stamp: Atari / 302

 

[rdefabri]

Here's mine - still works but seen better days.  I added 48K RAM and the GTIA chip, I've had this thing opened up so many times it's not even funny.  My career was heavily influenced by Atari and AT&T (to a lesser extent, my father was a lifer), felt good to see it in the light after all these years!

 

[Colleton]

NTSC 83A AV031425 213

 

It has a B-Key keyboard and is a fairly late production date.  Looks to be in great shape.  Can't wait for it to arrive, I've wanted one with this keyboard for a while now.

 

 

[eegad]

This 400 was my first computer, bought in July 1982. A year later I upgraded it to 32k. In late 1984 it got packed away in a closet when I got an 800xl. Got back into Atari about 10 years ago and rotate my 3 800xl's and 1 800 every 6 months or so. But when I hooked up my 400 for the first time in over 30 years, sadly it didn't work (just a black screen). I tried re-seating chips to no avail, and put it aside. Last week I decided to fiddle with it some more. I swapped out the 32k ram for a 16k card from my 800, and Bingo! It was up and running. Stupid, crappy 32k Intec card. Ordered another 16k card on ebay and installed it just now. My 400 is back in business.  ?

 

ATARI 202 stamped in case (hard to see)

 

 

[ClausB]

I've migrated the list to Google Sheets for easier maintenance. See post #1.

https://atariage.com/forums/topic/176199-calling-all-400s/

 

Please check your entries for accuracy, in case I made errors in transcription or copy/paste. For those of you with ??/?? dates, please try to find the 3-digit date code, either stamped in ink on a label or imprinted in the plastic case, rear underside. Please post any corrections/additions here.

 

Edited October 1, 2020 by ClausB

[ApolloBoy]

Here's a new one to add to the list, just got this in today. I've got it apart right now and the plastics are currently in my UV box being whitened (it was very yellowed). Thankfully it survived the trip to my place intact as I was very worried about it getting banged up in shipping. It's a bone stock 16K machine, nothing too special.

Edited November 18, 2020 by ApolloBoy

[+KlasO]

Just bought my first 400, PAL with Swedish key stickers for two out of three of the local characters (ÅÄÖ); the Ö sticker is missing and should be on the :|; key. Please excuse the huge image files.

 

Haven't tested it yet but I expect that it will have the localised ROM version where CTRL+SHIFT+2 will switch between US and International characters.

BZ 109511 in print and BZ 116593 in handwriting; not sure what the rightmost part of the small sticker reads, perhaps 7/07?

Also, stamped on the case (a bit hard to read); ATARI / 282

 

Unfortunately, the case is cracked on the back, thanks seller for not mentioning this, but I would probably have bought it anyway since I didn't have a 400.

[Brockmd]

Here are my two 400’s.  Bought my first one new in either 1981 or 1982. Guess the sticker will tell you. Other purchase in an auction last year. 

Edited August 20, 2021 by Brockmd

[+x=usr(1536)]

A pair of 400s that came my way a couple of months ago by way of @doctorclu; despite having had an 800 in the past, I never had a 400 of my own before these machines.  Notes follow:

 

 

G 16K 431 6180.  Has an Intec MM6448 card in it; confirmed by disassembly.

 

 

AV 523584, date code 442.  Also has an (at least) 48K upgrade in it, though I'm not sure which one as I haven't cracked it open yet.

[ClausB]

6 hours ago, x=usr(1536) said:

AV 523584. 

Missing 3-digit date code. Check rear underside, as in ApolloBoy's post above.

[+x=usr(1536)]

4 hours ago, ClausB said:

Missing 3-digit date code. Check rear underside, as in ApolloBoy's post above.

Corrected in original post ?

[tep392]

On 3/13/2020 at 2:08 PM, eegad said:

This 400 was my first computer, bought in July 1982. A year later I upgraded it to 32k. In late 1984 it got packed away in a closet when I got an 800xl. Got back into Atari about 10 years ago and rotate my 3 800xl's and 1 800 every 6 months or so. But when I hooked up my 400 for the first time in over 30 years, sadly it didn't work (just a black screen). I tried re-seating chips to no avail, and put it aside. Last week I decided to fiddle with it some more. I swapped out the 32k ram for a 16k card from my 800, and Bingo! It was up and running. Stupid, crappy 32k Intec card. Ordered another 16k card on ebay and installed it just now. My 400 is back in business.  ?

 

ATARI 202 stamped in case (hard to see)

 

 

Did you try cleaning the contacts on that Intec board?  I purchased my 400 on Ebay, untested, and not knowing it had a 48k Intec board inside. It was DOA but all it needed was cleaning the board contacts and it came back to life.  I noticed that the Intec board is slightly thinner than a 16K Atari board.  It pushed into the slot with less force.  With less contact force, it would be more sensitive to contact corrosion.  Just something you might try if you want to go back to 32k.

[DavidMil]

This tread inspired me to go back into the attic and dig up my old 400.  It's been up there for about 36 or 37 years wrapped in a big

plastic garbage bag (that crumbled when I tried to pick it up) and sitting in a large sealed plastic storage container!  I opened it up,

blew it out with canned air, plugged it in, and it WORKS!  They built things to last in those day.  Anyway here is the info:

 

Atari 400:   sn  AV 461623

Date code:  462 (46th week of 1982)

 

DavidMil

[+x=usr(1536)]

40 minutes ago, DavidMil said:

Atari 400:   sn  AV 461623

Date code:  462 (46th week of 1982)

Interesting - mine was built two weeks before yours, but my serial number is about 62,000 higher.

[DavidMil]

5 hours ago, x=usr(1536) said:

Interesting - mine was built two weeks before yours, but my serial number is about 62,000 higher.

Looking at it under a magnifier the first 6 may be a 5 as in: 451623. I've attached a picture.

 

David

[ClausB]

20 hours ago, x=usr(1536) said:

Interesting - mine was built two weeks before yours, but my serial number is about 62,000 higher.

Yes, look at the list. The serial numbers are not serial. That's why we go by datecode.

[cleoo]

Here are two more I acquired:

Sept/Oct 1982


December 1981

[bfollowell]

I have a 400 coming that should be delivered Saturday afternoon or Monday.

 

I hadn't really thought that I wanted one, but then this one just sort of fell into my lap, and now that it has, I'm super excited about it. I just made a stray comment on a thread about not being able to pickup a free one because it was too far away and a super-nice fellow AA member just offered to send me one. How could I refuse?

 

My first computer was an 800 and I moved on to an 800XL in college, which I still have, but I only ever ran across one 400 out in the wild. A high school friend had one. I love the look of the keyboard and that retro-70s-futuristic look it has. It looks sort of like something you'd see on a base in the Aliens universe.

 

I'm excited to get it and add its serial number to the growing list here.

 

The fellow AA member who gave it to me sent me some pictures. I'm pretty sure he said that it worked well, but that it was just in OK shape and he thought it was composite modded. From the pictures, the keyboard looks to be in pretty good shape. All in all, it's just a little dirty. It needs a really good deep cleaning and hopefully not a whole lot more. The rear picture did show two RCA jacks showing through a square hole in the back of the case. It looks like someone enlarged the original RF cable hole for their composite mod. I'm assuming the second RCA jack is an audio output. It's not the best case mod I've seen, but I guess it could've been a lot worse and, luckily, it's on the rear. If it's working well, I'll probably just clean it up really well and possibly install @tf_hh's Super Color CPU Card and 48/52k RAM Card.

 

EDIT:

Actually, when I look back through this thread, I see that the member I'm getting it from already added one about three years ago. I'm assuming it is the same one I'm getting, but maybe not. Thanks again @adamchevy!

 

 

Edited October 21, 2021 by bfollowell
More info

[tep392]

Congrats on the 400!  That was my first computer and it learned a ton from it.  Taught myself assembly with the Assembler Editor cart.  Once you get a feel for the keyboard, it's actually possible to touch type on it pretty quickly.

[KBesig]

I picked this 400 a couple of weeks ago. It had a bad PIA but otherwise very nice condition. The case code is 012

 

[SS]

I don't think that I have put up a picture of this 400 yet.  As you can see, it is a completely stock machine at the moment and in fantastic condition.  However, I bought it this past spring right after the 400 Incognito was announced and I will be upgrading it with one of them just as soon as it is available.