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Atari 800 (48k) compatibility list


Dizzy

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Hello,

 

I just bought an Atari 800, the old one (not XL) with 64k but I guess only 48k will be recognized.

I search, with no success, everywhere on the web if there was a compatibility list which let me know which Atari software are compatible with the Atari 800 (I guess some Atari XL software may not work on the Atari 800).

 

Does anyone know if a compatibility list for the Atari 800 does exist, or is there any games archive specific to the Atari 800 ?

 

Thanks !

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Hi,

Probalby easier to assume most games will work on the 800 - if you are buying games then cartridges are almost all ok? Check atarimania for the memory requirements of each game in their instructions (unfortunately the advanced search doesn't let you search by RAM size, would be a nice field to have guys :!: ). A lot of newer games, and all games written in Turbo BASIC are XL/XE/64K+ only. There are a bunch of 4 player simultaneous games that use the 800's 4 joystick ports (and are great fun) :thumbsup:

 

hope this helps :)

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Thanks a lot to all of you for your answers ! I didn't know most of the games would work on the 800 ... In fact, in another forum, someone told me the 800 XL uses some graphic modes which do not work on the Atari 800 ... That's why I was searching for a compatibility list ...

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Thanks a lot to all of you for your answers ! I didn't know most of the games would work on the 800 ... In fact, in another forum, someone told me the 800 XL uses some graphic modes which do not work on the Atari 800 ... That's why I was searching for a compatibility list ...

Early 400/800 systems came with the CTIA chip, which was missing some of the graphics modes of the later GTIA chip. Computers with the CTIA chip are rare, as a lot of these systems were later upgraded to GTIA.

 

I believe there is more of an issue with software which only runs correctly on a system with PAL video output.

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  • 2 years later...

It depends a lot of what software you want to run.

 

I use both: 800 and 800xl.

 

My experience is that newer titles do not run. They use 64kb and also require an xl/xe OS ...

 

The older titles most of the time do work.

 

I love Atari 800 very much. Especially original Atari titles like millipede deserve an Atari 800!

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Guys, appreciate a little advice please. I've got the chance of an original Atari 800 but was wondering what the compatability with this is with most of the Atari XL software. Could anyone advise what memory the Atari 800 came with as standard?

 

Thanks in advance.

 

:-)

The 800 comes with three RAM card slots. I don't know how much it originally came with, maybe a single 16K. I think the thinking was to make money

selling RAM cards. The 800 is fine for almost all cartridges and old time games. Games are still being made, but probably wouldn't work on an 800.

The 800 can have up to 48K, three 16s or a 16 and a 32. Axlon sold, I think it was 64K, but probably not much software was written to use that RAM.

There a couple good reasons to get an 800 instead of XL/XE. Four joystick ports for 'MULE' if you like multiple player games. It is modular,

made in two main boards and separate ROM and processor cards, so it is easier to track down problems, if you have a good one to swap stuff out,

most chips are socketed. It is a SOLID looking and in fact machine. You can upgrade it, but personally I'd just get an XL/XE if you want

RAM behind the OS/64K or 128K. 800 won't run floppy based, old timey, SpartaDOS, nor Turbo BASIC, nor GATO cart. I don't know if uptodate

SpartaX 4.xx on a maxflash cart will work. But the most modern stuff isn't a reason to get an 800.

Oh, I ruined a RAM card by putting it in the front slot. The OS ROM has to go in the front slot and the RAM in the back three slots.

There's another slot, deep inside, that holds the CPU board.

Edited by russg
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Thanks guys, appreciate the feedback. TBH I already own a 65XE and an Atari 800XL but have always wanted the original 800 model as it was the very first computer I ever got to see. I'd go up to the only computer shop near me in the early 80's and just watch in awe at all these wonderful games from the USA running and know I'd never be able to afford one myself. It's taken me 30 years but I'll hopefully finally get it.

 

Would I be right in thinking the Atari 800 sold in the UK came with 48k as standard and that it should suffice for running most games?

Edited by Mamemeister
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The 800 comes with three RAM card slots. I don't know how much it originally came with, maybe a single 16K. I think the thinking was to make money

selling RAM cards. The 800 is fine for almost all cartridges and old time games. Games are still being made, but probably wouldn't work on an 800.

The 800 can have up to 48K, three 16s or a 16 and a 32. Axlon sold, I think it was 64K, but probably not much software was written to use that RAM.

There a couple good reasons to get an 800 instead of XL/XE. Four joystick ports for 'MULE' if you like multiple player games. It is modular,

made in two main boards and separate ROM and processor cards, so it is easier to track down problems, if you have a good one to swap stuff out,

most chips are socketed. It is a SOLID looking and in fact machine. You can upgrade it, but personally I'd just get an XL/XE if you want

RAM behind the OS/64K or 128K. 800 won't run floppy based, old timey, SpartaDOS, nor Turbo BASIC, nor GATO cart. I don't know if uptodate

SpartaX 4.xx on a maxflash cart will work. But the most modern stuff isn't a reason to get an 800.

Oh, I ruined a RAM card by putting it in the front slot. The OS ROM has to go in the front slot and the RAM in the back three slots.

There's another slot, deep inside, that holds the CPU board.

SDX4.46 does work on a 48K 800, though a lot of software may not work due to the limited memory. I haven't tried much other than test to see if SDX 4.46 itself works on the 800, but it appears the 400/800 compatibility issues in SDX 4.42 were resolved. Below is the output of MEM /X.

Main:  $3FCE,$3FCE,$0000
 Ext:  $0000,$0000,$0000
 Use:  NONE, PORTB $FF
 Top:  $9C1F ($BC1F),$0000
Free:  23633 (31825),0
 
0 banks total (0 KB)
0 banks free  (0 KB)
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Hello,

 

I just bought an Atari 800, the old one (not XL) with 64k but I guess only 48k will be recognized.

I search, with no success, everywhere on the web if there was a compatibility list which let me know which Atari software are compatible with the Atari 800 (I guess some Atari XL software may not work on the Atari 800).

 

Does anyone know if a compatibility list for the Atari 800 does exist, or is there any games archive specific to the Atari 800 ?

 

Thanks !

Search this board or Atarimania.

http://www.atarimania.com/faq-atari-400-800-xl-xe-what-programs-run-only-on-the-400-and-800-models-and-why_68.html

 

Many posts on this.

800 came with 48k, but does have 4 joystick slots :) It's awesomely big and back in the day I couldn't afford one so I got a 400 and upgraded it. Get the Incognito upgrade so that your 800 can run all OS's (i.e 800XL, 400, 1200XL, etc via a nice menu) and have 1-2MB RAM.

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Appreciate all the help guys, unfortunately when I try and run some games it comes up with the message saying it requires 48k so it looks like my model doesn't have it. How do I physically check to see the memory it has and are the memory upgrades expensive?

 

Ah, just checked and I have 2 x 16k modules and a 10k one. Just need to source a single 16k one now.

Edited by Mamemeister
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Hooray, managed to pick up a couple of 16k modules from someone here in the UK.

open the cartridge door. on the right hand side you will see two plastic tabs or metal screws depending on the age of your 400. twist the tabs or undo the screws.

lift the lid slightly up and towards you. you will then see the 4 slots. as has been said previously the front one is for the 10k rom

 

if you have a basic cart, you can insert this. power on and type

print fre(0)

 

then hit return. the reply on screen will tell you how much ram you have installed.

if you are trying to load a machine code program with basic inserted, it may give you an insufficient memory error. try again with basic removed

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Thanks, my 16k cart arrived today but before I plugged it in I did the Print FRE (0) thing and it showed about 29k available (this is with 2 x 16k and the 10k in place). When I plugged the 3rd 16k module in and did the check it was reporting 32 something K, would that be about right?.

 

It did load stealth and Mercenary ok which it never before so I'm guessing it's now got 48 ok.

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Thanks, my 16k cart arrived today but before I plugged it in I did the Print FRE (0) thing and it showed about 29k available (this is with 2 x 16k and the 10k in place). When I plugged the 3rd 16k module in and did the check it was reporting 32 something K, would that be about right?.

 

It did load stealth and Mercenary ok which it never before so I'm guessing it's now got 48 ok.

Without having any DOS loaded or program in memory a 48K 800 should have 37902 bytes free.

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I had a heck of a time trying to find a program that would actually tell me how much RAM was installed in my 800. I finally came across an image of SysInfo v2.03 (it's in the Atari 8-bit TOSEC), and that confirmed my 800 had 48K, despite one of the RAM cards being inside one of the RAM card covers labelled 8K. Opened the card up, and it is indeed a 16K card.

Worth checking out if you still have any doubts about the amount of RAM you have.

 

TOSEC on archive.org:

http://archive.org/details/tosec

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That SI222.ARC is corrupted. Or I'm doing something wrong. Using Bob Puff supunarc to extract it.

It does the doc and hst files ok, but si2.exe gives crc error and isn't recognized as an executable from DOS.

I checked the file at drac030.krap.pl, it is corrupted, don't know how to notify draco.

Edited by russg
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It works for me with SDX446 and a side2 Cartridge. Atari 800xl and My 130 xe. Hopefully Drac030 can help you.

Bob Puff supunarc of si222.arc results in a crc error of si2.exe. In addition, I checked, it has no binary load 255,255 header. Either we have

something different or it is intended for your particular SpX 4.46 and side2 cartridge. Does it load with a different DOS?

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Bob Puff supunarc of si222.arc results in a crc error of si2.exe. In addition, I checked, it has no binary load 255,255 header. Either we have

something different or it is intended for your particular SpX 4.46 and side2 cartridge. Does it load with a different DOS?

Si222.atr

 

 

I created a MyDOS atr for you to look at I have no Idea what supunarc is doing to it but I use unarc.com on my computer partition..

good luck it is a nice program but I probably only use it yearly if that...

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