Rank the best video image quality output model by model

[punchy71]

Please rank the video image output of each Atari 8-bit machine from best model to the worst model (especially in terms of its text quality!). Feel free to elaborate why you think one particular model is better than another.

[Bryan]

This topic's starting to feel like homework.

 

The XE's are probably best out of the box. Atari kinda mangled the video circuits on the XL's.

[+bob1200xl]

The 800 has the best video quality, in general. So much depends on your monitor, how you connect (TV, composite or s-video), and how you terminate the signal.

 

Bob

 

 

 

Please rank the video image output of each Atari 8-bit machine from best model to the worst model (especially in terms of its text quality!). Feel free to elaborate why you think one particular model is better than another.

[Rybags]

The way I see it, through RF at least:

 

400/800 "warm" feeling picture although not great focus, good colour representation, good saturation and low interference.

 

XL - better focus, colour representation not quite as good, low/medium interference.

 

XE - probably sharpest focus, colour representation and saturation maybe a little less than XL, seems more prone to interference (mostly from inside the machine itself).

 

But it varies. One of my XEGS has great video, the other one is kinda ordinary. Some XEs generate more annoying clock/refresh based interference than others.

[Fres]

Another subjective topic.

 

Every XE I've ever used has had superior video to any XL or 400/800 I've used. I've used maybe 20-25 total machines ... most were XEs.