AS I age, I like stock. It's classic and makes a statement

[ACML]

When I was young and "balls to the walls" 8-bit in the 1980's, I loved modifying my 400/800 and 1200XL. Memory upgrades, multiple OS, Ramdisks with LED read/write enhancements. It was fun tinkering and learning about electronics. We showed off our mods at user groups and tried to one up each other.

 

Now, fast forward 30 years, I've come to appreciate the genius, classic lines and timeless design of the Atari 400, 800 and 1200XL. I must admit, I don't have the love for the 600/800XL and absolutely none for the XE line. They just do nothing for me and feel "C-64 ized". Back in the day, I did love the 800XL since I had a 1meg ICD MIO and that was the one and only time I ever had a use for the PBI. I thought the ATR-8000 was a much better choice than anything that used a PBI (my opinion). I actually used it for CP/M and ran 1.2Mb drives as 77 track 8" floppies.

 

Today, I only own a stock 800 and an almost stock 1200XL. The 1200XL has the 5Vdc fix, ClearPic 2 and a dual OS (OSB & 1200XL Rev 11). It does what I need. The 99% solution is good enough. What's the song say; "there aren't many things a man can't fix with $700 and a 30-06". I understand the cool factor of the Incognito and such, but for me, the stage of nostalgia I'm in, It feels more like vandalism than improvement. The original Atari's, the 400/800 and yes, I include the 1200XL are just masterpieces of engineering and quality constructed to stand the test of time (save the 1200XL keyboard mylar). I can fix the keyboards, but I don't expect anything else to break. To me they are classic and amazing "as is". It's all about the fun and memories. If you aren't enjoying it, you're doing it wrong.

Edited June 14, 2013 by ACML

[Bryan]

Yeah, I tend to like keeping it as simple as possible rather than having 500 OS's, 8TB of storage, etc...

 

I even like loading from SIO (although I have no problem with devices using the highest possible speeds).

 

If you want to run a massive program, the Flash cartridges are almost as good as a RAM upgrade since all that RAM is generally used to hold code or data anyway.

[Dripfree]

I totally understand your point of view. I do enjoy the hobby of modding my toys but I've got some rules. I never do any mods unless I have a second machine, and I mod the uglyest one. I avoid changing the appearance at all cost. I for a second considered doing my sio2pc internally. But the idea of taking a drill to my 800 made me want to cry. Modding is a hobby of mine and its been very educational but I honestly do feel a little dirty doing it. I think vandalism was a good way to put it.

[Mclaneinc]

Totally agree ACML, if you are simply storing machines out of 'look how many I have' then I feel you should reconsider and offer the machines to people who will love them. I love my old machines because I had a great time with all of them and I want to continue to, the only minor exception is my STFM which I got last year as part of a package about to be binned. I only had an ST for a day back then but like a true gamer I've come to love many of the games on it.

 

ALL my systems get a regular play be it on the real system or emulated, ideally I'd have a room devoted to all of them on individual monitors and space but they are all in the bedroom and space is limited.

 

But like ACML says, if you are not enjoying them, you are doing it wrong......Pass them on to others that will...

 

As for modding, what can I say, I worked for one of the UK biggest electronics retailers, I mixed with people who were more akin to mad scientists who did weird and wonderful things to their machines and I succumbed to the odd mod or three...

 

Modding is fine as long as the machine can be ran as how it was meant to be with maybe the exception for video output upgrades to make the screen sharper.

Edited June 15, 2013 by Mclaneinc

[jmccorm]

I thought this topic was going to be about the purchase of vintage Atari stock certificates.

[Bryan]

I thought this topic was going to be about the purchase of vintage Atari stock certificates.

Yeah, I was a little confused by the topic at first too.

[flashjazzcat]

Wouldn't mind a stock 1200XL... it's the only machine of which I don't own a stock example, although I can't say I regret the work done on my upgraded 1200XL. I agree about visual changes to the machine, mind you: the most radical change I've made to the exterior of any of my A8s is changing the power LED on my VBXE 130XE from red to green... and I'm still a little uneasy about that.

[WizWor]

I thought I was alone in this. While I appreciate the continued innovation in software and hardware, my interest is limited to stock hardware running vintage games. I do, however, make exceptions for ported era games and the hardware that lets me enjoy them (flashcarts, sdrives, and sio2pc).

[adam242]

I completely agree, from a cosmetic standpoint at least.

 

Back in the 80s, my 130XE's case was totally swiss-cheesed with extra buttons, toggle switches, LEDs and jacks... it was hardly recognizable.

 

My two favorite machines in my collection today are my 800 and my 1200xl, both of which appear totally stock. The Incognito board in the 800 does not in any way alter it's appearance (nor do the minor upgrades to my 1200XL - see my signature) but give significant additional functionality without seriously altering the "flavor" of the machine. No VBXE, internal SIO2SD displays, ridiculously huge memory expansions, etc for me, thanks!

[Dripfree]

I think the reason for this is because back in the 80's these machines were nothing more then a computer. They served a purpose and buy modding them you could potentially make it do that job better. Now these are more then just computers they are collectors pieces that remind us of what things used to be like. And also if you want an insanely tweaked 800 you can do that with an emulator no reason to cut up the real thing.

[morelenmir]

I think it depends on why you are keeping your atari in the first place and sheer practicality - just like mclaneinc mentions.

 

Free space in my home is a premium. The only way I could even begin to enjoy my physical A8's would be if they - really just one - integrated as tightly as possible with my very small PC workspace. The only reason I am now even considering getting one of the 800XL's out is because all told the thing doesn't measure much more than a PC keyboard, which I can lean up when not needed. It is essential though that it be able to plug in to my LCD monitor - which in turn requires at least some kind of mod... I am thinking one of the new VBXE boards perhaps, if and when I can scratch the pounds together! I don't know if one of those SIO2PC cables can be considered a mod exactly, but one of those also is required.

 

Therefore IF I am going to be able to get any use from my hardware I have no choice but to mod it.

[jmccorm]

And also if you want an insanely tweaked 800 you can do that with an emulator no reason to cut up the real thing.

I find room to disagree with that. I collect arcade PCBs and the full-size arcade games. Sure, I could play a *multi-pac on an emulator, but it is a lot more fun to play it on a real Pac-Man cabinet. It has a physical presence which adds meaning beyond what an emulator would.

 

Unhacked Atari home computers are common. Finding one that has been upgraded by a dedicated enthusiast is something special. If I'm going to have an Atari, I want the enhancements which make it a better experience. (In actuality, though, I have both modified and unmodified machines. The unmodified machines sit in the closet. For most people, having a machine that is NOT enhanced is a problem that is easily solved.)

 

* - A multi-pac is a 96-in-1 ROM hack for the Pac-Man PCB that would play all sorts of variants of Pac-Man and Ms. Pac-Man, along with other games.

[Dripfree]

I find room to disagree with that. I collect arcade PCBs and the full-size arcade games. Sure, I could play a *multi-pac on an emulator, but it is a lot more fun to play it on a real Pac-Man cabinet. It has a physical presence which adds meaning beyond what an emulator would.

 

I could not agree more with this statement. The "physical presence" is the main reason I collect real consoles. The importance of physical presence is multiplied when refering to arcade cabinets. That is why I have a hard time making mods that affect the appearence of my consoles. I feel as if some of that physical presence is lost. I was not in any way saying that emulation is a suitable substitute. I was saying the opposite. From my perspective if you want to mod the heck out of a machine then I think physical presence is not that important to you. If thats the case then just use an emulator to get the results you want. I would also have to say modding a cabinet for 96 pac man variants is pretty sweet. As purest and a collector (and OCD) my heart would tell me to collect all original cabinet and game variants, but that would be just insane. So a 96 in one cabinet is realy the only feesable way.

Edited June 16, 2013 by Dripfree

[morelenmir]

I would still love a real pinball machine! A 60's vintage jukebox would be nice too. Which isn't to say I don't keep my flacs on a network server and listen to them from a modded xbox! (I'll be damned if I ever listen to them from a 'XBox One' though!!!)

 

I am also pretty envious of your real cabinet arcade machines dripfree!!! I don't know which game it was, but there was one believe it or not in our local fish and chip shop! It must have been some kind of space shooter as it was joystick controlled and there was some kind of map display or 'radar' build directly in to the top of the stick. That thing FASCINATED me as child, but my father would never give me the 20p it cost for a game! I would love to know what it was. Those old cabinets have presence, just like you say and the controllers simply cannot be beaten. I have never found a joystick as comfortable as the old one-button atari stick and the arcade machines were better still.

[Dripfree]

Sory but I wish I had arcade cabinets for you to be jealouse of. I just collect consoles no room or money for any cabinets. I was commenting on jmccorm comments on arcade cabinets. If I did collect arcade units and treated it with the same amount of OCD that I give to my consoles Id have some real problems.

[+slx]

I also thought for a couple of days before ordering the incognito board but finally thought that I would certainly have bought (or at least badly wanted) one, had it been available in 1985. It doesn't really mar the lines of the 800 and it actually uses the 800s ability to be upgraded by inserting a new personality board.

 

I did think about getting a second 800 for the upgrade to keep MY original first computer as-is. If I lived in the US I'd probably have bought one as they are still available at reasonable prices, but with the scarcity of PAL 800s I simply don't want to afford a second machine. Another factor is that upgrading a "second 800" would simply mean that the original would stay in its basement storage and the new one would be on my desk. So what's the point of having an (almost) pristine 800 if it just sits in a box.....

 

Funny enough I never had the guts to add even a simple write protection switch to my 810 in the 1980 although I found extra switches and LEDs soooo cool.

[MEtalGuy66]

Another reason not to "go crazy" with upgrades is that on the atari, you typically reduce the stability of the machine by doing so.

 

[atari8warez]

I don't know if one of those SIO2PC cables can be considered a mod exactly, but one of those also is required.

 

I personally don't consider an SIO2PC a mod, unless it is installed internally. An external SIO2PC is just an interface device only slightly more complicated then a simple cable. I still think a stock Atari with an SIO2PC is an unbeatable combination and with the current achievable speeds it makes PBI devices almost unnecessary. All my Ataris are either stock or near stock with the exception of one 130xe with U1MB upgrade and I recently bought a IDE+ II just for the fun of using an real HD.

.

[+slx]

I personally don't consider an SIO2PC a mod, unless it is installed internally. .

And I soldered a serial interface to my 800's motherboard in about 1986, long before SIO2PC even had a name. At least I can hide it inside the case when I don't need it.....

[Magic Knight]

Interesting how times have changed our attitudes to pushing boundaries..

 

I remember in the mid-eighties when the a8 was the most advanced thing most of us had.

The chance to soup-up the machine to 1mb with as much games as ever released on a card the size of a after Eight mint ( and for £50) would have had most of us biting someones hand off to get this.

 

retro wasn't mainstream yet and nostalgia was yet to mature in the home 'micro' market for principle alone to come in to play.