Weird Atari 800 hardware issue

[Bloodcat]

Hopefully yall can help me figure it out.

 

I got this glorious box of STUFF off a Craigslist buy for 75 bucks.

 

https://scontent-a-iad.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn1/t31.0-8/10256939_842196872474374_3024395139410613749_o.jpg

 

Atari 800. 410 tape drive. Radio Shack modem. 1050 drive. Two disk cases full of mostly copied software.

 

Well brought it home and as it had no Atari Basic cart I figured I could at least test it with cartridges.

 

Turned on fine. Finally got to play a little GORF, and then check out Q Bert.

 

I go to put in Pac Man. Doesn't turn on.

 

Try a different PSU. Same thing.

 

Unplug it and wait a couple hours. Its probably been off or in a basement/attic someplace for years.

 

Turn it back on and it works. Turn it off again and put the cart in that I know works. Doesn't turn on again.

 

Anyone have an idea of what is causing it? I DO plan on opening it up to give the case a nice cleaning and clean up the keyboard a bit but obviously this glorious 70s tank is something that requires this to be a major undertaking.

 

I'd kind of like to have an idea what is going on, and what I might need to replace inside it.

 

For 75 bucks its almost worth it all just for parts but I really would love to have a working 800 to make it my core A8 machine as this was a lot cheaper than getting a good condition XEGS and then getting a keyboard replacement mod from Best Electronics. (And you know, those carts that just don't run on the XL/XE machines. Plus the superior keyboard built into the 800. And the better laid out Start-Reset key suite.)

Edited May 14, 2014 by Bloodcat

[+Allan]

I'm not sure if I can help you with the 800 other than to try to re-seat everything.

 

Cool find. Is there anything rare in any of those disks? There is still a lot of un-dumped Atari 8-bit software out there.

 

Allan

[Bloodcat]

I don't think there is anything rare. A bajillion Ultima 4 copy disks for some reason. Like multiple characters and stuff. Some utilities. A few games.

 

Is there anything I should be on the lookout for?

 

(Also cool another CT folk!)

[AtariGeezer]

Is there anything I should be on the lookout for?

Anything that isn't on Atarimania

[Bloodcat]

That helps me a lot. :/

 

I am soo not going through everything A8 bit on Atarimania to doublecheck.

 

Outside of maybe seeing if they have virtual versions of what I already own. Which if I want to go through 50 odd disks might help.

 

But first getting the Tank working properly eh? Disks I can play with later.

[AtariGeezer]

That helps me a lot. :/

 

I am soo not going through everything A8 bit on Atarimania to doublecheck.

Well, that's the only way to know for sure. There have been many disks that I bought on ebay or had in my collection that haven't been saved on Atarimania and I was happy to make ATR's of them and post here...

 

It would be sad to NOT see missing or newly discovered apps and games saved for preservation

 

You could have something that no one has seen before...

Edited May 14, 2014 by AtariGeezer

[Bloodcat]

Well if I happen to find that I do we can worry about me figuring out how to convert em.

[BillC]

Well if I happen to find that I do we can worry about me figuring out how to convert em.

As long as floppies aren't copy protected the simplest method is some type of drive emulator(Sdrive, SIO2SD, SIO2PC/ASPEQT) to sector copy the them to. Copy protected disks are more complicated.

[Bloodcat]

I don't actually own any of those doohickeys at the moment. Right now again, more concerned with figuring out what the 800's issue is so I can fix it and enjoy ancient computery goodness.

[+slx]

Have you had a look at the switch that kills the machine when you open the cartridge door? Maybe it doesn't make a contact when you close it or is "sticky".

[+doctorclu]

Hopefully yall can help me figure it out.

 

I got this glorious box of STUFF off a Craigslist buy for 75 bucks.

...

Well brought it home and as it had no Atari Basic cart I figured I could at least test it with cartridges.

 

Turned on fine. Finally got to play a little GORF, and then check out Q Bert.

 

I go to put in Pac Man. Doesn't turn on.

 

Try a different PSU. Same thing.

 

Well as a long time fan of the beige 800 when the beige line wasn't considered cool around here (and now is thanks to Warerat and Candle and their XL/XE mods) Nice find!!

 

Sounds like your Pac-Man game has dirty leads. Nothing more. I say this because Gorf and Qbert worked.

 

Taking your Atari 800 apart and pushing down on the socketed chips would be a good thing to check, but sounds like the 800 is working already regardless.

 

SIO2PC... your next best friend and the simpliest and cheapest way to open up hundreds of disk images and the internet and BBS's. Check that out next would be my recommendation.

 

Welcome to the beige side of the fuji!

[bandit]

Sounds Like The Lid switch, right side of the cartridge lid press down hard and see if it comes on/off again. That is common.

[Bloodcat]

Folks who told the lid thing: I believe that just fixed it!

Wow this makes me feel silly/impressed as hell at Atari's design team.

Works great. But is it ok to use the lid to be a soft reset of the system if I want to change carts? You know, to save wear and tear?

 

Anyhow major Brofists of Brofisting Broness!

 

Also noting on both machines getting proper composite out on my 1084 monitor causes some lines/pixels. So might as well just play with my S Video cable on the HDTV. (I really should get that 1702 Commodore monitor I saw on craigslist...)

[+slx]

Works great. But is it ok to use the lid to be a soft reset of the system if I want to change carts? You know, to save wear and tear?

As you can't change carts without opening the lid, there shouldn't be a problem with changing them without shutting down with the normal power switch first. Once you open the lid the 400/800 are off anyway.