moijk Posted May 20, 2014 Share Posted May 20, 2014 I aquired a basic atari xegs w/gun and one game together with a lot of other stuff (commodore). While the pastel colors doesn't strike my fancy, I at least now got an 8 bit atari that isn't a 2600. Lacked a PSU, but that is arriving shortly. However, given i got a chance I want to explore what atari 8 bit is all about. So what do I need to do that with this? Or is it a bad starting point? I like modern solution, with sd/cf cards and all that if possible. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marius Posted May 20, 2014 Share Posted May 20, 2014 (edited) Warning: Don't get impatient and try the XEGS with the C64 CPU PSU (thanks Mr. Fish), it will blow the XEGS and then it's history If you are not modding the XEGS (so you leave it original) and you want one single solution (better is a combination of solutions) you'd best go for a MyIDE 2. This runs almost all games, and also the XEGS ROM files (and a lot other rom files too) on a stock, 64K computer. MyIDE 2 gives on a stock, 64K computer the best results. Next to that comes the SIDE 2 interface. Do you have a keyboard with the XEGS? If you want full power, you could considering upgrade it with an Ultimate 1MB interface. With that interface SIDE 2 becomes more powerful, and might be the best choice. Another goal is Sio2SD or another SD-card based solution, although that is already a tiny bit more complicated, and I advice a keyboard with that. I have all the possible interfaces, and I concentrate on stock 64K computers, where MyIDE 2 seems to be the best choice (for me). Edited May 20, 2014 by ProWizard Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+MrFish Posted May 20, 2014 Share Posted May 20, 2014 Warning: Don't get impatient and try the XEGS with the C64 CPU, it will blow the XEGS and then it's history You mean PSU here... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marius Posted May 20, 2014 Share Posted May 20, 2014 You mean PSU here... You are right! My mistake! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moijk Posted June 5, 2014 Author Share Posted June 5, 2014 You mean PSU here... Well, it might seem like the previous owners were impatient, since when i got around to test it. all i get is a red screen. other posts on this board indicate a major fault (cpu, ram etc) which seem to come from using a bad psu. Well, now i got a atari XE/XL Psu and a dead xe gs. while i can open the xe gs and look for some obvious signs of death, I doubt i can figure out the problem given my limited knowledge of electronics, I think I need to venture out into the real 8 bit atari world and get a psu-less 800xl... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MAC-42 Posted June 5, 2014 Share Posted June 5, 2014 (edited) Something else to be aware of is that the Atari 8-bit line shipped with a variety of PSUs. Since your XEGS came without one and you're ordering one separately, you need to know if you ordered what is known as the "Ingot" power supply. It has been known to go bad, and to do so in so spectacular a fashion as to take your computer out with it. A 600XL I just received came with an Ingot PSU; I'm fairly certain it's the reason why my 600XL was mostly DOA. Make sure it wasn't the one you ordered before plugging it in and turning on your XEGS. You can identify it on this post, just scroll most of the way down the page. Other than that, enjoy. Mojik has some good advice. And if you don't fancy using it as a computer, it's a nice way to play some of the 8-bit games on a console without the maintenance requirements of the 5200. Edited June 5, 2014 by MAC-42 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moijk Posted June 6, 2014 Author Share Posted June 6, 2014 The PSU I got was tested prior to shipping, and is this model: Atari#: C061763-34 (CO61763-34) Type: T40/E, Made in U.K. Input: 240V~50Hz 24W Output: 5V-7.5VA Use with: 600XL,800XL,65XE,130XE,800XE,XE System console http://mcurrent.name/powersupplies/61763-34-alt-top.jpg http://mcurrent.name/powersupplies/61763-34-alt-bottom.jpg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prosystemsearch Posted June 6, 2014 Share Posted June 6, 2014 I hope that there are XE games make use of the Pokey chip for more than just music. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RodLightning Posted June 7, 2014 Share Posted June 7, 2014 The PSU I got was tested prior to shipping, and is this model: Atari#: C061763-34 (CO61763-34) Type: T40/E, Made in U.K. Input: 240V~50Hz 24W Output: 5V-7.5VA Use with: 600XL,800XL,65XE,130XE,800XE,XE System console http://mcurrent.name/powersupplies/61763-34-alt-top.jpg http://mcurrent.name/powersupplies/61763-34-alt-bottom.jpg The less dangerous ones are hollow rectangles, while the ingots are solid blocks of injection molded epoxy. If you end up with the ingot version and are up to cutting and splicing two wires, a modern switching 5 volt dc power supply can be adapted to work with XL/XE computers. 5 volts at 7.5VA = 5 volts at 1.5amps, so you need 1.5amps or better to meet the Atari spec. I found a cell phone charger rated 5vdc at 2amps. I cut off the DIN line from a fried ingot supply and spliced it onto the new supply. There's only two wires (positive and negative) feeding the 7 pin DIN connector. You just have to be sure to get the polarity right when splicing the wires. A volt meter and solid means of connecting the wires will come in handy. Here's the atariage thread where I got the idea: http://atariage.com/forums/topic/193070-using-a-pc-power-supply/ The best part about using a modern supply is how small and light they are when compared to the original Atari power source. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Westphal Posted June 8, 2014 Share Posted June 8, 2014 Just spend $27.00 at best to get the good one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Westphal Posted June 8, 2014 Share Posted June 8, 2014 Just spend $27.00 at best to get the good one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eeun Posted June 9, 2014 Share Posted June 9, 2014 While we're on the subject of the XEGS and Best, I got the replacement mylar sheet from them for the keyboard on my XEGS, and it was an easy swap. I think the original mylar met a can of coke or something equally caustic, because I don't think there was more than one two-inch stretch on the whole original sheet that had electrical continuity. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Westphal Posted June 9, 2014 Share Posted June 9, 2014 Do the keys on the XEGS keyboard pop off? I didn't want to break them trying and I want to clean them if I can. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snicklin Posted June 11, 2014 Share Posted June 11, 2014 Here's a video on the XEGS. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Westphal Posted June 11, 2014 Share Posted June 11, 2014 They pop off, and the yellow will not come off. Oh well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eeun Posted June 13, 2014 Share Posted June 13, 2014 What did you try on the keys? I used a Retr0bright mix and my XEGS keys improved greatly. The worst ones were the pastel coloured buttons on the console, which had a brown circle of discolouration. It took the entire day out in the sun, reapplying the Retr0bright goop as needed. Still not 100%, but so much nicer looking than it was before. My mix might have been a little weak, but I was afraid of overdoing it as I ruined an ST case with too strong a mixture. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Westphal Posted June 17, 2014 Share Posted June 17, 2014 I use Peroxide, baking soda and oxy clean...mixed into a paste. Works well, but I don't want to let it sit out in the sun. I found a broken 65xe, so I will use the keyboard off of that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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