Calling All 800s!

[andymanone]

Thanks Claus, for adding me to the 800´s list ??!

 

Cheers,

andY

[Yellowman]

My Atari 800 without any modifications.

48 Kb. PAL video standard.

 

 

[andymanone]

Again a next new member for the 800's database community?.

 

Its an NTSC, 48k. Unfortunately no stamp or handwritten sticker, only the label.

 

Cheers.,

andY

 

 

[scelbi8h]

Here is mine. I see there's another thread about the Atari 400 S/N. I'll take a picture soon and post it there too.

 

[ApolloBoy]

This is from an acquaintance on the r/retrogaming Discord server, please credit this to bananaman:

 

[reifsnyderb]

462  No.  406490

and

512 No.  382752

[burkhart87]

Both are NTSC.  I don't see a date stamp on the second one.

 

 

Edit:  found it. April, 1982?

Edited May 27, 2022 by burkhart87

[Mrarkus]

Unfortunately I have to report a death in the family... I purchased an 800 on eBay, and it was packed in a small box with some newspaper. I don't have the heart to say what I received...

[Scooter83]

How bad is the shell?    What do you need to fix it up? 

[Beeblebrox]

My latest acquisition just arrived this morning - UK PAL 800.

 

Bought it knowing the poor state it was in and fully expected it not to work at all given it looks like it's been on a building site for years! Case is in a poor state with cracks on the sides/edges of both top and bottom cases, and epecially the vents of the removable module/cart cover part:

 

       

        

 

              

 

Had a quick look under the hood before powering it up (whilst holding down the cart bay door trigger switch): 

 

 

Imagine my surprise when it booted up to memo pad on S-video!

 

      

 

I popped in a BASIC cart and it booted to the BASIC ready prompt so the left cart bay works at least. Not sure about the right. Needs a clean.

 

Didn't cost the earth either and the price I paid included postage costs.

 

All keycaps are missing obviously but key mechanisms all work. So I just need to source original keycaps or (more likely) 3D print some.

 

The top cover tabs are missing and a previous owner cut the RF cable. (Not a problem as use S-video all the time).

 

I'll strip it down fully clean it up in the coming weeks. I plan to either restore the casing or mod it. Will also install Incognito.

Will do a separate thread or blog as and when I do anything.

 

So only one possible issue is evident - Star Raider's cart works but there is a graphical glitch seconds into powering it on. I am thinking maybe the GTIA has issues or it's a really early revision expansion board (although I'd imagine it isn't a CTIA chip onboard(?)).

 

Once I strip it down I'll look at the module board and hopefully get to the bottom of it.

 

 

Edited June 6, 2022 by Beeblebrox

[BillC]

55 minutes ago, Beeblebrox said:

The top cover tabs are missing and a previous owner cut the RF cable. (Not a problem as use S-video all the time).

This is a late production 800 made in Hong Kong(most were made in Sunnyvale), it wouldn't have come with the tabs for the top cover. I don't know why the previous owner cut the RF cable, it can easily be unplugged from the power board and removed.

Edited June 6, 2022 by BillC

[Beeblebrox]

@BillC interesting re tab-less versions. The good news is I can 3D print them.

 

Yeah, a previous owner at some stage must have opened up the case as the cut to the rf cable was made inside. But as you say why do this because it's clear as soon as you see inside that it is just a case of unplugging it?!! Very odd.?

 

Any idea re the graphics glitch as illustrated with Star raiders BTW? ?

[BillC]

2 hours ago, Beeblebrox said:

@BillC interesting re tab-less versions. The good news is I can 3D print them.

 

Yeah, a previous owner at some stage must have opened up the case as the cut to the rf cable was made inside. But as you say why do this because it's clear as soon as you see inside that it is just a case of unplugging it?!! Very odd.?

 

Any idea re the graphics glitch as illustrated with Star raiders BTW? ?

After Atari released the 800 with 48K RAM they discontinued the tabs for the top cover, since it had the maximum stock RAM configuration. It appears that when Atari started manufacturing the 1200XL there was still more demand for the 800 than Sunnyvale could supply so they had Atari-Wong manufacture some in Hong Kong. Interesting that the serial# and date code on yours are the same, I have an Atari-Wong NTSC 800 manufactured the next week with serial# 83A AW 00620 233. There aren't many 800s manufactured in Hong Kong on the list, yours appears to be only the 5th out of over 150.

 

The previous owner may not have opened the case to cut the RF cable, just cut it off and then pushed the stub inside.

 

I don't know what is causing the glitch with Star Raiders, I've never had that issue.

[+Stephen]

7 hours ago, Beeblebrox said:

Any idea re the graphics glitch as illustrated with Star raiders BTW?

Would almost have to be a bad GTIA.  Run the attached program, and there is a GTIA test.

si2.xex

[ClausB]

@Beeblebrox, I wish you luck with this repair, but it really doesn't belong in this thread. Thanks for understanding.

[Beeblebrox]

1 hour ago, ClausB said:

@Beeblebrox, I wish you luck with this repair, but it really doesn't belong in this thread. Thanks for understanding.

@ClausB  No worries. Noted.  It was initially posted here (along with the label image) to register it, but as per usual it trailed off a bit as I provided more info (given the "unique" state of it) and as such it prompted replies with suggested fixes. (Thanks all).

I'll be setting up a separate thread and possibly blog with the project as and when. 

 

So yup, just to register the serial here is the label again:

[SteveInCO]

I'm the original owner on this one. Started me down my lifelong career path. My parents bought it for me some time in 1980. (dad claimed it was for him too, but we know better)

 

I think it was among the earliest to ship with 16K instead of 8K. If I remember right the documentation all still referred to 8K of memory, but I think there might have been a slip of paper or something noting the upgrade. Hard to remember after 42 years. Also got an 810, 850, and an Epson MX-70 (how many of those have you seen?) with it. Later added two more RAM modules to get it to the 48K max. It remained my primary computer up till 1990. It's only been powered up maybe once since then and that was probably 20 years ago.

 

If I'm reading it right, looks like a late '79 model?

 

[tep392]

An original owner '79 model! Very nice.  Welcome to Atariage!

[clh333]

Here are labels from my two:

 

 

[Spinnetti]

My original 800 has no sticker, but have one for the XL. Is there another way to tell on the board or something?

[tep392]

Just picked up this 800. It has numerous switches and there are a few mods visible through the vents that I’m looking forward to investigating. 

EDIT: switches are for 1) Omnimon U+L bank selection, 2) cart door switch bypass, 3) CPU reset, 4) left cart write protect

 

The computer also had these in it, which I've tested and they work perfectly.

Axlon 128K Ramdisk and Newell Ramrod.

[stushug]

Here is the label from the bottom of my Atari 800. Are these the serial numbers? They don't look like the numbers others are posting. Is there another location for numbers? I have owned this machine I bought it new in the late 70's or early 80's.

[BillC]

1 hour ago, stushug said:

Here is the label from the bottom of my Atari 800. Are these the serial numbers? They don't look like the numbers others are posting. Is there another location for numbers? I have owned this machine I bought it new in the late 70's or early 80's.

This 800 serial number appears to be 4895, manufactured in the 24th week of 1980, with 16KB RAM and GTIA. 

 

I'm surprised at the G(GTIA?) on the label, the 400 I received for Christmas 1980 had CTIA.

This one does appear to have failed QA initially though, going by the hidden label.

 

 

 

 

[ClausB]

8 hours ago, BillC said:

I'm surprised at the G(GTIA?) on the label, the 400 I received for Christmas 1980 had CTIA.

Do you still have it?

8 hours ago, BillC said:

This one does appear to have failed QA initially though, going by the hidden label.

Hidden label? You mean the second label?

[stushug]

4 hours ago, ClausB said:

Do you still have it?

Hidden label? You mean the second label?

I assume he means the second label. It was attached just below the other one, and didn't cover anything.