Atari 800 or 800XL?

[Sky7]

So i have an opportunity to pick up from a friends collection a boxed Atari 800 and an Atari 800XL. I will probably pick both up but trying to determine which one to keep.

 

Were there a lot of apps that utilized the 64K in the XL or were most games/apps written for a 48K expanded 800? Looking at both, I like how the 800 is built like a tank. It seems like it's indestructible.

 

Thoughts?

 

S7

 

 

[Magic Knight]

The 800 blows the 800XL away on robustness, solid PCB design, Keyboard is excellent, Native video outputs (S-Video on this is the only real effort by ATARI that does this justice) and above all - Charm.

(its got 2 cartridge ports by golly - great showmanship for an 8-bit!)

 

The downside is the 48k part which will cause issue on 64K games like Zybex and Dropzone (for example) - a list is here http://atariage.com/forums/topic/228274-xex-games-that-require-64k-or-xl-os-why-wont-they-work-on-48k-800/

 

The main bulk of games written for the Atari were pre-XL and even most after were attempted to be written to cover 48k users as to sell to both model users.

 

 

If you can get a inconito board for the 800 then you will have the best of all worlds for the Atari (best architecture and 1mb to run practically every game out there). However i personnaly would choose the 800 anyhow for its more rareness and also the joy that this gives compared to XL or XE later models - as you could always get a XL for a small price later if 64k games starts to get the better of your curiosity.

 

Just my view but you can do no wrong on either choice.

[bbking67]

Now I would go the opposite route and cghoose the 800XL. You'll probably want to mod the video at the very least. Many 800XL's are fully socketed which is sweet and there are many excellent upgrades possible. It's a compact system and definitely has it's charms... I suppose I'm biased as I started with an 800XL, but aside from the cool form factor the 800 offers the XL is overall the better choice. Plus if you want to use a Parallel Bus devuice like the Multi I/O you can.

 

The XL can run everything. Anything worthwhile has been modded for XL use and anything that isn't be run using Translator or an alternative BIOS.

 

You could consider changing the BASIC out for Rev C as well if you want a relatively bug-free version of Atari BASIC.

[fujidude]

If you can only have one, the 800XL is more flexible. But I agree with what both bbking67 and MK have said so far. The 800 is built better and is more rare. And you could add on a XL or XE later too. Incognito is pretty cool if you can get one. Not sure if it supports VBXE yet though. But again, if it is to be just one, XL will do more for you.

[Sky7]

Thanks everyone for the feedback. May have to pick up an Incognito board and go with the 800.

 

S7

[Kyle22]

Thanks everyone for the feedback. May have to pick up an Incognito board and go with the 800.

 

S7

Just so you know, the Incognito card has a Parallel Bus Interface on it.

[russg]

Just so you know, the Incognito card has a Parallel Bus Interface on it.

Nah. Keep both. And also add a 130XE eventually for slightly greater compatibility. There are a tiny number of programs require/use more than 128k.

I would say use more than require more than 128k. The number of programs that require/use 128k isn't huge.

If you insist on only one, I'd say the 800XL. The 800 is a beauty beast, but less compatible. There's the translator for the 800xl for the few

800 only programs. To make your collection more complete, add a 1200XL. If you have $5000, find a 1400XL. If you have a million, maybe

a 1450XL (:>o}.

With the 800XL parallel bus, you can add a hard drive to hold every program ever written for the 8-bit.

A real necessity is a APE/SIO2PC/Aspeqt adapter and cables, better, at least cheaper, than a MIO or BB.

I know beans about SIO2SD etc. add on cartridges, for an alternative to the MIO/BB/APE. Maybe someone else.

The add-on carts would be more convenient than a hard drive or APE. An incognito for 800 is interesting, but a bit involved and expensive, I think.

Edited November 14, 2015 by russg

[ryanmercer]

800xl.

 

I think I have 7 of them now, I only have 2 800's though. 800xl's by far make up the bulk of my collection including my daily driver and a reconditioned one that I only use when I want to take one somewhere and show people the 8-bit atari platform.

[Muzz73]

Get both of them, put the 800 away until you can get your hands on an Incognito (if ever) and use the 800XL as your "daily beater".

 

Just an idea.