Atari XE/XEGS Issues

[JebusKrist]

Good Morning All,

 

I've recently dug out the Atari XE/XEGS whatever you want to call it from storage hooked it up to find I've got no video from any of the output options.

 

I sometimes get just a blank screen then other times I get a brownish screen, most times I get what looks like v-hold failure with a single white bar except its diagonal & rolling no amount of tweaking the v-hold changes anything also I've got no sound.

 

The guy I bought it from was trying to hook it up & not having any luck but figured it was just him not knowing how to hook it into his modern flat screen. I bought it untested from the counter of a RadioShack after he got frustrated by the clerks trying to sell him $30 worth of adapters so I've never actually seen it working myself.

 

Things I've tried:

1: Multiple screens/outputs/cables.

2: Tested power supply voltages which were accurate.

3: Cart/No Cart inserted.

4: Booting into the self test.

5: Checking for hot chips on the mainboard none are particularly concerning. I can thermal image the entire board later.

6: Just hoping it was waking up from a long slumber.

 

I'd appreciate any ideas as troubleshooting this beast doesn't seem to be covered all that well anywhere nor does a FSM appear to exist. Where would I buy any spares for this machine as I understand some of these parts are exclusive to the XE/XEGS.

 

Thanks

[Osgeld]

any rotten looking caps or wet looking spots around the bases of caps?

 

I dunno if that system uses chip sockets but if it has some remove them and resocket them one by one (so you dont mix them up or orientate them the wrong way)

Edited January 21, 2016 by Osgeld

[JebusKrist]

No rotten looking caps or evidence of leakage/blowout. I suppose they could be dried out but usually you see evidence of that.

[JebusKrist]

These systems don't have any socketed chips nor do I have any spares to test with, I'm going to test the power supply under load as well as look at the board in operation with thermal imaging which should give me an idea of what if any chips are heating up.

[zylon]

New motherboards are still available for these systems. Unless you are very good at soldering/desoldering, repair of these can be quite frustrating.

This location and also the RAM are common fail points.

 

http://atariage.com/forums/index.php?app=core&module=attach&section=attach&attach_rel_module=post&attach_id=369316

[JebusKrist]

I'll be picking up sockets for all the chips in the system today if possible & socketing everything. I've got a full solder station with desoldering & hot air so it shouldn't be too terrible. I'll keep the thread updated with what happens.