fiscap Posted January 1, 2019 Share Posted January 1, 2019 I picked up an Atari 800 off of eBay which didn't show any pictures of the included cards. I was originally hoping that it included the 10K ROM as well as fully loaded with the standard (3) 16K boards for a total of 48K - but figured it would be empty since the seller didn't show any photos. I was surprised at what I found inside and now I'm curious about the unique combination of memory cards along with the 3Bit Full-View 80 card. There are photos below indicating the configuration as it was shipped; Slot-1 with the 10K ROM, Slot-2 with a 32K Mosaic RAM board, Slot-3 with a 64K Mosaic RAM board, and Slot-4 with the 3Bit Full-View 80 card. There are also two small ribbon cables coming up from the main board inside the 800 which connect to the 64K Mosaic board. I don't have a monitor that would possibly work with the Full-View 80 card, so I'm unable to test if the system works with the configuration of cards as it was delivered. In fact, the only way I can get the system to come up is with the 10K ROM card installed in Slot-1 along with the single 32K Mosaic card directly behind it in Slot-2 - however, with the BASIC cartridge in the left cartridge port, the 'PRINT FRE(0)' command only shows about 13K of free memory available. All of the game cartridges I have function normally with this configuration. I picked up an SDrive-MAX, but so far have not been able to get it to work - I think it may be due to this unique combination of memory cards. As a first step into the retro Atari world, I'm just looking to use the physical Atari 800 with the SDrive-Max to play the vintage games I remember playing as a kid. Any thoughts on the best way to proceed - possibly just purchase the (3) 16K memory cards and try the system with the standard 48K? I think it's worth trying, but I'm a little concerned with the cabling running up from the main board and the customized modifications that may have been done to run the 96K configuration. 16 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Stephen Posted January 1, 2019 Share Posted January 1, 2019 What a score!!! 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AtariNerd Posted January 2, 2019 Share Posted January 2, 2019 True 640x240 1-bit , but text-only. 10 MHZ frequency, so need a monitor within that range. Vaguely remember that someone had dumped the ROMs earlier, so there might be ways to modify the character-set. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillC Posted January 2, 2019 Share Posted January 2, 2019 I know that on the 400 some jumpers are needed to use the Mosaic 64K PCB, the same could be true on the 800. You could purchase a 16K RAM PCB to bring the 800 up to 48K with the Mosaic 32K PCB, this also allows use of the Bit3. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+slx Posted January 2, 2019 Share Posted January 2, 2019 Quite a jackpot, making it hard to keep to my thou shalt not covet thy neighbours retro system resolution ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+slx Posted January 2, 2019 Share Posted January 2, 2019 Wouldnt the Bit3 work with a Composite in Monitor/TV? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heaven/TQA Posted January 2, 2019 Share Posted January 2, 2019 Now that 80s card looks sexy for my 800.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Faicuai Posted January 2, 2019 Share Posted January 2, 2019 (edited) I picked up an Atari 800 off of eBay which didn't show any pictures of the included cards. I was originally hoping that it included the 10K ROM as well as fully loaded with the standard (3) 16K boards for a total of 48K - but figured it would be empty since the seller didn't show any photos. I was surprised at what I found inside and now I'm curious about the unique combination of memory cards along with the 3Bit Full-View 80 card. There are photos below indicating the configuration as it was shipped; Slot-1 with the 10K ROM, Slot-2 with a 32K Mosaic RAM board, Slot-3 with a 64K Mosaic RAM board, and Slot-4 with the 3Bit Full-View 80 card. There are also two small ribbon cables coming up from the main board inside the 800 which connect to the 64K Mosaic board. Oh, F_ck!!! You may need some extra cash back in your pockets... I could probably try to make a deal for the Bit3, if you are interested! I do have all the necessary video equipment to extract whatever juice is left on it... Don't know if it works, though... NICE find, though... that's more like a TROVE of good news! Kudos! Edited January 2, 2019 by Faicuai Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danwinslow Posted January 2, 2019 Share Posted January 2, 2019 OMG what a score! Congrats. That bit 3 is extremely rare. Does it work? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ClausB Posted January 2, 2019 Share Posted January 2, 2019 FYI, the 10K ROM board is in slot 0 and the rest are in RAM slots 1 thru 3. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fiscap Posted January 27, 2019 Author Share Posted January 27, 2019 FYI, the 10K ROM board is in slot 0 and the rest are in RAM slots 1 thru 3. Thanks for the clarification ClausB - never having owned an 800 before, I was unaware of the appropriate numbering convention for the slots/sockets. The only reference I had is that on the 3Bit card labeling, they mentioned it should go in Socket 4, with the label towards the back of the computer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fiscap Posted January 27, 2019 Author Share Posted January 27, 2019 For those that were wondering about the 3Bit Full-View 80 card, I finally ended up figuring out how it should be cabled and cobbled together a setup to test it. It does work and the output looks terrific, however my phone doesn't fully capture how nice it looks in person... 15 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fiscap Posted January 27, 2019 Author Share Posted January 27, 2019 I also took the time to have a closer look as to how the Mosaic 64K expansion board was installed - in particular how the 800 was modified with the ribbon cables attached to the main board. Whoever did the installation did a fairly nice job. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
_The Doctor__ Posted January 27, 2019 Share Posted January 27, 2019 looks like one of mine oh well... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Stephen Posted January 27, 2019 Share Posted January 27, 2019 looks like one of mine oh well... Spill da beans already. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+slx Posted January 28, 2019 Share Posted January 28, 2019 For those that were wondering about the 3Bit Full-View 80 card, I finally ended up figuring out how it should be cabled and cobbled together a setup to test it. It does work and the output looks terrific, however my phone doesn't fully capture how nice it looks in person... Selected like as there is no envy button... Dear hardware gurus, what about a recreation of the Bit3? 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
_The Doctor__ Posted January 28, 2019 Share Posted January 28, 2019 (edited) to be honest, an xep 80 style 80 column board with color enabled in card or pbi form would be a good way to go.... while a bit 3 is great and will always be for the time, careful look under the hood will show a good deal went into it. I'd weigh the two and pick the most bang for the buck today... if the card path were taken, an eci pbi adapter might be possible, or a 9 pin port adapter for joystick port fans, any conversion would be possible in whatever direction, you might have considered a 1090 approach on 800XL's and later.. 1200XL without the PBI added is forever a mistake that forces the whole joystick issue, I'd love for every 1200 to be pbi modded My belief is the modded 800 , pbi added back in, cart port fix, with incognito would could should be the gold standard.. after that, any any of the XL/XE's with pbi/eci and a 1090 would have been fine... but you better have one of the better keyboards or one of the good solutions out there to avoid some squishy experiences Edited January 28, 2019 by _The Doctor__ 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gunstar Posted January 28, 2019 Share Posted January 28, 2019 (edited) I'd love for every 1200 to be pbi modded My belief is the modded 800 , pbi added back in, cart port fix, with incognito would could should be the gold standard.. after that, any any of the XL/XE's with pbi/eci and a 1090 would have been fine... but you better have one of the better keyboards or one of the good solutions out there to avoid some squishy experiences You can only control that which you own. Mine is modded. But don't single out the 1200XL as the machine that brings it all down, there is also the 400, many 65XE's and the XEGS that Atari made the same mistake with, repeatedly, to cause one-for-all half-assed controller port solutuions. I don't count the 800 because it was designed around cards and can be upgraded just by swapping in new CPU and Personality cards, and even the ramcard slots can be used for upgrades other than memory as the Bit-3 80 column board shows. That and lack interest of to do proper upgrades for each machine like a card for the 800 and PBI/ECI versions for the others that have them. I agree 100% on that last statement. Once I get an Incognito or similar I plan on doing exactly what you suggest. I'll use the edge connector hidden inside the 800 and make a PBI adapter for it. Though I'm not sure what you mean about the cart port fix, unless you are referring to JAC!'s mod that lets The!Cart work with the 800, in which case I've already done it. As to the 1090, that's why I did my PBI mod...but even though that's vaporware a second time around now with the 1090XLR, I'm glad I did it anyway as there are plenty of other PBI upgrades doing it the hard way, with PBI pass-through, like my new Sys-check XL 2.2. And why I am now an advocate for pass-through ports on everything, Be it PBI/ECI, cartridge, SIO or controller ports. Edited January 28, 2019 by Gunstar 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flashjazzcat Posted January 28, 2019 Share Posted January 28, 2019 I agree 100% on that last statement. Once I get an Incognito or similar I plan on doing exactly what you suggest. I'll use the edge connector hidden inside the 800 and make a PBI adapter for it. If you get an Incognito, you can ignore the board edge connector since Incognito has its own PBI connector on a 50-way IDC header. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gunstar Posted January 28, 2019 Share Posted January 28, 2019 (edited) If you get an Incognito, you can ignore the board edge connector since Incognito has its own PBI connector on a 50-way IDC header. Oh, that's what I plan on using and connect the header with a ribbon cable to the 800's edge connector and then an adapter. I want to do it that way as I don't want to have to use cables to the devices on the outside and attempt to mount a PBI edge connector or parallel port to the case and then parallel cable to an adapter or a ribbon cable from the IDC just through the case or what not, that's all too ugly and home-brew hack-job-like for me. I've always hated the look of exposed ribbon cables; that was a big turn-off for me with the Apple II line and ribbon cables to external peripherals like the disk drives. I'm willing to accept one external ribbon cable if it's going to an expansion box like the 1090 or Texas Instruments expansion box for the 99-4/A, that I can hide under a monitor stand. Other wise I'd rather have pass-through ports and a system with peripherals connected ten foot deep or wide instead ribbon cables. Thank God for SIO cables and daisy-chaining, it looks so much better. Instead I can have a nice, sturdy edge connector to use, with a nice sturdy adapter to PBI edge connector connected to it, then direct connect of the PBI devices to the back of the 800 (the ones that don't use cables/ribbons to begin with). Lastly because it's there and I can use it, I want too. I'm pretty sure I can make the adapter onto the 800's mobo edge connector so that nothing is sticking out the backside of the case and the PBI edge is accessible similar to XL's. I'll make it so devices mount to the rear properly or there is a platform for them to mount properly. I haven't yet measured the distance from the 800's mobo edge connector to the desktop, but I've already studied the idea and know all that needs doing, including cutting away part of the inner shielding and case for the adapter to connect. I can also use that shielding as another brace for the adapter with brackets and screws holding the adapter to the shielding. It will be a very sturdy, professional job that looks, from the outside, like it was factory original, just like my 1200XL PBI. Edited January 28, 2019 by Gunstar Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forrest Posted January 28, 2019 Share Posted January 28, 2019 fiscap, That's a very nice system. The original purchaser probably spent about a total of $700 for the two Mosiac RAM cards and the 3Bit 80 column card. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kyle22 Posted January 29, 2019 Share Posted January 29, 2019 All of the above is nice, but WHY didn't anyone correct the OP that it is properly called Bit3 (that's it's name), not 3Bit? Is everyone too PC to correct a blatant error of fact? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AtariGeezer Posted January 29, 2019 Share Posted January 29, 2019 Except for you, we must all have dyslexia 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gunstar Posted January 29, 2019 Share Posted January 29, 2019 (edited) I just didn't notice. I think everyone is susceptible to dyslexic-like episodes if you aren't paying close attention or "speed reading." not true dyslexia, but the non-dyslexic mind can "overlook" or even correct in the mind's eye, transposed letters if words are not carefully read. I'm constantly mistyping and transposing letters in words myself because I'm thinking faster than I can type and my hands can't keep up error free. I think 99% of my posts are edited and it's usually because I don't see such typos until after I submit, even if I "proof read" first. Edited January 29, 2019 by Gunstar 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Curt Vendel Posted January 29, 2019 Share Posted January 29, 2019 If you need a copy of the BIT-3 Manual, I had just pulled it out 4-5 days ago and its on my scanner to be scanned this week and posted up, I'll let you know when its done. The Mosaic's were neat because they could be daisy chained together and create this continuous block of memory. I'm just vaguely remembering, I would have to pull out a Mosaic 64 box and see if its manual details everything, I'll check for that this weekend as well. Nice score. I got 3 systems with Bit 3's 6 months ago and sold them all off fairly cheap on the Atari Museum Marketplace on facebook. I already have 2 Bit3's and certainly didn't need 3 more. 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Like us on Facebook
Follow us on Twitter
AtariAge on Instagram
Watch us on YouTube
Chat on Discord
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.