Should I get a 130XE?

[kogden]

A 130XE with 320K and an "XE Touch" keyboard upgrade from Best is a sweet machine.  With the replacement cups it feels much much better than even the early XL keyboards.

 

My major gripe is just the crap PCB quality.  The SIO port broke in mine and lifted some traces.  Going to be painful to repair.  Some of them had crap RAM that could fail too.  Taking a soldering iron to these machines can be scary.

 

I think a 130XE is totally worth having though.  Was my first computer as a kid.  Parents bought it for me when they got STs. 

 

[leech]

4 hours ago, kogden said:

A 130XE with 320K and an "XE Touch" keyboard upgrade from Best is a sweet machine.  With the replacement cups it feels much much better than even the early XL keyboards.

 

My major gripe is just the crap PCB quality.  The SIO port broke in mine and lifted some traces.  Going to be painful to repair.  Some of them had crap RAM that could fail too.  Taking a soldering iron to these machines can be scary.

 

I think a 130XE is totally worth having though.  Was my first computer as a kid.  Parents bought it for me when they got STs. 

 

I have two sets of the "XE Touch", but they were springs, and made the keyboard REALLY touchy.  Like if I tried to rest my fingers at all on the keys, they'd type.  Though I kind of noticed they have a wider opening on one end than the other.  And do consider that maybe I just put them upside down (larger area going downward).  Would be interested in seeing what your keycaps look like.

[kogden]

On 7/30/2020 at 1:40 AM, leech said:

I have two sets of the "XE Touch", but they were springs, and made the keyboard REALLY touchy.  Like if I tried to rest my fingers at all on the keys, they'd type.  Though I kind of noticed they have a wider opening on one end than the other.  And do consider that maybe I just put them upside down (larger area going downward).  Would be interested in seeing what your keycaps look like

Mine looks like a stock 130XE.  I didn't have a keyboard with springs.  It had rubber cups.  The XE Touch replacements actually gave it the best feeling keyboard of any Atari 8-bit I've ever had.  Lovely tactile feedback.  Far better than my 600XL or even 800XL even with the Alps keyboard.  

 

I not exaggerating, this made the keyboard fan-f**kin-tastic.  If you have a later XE without springs you won't regret the effort.  Instead you'll be crying about why the XE PCB quality sucked so much that's it's hard to install the RAM and video upgrades when the keyboard is so awesome.

 

I'm not joking and Brad at Best didn't pay me to say this.  Even FJC would probably agree.  It is night and supernova.  I WISH my PC keyboard was that nice feeling.

[flashjazzcat]

1 hour ago, kogden said:

Even FJC would probably agree. 

I have no idea about that, and nor do you. As a matter of fact, people have had such mixed experiences with Bradley Koda of late that I wouldn't necessarily advocate buying anything at all from him unless you have no choice in the matter.

Edited August 13, 2020 by flashjazzcat

[youxia]

^{Funny reading here about the 800 line being a "timeless design" - personally I always thought it to be the ugliest A8, what with that awful cartridge hole and wobbly function keys. Truly, there is no accounting for taste}

^{I bought a 65XE last year, because of S-Video, but I also do think this design line looks much better than the previous Ataris, and is perhaps the sexiest of all 8-bit micros (well, maybe after CPC 6128). I'm talking strictly about looks though.}

[bfollowell]

I remember thinking, in the late eighties and early ninties, that I just HAD to have a 130XE. I mean, it was the top of the line, it was that latest and greatest, it had to have awesome quality, it had that awesome ST styling. Heck, it had the biggest number! It had to be the best, right?

 

That just goes to show how little the younger me knew about business and manufacturing.

 

Move forward to today and knowing of the quality issues, the mushy keyboard, and the complete lack of socketing, personally I wouldn't have an XE. Now, that being said, I'm not and will never be a collector. I have an 800XL and a 1088XEL. The 1088XEL, once completed and running well, will be my main daily user. The 800XL I probably won't be able to part with just because it's my old machine from the eighties. Now, if I were a collector, I'd probably want to pick one up just to have one for the collection, but it probably wouldn't be a daily user.

 

When you ask a broad question like this, and you're liable to get as many different opinions as you get answers. Every user is different and we all have our favorite machines. The thing you need to ask yourself is why you need or want a 130XE. Push comes to shove, no one else's answer is going to make any difference.
 

[zzip]

2 hours ago, youxia said:

^{Funny reading here about the 800 line being a "timeless design" - personally I always thought it to be the ugliest A8, what with that awful cartridge hole and wobbly function keys. Truly, there is no accounting for taste}

^{I bought a 65XE last year, because of S-Video, but I also do think this design line looks much better than the previous Ataris, and is perhaps the sexiest of all 8-bit micros (well, maybe after CPC 6128). I'm talking strictly about looks though.}

I think the 800 looks a bit dated, but not horrible.  It's from the 70s, at least it wasn't wood-grained ?   The 400 takes my vote for being the "ugliest"

[youxia]

29 minutes ago, zzip said:

I think the 800 looks a bit dated, but not horrible.  It's from the 70s, at least it wasn't wood-grained ?   The 400 takes my vote for being the "ugliest"

Sorry, I should be more precise I suppose, I was thinking about 800XL style.

 

The 400-800 is actually not so bad. I quite like 70s computer design, and these (400 particularly) look like something that could be in the first Alien movie

[bfollowell]

1 hour ago, youxia said:

Sorry, I should be more precise I suppose, I was thinking about 800XL style.

 

The 400-800 is actually not so bad. I quite like 70s computer design, and these (400 particularly) look like something that could be in the first Alien movie

 

I was thinking the same thing. Alien: Isolation has a similar seventies futuristic styling to it.

 

[kogden]

On 8/13/2020 at 2:25 AM, flashjazzcat said:

I have no idea about that, and nor do you. As a matter of fact, people have had such mixed experiences with Bradley Koda of late that I wouldn't necessarily advocate buying anything at all from him unless you have no choice in the matter.

That wasn't meant to be serious but I guess you can't hear the fake used car salesmen tone.... didn't you plug his XE Touch kit in the past at some point?  That kit made it suck a whole lot less.  

 

Other than Brad being weird about cancelled orders, have people really had a lot of major issues with him lately?  I haven't ordered from him in a few years so I honestly don't know. 

 

Once I get back to work I was going to get my ST's and XE back in shape.  130XE SIO port has broken solder joints and lifted pads as well so it needs repair too.  

 

Any recommendations on parts sources for Tramiel era machines that are less of a PITA to deal with?  I ended up with 6 ST's and monitors recently for free and most run but need love pretty badly.

[flashjazzcat]

4 minutes ago, kogden said:

That wasn't meant to be serious but I guess you can't hear the fake used car salesmen tone.... didn't you plug his XE Touch kit in the past at some point?  That kit made it suck a whole lot less. 

I realise that. Sorry if I sounded gruff. But no: I have no experience whatsoever of the XE Touch kit and while it may be great, it would have to be transcendent in order to better my favourite keyboards. So who knows whether I would recommend it or not.

5 minutes ago, kogden said:

Other than Brad being weird about cancelled orders, have people really had a lot of major issues with him lately?

I haven't ordered from Brad for many years and while there were no show-stopping issues when I did, one always felt one wrong word away from the whole transaction falling apart. Aside from the aforementioned recent testimonials, I recently heard from one NYC customer who wanted to buy one of Brad's NOS 600XLs. Brad wouldn't sell him one, however; he preferred to break up the machines and sell the parts separately.

8 minutes ago, kogden said:

Any recommendations on parts sources for Tramiel era machines that are less of a PITA to deal with?

Not really. I've been lucky in that I have a lot of dead breaker machines, but the supply of VLSIs they provide is rapidly running out. When I'm stuck, I usually look to AtariFreakz on eBay. Honestly, in the UK, buying almost anything from the USA is prohibitively expensive once one factors in shipping and VAT/Import duty. A polish customer recently ordered a UAV from The Brewing Academy to be delivered direct to my address for installation in the client's 800XL. On top of the cost of the UAV and the shipping, the item incurred a GBP 14.13 VAT/Import charge which probably brought the overall cost to about GBP 65 for a tiny board worth about $25.

11 minutes ago, kogden said:

I ended up with 6 ST's and monitors recently for free and most run but need love pretty badly.

I have one or two breaker STs here and installed a GOTEK in someone's machine last year. I don't mind working on them on the rare occasions they come in.

[NISMOPC]

I've ordered from Best many times in the past.

 

Most recent experience last week.

I ordered the following:

 

1  Atari US / NTSC 130XE Populated Motherboard

1  Atari 7800 Sentinel Light Gun game

 

I just sent Brad an email with the items I wanted, asked for a price, got response in under 24 hrs. I Paypal'd him and it was shipped that day. I received the items requested in under 3 days from ordering.

 

Never had an issue with him.

[leech]

1 hour ago, NISMOPC said:

I've ordered from Best many times in the past.

 

Most recent experience last week.

I ordered the following:

 

1  Atari US / NTSC 130XE Populated Motherboard

1  Atari 7800 Sentinel Light Gun game

 

I just sent Brad an email with the items I wanted, asked for a price, got response in under 24 hrs. I Paypal'd him and it was shipped that day. I received the items requested in under 3 days from ordering.

 

Never had an issue with him.

Closest to an issue I had was trying to explain that I needed the hook that holds the JagCD lid down, as mine had broken many years ago.  Outside of being charged 6 bucks for a tiny piece of plastic, I got the part and now the JagCD is as good as new!  Granted at some point I also replaced the laser, that was another 10 bucks..

[bfollowell]

2 hours ago, NISMOPC said:

I've ordered from Best many times in the past.

 

Most recent experience last week.

I ordered the following:

 

1  Atari US / NTSC 130XE Populated Motherboard

1  Atari 7800 Sentinel Light Gun game

 

I just sent Brad an email with the items I wanted, asked for a price, got response in under 24 hrs. I Paypal'd him and it was shipped that day. I received the items requested in under 3 days from ordering.

 

Never had an issue with him.

 

1 hour ago, leech said:

Closest to an issue I had was trying to explain that I needed the hook that holds the JagCD lid down, as mine had broken many years ago.  Outside of being charged 6 bucks for a tiny piece of plastic, I got the part and now the JagCD is as good as new!  Granted at some point I also replaced the laser, that was another 10 bucks..

 

Most of people's issues with Brad over the past couple of years are with his $20 minimum order or with going over his arbitrary and ever changing maximum number of items per order. The numbers I keep hearing more than any other are no more than four or five items per order. So, if you needed six items, and they were all only $2-$3 apiece, you'd be doubly screwed because he probably wouldn't sell you six items and, even if he did, your items wouldn't meet the $20 minimum order. It really just depends on what you order and how much. But, like others have mentioned, over the past year or two, I've found it like walking on egg shells, wondering if I might say or do anything that will upset him and get me banned forever. It's sad, but I've started just sending him simple items requests with no extra communication or banter, because I'm so afraid of saying something that might upset him, and you have no way of knowing what innocent comment may upset him. If you keep all of that in mind when you're ordering, then yes, you will probably get your order in and receive it with no issues. As long as you can stay on his good side, you'll never receive faster or better service.

 

If you go in expecting him to be like the Amazon of Atari sales, question his archaic web site or push him to break one of his arbitrary and ever increasing and changing rules, or Lord forbid, make any sort of negative comment, regardless of minor you may feel it is, there's an extremely good chance you will be completely banned and he will never answer another email or phone call from you.

 

Edited August 15, 2020 by bfollowell

[leech]

19 minutes ago, bfollowell said:

If you go in expecting him to be like the Amazon of Atari sales, question his archaic web site or push him to break one of his arbitrary and ever increasing and changing rules, or Lord forbid, make any sort of negative comment, regardless of minor you may feel it is, there's an extremely good chance you will be completely banned and he will never answer another email or phone call from you.

 

Oh come on, we've ALL done that!  Then again, his site is probably one of the few that are still very easily browsable on 16/32 bit hardware.  We should make that a requirement of FujiNet.  "Must be able to browse Brad's site" 

[+Stephen]

7 hours ago, kogden said:

That wasn't meant to be serious but I guess you can't hear the fake used car salesmen tone.... didn't you plug his XE Touch kit in the past at some point?  That kit made it suck a whole lot less.  

 

Other than Brad being weird about cancelled orders, have people really had a lot of major issues with him lately?  I haven't ordered from him in a few years so I honestly don't know. 

 

Once I get back to work I was going to get my ST's and XE back in shape.  130XE SIO port has broken solder joints and lifted pads as well so it needs repair too.  

 

Any recommendations on parts sources for Tramiel era machines that are less of a PITA to deal with?  I ended up with 6 ST's and monitors recently for free and most run but need love pretty badly.

Probably was me gushing about the keyboard upgrade.  I put one in my (former) daily driver 130XE and enjoyed typing on it more than 1200XL.  I also have one in a 1040ST keyboard, but I haven't used that machine in 5 or 6 years now.

 

These days, my go to machine is the 1088XLD I built, tricked out with VBXE2, Stereo, Covox, MIDI, U1MB, and best of all, with the built in TK-II I am using my favourite old school keyboard, a Model M clone called the Focus 2001.

 

Sorry - don't know of a good source for parts.

[Sinjinhawke]

I think I have some bad ram in my 130xe.  What are the best places to order ram and sockets from in North America.   Want to ship to Toronto.   
 

If any other chips go bad do you just look for other Atari’s online to scavenge?

[StickJock]

I ordered replacement 64K & 256K for my 130 (320) XE from JameCo.

 

Which, funny enough, is where I ordered 16Kx1 for my 800 & 256Kx1 for my 130 back in the 80s.

 

[bfollowell]

1 hour ago, Sinjinhawke said:

I think I have some bad ram in my 130xe.  What are the best places to order ram and sockets from in North America.   Want to ship to Toronto.   
 

If any other chips go bad do you just look for other Atari’s online to scavenge?

 

I use Digi-Key for most of my components. Sometimes I get older RAM off of ebay. It just depends.

 

[bfollowell]

4 hours ago, leech said:

Oh come on, we've ALL done that!  Then again, his site is probably one of the few that are still very easily browsable on 16/32 bit hardware.  We should make that a requirement of FujiNet.  "Must be able to browse Brad's site" 

 

Oh yes, I'm sure we all have here and there, but he's gotten a whole lot touchier over just about everything in the past couple of years. I just know that I no longer try to engage with him at all unless he instigates it. With me it's strictly business, and I try to stick to whatever the newest set of rules that I can determine are. Personally, I've not had any problems with Brad, but I've read enough that I can't discount it all. Also, I've seen and heard some of the cranky, strange behavior that I've heard others talk about, and I took it as a warning sign the second I noticed and changed the subject or went all business. All of my transactions with Brad have went well, and I want them to continue to do so.