1400XL questions...

[geneb]

Is there a 1400XL registry or a known count of the machines that escaped from Atari?

 

Tnx!

 

g.

[+Stephen]

I'm not aware of anything - I know here we have a few serial number lists, but for the common release machines (800, 1200XL, etc.)

[+kheller2]

That is a loaded question.  Everything you might consider as a "1400XL" are only prototypes.  And, there are two versions of the 1400XL model motherboard: the 1400 and then the 1450. The original design was a 1400 board, and the 1450 board (Search here on AA for that) was the exact same board but with a header for power and data to the floppy board. Later, it was believed to be that the 1400 board was scrapped to just the the 1450board.  Then the 1400XL was scrapped.  Eventually the 1450 product itself was also scrapped, then a few months later the TONG board was designed that was the 1450+floppy+new support chips all on one big board in the same 1450XLD plastics from a few months prior.

 

So, yes there are 1400 boards with hand written/etched serial numbers 

I know of #4 (one I used to own) and #6 Bob used to own. SN format would be: "REV X2 SN Y-52983", where Y is the number of the prototype.

 

The 1450 boards, there was a pilot run of them (50 comes to mind), I forget how many, plus several bare boards that were sold off over the years.

 

Tong has two revisions that I'm aware of.

 

 

[+mytek]

Why was it called the 'Tong' board?

 

[+DrVenkman]

49 minutes ago, kheller2 said:

That is a loaded question.  Everything you might consider as a "1400XL" are only prototypes.  And, there are two versions of the 1400XL model motherboard: the 1400 and then the 1450. The original design was a 1400 board, and the 1450 board (Search here on AA for that) was the exact same board but with a header for power and data to the floppy board. Later, it was believed to be that the 1400 board was scrapped to just the the 1450board.  Then the 1400XL was scrapped.  Eventually the 1450 product itself was also scrapped, then a few months later the TONG board was designed that was the 1450+floppy+new support chips all on one big board in the same 1450XLD plastics from a few months prior.

 

So, yes there are 1400 boards with hand written/etched serial numbers 

I know of #4 (one I used to own) and #6 Bob used to own. SN format would be: "REV X2 SN Y-52983", where Y is the number of the prototype.

 

The 1450 boards, there was a pilot run of them (50 comes to mind), I forget how many, plus several bare boards that were sold off over the years.

 

Tong has two revisions that I'm aware of.

 

 

What boards were installed in the relative handful of machines that made it out of Atari as complete computers, including those few with 1400XL cases?

[+MrFish]

7 hours ago, mytek said:

Why was it called the 'Tong' board?

 

According to AtariMuseum.com it was the codename:

 

Atari 1450XLD

Codenames:

Dynasty (1983 Version, shorter motherboard with Disk Drive Daughter board)

TONG (1984 Version, very large all in one board)

 

[geneb]

Thanks for the responses folks, it's hugely appreciated.

 

g.

[+kheller2]

11 hours ago, DrVenkman said:

What boards were installed in the relative handful of machines that made it out of Atari as complete computers, including those few with 1400XL cases?

Depends on how you define "complete computers."   You mean just a 1400XL case with or without a label, shown at shows and in engineers hands?   Some had the 1400 boards, some apparently, had the 1450 board. 

[+kheller2]

6 hours ago, MrFish said:

 

According to AtariMuseum.com it was the codename:

 

Atari 1450XLD

Codenames:

Dynasty (1983 Version, shorter motherboard with Disk Drive Daughter board)

TONG (1984 Version, very large all in one board)

 

Yup, and no one knows why it was called "TONG".  Curt was interested in finding that out too.  The board is marked "TONG CPU MOTHERBOARD"

[+DrVenkman]

11 minutes ago, kheller2 said:

Depends on how you define "complete computers."   You mean just a 1400XL case with or without a label, shown at shows and in engineers hands?   Some had the 1400 boards, some apparently, had the 1450 board. 

I’m talking about the machines that made it out the door in complete cases, with ports for the PBI, modem jack, etc. There are a number known, including a few with factory “1400XL” case badges. In fact, one was mentioned here and on Facebook just a few years ago and sold on eBay for about $3,400 if I recall correctly. 

[xrbrevin]

was it ever officially released or are they all 'escapees'? ?

[+Stephen]

4 minutes ago, xrbrevin said:

was it ever officially released or are they all 'escapees'? ?

Never officially released.

[xrbrevin]

Just now, Stephen said:

Never officially released.

ah, then each one is a refugee!

[zzip]

Once I was in a department store that had what I thought was 1200XL on display, and a swear I heard the thing talk!   According to the spec, the nearly identical-looking 1400XL had a speech synthesizer but the 1200XL did not.    Not saying they were shipping 1400XL demonstration models to stores, but I could never figure this out.  For the longest time I was thinking the 1200XL must have a speech synth they forgot to mention in the specs.

[+kheller2]

56 minutes ago, DrVenkman said:

I’m talking about the machines that made it out the door in complete cases, with ports for the PBI, modem jack, etc. There are a number known, including a few with factory “1400XL” case badges. In fact, one was mentioned here and on Facebook just a few years ago and sold on eBay for about $3,400 if I recall correctly. 

 

Sarcasm:  12.  12 units made it out.  I don't think anyone really knows exactly how many show units were made.  There is a note in one of the log books about how many pilot units of the 1450 board they wanted.  I'll see if I can dig it up.

[+DrVenkman]

47 minutes ago, kheller2 said:

 

Sarcasm:  12.  12 units made it out.  I don't think anyone really knows exactly how many show units were made.  There is a note in one of the log books about how many pilot units of the 1450 board they wanted.  I'll see if I can dig it up.

No need for sarcasm - I didn’t ask about numbers. I asked which version of the 1400XL board these cased machines have, in response to you own question earlier. 

[AtariGeezer]

16 hours ago, kheller2 said:

The 1450 boards, there was a pilot run of them (50 comes to mind), I forget how many, plus several bare boards that were sold off over the years.

 

I think there 100 of them as mine has #99 written on it...

[electronizer]

Mine is #13. It is labeled as an engineering sample on the case, and also has a stick-on label that says “Atari 1450XLD / 1400XL 10-7 Used for PT68 Test”

 

The 6 in PT68 looks like it was written over a 1.

[+kheller2]

10 hours ago, electronizer said:

Mine is #13. It is labeled as an engineering sample on the case, and also has a stick-on label that says “Atari 1450XLD / 1400XL 10-7 Used for PT68 Test”

 

The 6 in PT68 looks like it was written over a 1.

Can you post some pics of the board and case?  Thank you.

 

Karl

 

[electronizer]

Here are some pictures.

[geneb]

What is the little daughter board on the right edge of the PCB used for?

 

tnx.

 

g.

[+kheller2]

40 minutes ago, geneb said:

What is the little daughter board on the right edge of the PCB used for?

 

tnx.

 

g.

That's basically the modem, or parts of it.

 

[+kheller2]

42 minutes ago, electronizer said:

Here are some pictures.

 

 

 

NICE!  I'm assuming you have dumped that OS ROM and made sure we have that version.

 

I see these is a 1450  photo board too.  Those I haven't seen many of.

[+kheller2]

  here is a 1400 PROTO board for comparison.

 

[geneb]

7 minutes ago, kheller2 said:

That's basically the modem, or parts of it.

 

So there's something missing that goes into that weird socket-like structure?

 

g.