A little bragging and good news for me

[MrFSL]

Well, as the title says, I have had a bit of good luck.

 

First, I caught and have survived Covid-19 and not sooner do I start feeling better and got off quarantine that I find a local advertisement for a 800XL. It was my first trip out of the house but

I stopped to check it out. It was still in the original box with all the original documents and cables. Everything is in excellent working order and it has a fully socketed motherboard as well. I have been checking almost daily for over a year to find something like this locally. The seller found it in the garbage and let me have it for $100 USD. The way things have been going lately, I think this is a pretty good deal for me. My modded 800xl was made in Tiawan and its serial number is in the  100,000s --- this new one is made in Hong Kong and the serial is in the 10,000s.

 

Anyway. It made me happy so I thought I would share the story and a couple pics. I particularly love the original price tag on the box from Sears for $299.99.

 

 

 

[TGB1718]

Nice find, just one word of caution, it that a dreaded Ingot PSU ? hard to tell in the photo, but looks like it

 

[bfollowell]

Congratulations! That was an awesome find.

 

It's hard to believe, in this day and age, with retro everything making such a big comeback, that someone would just put something like this out in the trash. I guess some people just aren't knowledgeable about such things or can't be bothered. The main thing is, it now has a good home now, and I don't think $100 was too much since it came in the original box and it looks to be in such excellent condition. If it works and needs no TLC on top of that, well that's just icing on the cake!

 

I agree with @TGB1718. That does look like an ingot PSU and, if so, you shouldn't even plug it in just to quickly check out the computer. They're definitely Atari killers. Either cut the cable/DIN off of the PSU and make yourself a nice new, efficient PSU or, if you don't have the skills, purchase a new one. I've made several new PSUs using the excellent CanaKit 5V 2.5A Raspberry Pi 3 B+ PSU.

 

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00MARDJZ4/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[Awch]

If you're not comfortable making your own power cable, a couple of vendors have pre made USB to Atari (600XL, 800XL, 65XE, 130XE, or XEGS) power cables. You just need a 2 amp or higher USB power supply with these:

 

https://www.8bitclassics.com/product/atari-xl-xe-usb-power-cable/

https://thebrewingacademy.com/collections/atari-800-xl-xe-xel-xld/products/atari-xl-xe-replacement-power-via-usb

[Mclaneinc]

Congrats on getting through COVID, gives heart to me as I'm positive as is my wife and daughter...

 

Lovely machine but like others, do not use the PSU its a killer..

 

So nice to hear your story, we all deserve some luck and kindness..

 

Paul..

 

Happy gaming!

[MrFSL]

@TGB1718 Ahhh yes! It is the dreaded boat anchor, good spotting! Luck has it that i tested with my own homemade PSU. 

 

@bfollowell when using this adapter, are you splicing together wires, or are you able to pop open the casing on the psu? My homemade one is a not too great wire splicing with USB cables.

 

@Awch Thanks for the links. I have bought from both companies in the past. I like to support the community but rotating my purchases which means it would be 8bits turn if i purchased one... we will see.

 

@Mclaneinc Yep!  Me,  the wife, the children,  and my elderly father all made it through!  I have a dear friend dying for years of a nasty cancer. His time is quickly running out and when he caught it i was sure it would take him, but he survived it too. My suggestions are:  rest, even if not tired and push the liquids. Also,  we live in a time where inexpensive medical devices are easy to purchase.  I suggest owning devices to measure your oxygen, pulse, temperature, and blood pressure. I also suggest owning and understanding how to use a incentive spirometer. They are like $7 on amazon. It's good for fighting pneumonia, and can strengthen and increase your lung capacity; also it can tell you if your lung capacity is decreasing. Try not to worry too much and listen to your doctors.  Go to a hospital without hesitation if you think you should - its a serious illness. I'm not a doctor, but these things helped me make medical decisions for myself and family. Best of luck and prayers for you all!

 

[bfollowell]

3 minutes ago, MrFSL said:

 

@bfollowell when using this adapter, are you splicing together wires, or are you able to pop open the casing on the psu? My homemade one is a not too great wire splicing with USB cables.

 

 

If you cut DIN and the attached wire off at the end closest to the power brick, you should have about 2' of cable. Then, with the PSU I suggested, you just the very tip off and splice the wires together on the two ends; the one you salvaged from your ingot and the one from the new PSU. It should give you a nice long cable with a 2.5A PSU. Definitely more than you need, but nice, stable, and efficient. Just make certain you get the polarity correct. I have a full work station in the garage, so I was able to solder the wires together, put heat-shrink tubing over the individual connections and the cable as a whole and make a professional looking cable. It may be a little harder without a soldering iron, heat gun, and heat-shrink, but they're still relatively easy to make.

 

[Mclaneinc]

@MrFSL thank you for all the advice, appreciated, glad all yours made it through, me and Cindy my wife are the worst at risk but I think we are starting to mend, to be fair I've not felt that ill, cold / flu at worst but I don't take risks with my family so ambulance on speed dial

 

Have great fun with the machine...

 

Paul..