Chelco 600XL...?

[KulorXL]

Howdy again! I registered here a few months ago to post about what I thought might've been a prototype 600XL. Based on my observations, I knew it didn't have a serial number and didn't show any message aside from "READY" when you booted it up. I was told it was probably a normal unit.

Well, upon ordering a 1064, I discovered that the motherboard was a bit too high up for it to fit, so I sent it in to Bruce & Cathy to fix.

They couldn't, they said it was a nonstandard unit, claiming the power switch was different.

Well, I just got it back, and did a bit more research, and here are some of the anomalous things I found...

1) Power switch is a sliding type, as opposed to the normal lightswitch type

2) Parallel Bus doesn't have a plastic wall to enclose the computer

3) Clamps on the Parallel Bus are much bigger than usual

4) The motherboard doesn't appear to actually be misaligned; looking in through the vents, you can see that the slopes match up with the plastic. Motherboard is naturally offset...? Everything is aligned properly with the casing aside from the Parallel Bus...

5) Back sticker doesn't have any patent information or serial number

6) The motherboard is marked "CHELCO 1983 600XL REV 3". Chelco...?

The Chelco thing is what intrigues me the most. Doing some research, Chelco made the Atari systems, but the boards on normal units are supposed to say Atari.

Here's what I'm asking...

1) Could I get some people who know a bit more about these systems to verify that these are all differences from your standard units?

2) Prototype, mockup or early release system?

3) Just how rare is something like this?

4) It would be most excellent if I could get someone to post pictures of these things on a standard unit for comparison; the back of the unit, high-res; the sticker on the back, and the label on the motherboard. Perhaps also a picture of the whole inside of the system.

Thanks for your help!

 

EDIT: Corrected request #4.

Edited November 19, 2005 by KulorXL

[Rybags]

Sounds interesting. You can post pics yourself. Just select "More Options" next to the Reply button.

 

Then upload each pic and select "Add into post".

 

My SIO cables are Chelco. Maybe they just did the casting of the plastic cases.

[KulorXL]

Sounds interesting.  You can post pics yourself.  Just select "More Options" next to the Reply button.

 

Then upload each pic and select "Add into post".

 

My SIO cables are Chelco.  Maybe they just did the casting of the plastic cases.

968260[/snapback]

 

I meant pics of a standard unit. Can't take pics of mine at the moment, no digital camera.

And yeah, the case is apparantly by them as well, as it's marked with Chelco.

But isn't the motherboard supposed to be marked Atari? No clue on the casing, though...

Apparantly, it's well-known that Chelco made tape drives, I'll look more into that as well...

[Gunstar]

In light of your findings, I'd say you probably have a "prototype" of sorts. An actual prototype is generally built in-house, in as much as the motherboard goes, and then sometimes cases for the prototypes are molded by a third party injection molding company. But since your board says 'Chelco' on it and was obviously built by them, I'd suggest that it's a 'Test run' machine. I work at an Injection-molding company, and we often do very small or even single "test run" parts that are then sent off to the company who they're for, to make sure they are satisfied with the product or if they want to make final design changes, etc. Before the actual production parts get the go-ahead. I think you have a 'test run' 600XL, and indeed, some final revisions were done on the 600XL design before final production. Chelco did the injection molding of the case or had another company do it but they were stamped 'Chelco', then in turn built and assembled the motherboard and then the 'test run' finished computers were sent to Atari for final inspection and re-design. It may actually be rarer than a "prototype" if more than one prototype was made, and depending on how many 'test run' machines were made, generally just 1 or 2, sometimes a few.

Edited November 19, 2005 by Gunstar

[KulorXL]

In light of your findings, I'd say you probably have a "prototype" of sorts. An actual prototype is generally built in-house, in as much as the motherboard goes, and then sometimes cases for the prototypes are molded by a third party injection molding company. But since your board says 'Chelco' on it and was obviously built by them, I'd suggest that it's a 'Test run' machine. I work at an Injection-molding company, and we often do very small or even single "test run" parts that are then sent off to the company who they're for, to make sure they are satisfied with the product or if they want  to make final design changes, etc. Before the actual production parts get the go-ahead.  I think you have a 'test run' 600XL, and indeed, some final revisions were done on the 600XL design before final production. Chelco did the injection molding of the case or had another company do it but they were stamped 'Chelco', then in turn built and assembled the motherboard and then the 'test run' finished computers were sent to Atari for final inspection and re-design. It may actually be rarer than a "prototype" if more than one prototype was made, and depending on how many 'test run' machines were made, generally just 1 or 2, sometimes a few.

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I see, I see...

So how many test-run 600XLs are known to exist?

Also, I'm now wondering if the power supply is prototype as well. Hope not...

My power supply is a model 1, but when we got it, it had a frayed wire. My dad clipped off the end connector, finding that it had pretty much melted on the inside as well. We didn't know what we were dealing with...I ordered another power supply (model 5, I think...), but it didn't work at all. There's another thing I could use pictures of: the insides and connector for your standard model 1 power supply.

 

EDIT: More abnormalities!

7) CLR and CONTROL are written in black text on a white block on the keyboard, not white text surrounded by a white box. I can't tell for sure, but it would appear that this revision came after the 600XL was released.

The labels on the side buttons are under the plastic rim, not over it. Sorta hard to read.

Edited November 19, 2005 by KulorXL

[Rybags]

http://www.atarimagazines.com/v3n2/anatomy.html - inside the 800XL.

 

http://www.atarimuseum.com/computers/8BITS...o/600proto.html - early 600XL prototype

 

There are at least 2 different keyboards for the XLs. When I had a 600XL, it had the nice positive feeling one with the stepped rows. My 800XL has the flat one, with mushy feel. The console indicators were different too from memory, but both have the text on an underlay beneath the clear plastic.

[KulorXL]

http://www.atarimagazines.com/v3n2/anatomy.html - inside the 800XL.

 

http://www.atarimuseum.com/computers/8BITS...o/600proto.html - early 600XL prototype

 

There are at least 2 different keyboards for the XLs.  When I had a 600XL, it had the nice positive feeling one with the stepped rows.  My 800XL has the flat one, with mushy feel.  The console indicators were different too from memory, but both have the text on an underlay beneath the clear plastic.

968328[/snapback]

 

The inside pics are a bit too small, and I can't really see any differences. Then again, I havn't taken off the metal plate, as from what I can tell it would be impossible to do so.

And yeah, I've seen the early prototype. Mine looks almost exactley like a standard 600XL.

As for the keyboards, that's interesting...I've never heard about a flat keyboard for the 800XL, but then again I havn't looked into those much. This one feels fine, stepped rows indeed.

On the pictures I was looking at, it looked like the text was on top of the plastic overlay, but looking back at those, they might not be US models...so I guess we can scratch abnormalities 7 and 8, then.

I just bought another 600XL, so I'll be able to do a side-by-side comparison when it gets here.

[Rybags]

The RF shield comes off easily. You have to pull the motherboard out of the case first.

 

It is probably an even tighter fit than the 800XLs, but I find that pulling the white plastic above the joystick and serial ports helps to ease it out.

 

Then, just bend the metal clips straight and you can unscrew about 6 screw/nuts. There are 2 shield pieces and 1 little bit which acts as a spring clipping mechanism for the PBI.

 

Static is less of a problem than for modern hardware but still, handle the motherboard by the edges.

[KulorXL]

Then, just bend the metal clips straight and you can unscrew about 6 screw/nuts.

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This is where I get stuck; the metal clips are bigger than the slots they fit in. Even if I bent them, I'd have to clip them off to open it.

[+orpheuswaking]

Then, just bend the metal clips straight and you can unscrew about 6 screw/nuts.

968354[/snapback]

 

This is where I get stuck; the metal clips are bigger than the slots they fit in. Even if I bent them, I'd have to clip them off to open it.

968375[/snapback]

 

you will probably find they are longer on one side than the other, allowing you to twist them straight and then angle them out (be careful you don't slice your hand - I did twice on an 800XL)... They went in so they HAVE to be able to come out don't you think?

[Kulor]

you will probably find they are longer on one side than the other, allowing you to twist them straight and then angle them out (be careful you don't slice your hand - I did twice on an 800XL)... They went in so they HAVE to be able to come out don't you think?

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You would think, but I swear they're too big on both sides to fit through at all. As to how they got them in...Chelco magic, that's all I can say.

 

Edit: Whaaa...my old account? Strange. Mods/Admin, you can delete the new one, then.

Edited November 21, 2005 by Kulor