800xl/600xl Label Color Variations?

[Retro Rogue]

Just wondering if anyone knows anything regarding the label variations (the labels on the bottom of the computer), as well as how it effects things revision wise.

 

I picked up a collection the other day (4 800xl's, 600xl, 130xe, 3 1050's, 1010, cables, power supplies, games all for $75) and noticed some differences when taking these all apart for thorough cleaning and inspection.

 

3 of the 800xl's are white labels, with Rev C motherboards and some differences in keyboards (2 have 600xl keyboard pcb's).

 

One of the 800xl's and the 600xl are dark brown labels with a different design, and a different pcb revision. Both have the same keyboard brand (different from the others), and a post on the pcb for a grounding wire that runs from the cartridge port to the post. They're not hacked, it was made like this.

[Rybags]

Wires, joins and components that look like they just don't belong there are fairly common on the XL/XEs.

 

So far as things like keyboard and case go, it's been discussed - there are at least 3 or more keyboard variants among the XLs, which are easily distinguishable due to flat/stepped key rows, and different printing on the keycaps, e.g. inverse or simply surrounded by a rectangle TAB key.

 

I'm fairly sure there are also at least 2 console key typefaces.

 

There are also various motherboard revisions, including the very latest ones which had the Freddie chip onboard.

 

And, with the 600XL, I believe all PAL variants came with a monitor port, whereas NTSC missed out (?)

[Retro Rogue]

Thanks Rybags. I kind of thought that, but I guess what I'm looking for as well is what generations the label color/design switches were.

 

Just looked and my dark label 600xl has a stamped manufacturing date of December 13th, 1983. So I'm going to assume the dark labels are the earlier models.

Edited January 8, 2008 by wgungfu

[Clint Thompson]

(2 have 600xl keyboard pcb's).

 

... and for a short period of time, I thought my 800XL just had a replaced keyboard inside. Guess that's another mystery zapped . Nice pickup btw... 4 800's and 3 1050s? what a steal.