New 400

[Goochman]

First wanted to through out a thanks to warerat for hooking me up with a really nice 400 unit - Ive always wanted one of these to round out my collection and now I am set

 

I fired up Wizard of Wor and had some good retro memories. Funny that Atari had the 'Computer Game System' in the 400 before this category existed (of course it became the ill fated 5200) - If Atari couldve cut down the costs a bit more and the 400 repositioned I wonder how things couldve been different? The keyboard clearly wasnt designed for heavy duty typing, but perfect for occasional game type needs. I banged on the keyboard for a bit and dont think I couldve handled all the basic programming I did with that keyboard

 

In some respects I wonder if the 400 didnt come out right away and was released a few years down the road the 5200 wouldve never existed?

[+Allan]

In some respects I wonder if the 400 didnt come out right away and was released a few years down the road the 5200 wouldve never existed?

 

That would have been a shame.

 

Allan

[Goochman]

In some respects I wonder if the 400 didnt come out right away and was released a few years down the road the 5200 wouldve never existed?

 

That would have been a shame.

 

Allan

 

Let me rephrase - a 5200 that was really a 400 with backward compatibility and regular joysticks

[Scream And Fly]

The 400 is one of my favorite machines, congrats on getting one. I have a few 400s, but my favorite is this never-used one

 

[+Allan]

In some respects I wonder if the 400 didnt come out right away and was released a few years down the road the 5200 wouldve never existed?

 

That would have been a shame.

 

Allan

 

Let me rephrase - a 5200 that was really a 400 with backward compatibility and regular joysticks

 

Well that would have been cool except the joystick part. The 5200 aren't perfect but they are better than the 2600 joysticks. I didn't get cramps from them after playing for a while like the 2600 joysticks. I just wish they had harder firebuttons and better way to make the buttons work longer. But I know everybody has their own opinion.

 

But if it was 400/800 compatible they would have had to do a different controller.

 

It would have been great for the 5200 to have had 64K Ram and 64K Rom. Unfortunetly Ram was too expensive back then.

 

Allan

[doctorclu]

I lived on a Atari 400 from 1981 till 1989 when I got a Macintosh 128K. Still use Macs primarily.

 

All I have to say is, great machine. (Had mine expanded to 48K, some drives, and most importantly, a MODEM!!)

 

The world of BBS's and all the typing and writing I did there I thank for the job in contract writing I have today.

 

The membrane keyboard built up a typing speed that when I switched to regular keyboard amazed my job at the typing test.

 

Yeh, Love the Atari 400. But now that I can afford it, I use an Atari 800 on a regular basis.

 

But the 400 will remain in my heart and thankfulness.