my first atari 800xl home computer!

[Corby]

I just won it today on ebay.

 

It comes with 9 Games Atari Writer Word Processor, James Bond 007, Hardball, Millipede, Squish 'Em, Frogger, Basketball 2 copies, and Deluxe Invaders.

 

 

 

Another question....is there anything I should check before I power this baby up??????

 

Check inside, look over the motherboard. stuff like that. What about the power pac. what should the specs. be on it.

 

heard some stories on the cpu section, and don't want to make any mistakes.

 

here it is...

 

Edited September 26, 2008 by corbysatarigame

[+orpheuswaking]

I just won it today on ebay. paid 40 big ones.

 

It comes with 9 Games Atari Writer Word Processor, James Bond 007, Hardball, Millipede, Squish 'Em, Frogger, Basketball 2 copies, and Deluxe Invaders.

 

Is this a good deal???

 

Another question....is there anything I should check before I power this baby up??????

 

Check inside, look over the motherboard. stuff like that. What about the power pac. what should the specs. be on it.

 

heard some stories on the cpu section, and don't want to make any mistakes.

 

here it is...

 

 

That big white power supply is the correct one for the 800xl (there are actually about 6 types, but the white brick is very recognizable)... I would say that out of all my Atari systems the one that takes the most abuse is the 800xl and I haven't had one die on me from a powerpack (touch wood)...

 

As for the money paid, it's really down to was it worth it to you although to me it's not a bad deal, especially with the box...

 

Have fun with it (and then get a SI02PC so you can use your pc as a harddrive and download lots of games from atarimania)

[evilmoo]

I just won it today on ebay. paid 40 big ones.

 

...

 

Is this a good deal???

 

While nobody likes to feel they got ripped off, I think it's counterproductive to dwell on this too much.

 

Personally, my benchmark for value is relative to the price of a movie. If I pay $10 to see a movie, and it is over in two hours, that's $5/hour for entertainment. So with this math, I would say that if you get eight hours of enjoyment out of the Atari, then you've matched the movie rate for entertainment value. Anything over that is fun for free! Obviously it's up to you to determine your entertainment value rate, but I think an Atari will provide you with many hours of fun, and a few hours of frustration too.

[nathanallan]

For what you got, I would be satisfied. With the box and games, too, I would personally count that as a good deal.

[KiwiArcader]

Indeed. Always nice to have a boxed computer .... especially when they are older types as the resale value is usually a bit more if you have the original packaging/manuals etc.

 

Personally I think the 800XL is/was the nicest of all the units. Had one for years until the RAM died and I threw it in the dumpster. Silly, silly me......

 

Now an original boxed & complete 1200XL for sale .... that would get me really, really interested.

[cephallus]

Indeed. Always nice to have a boxed computer .... especially when they are older types as the resale value is usually a bit more if you have the original packaging/manuals etc.

 

Personally I think the 800XL is/was the nicest of all the units. Had one for years until the RAM died and I threw it in the dumpster. Silly, silly me......

 

Now an original boxed & complete 1200XL for sale .... that would get me really, really interested.

 

 

you mean like this one?

[KiwiArcader]

Indeed. Always nice to have a boxed computer .... especially when they are older types as the resale value is usually a bit more if you have the original packaging/manuals etc.

 

Personally I think the 800XL is/was the nicest of all the units. Had one for years until the RAM died and I threw it in the dumpster. Silly, silly me......

 

Now an original boxed & complete 1200XL for sale .... that would get me really, really interested.

 

 

you mean like this one?

 

Yeah ...but he doesn't ship International.....sigh!!!

[cephallus]

Indeed. Always nice to have a boxed computer .... especially when they are older types as the resale value is usually a bit more if you have the original packaging/manuals etc.

 

Personally I think the 800XL is/was the nicest of all the units. Had one for years until the RAM died and I threw it in the dumpster. Silly, silly me......

 

Now an original boxed & complete 1200XL for sale .... that would get me really, really interested.

 

 

you mean like this one?

 

Yeah ...but he doesn't ship International.....sigh!!!

 

Where are you? I wouldn't mind forwarding it to you outside the US...though that would mean double-shipping costs for you...

[KiwiArcader]

Where are you? I wouldn't mind forwarding it to you outside the US...though that would mean double-shipping costs for you...

 

Wow!!. Thanks for the offer. But as I live in New Zealand [the edge of the world stuff] I'm guessing the postage cost is going to be a killer considering just shipping a 810 disk drive over alone is $50 approx. That's the price for living so far away but it's a price a tad too high just at the present time.

[cephallus]

Where are you? I wouldn't mind forwarding it to you outside the US...though that would mean double-shipping costs for you...

 

Wow!!. Thanks for the offer. But as I live in New Zealand [the edge of the world stuff] I'm guessing the postage cost is going to be a killer considering just shipping a 810 disk drive over alone is $50 approx. That's the price for living so far away but it's a price a tad too high just at the present time.

 

Ya, no kidding. I've shipped car parts from Australia and just about had a heart attack when I got the shipping bill.

[WizWor]

I just won it today on ebay. paid 40 big ones.

 

It comes with 9 Games Atari Writer Word Processor, James Bond 007, Hardball, Millipede, Squish 'Em, Frogger, Basketball 2 copies, and Deluxe Invaders.

 

Is this a good deal???

Hard to say if it is a good deal from the sidelines. If you can sell it for a profit or if you use it a lot, then it was a good deal. Of the included games, I like basketball and millipede. I think the 800xl is a decent machine, but prefer the XEGS because I can do rca out. Still, for $40, if you do a modification to produce the appropriate video out and get a disk of one of the SIO products, you have a video game console that has already achieved a MTBF that would embarrass any modern console maker and a library of free software that will keep you busy for decades. Enjoy your new toy and don't worry about your $40.

[strangedogs]

I pre-ordered my 1200XL in '83 (believe it was '83) from Sears - waited and waited and waited - finally gave up an got the 800XL instead as the 1200's were really held up. That began my love affair with Atari Computers (already owned a 5200 console system). I eventually tweaked it out with a 1050 Disk Drive, Composite Monitor, Printer, etc. In 85' I stood in line to get my 520ST. Later a 1040 ST and after that a 1040 STE. Those were great times... Now I'm a Mac Dude but my Atari's were a whole lotta fun in the "early days". Still using my 5200 a lot now again after a 20+ year "leave of absence" - my wife an I bought another 5200 last year (have 4 or 5 now) - started rebuilding controllers, etc - added some goodies (Wico Controllers, lotsa games, a Multicart, etc) and now I'm watching Ebay for a 1200XL as I'm going through a 2nd childhood I guess... I want one CAUSE I NEVER GOT ONE... hehe - 2nd childhood @ 56 no less!

Edited September 28, 2008 by strangedogs

[cephallus]

When I had my 800xl, I *lusted* after the 1200xl just for the keyboard. I typed in tons of programs from Antic, and it took forever to enter all of those data statements on the terrible 800xl keyboard!

 

I scrounged and saved and begged and cried for a 1050, then for a Commie color monitor (had an NEC amber monitor)...a couple of months after I got them, my grandfather that I didn't have much contact with asked me if I wanted his old computer rig, as he'd just bought a Mac Plus. I figured wth, any old junk was worth playing with...and his "old" rig turned out to be a 1200xl with 3 1050 drives and an 850 interface!

 

I actually sold the 1200xl to buy a 130xe when it first came out, and regretted it for years, even through the ST days. I can honestly say that the 1200xl is my favorite computer of all time...hands down.

Edited September 28, 2008 by cephallus

[spookt]

When I had my 800xl, I *lusted* after the 1200xl just for the keyboard. I typed in tons of programs from Antic, and it took forever to enter all of those data statements on the terrible 800xl keyboard!

 

Just got a 1200 and I can honestly agree that the keyboard rocks. The keyboard on my original 800XL was OK but this is so good I want to plug it into my Mac and use it all day long. Why did Atari use such a great keyboard on the 1200 and then go steadily downhill (don't mention the XE's )