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New Atari PC Computer?


Curt Vendel

  

151 members have voted

  1. 1. Which case would you want a modern PC to be made into?

    • Atari 800XL
      90
    • Atari 65/130XE Case
      20
    • Atari ST (520/1040 style) case
      41

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Question ---

 

If there was a modern PC recreation of an Atari computer that would run Windows or Linux and could play games on it through emulation, which classic Atari case design would you choose as being the most wanted and most representative of the classic Atari to be made today???

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I had to choose the 130XE. It's the Atari I have been using since 1988 (minus a short 5 or 6 year period when it was in storage). I love the clean lines and it doesn't take up much desk space. But I would gladly take any of the above three, and I will certainly not "argue" about which machine looks best.

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Interesting idea. If Atari is after a retro-themed gaming computer, they would probably be served better by going with an 800XL-styled design (or, even better, an updated 400/800-styled design), since those machines are more recognizable classic computers than the 130XE or the ST series.

 

Either way, I'm looking forward to seeing what comes of it.

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Curt...An idea

 

Make the system dual o/s, the main o/s for non emulation purposes, therefore encouraging software development on the new atari platform

 

i.e doing remakes and updated versions of classic or existing atari games, taking advantage of hard drives/ cd dvd devices and the new hardware the system will feature (in respect to updated sound and graphics hardware) as well as original gaming content, again to take advantage of the new hardware platform (so far as data access and storage is concerned as well as sound and graphics hardware)

 

preferably not windows, not linux, something unique to atari...but modern ofcourse

 

The second (sub) o/s would could be called 'emu or classic o/s' will drive the emulation part of the system (new platform) rather then keep all emulators tied into the system, the emu or classic o/s would allow 'passport o/s modules' namely o/s from other platforms/systems to be used with the emulator part of this new system/platform the emu or classic o/s system will be more then just an o/s, it will also act as a hardware configurator using the main systems hardware functions (including ram/i o devices etc) within the emulation sphere, all that happens is that once you plug in a different passport o/s module (working in tandem with the emu/classic o/s) will also have hardware configuration data that is sent to the hardware configurator subsystem (which will also work with the emu/classic o/s) the idea behind the hardware configurator is that, that systems emulator, be it an st emulator, amiga emulator, c64 emulator, not only emulates the standard hardware functions (including recently found software based hardware tricks) but also any or all hardware mod's and upgrades for that system,

 

To citing an a8 example here...i.e emulating various 1050 mods like usd/happy etc, emulating dual or stereo pokey (gumby, to give that upgrade it's original name), dual antic, l.e.m (when claus and bob1200 finally get it out of the door), vbxe, 16/32 bit proccessor upgrades (not neccessarily based on terbium/terium and the 65816, but also 68000 and variants, 80x86 and others) as well as the various memory upgrades and new techniques/systems for bank switching (like the one metalguy66 was proposing)...i think you get my drift here

 

To make the system popular, licence out the concept to rival classic computing and gaming platforms (A, so that their support can be guaranteed for supporting their system's passport o/s module and interchangeability for that o/s module (i.e you can use that module in systems compatible with this concept) also, so that more software can be developed and supported for the main platform and interchangeable between rival platforms (therefore guaranteeing software support)

 

To getting interest from the buying public, i suggest a different manufacturing process

 

Now, whilst the process i am suggesting/proposing isn't as well known in the US, it is very popular in both UK/Europe and in Asia

 

The process being fairtrade, which also incorporates/encompasses the manufacture and supply of end user product

 

I am sure that you can use the fair trade method of manufacturing not just for the keyboard/case and connectors etc but possibly even the pcb and components could be manufactured using the fairtrade manufacturing concept/process

 

Whilst the end product might have a slightly higher base price, compared to more traditional manufacturing processes, at least you are giving something back to the concept of fair trade which also ties in nicely with the concept of ressurecting designs/concepts from old school or classic systems

 

Just a thought, thats all

Edited by carmel_andrews
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800xl without hesitation. It has a pleasing shape/color and I like the proportions better than even the smaller 600xl. I'd consider it attractive, even in a modern context.

 

The XE and ST cases were both a little cheap. A lot cheap really. They're from an era where Atari cared less about quality and more about cutting costs to hit a pricepoint their competition wouldn't match. I'm sure some people liked that era, but I'm not a fan.

 

I don't know about this whole idea though. I've been an 800XL owner since ~1984, so I'm probably in the target market, but because I do own real hardware (and modern accessories), I have little use for common software emulation, which I consider to be much worse than the setup I have. Probably a lot more expensive too. PAL compatibility is about all I lack.

 

Also, is there really any nostalgia for Atari computers? I like my XL considerably more than the consoles, but I don't feel that the general public, or even the general atari fan, feels the same.

Edited by Reaperman
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