XEGS rarity and price?

[Channel 2]

Like the subject line says. How rare is the XEGS system, and how much would I expect to pay for one? I'm living in Seattle, Washington, but if I ever have the space and time for it, I'd probably get one online.

 

Another thing. I understand the XEGS will play most 8-bit computer (the original 400/800) and 5200 carts. Is this right?

 

If so, it would make it a perfect system for me to collect. I had a 400 when it was new and played it alot; also a 2600, and when I heard of the 5200 I wanted that (not knowing it was much the same thing as the 400); and I actually won a XEGS in a contest when it came out, but my mother persuaded me to take the second place prize instead, and I never saw it.

[badbrad]

It will play all the carts an 800xl will.

 

It will not play 5200 carts.

[Marco]

[Channel 2]

The distinction between a console and a computer is often how it is packaged and marketed. In the case of the 2600 and its contemporaries, the hardware is so limited it would be useless as a computer, but later consoles are more powerful than earlier computers, and often are the same machine inside as another that's sold as a computer. We all know that the X-Box is a stripped down PC, but the XE game system isn't even stripped down--it's a 65 XE with a detachable keyboard. To me, the Atari 8 bits were close enough to a console already that if they package and sell it as one I'll readily agree. But since we're calling the 8 bit line computers, and the XEGS is exactly the same as one of them, it only makes sense to lump it in with the rest.

 

The 5200 is a different case, even though it's just a modified 8 bit at heart. There's no way to turn it into a passable computer, and it has no compatability cartridge-wise to the other 8 bits. For one thing the cartridges are a different shape--which should have told me the XEGS can't use them, if I had been thinking.

 

I wonder if it would be possible to build a converter. Or how much work it would be to convert the roms for use in the XE and make cartridges.

[Shawn Jefferson]

Pretty difficult to make a convertor since there are fundamental differences in the memory address used by the hardware chips and OS. Besides, most (almost all?) of the unique 5200 games have been ported to the 8-bit computer by Glenn the 5200 Man haven't they?