jamm Posted April 3, 2020 Share Posted April 3, 2020 So I've been lucky enough to get gifted a beautiful 1200XL that I'm slowly polishing up. One thing I'm curious about is a piece of copper sticking up and into the cartridge slot. It seems like it's meant as a way to ground metal-backed cartridges as they're inserted into the machine. Is this the normal configuration for 1200XL's? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Faicuai Posted April 3, 2020 Share Posted April 3, 2020 (edited) Not sure... if it is a grounding-terminal for metal-cased carts. The #1 reason is that it will permanently scratch / damage the finish of ALL metal-cased carts, with multiple insertion / extraction cycles. Maybe grounding something else, some other piece / shell-component other than the cart itself.... or maybe it was never there, to begin with? Edited April 3, 2020 by Faicuai Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+DrVenkman Posted April 3, 2020 Share Posted April 3, 2020 17 minutes ago, jamm said: So I've been lucky enough to get gifted a beautiful 1200XL that I'm slowly polishing up. One thing I'm curious about is a piece of copper sticking up and into the cartridge slot. It seems like it's meant as a way to ground metal-backed cartridges as they're inserted into the machine. Is this the normal configuration for 1200XL's? Completely normal. I think it's basically a spring to help support cartridges inserted in their horizontal orientation in the cart tunnel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jamm Posted April 3, 2020 Author Share Posted April 3, 2020 2 minutes ago, DrVenkman said: Completely normal. I think it's basically a spring to help support cartridges inserted in their horizontal orientation in the cart tunnel. Interesting. Thanks for the confirmation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CosmicVolt Posted April 3, 2020 Share Posted April 3, 2020 Just looked at my 1200XL; I too have this copper tongue. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
_The Doctor__ Posted April 3, 2020 Share Posted April 3, 2020 It doesn't damage cartridges, it both supports and protects metal backed (or even plastic) cartridges, it is factory. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Faicuai Posted April 3, 2020 Share Posted April 3, 2020 2 hours ago, _The Doctor__ said: It doesn't damage cartridges, it both supports and protects metal backed (or even plastic) cartridges, it is factory. If that tongue is indeed coming in contact with the 1st-gen. carts (metal on back-case), I am having a really hard time seeing how it won't scratch them. If so, it is not made of copper but rhodium (and eternally lubricated)... But, if in reality, it does not damage them, well, that is a heck of a feat for the design-oozing 1200XL case. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jamm Posted April 3, 2020 Author Share Posted April 3, 2020 5 minutes ago, Faicuai said: If that tongue is indeed coming in contact with the 1st-gen. carts (metal on back-case), I am having a really hard time seeing how it won't scratch them. If so, it is not made of copper but rhodium (and eternally lubricated)... But, if in reality, it does not damage them, well, that is a heck of a feat for the design-oozing 1200XL case. That machine on top has no cartridge or joystick ports! How are you supposed to get anything done on that?! 1 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
_The Doctor__ Posted April 3, 2020 Share Posted April 3, 2020 technically the 'joystick' ports are I/O ports... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+kheller2 Posted April 3, 2020 Share Posted April 3, 2020 43 minutes ago, Faicuai said: If that tongue is indeed coming in contact with the 1st-gen. carts (metal on back-case), I am having a really hard time seeing how it won't scratch them. If so, it is not made of copper but rhodium (and eternally lubricated)... But, if in reality, it does not damage them, well, that is a heck of a feat for the design-oozing 1200XL case. The tight plastic slot sides and cartridge door pins do more "scratching" than anything else on a 1200XL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+DrVenkman Posted April 3, 2020 Share Posted April 3, 2020 A lot of definitive-sounding word-babble in this thread. It's really not all that complicated. With the system put back together, remove any carts from your 1200XL. Stick your finger into the empty cartridge slot and you can clearly feel the copper tongue. It protrudes just enough to touch the base of the cartridge housing when a cart is inserted. Whether it causes "damage" to carts or not, I tend to doubt. I've got half a dozen BASIC carts within arms reach around here, along with 15 - 20 more original Atari brown metal carts. I've used most of them regularly in one or more of my 1200XL's. None of them have an "damage" or obvious wear marks. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Faicuai Posted April 3, 2020 Share Posted April 3, 2020 In case someone here suffers from self-inflicted, selective reading-comprehension: Here's the back of Basic-C cart (1st-gen) that has been inserted quite a trillion times on the left-slot: You can click and zoom on it. Not only clean, but also notice how the metal-case goes ALL THE WAY down to the bottom edge. So re-stating: If that protruding, metal-tongue is (indeed) touching the bottom edge of the metal, it will invariably and inevitably scratch it, and leave a permanent mark on it over multiple insertion / extraction cycles... The back-finish is very, very easy to scratch. Unless, of course, it is avoided by virtue of some materials-engineering magic or it actually moves out of the way when extracting the cart from its bay. Now, if on the other hand, it does not really touch the back metal, then there will hardly be any scratch (these carts remained separate form the 400/800 aluminum shield-mass, never touched it during operation). And if anyone here feels brave enough, why not posting a video showing how you diligently plug (and remove) your most valuable / pristine 1s-gen cart 10-15 times on the 1200XL, then show us the results, and put this hypothetical issue to rest? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
_The Doctor__ Posted April 3, 2020 Share Posted April 3, 2020 (edited) knock it off, my 1200xl which has been in operation by myself and others since coming out of the box in the 80's hasn't scratched one cartridge. The metal is there since factory, you might suspect that it was bent ground and polished so as not to cut or scratch anything. They must have done a great job since it hasn't happened to myself and thousands apon thousands of others in all these years. If such damage would occur or is occuring... you might assume that the piece is damaged in your 1200XL. The metal helps me get cartridges in as it helps guide me right in there. The little hook on the end might ever so slightly touch the plastic edge of some of the cartridges though... and seems to help in their removal. This thing seems multi purpose in nature. Almost like the dust cover on cartridges helping them eject as well... Edited April 3, 2020 by _The Doctor__ 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Faicuai Posted April 3, 2020 Share Posted April 3, 2020 2 minutes ago, _The Doctor__ said: knock it off, my 1200xl which has been in operation by myself and others since coming out of the box in the 80's hasn't scratched one cartridge. The metal is there since factory, you might suspect that it was bent ground and polished so as not to cut or scratch anything. They must have done a great job since it hasn't happened to myself and thousands apon thousands of others in all these years. If such damage would occur or is occuring... you might assume that the piece is damaged in your 1200XL I take your experience as true. If that is the case, an amazing job, indeed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Stephen Posted April 3, 2020 Share Posted April 3, 2020 Don't you DARE remove that metal piece from your 1200XL either. That would be more damaging than say - modifying the vaulted 800's power LED into a switch. Any alteration to the original case is an abomination and should be punished. Gotta keep these trinkets original you know! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
_The Doctor__ Posted April 3, 2020 Share Posted April 3, 2020 If it's scratching, you might as well replace it. or just leave it out... I was still editing my post could you re quote it, or conversely folks just go back and read my post right above the quotation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Faicuai Posted April 3, 2020 Share Posted April 3, 2020 20 minutes ago, Stephen said: Don't you DARE remove that metal piece from your 1200XL either. That would be more damaging than say - modifying the vaulted 800's power LED into a switch. Any alteration to the original case is an abomination and should be punished. Gotta keep these trinkets original you know! Ypu got that SoOoOoO right... on both counts... And the power-led... https://media.giphy.com/media/e48mcLfU9zgFq/source.gif ;-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
_The Doctor__ Posted April 3, 2020 Share Posted April 3, 2020 oh my that's all over the car! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Stephen Posted April 3, 2020 Share Posted April 3, 2020 40 minutes ago, Faicuai said: Ypu got that SoOoOoO right... on both counts... And the power-led... https://media.giphy.com/media/e48mcLfU9zgFq/source.gif That is the exact response I have to all of your posts - you do have some self awareness Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+bob1200xl Posted April 3, 2020 Share Posted April 3, 2020 With the m/b removed from its case, watch the ground flag while you insert an Atari brown cart. It touches the flag and displaces about 2-3mm. The normal force must be very low since the cartridges show no wear. I would guess that this is part of the RF shielding. Shoot... see what you did Jamm? Now, my 1200XL warranty is void. Bob 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
_The Doctor__ Posted April 3, 2020 Share Posted April 3, 2020 (edited) fun fact, the power LED was going to be a key/button/switch in the first place... Bob, The source of 1200XL's, in the well spring of almost all things 1200XL... thank you once again for assisting myself and other in regaining one of the nicest keyboards on the planet! that little piece of metal does so many different things, shielding support, guiding, eject assist... what else might it do... lets work on this list from the practical to the absurd :) Edited April 3, 2020 by _The Doctor__ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leech Posted April 3, 2020 Share Posted April 3, 2020 23 minutes ago, _The Doctor__ said: fun fact, the power LED was going to be a key/button/switch in the first place... Bob, The source of 1200XL's, in the well spring of almost all things 1200XL... thank you once again for assisting myself and other in regaining one of the nicest keyboards on the planet! that little piece of metal does so many different things, shielding support, guiding, eject assist... what else might it do... lets work on this list from the practical to the absurd It sucks the paint off your house and gives your family a permanent orange afro! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Faicuai Posted April 4, 2020 Share Posted April 4, 2020 29 minutes ago, Stephen said: That is the exact response I have to all of your posts - you do have some self awareness Oh, c'mon! You know it is not true! 8-)) But in any case... Peace ! ;-) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+kheller2 Posted April 4, 2020 Share Posted April 4, 2020 If you want to feel bad for scratched things, feel bad for the 600XL/800XL owners who no longer have the plastic protective cover on their cart doors. Now that is some rough scratching going on after years of usage. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jamm Posted April 4, 2020 Author Share Posted April 4, 2020 I had no idea such a simple question would elicit such controversy! Who am I kidding? Even the most straightforward statement is likely to draw a dozen countering opinions from AA's colorful cast of members - that's what's so entertaining about things here! So, the reason I assume this was an attempt at introducing a mechanism for static discharge is that a.) the "tongue" or "flag" (thanks, @bob1200xl!) or thingy is metallic, not some kind of plastic as might be if it were simply a support, and b.) it's very clearly designed to make contact with the grounding plane on the motherboard. If you open up an 600/800XL, you'll notice that there's a little metal spring/hook/thingy that sticks down into the case of the machine to make contact with its shielding. That, I assume, is the same idea. I can understand @Faicuai's concern about scratching the cases - I'd worry about that just looking at the design, too. On the other hand, I'm sure that everyone would've noticed and complained about it being an issue over the last few decades if it were one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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