San Jose Computer 810

[burkhart87]

I'd seen these 810 "clones" listed in the Atari 8-bit FAQ but have never seen a pic of one.  Or any other info for that matter.  They are mentioned here:

 

 

They are part of an auction on ebay. 

 

Anybody have one of these?

[Nezgar]

I believe one of the ANTIC interviews with maybe Rob Zdybel? had a story where Atari had surplus inventory of 810's mechanisms and boards but no cases, and potentially functional issues due to the high return rate, that employees and some resellers were able to purchase the parts for cheap, repair them and built their own cases and were resold for profit. I know B&C Computervisions was another supplier of these 810's as well.

 

Honestly, I'd say these are better looking than the original cases... More durable that's for sure!!

[Muzz73]

3 hours ago, Nezgar said:

I believe one of the ANTIC interviews with maybe Rob Zdybel? had a story where Atari had surplus inventory of 810's mechanisms and boards but no cases, and potentially functional issues due to the high return rate, that employees and some resellers were able to purchase the parts for cheap, repair them and built their own cases and were resold for profit. I know B&C Computervisions was another supplier of these 810's as well.

 

Honestly, I'd say these are better looking than the original cases... More durable that's for sure!!

Yep... I came across an odd 810 in a wooden case a few years back, which I gave to a friend who had no FDD. I was buying something from Bruce and mentioned this drive in an e-mail. He confirmed that he had built 810's to order in whatever cases he could find that would fit and that it definitely sounded like one of his. I kind of wish I still had it... 🤔

[+Larry]

Nice looking.  I didn't remember them being sold with a nice case!

[Mclaneinc]

Very Apple look... Not really prototypes though..

[AndyR]

I have one of these, got it from the early 2000's from an Atari fan (long since lost his contact information) in Gilroy, CA who was cleaning out his garage.

 

Really these are just 810's, electronically.  Apparently the store got hold of a surplus batch of 810 analog/logic/power boards, which they paired with new Tandon mechanisms (themselves dirt cheap as the IBM PC world was rapidly moving to half height mechanisms) and sold in their own no-frills folded metal enclosure.  I have no idea if they had a license from Atari for the copyrighted ROMs, but the one I got absolutely had an Atari ROM in it.  (Per an advertisement I found, these were also available with Happy kits, I think.)

 

Mine works fine still, but there's nothing behaviorally notable about it.  It's just an 810.