Atari 800 Computer

Atari started out as a game maker. Nolen Bushnell, Atari's founder, invented pong and created Atari to bring it to market in the early 1970s. By the end of the decade they decided to release a computer system to compete with Apple and the rest of the "home" computer market. In 1979, the Atari 400 and Atari 800 were born to fulfill this promise. Since they were Atari products, they were supremely strong graphical performers.

The Atari 800 in my collection is a 48K unit with a tape drive and an 810 disk drive (pictured below). I have several Atari cartridges and most of the original manuals for the machine as well.

Mike Newhall was nice enough to write in with some corrections (I swear I'm going to set up a comment system someday!)

The 6502 was a Rockwell design, licensed to various parties (including Commodore). But I don't believe Motorola ever made them. They had a competing series, the 6303/6305/6309, that were used for example in the Radio Shack Color Computer.

The speed was exactly half the TV color clock signal, which for NTSC works out to 1.79 MHz, almost twice as fast as the C64.

True for the 'official' specs of the 800. I have one with 288K using 3rd party mods. Atari later made the 800XL w/64K, the 130XE with 128K, and there were 3rd party mods for up to a megabyte of RAM.

The 320x192 mode was really "one and a half" colors - the background was one color while the foreground was a different brightness of the same hue. Special "GTIA" modes added to later 800's allowed up to 16 shades of one hue, 16 hues of one shade, or 9 independent colors in 80x192. The highest-rez mode with normal-shaped pixels and normal color behavior was 160x192x4. So there was no true "x16" mode.

But the graphics hardware was extremely flexible - in the vertical dimention. One could change the color palette on every scan line, and even change the number of displayed scan lines, so it was easy to get all 256 colors on screen at once, in resolutions of NNNx200 to NNNx224 or even more. You were just limited to how many colors you could get on a single horizontal line.

All great info! Thanks! Appropriate corrections have been made in the table at the top of the page.

(Submitted April 16, 2008 17:19:03 by Misterc)

Great to see others with Atari's...I got rid of my 600xl, 800xl and 130xe in the late 80s. However, thanks to the love of Ebay, I currently have a working Atari 400, 2 Atari 800s, 800Xl, 1050 Happy Enhanced Drive and other goodies. My students have gotten addicted to titles such as Archon and Archon 2. Great stuff and still lots of fun.

Cheers

(Submitted March 3, 2008 04:47:23 by Robert Jones)

I still love my Atari 800 even in 2008. I have a bunch of old HS buddies that still like to play 4 player M.U.L.E. The 800 is the only machine that can do 4 player mule with 4 joysicks. Still one of the best 4 player games ever made.

(Submitted October 14, 2007 00:34:18 by (a href=mailto:)John(/a))

I spent SO much time on my 800, just seeing the photo brought back its smell. I even ran a BBS service. I rigged up a ring detector out of an Atari joystick so the modem could pick the call up automatically...man... that was 1983!

(Submitted October 3, 2007 10:49:12 by Greg Hiscott)

I worked at Datasoft during the early 80's - Datasoft published games on tape and disk for the Atari, Apple ][ , C64 & Tandy Color Computers. I personally worked on MoonShuttle and juno first and parts of zaxxon (A800). I wrote most of the loaders and software protection code in 6502 assembly language. All of the games were written in 6502 assembly.

For their time, the Atari and C64 were advanced machines.

(Submitted September 19, 2007 12:12:25 by Jose Medeiros)

I remember my father bringing home an Atari 800 for me and my brother when he was working for Atari.

Jose Medeiros, San Jose, CA

(Submitted September 17, 2007 20:19:50 by Tom Mitchell)

I have 2 XL800. ! XL600 ! 1 XL12oo ! 3 5.25 Floppy drive ! 1 cload Tape drive ! 1 race counter for Atari Computers. 1 new set of paddles to many game to list, music maker ECT. All for sell. And last time i dug it all out and set it up it was all in working order. Its all for sale.

(Submitted May 27, 2007 06:38:00 by AtariDiehard)

I bought the 800 and 810 wholesale back in 1980, paid $1000!!! Later on I picked up the 800XL and modified it to double the ram. My collection includes a plotter, a second drive, the Indus GT modified, many software titles, including ones on cartridges plus numerous manuals from Atari and host of other companies. I had a collection of mags that I disposed of because it took up too much room. Somesay I would like to build a room devoted to my old comps including the Commodore 64 system.

(Submitted May 24, 2007 09:13:42 by Ramon Leon)

The Atari 800xl was my third computer, after the Sinclair ZX81(Timex 1000) and the Sinclair Spectrum. I used to write programs in BASIC back in the 80's. I now have 2 that I bought recently and some day I will assemble a SIO2PC circuit and put it inside one of them to connect to my PC. Then, I will have to buy the MyIDE cartridge, a compact flash card, download software and play some old tech but still enjoyable games.

(Submitted May 3, 2007 11:41:40 by (a href=mailto:)Horacio Vico(/a))

You should get a Commodore 64 C also: http://www.teacordasde.com.ar/image/commodore-64-c.jpg

(Submitted April 11, 2007 07:55:06 by JackV)

The 800 was my first computer which I still have sitting in a box along with its 5.25 floppy drive and cassette recorder. I used to program this pc and play games on it in my youth. I even did a paper on the 6502 chip in my college years.

(Submitted December 17, 2006 12:31:37 by Michael Brown)

There seems to be some confusion about the 6502. Recommend people read the articles about it on Wikipedia.

In short. Rockwell manufactored the 6502, but did not design it. The 6502 was designed by MOS Technology, which was founded by former Motorola employees, hence the design similiarities to the 6800 chip. At this time, it was important the chips be available from other sources (known as 'second sources'). Companies would not buy your chip unless there were second sources. Rockwell was a second source for 6502.

MOS was lated taken over by Commodore. This is because Commodore was using their chips in their computers (6502, 6510, etc).

The design for the 6502 would be licensed to Western Digital Design (another second sourcer), who would later create the 65816, the 8/16bit version of the 6502 used in the Apple IIgs.

(Submitted November 23, 2006 21:26:23 by steve)

I have the Atari 800 and I was trieng to get the cassette 410 model to work but it dosent look like it works any more. Can anyone recommend how to get one of these repaired or someone who sells them?

(Submitted October 11, 2006 06:45:23 by alessio)

I absolutely loved the atari computer range! especially the atari 600xl and 800xl. played them for hours and hour but i reckon missle command was best! if anyone in australia has a 600xl or 800xl please contact me i would like to buy it or trade some of my retro gear!

(Submitted September 28, 2006 00:02:37 by patricio reinoso)

well. i got 2 atari 130xe, with 1 disk drive and 2 printers, 1 dot matrix and 1 daisychain. i get mi first one when i was 8, and its the best computer ever, i loved to copy programs from antic magazine (i dont know how did they come to Ecuador in that good'ol years). I still use it sometimes, but the most of my time i play atari games in my pocketpc using an emulator.. i love river raid, and blue max. 8 bit rocks!

(Submitted September 27, 2006 21:21:58 by James)

I still have one of these as well as several other atari 8bit & 16bit computers. Mine has some history to it, for many years it was 1 of 4 or so in the Irwin toys warehouse (ataris canadian distributor late 70's early 80's). Mine came with 48k, 9 inch electrohome green monitor, 810 disk drive, and the less common ATR8000 unit which was cpm upgrade with floppy drives, printer & serial ports. These computers were quite reliable as BBS computers, with its number of options for disk storage and so on. They were also a full 2 years before the official release of the ibm pc (which was hard to find even after its release) so like many computers of its time, it did see some business uses as well

(Submitted September 15, 2006 13:39:48 by Anthony)

I used to play with an atari 800, and a disk drive that went with it but now don't have it anymore. I would really like to get one back with games etc. Could anyone let me know where I can find one to buy?

(Submitted August 26, 2006 22:39:44 by Eddie Byrnes)

Can anyone advise if there is a way you can play old games from the 800 on pc's now? im kind of simple with computers, so if you could put it in plain english, i'd appreciate it. (There was a game called World War 3 that i used to LOVE to play...)

(Submitted June 23, 2006 09:20:39 by Ryan Petersen)

I didn't own an Atari 800, or a C64, but a 48K Apple II+. Anyways, the 6502 was never designed by Rockwell whatsoever. The 6502 was designed by MOS technology, and later on, around 79-80, MOS licensed the 6502 design to different chip manufacturers, including Rockwell. And MOS Technology was owned by Commodore.

(Submitted June 15, 2006 13:52:11 by biff baxter)

I loved this system, and still have it and a couple of other Atari's. Back in the day for a time it was C64 versus Atari (sprites vs player missle graphics!). C64 was the big monkey, but Atari had a pretty dedicated following.

In any case, remember the Indus GT drive...that was THE drive to have with the black colored front door that covered the drive. I had a friend who had one that was envied by us all.

(Submitted May 23, 2006 11:08:14 by yoyo)

i think it looks low teck. sup.

(Submitted May 23, 2006 11:07:52 by yoyo)

i think it looks low teck. sup.

(Submitted May 9, 2006 13:09:34 by Doug Potter)

I am interested in purchasing your Atari 800 game cartridges. What do you have and how much?

(Submitted March 7, 2006 03:55:24 by Gokhan)

I am from Turkey, and want to build first Turkish online computer Museum.. I am looking for Atari 800. Where can I find cheap? can you help me? I have some Atari stuff (Atari800XL and memory and expansion for Atari Portfolio) for trade..

best regards Gokhan

(Submitted January 3, 2006 14:52:14 by Sam McBride)

I have an 800 with 810 disk drive and cassette. Picked up an 800XL and 1050 disk drive a few years later at a garage sale for 20 bucks. I had a lot of fun teaching myself BASIC and 6502 assembler. My hobby led me back to college to be a programmer. Now I work with Peoplesoft/Oracle/Unix which is not nearly as much fun. Also have a lot of Antic, Analog, Compute, Byte etc mags as well as software and extra hardware (modem that connects to the joystick port). I though I was the only one who kept all this stuff!!

(Submitted July 13, 2005 12:02:45 by mistapaulspite of aura)

forall your atari 8bit needs goto: http://people.freenet.de/mrbacardi/

(Submitted July 13, 2005 12:02:10 by mistapaulspite of aura)

for all your atari 8bit needs goto: http://people.freenet.de/mrbacardi/

(Submitted July 5, 2005 21:24:46 by Dottie Cotten)

Does anyone want to buy anything from Atari Computers the 400/800 series?

(Submitted June 29, 2005 08:54:11 by Greg Goodwin)

Throughout the 80's, I had an Atari 400, which my dad hacked and modded to 48K. Many great memories. In 1999 I picked up a Atari 800, and since have had that hacked to have a built in numerical keypad, MyIDE Hard drive interface, and lantronix ethernet module. I enjoy hitting the Atari BBS's that are ran over telnet. What is old is new again. ;)

(Submitted June 6, 2005 16:04:26 by (a href=mailto:)Steve(/a))

I remember when my Dad brought home an Atari 800. Wow. I thought I was dreaming. My sister & I were so excited you'd have thought we had just been told that we didn't have to go to school anymore for the rest of our lives. I still have that computer someplace, too. A lot of fond, fond memories...

(Submitted May 16, 2005 14:54:22 by Tom Michael)

Didn't know that about the processing speed of the Atari being much better than the C64. Both used the GTIA graphics chip (better than the Apple II). The big difference I remember is the sound chips. Atari had 4 voices, Commodore had 3. Commodore's sounds were in tune, while Atari's were slightly out of tune.

(Submitted March 6, 2005 10:28:26 by Steve Kufrovich)

I used to work for Control Data when they had a contract to repair the Atari computer. A customer gave me a 400 and later I picked up a 64XE. I even have a modem and interface as well as lots of tech stuff and software. I may get it out and try to get it working in my middle school science class.

(Submitted February 10, 2005 17:53:28 by keith)

I still have a couple of 800XLs, 1027 letter quality printers, 1050 disks drives, 850 interface, etc., etc. Most of these still have their original packing. Every 5 years or so, I haul them out and play with them. My biggest problem is that in some move somewhere, I lost most of the software! I have most of the OSes and the Syncalc,Synfile series, but no adventure games! :-(

Anyone have a bone to throw me?

(Submitted January 6, 2005 16:39:25 by Chris Bode)

I've also got an 800 that my parents scraped the money together to buy me when I was 9. I still have it, along with the 1050 disk drive, 410 tape drive, and hundreds of disks/cartridges. It hasn't been turned on in probably 15 years, but that's about to change very soon. My favorite memories were getting Donkey Kong Jr. for Christmas, and the hours spent playing those Infocom text adventures. Made a kid's imagination run wild....

(Submitted December 26, 2004 19:34:11 by chet the computer guy)

I have a complete 800 system with 2 disk drives and a ton of disks ...games , programs , boot system disks ect and to my suprise 99 % of the disks still read and write after all these years and I remember learning from the ( experts ) you'll be kucky to get 5 years out of a disk... how about over 20 years! chet bfn

(Submitted December 4, 2004 08:38:27 by Ivor )

I just got an Atari800 for my collection I`t still in good working comdition acually it`s still boxed but I can`t figuer out the datasette. PLEASE!! can anyone tell me how the hell I can operate the datasette?!?!? Thanx a lot.

(Submitted December 2, 2004 15:40:43 by Paul Muller)

Hey, where's the Atari 1200XL? I have one with an 850 interface and disk drive. I used to get on the internet with it in the eighties when all you had to do was go to a local BBS and get a number (usually long distance). There was no graphical interface! I must say, it was a challenge, but workable.

(Submitted November 22, 2004 08:28:26 by Lou Wilson)

There were a few additional Atari machines, the 1200 and the 1400 as I remember. Quite a bit smaller and sleeker than the 800 but about the same capability, I think.

(Submitted October 21, 2004 09:49:06 by (a href=mailto:Unknown)Thomas(/a))

I remember MANY days spent playing games like dig dug, and the infamous ZORK series!!!

(Submitted September 30, 2004 14:36:41 by Jordan Bouzeneris)

The atari 800 was not only designed to be a powerful computer, but it was also designed to be a serious gaming machine! In fact, most programs for the atari 8-Bits where games!

(Submitted September 11, 2004 20:08:44 by JD)

I think you shold add how you hook it up.

(Submitted September 3, 2004 22:58:45 by Jordan Bouzeneris)

The Atari 800 could have Its RAM upgraded very easly. You just had to open the cartridge bay & in the back, you could see 2 twisty- thingies (later replaced by screws). After that you just had to pull off the front cover & then you had access to the OS & RAM slots. After that you just had to plug in a new RAM upgrade modules and then you where set!

(Submitted July 19, 2004 15:37:23 by Dan Ritter)

The competing motorola processors you refer to are the 68xx series of processors. Most noteably the 6809 used in the Radio Shack Coco computers. Hitachi later on made a CMOS replacement for the 6809 called the 6309 that ran faster. A lot of Coco users later switched to this processor.

Description
Manufacturer	Atari
Model	800
Date Announced	1979
Date Canceled	1982
Number Produced	Hundreds of thousands
Country of Origin	USA
Price	Approximately $1,000
Current Value	$10-$75

Specifications
Processor	Rockwell 6502
Speed	1.79 MHz
RAM	Up to 48K "stock" - much more with aftermarket upgrades.
ROM	10K
Storage	Cassette Tape or 5.25" floppy disk.
Expansion	2 cartridge slots, 3 memory slots, 1 ROM slot and a daisy-chainable expansion bus
Bus	N/A
Video	Up to 320x192x16 color composite video or TV out for standard modes. Tons of additional modes are available through low level programming extending the resolution and color pallate dramatically.
I/O	I/O bus could connect to an optional interface unit with parallel and serial ports
OS Options	Atari OS

Notes	The Atari 800 was a very advanced machine for its time. Although it was built around the same microprocessor as many of its direct competitors such as the Apple II Plus and the Commodore Pet it added various co-processors to handle graphics and sound generation tasks.

Related Items in Collection	810 disk drives, 1050 disk drive, other Atari 800 systems, software and cartridges, Atari 400
Related Items Wanted	Additional disk drives (810, 1050, RANA), cartridges and software. 850 interface, Atari brand joysticks.