Original Colour of an Atari 400?

[tezza]

What is the original colour of an Atari 400?

My existing one is a kind of beige colour. It looks ok, but is it the natural colour? I'd assumed it was until looking on the web where the colours range from a light grey, through beige to a definite yellow.

Lighting, age or a combination of both would account for this colour range but does anyone know what colour it is suppose to be?

Just to show how lighting can make a difference check out these two photos of my Atari 400. The first is taken with a flash. The second with a flourescent bulb slightly off to one side. You would think they were different machines.


http://classic-computers.org.nz/blog/images/grey-white%20atari%20400.jpg

http://classic-computers.org.nz/blog/images/beige%20atari%20400.jpg

Something to consider when looking at e-bay photos.

Tez

[gerrydoire]

I have a near new Atari 400, it wasn't exposed to much UV so I would assume and discoloration would be the natural plastic changing over time and its color is quite close to the photos you have.

I will try to get some photos of it.

[Druid6900]

Under my daylight-white (6000 degrees K) flourescents, mine looks like your second picture.

[linemanduke]

well dont know if it helps but here's a picture of mine when it was new. looks kinda like your first picture.

http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t122/duked_2007/SCAN0065.jpg

[tezza]

Yes, I've decided the Atari 400 has retained it's orginal colour quite well.

It will be spared from de-yellowing paste. :D

Tez

[Merlin]

Good call, Tezza; my Atari 400 when I had it years ago was the colour of your flash photo.

I hated the 'ping' noise the keys made when you pressed them though :P

[vwestlife]

The original 400 and 800 were made of heavy-grade, coarse-textured tan plastic that doesn't seem to yellow or otherwise degrade over time nearly as much as the thinner, smooth plastic cases that Atari (and many other computer makers) used later.

Even with absolutely no exposure to direct sunlight since I got it about eight years ago, my 520ST has yellowed noticeably. It's not bad compared to many I've seen, but since I know what it looked like originally, the yellowing is just enough for me to notice. But my 400 still looks just as ugly as it did when it was brand new. :)