Task: Explore Atari Computer Sales Brochures and Catalogs Needed: Web browser Time: 10-15 minutes Introduction One of my favorite things to is to explore sales brochures and catalogs for the Atari 8-bit line of computers. Fortunately, my packrat father saved a number of these so
Read moreMake an Atari 8-bit Computer Cartridge (1-2 hours)
Task: Make an Atari 8-bit Computer Cartridge Needed: Cartridge parts, EPROM programmer, soldering station or iron Time: 1-2 hours Introduction As I have mentioned in previous posts, I had tons of fun making my own Atari 2600 game called Gene Medic. I sent the binary
Read morePurchase a Soldering Station for Atari Electronics and Hardware Projects (10-15 mins)
Task: Purchase a Soldering Station for Atari Electronics and Hardware Projects Needed: Web browser Time: 10-15 mins Introduction I took a year of electronics in high school and did a lot of soldering. In fact, I used to fix tube televisions people from the community
Read moreBurn an Atari Binary File on an EPROM Chip (30-60 mins)
Task: Burn an Atari Binary File on an EPROM Chip Needed: EPROM burner, EPROM Time: 30-60 mins Introduction Read Only Memory (ROM) integrated circuits (IC) or chips were routinely used in the Atari 8-bit computers and video game consoles. For example, the Atari 800XL included
Read moreTips for Troubleshooting a Defective Atari 8-bit Computer (15-30 mins)
Task: Tips for Troubleshooting a Defective Atari 8-bit Computer Needed: web browser Time: 15-30 mins Introduction I have always been impressed with how reliable Atari 8-bit computers are. I have more than a dozen and they all work. What do you do if you get
Read moreInteract with Atari’s 6502 Processor in BASIC XL (10-15 mins)
Task: Interact with Atari’s 6502 Processor in BASIC XL Needed: A BASIC XL cartridge or Altirra emulator Time: 10-15 minutes Introduction The 6502 processor developed by Chuck Peddle and his team at MOS Technology was the first inexpensive CPU available in the 1970s. This CPU
Read moreAssemble a Minimal Atari 8-Bit Computer (30-60 mins)
Task: Assemble a Minimal Atari 8-Bit Computer Needed: Components listed below and about $200 to $225 for purchasing Time: 30-60 minutes Introduction I have a colleague at work who I have been helping set up his first ever Atari computer rig. I have been thinking
Read morePurchase a Retron77 Gaming Console for Emulating the 2600 (15-30 mins)
Task: Purchase a Retron77 Gaming Console for Emulating the 2600 Needed: Web browser Time: 15-30 minutes Introduction One of the most frustrating aspects of retrocomputing and retrogaming is getting old hardware to play nice with HDTVs over HDMI. This is especially true for the Atari
Read morePurchase a CRT Monitor (15-30 mins)
Task: Purchase a CRT Monitor Needed: Web browser Time: 15-30 minutes Introduction I started out on an Atari 400 and 410 cassette recorder connected to a color television in our family room in the early 1980s. We upgraded to an Atari 800 and 810 disk
Read morePurchase an Atari 7800 (15-30 mins)
Task: Purchase an Atari 7800 Needed: Web browser Time: 15-30 minutes Introduction The Atari 7800 ProSystem was everything the Atari 5200 should have been. Released in 1986, the 7800 was smaller that the 2600 and was backward compatible with the 2600 cartridges and joysticks. This
Read morePurchase New Power Supplies (5-10 mins)
Task: Purchase New Power Supplies Needed: Web browser Time: 5-10 minutes Introduction I have previously posted about the need to go through your collection and purge dangerous power supplies that can fail and take your Atari out. Further, you may not trust the ones that
Read moreReplace Rubber Feet (5-10 mins)
Task: Replace Rubber Feet Needed: New Rubber Feet Time: 5-10 minutes Introduction I have had several problems with the little rubber feet on the bottom of Atari hardware. First, some of the feet degrade over time and the chemicals damage the finish on my desk
Read moreConduct Experiments with AtariLab (30-60 mins)
Task: Conduct Experiments with AtariLab Needed: AtariLab Starter Set Time: 30-60 mins Introduction One of the coolest peripherals for the Atari computers was the AtariLab that was developed by Atari in collaboration with Dr. Priscilla Laws who was a professor at Dickinson College. I never
Read moreWatch Joe Decuir on YouTube (1-2 hours)
Task: Watch Joe Decuir on YouTube Needed: Web browser Time: 1-2 hours Introduction Joe Decuir was hired by Atari to debug the prototype for the Atari 2600 and then went on to help design and build the Atari 400 and 800 computers. He has had
Read moreTips for Managing the Size of Your Collection (10-15 mins)
Task: Tips for Managing the Size of Your Collection Needed: strategy and willpower Time: 10-15 mins Introduction I amassed a pretty big Atari collection back in the early 2000s when hardware and software was easy to come by in flea markets and thrift stores. Looking
Read moreMake Floppy Disks Double-Sided (5-10 mins)
Task: Make Floppy Disks Double-Sided Needed: floppy disks, notcher Time: 5-10 minutes Introduction When floppy disks first came on the scene they were single-sided and had a single notch or hole on the right side that you could cover with tape to write-protect the disk.
Read morePurchase an Atarimax SD Multi-Cart for Atari 5200 (10-15 mins)
Task: Purchase an Atarimax SD Multi-Cart for Atari 5200 Needed: Web browser Time: 10-15 minutes Introduction My previous post covers purchasing an Atari 5200 console if you don’t already have one. As with all Ataris, the cartridges can be quite expensive with prices of $20
Read morePurchase an Atari 5200 (30-60 mins)
Task: Purchase an Atari 5200 Needed: Web browser Time: 30-60 minutes Introduction Atari released the 5200 in 1982 as a sequel to the successful 2600 console. It competed with the Intellivision and ColecoVision but was never very popular due to its poor design and lack
Read morePurchase an SDrive-Max Floppy Emulator (15-30 mins)
Task: Purchase an SDrive-Max Floppy Emulator Needed: SDrive-Max Time: 15-30 minutes Introduction The ability to boot software from SD card devices makes using Atari computers a breeze. These devices allow you to load up lots of executables and ATR files on an SD card and
Read morePurchase an Atari 850 Interface Module (15-30 mins)
Task: Purchase an Atari 850 Interface Module Needed: Web browser Time: 15-30 minutes Introduction The Atari Serial Input/Ouput System or SIO was designed to allow the computer to communicate with peripherals such as the 810 or 1050 disk drive. An advantage of the SIO is
Read moreTips for Finding Local Atari Hardware and Software (15-30 mins)
Task: Tips for Finding Local Atari Hardware and Software Needed: Persistence! Time: 15-30 minutes Introduction The easiest place to find Atari hardware and software is on eBay. However, even the most common Atari goodness is way overpriced. There is also the problem of shipping that
Read moreFun With The Atari Touch Tablet (15-30 mins)
Task: Fun With The Atari Touch Tablet Needed: Atari Touch Tablet Time: 15-30 minutes Introduction I got an Atari Touch Tablet along with the Atariartist cartridge for Christmas back in the early 1980s. This was one of my favorite Atari gifts ever. I had so
Read moreLoad Cassette Games on Your Atari 2600 (10-15 mins)
Task: Load Cassette Games on Your Atari 2600 Needed: Arcadia / Starpath Supercharger, compatible cassette game Time: 10-15 mins Introduction One of the many limitations of the Atari 2600 video console system (VCS) was that it only had 128 bytes of RAM. This and the
Read moreConnect Your Atari Computer to an LED Screen (30-60 mins)
Task: Connect Your Atari Computer to an LED Screen Needed: LED screen, connectors Time: 30-60 mins Introduction I previously posted some details on how to connect your Atari computer to an LCD screen using composite video or composite converted to S-video. What if you want
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