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so what are you doing w/your Atari 800?

tipc said:
Talk to me about A* 8 bitters. I'm all ears.
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A genuine 800 still escapes me but I have an 800XL and not too long ago acquired a 400. I had been looking for years to add these to my collection (being a TRS-80 and CoCo fan first and foremost), I have to admit to use both machines mostly for fun and games (primarily on the 400) and also have started to do more serious stuff like learning assembly and trying out Logo on the 800XL.

The experience of using both machines has surpassed my expectations. Seems not that long ago (although it is) since I drooled all over a Popular Mechanics article back in '79 that discussed both the 400 & 800 computers, now I have those beautiful machines at my disposal. Happy camper here.

-- RP
 
I have a nice 800 in a carrying case. It's my go-to Atari computer, but I don't use Atari computers very often. In fact I just sold an 800 for $19.99 (not working)..I have a few 800XL's for sale now on Ebay, and a 600xl. They all work.
Bill
 
My original 800, is currently hooked up to an 810 Disk Drive, a 1050 (though that just died on my last night), and an 850 Interface module. The 850 then connects to a Lantronix UDS100, so I can telnet out to other machines / transfer software etc. Bobterm works best for transfers, ICET for 80 column vt100 emulation. The 850 also connects to my Panasonic kx-p2130 printer.

I have an Incognito board ready to install, I just need to find the time to do it. Incognito combines all sorts of good stuff into one board: http://spiflash.org/index.php/block/29.html

I'm kinda piecing my dream Atari system together, something I've been wanting to do for 15+ years. Things still to acquire are an SIO2PC cable, A happy 1050 board, maybe an SIO2SD. I'm thinking I kinda want an ATR8000, just to play around with, but those are quite hard to find, and rather spendy when they do come up.

--Jason
 
nice stuff. I have the SIO2PC USB cable. I have an 800xl with 1050 on ebay at the moment (seller=billdeg) if you really want a working drive / tested, you'd get a bonus 800xl with it :)
Bill
 
I still have the Atari 800 that my "soon to be mother-in-law" got for my "soon to be bride" and I. That was Christmas 1982. It is still in perfect working condition (the marriage is not). I don't use it much as my 800XL is my Atari workhorse. My SIOtoPC gives me access to nearly everything ever written for the 8 bit Ataris, and there are so many programs that need 64K, and the old 800 only has 48K. My 800XL setup has a 810 and 1050 disk drives, 410 cassette drive. It shares a large computer desk with my Commodore 64 rig.

I know I could modify the 800 to increase the ram, but I want to leave it all original. This machine is one of the most important things to have come along in my life. I had never touched a computer before I got the 800, but I never looked back. I have played and worked with computers ever since, ending up running a PC service shop for the last 19 years.

I know the question was "what are we doing with our 800s", but my reply is more about what the 800 did with me.
 
Sorry to bump this thread, but it occurred to me that the 800 would do something I don't think any other machine would, and that is to allow four players in a game of M.U.L.E. The four joystick ports were never utilized much, but it enhances one of THE best computer gamers ever written.
 
Im reading floppies from 1988. A huge project, how to get data from every make of DOS from 1975 to present, this badboy was found, loved, and is up and running in my collection. along with 1010 and a happy 1050. I prefer the siotopc (Serial) I may hack that one and use it on a 8 inch floppy.... who knows.
 
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