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Atari Portfolio with a problem

adam_d

New Member
Joined
Jul 23, 2011
Messages
8
Location
UK
Hi guys,

I'm new to the forum, and I'm not sure if I should have posted this here, in PC Clones, or in the Atari section, so apologies if I'm in the wrong place.

I have recently been given an Atari Portfolio that shows no signs of life. I've wanted one of these for as long as I can remember, and I would like to get this one going. :)

It shows no visible or audible signs of life when I put the batteries in. I've had a quick check with a multimeter, and power is at least getting around the board, and to the memory card slot. The internals all look OK, even the LCD cable, and the system itself looks to be in good condition.

Does anyone have any ideas of what I should look for? I can't seem to find any information about any troubleshooting that doesn't relate to the LCD cable.



Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. :D
 
This thread would probably be better under the Atari section.

Does it run only on batteries or can it run on AC power?

It can also run on AC, I'm currently trying to find a universal transformer to try out. If it makes any difference, I tried two different kinds of alkaline batteries, both fresh.
 
Just tested out with two different universal transformers, still no signs of anything happening. :(
 
This is not directly helpful in diagnosing the portfolio, but have you checked out the Atari Portfolio website:
http://www.atari-portfolio.co.uk/ta-index.html
Looks like it's based in the UK, you may want to try contacting the person who runs the site, although it appears to not have been updated in some time.
Also there is mention of a UK Portfolio Club on this site, but the link is down. It does give you the email of the person who used to run the club so you may still be able to contact him.
Just a couple of ideas for you!
Do you have access to an oscilloscope or logic analyzer? Those have proved invaluable to me in repairing various old computers.
 
Thanks for your reply. I sent an e-mail to the site owner, and got a message back saying it hadn't been delivered. I'll try the UK Portfolio Club one now.

And unfortunately, I don't have access to either of those. :(
 
Well, I think I'm gonna have to call this one dead. I've spent most of today testing as much as I can, and it's doing weird things, like I'll suddenly get 1-2 volts coming out of ground and into positive, if you understand what I mean. Looks like I'm gonna have to keep this as a spares machine and track down another working Portfolio.

Thanks for all your replies, much appreciated. :)
 
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