Atari 600XL: Video, RAM, and ROM

[@MrLurchsThings]

One small correction, the standard memory on a 600xl is 16kb, not 32 as I said in the video.

[@PhrontDoor]

When pin bending is called for, I usually employ a socket. I buy a socket, put bend the pin on the socket instead, and put the chip into the socket and the socket into the board again. That way, if I've counted the pin number wrong or need to undo my change, the chip remains unscathed, and I can always use another socket.

[@gamedoutgamer]

Nice job. Good you're enjoying the machine! 64K is practically a mandatory upgrade. Your 600XL has a rare mechanical keyboard type for the XL's, called the type 3 or AWC. There are two other more common mechanical variants for the XL's but most 600XL and 800XL's are mylar non-mech.

[@GORF_EMPIRE]

Ah yes...also my favorite classic machine hands down(computer class that is)! Sadly, my 600xl got destroyed by mice in my garage but I still have an original Atari 400 and an XEGS system.

[@tenminutetokyo2643]

Blast em!

[@nickolasgaspar9660]

Amiga or Atari ST mice? lol

[@TheRetroChannel]

She's in good hands. I still get visitation rights, right? right? 🥺

[@MrLurchsThings]

Naturally! Looking forward to see the 130XE up and running

[@madigorfkgoogle9349]

I think she will no longer recognize you, its a memory thing ya know...

[@nickolasgaspar9660]

I just got my first 600XL and I am expecting my 576k memory expansion kit to arrive any day now! It is in a poor "banana" state but nothing serious that can't be fixed! Its really great to see people who are new to this platform recognize the charm of this 8bit line!

[@jamesfatula5824]

I had my 600xl with 16k upgraded to 64k back in 90'd it was different setup of wiring pins it worked and still works today

[@geofftottenperthcoys9944]

If you don't swear when repairing something, you are not doing it right!

[@waltciii3]

Thanks for showing these mods. I used the S-Video mod on my NTSC 600XL, which surprisingly works even though it is missing many circuits. So I end up with S-VIDEO but no composite on an NTSC 600xl.

[@Octamed]

Makes you wonder why the 800xl needed to be so much bigger! I guess ram chips at the time didn't have that capacity.

[@nickolasgaspar9660]

plus the array of resistors filtering the keyboard inputs in the case of the 600 XL is on an adapter ! It was a machine designed between 80-82. The miniaturization of parts was not at its best.

[@tommyovesen]

Well done. I am missing that machine in my small collection. Looks like a great machine.

[@brettb.345]

600XL was my second computer, after a Timex Sinclair 1000.

[@parrottm76262]

Always thought the 600XL was under appreciated. Those were excellent upgrades and should make that machine really shine as a powerful retro computer. Well done!

[@ropersonline]

11:00ish: Given the clearance you have in the case, I wouldn't snip off any legs, I would bend them up in a U-, J- or L-shape, and then side-solder to that end, which with enough care would leave the modification reversible.

[@MrLurchsThings]

74LS158’s are still available and not difficult to replace and honestly, the chances of me wanting to reverse this mod is almost zero.

[@ropersonline]

@@MrLurchsThings That's a fair point. It's just a personal preference thing for the principle of it. That said, I have irrevocably altered retrocomputers before. Once it's your computer, you do you.

[@MrLurchsThings]

I reckon a lot has to do with the mod being tackled. Eg the GTIA and port cover for the 800 are carefully packed away after installing the Sophia.

[@CheshireNoir]

Your advice about the SVideo connector... AMEN to that! (I have made the Jaycar SVideo solder on connectors work, but they just never seem "right")

[@ChrissRetroCorner]

Great video Mr.Lurch! Looks like very worthwhile mods! 😎👍

[@KolliRail]

Well done, Jason! And I find it astonishing how much swearing helps at desoldering every time! :-D

[@tenminutetokyo2643]

Oh yeah dood. The 600XL was one of the best machines Atari made.

[@ropersonline]

7:41:

[@doktor6495]

Very nice done! Does that upgrade now mean that the 600XL is now an 800XL? But in a smaller case!? Greetings, Doc64!

[@MrLurchsThings]

Kinda, yeah!

[@ropersonline]

15:55: So does that memory test only check 48K of RAM as opposed to 64?

[@MrLurchsThings]

Honestly, I’m not 100% sure. The mistake I made was to not run the memory test on the original 16kb and compare. Although I might plug in the 800 today and compare to that.

[@gamedoutgamer]

It checks the full 64K if BASIC is disabled. If BASIC is enabled, eight squares will not show in the test because the BASIC ROM is 8K.