mcb@styx.UUCP (Michael C. Berch) (09/23/85)
My father has recently acquired an Atari 600XL as a premium. It has
16K RAM and is apparently a discontinued model, and none of the usual
Atari dealers or toy stores seem to want to have anything to do with
it. The local Atari users group had a good set of software on disk,
but were unable to supply info about mundane items like the memory
upgrade to 64K, how much memory you need to run the disk, etc.
It seems that all the Atari people are 520ST-crazy, and have forgotten
about the older machines that are still being distributed.
Apparently very few 600XLs were made, but there are a lot of 400s and
800s and 1200XLs and 130XEs around. I am unsure about the relation
ship among these machines and the 600XL. Are they software/DOS
compatible? What about game or program cartridges?
Any information about the 600XL would be appreciated, especially a
pointer to a source (store, mail order, or club) for the memory upgrade
and game/program cartridges.
Thanks in advance,
Michael C. Berch
mcb@lll-tis-b.ARPA
{akgua,allegra,cbosgd,decwrl,dual,ihnp4,sun}!idi!styx!mcbkmeis@drupa.UUCP (MeisK) (09/25/85)
The ATARI 600XL is a downgraded version of the 800XL. Both are compatable with the old ATARI 400 and 800 series. Disk drives, printers and other external devices are compatable, however the 16K memory in your 600XL will not effectively support a disk drive. I remember that the 600XL does have memory upgrades available for it. Finding one may prove to be a problem. I would try some of the old retail store outlets such as Sears or La Belles. They may have one on their discontinued shelves. I am not sure if the ATARI 400/800 memory upgrades will be compatable but I kind of doubt it. Another note about 400/800 to 600XL/800XL compatability; some of the old software will not run on the XL series without what is called a translater disk that simulates the old 400/800 operating systems on the 600XL/800XL.
djk611@uiucuxa.CSO.UIUC.EDU (10/01/85)
try the mail order houses they have all kinds of stuff