ScuzzBlog: Diaries December 2018
Entry 19th December 2018: Post 02: Atari 800 - With real keys
Atari 800 - With real keys
I have quite a few Atari computers on active duty though I rarely
seem to spend much time with them. Readers of the blog will know
the struggle I had to get the operation disk for the 1050. Worse
was the time and energy taken repairing cassette drives for this
machine. Wasn't easy on both counts and took quite a while.
And so I leave the 400 and 800 out to test that the rubber bands
are still working. So today it was the turn of the 800. I can
report that she worked just fine as did the cassette and so I
can put the units away for another few months.
I cannot stress enough the importance of testing and using the
kit on regular cycles. The biggest threat is hard drives but the
cassette machines with the rubber bands inside do need a good
spin around. Just warming all the kit this time of year helps.
Yesterday I mentioned that the RF TV connector on the 400 has
become a little loose. Today I watched a video on YouTube about
repairing the connector that plugs into the TV. As ever I was
short of a tool which is a clever wire cutter. The cable is
a little tricky cus it had a plastic outer lining, an inner
shielding then a thin film covering, a plastic sleeve and then
the core centre wire. Depending on the type and cost of the
cable the actual build up can vary. Quite interesting really.
Anyway the Atari machines are safely tucked up. The cheapest
dust-cover is basic kitchen roll. I get through a ton of the
stuff. I make sure all keyboards and ports and any other slots
and holes are covered. Dust is a killer, especially to monitors.
Always keep the slots to older monitors covered.
Atari 800
|
