Quickly got dinner and then went back out and dismantled the machine.
Took out the GTIA and cleaned the insides of the pins, which were a bit crusty.
Success!
Fully working and now back together.
General Stuff(tm)
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stephen_usher
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- Posts: 7376
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- Location: Oxford, UK.
Re: General Stuff(tm)
Intro retro computers since before they were retro...
ZX81->Spectrum->Memotech MTX->Sinclair QL->520STM->BBC Micro->TT030->PCs & Sun Workstations.
Added code to the MiNT kernel (still there the last time I checked) + put together MiNTOS.
Collection now with added Macs, Amigas, Suns and Acorns.
ZX81->Spectrum->Memotech MTX->Sinclair QL->520STM->BBC Micro->TT030->PCs & Sun Workstations.
Added code to the MiNT kernel (still there the last time I checked) + put together MiNTOS.
Collection now with added Macs, Amigas, Suns and Acorns.
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rubber_jonnie
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- Posts: 14888
- Joined: 17 Aug 2017 19:40
- Location: Essex
Re: General Stuff(tm)
Single wipe sockets by any chance?stephen_usher wrote: 19 Dec 2025 19:02 Quickly got dinner and then went back out and dismantled the machine.
Took out the GTIA and cleaned the insides of the pins, which were a bit crusty.
Success!
Fully working and now back together.
Collector of many retro things!
800XL and 65XE both with Ultimate1MB,VBXL/XE & PokeyMax, SIDE3, SDrive Max, 2x 1010 cassette, 2x 1050 one with Happy mod, 3x 2600 Jr, 7800 and Lynx II
Approx 20 STs, including a 520 STM, 520 STFMs, 3x Mega ST, MSTE & 2x 32 Mhz boosted STEs
Plus the rest, totalling around 50 machines including a QL, 3x BBC Model B, Electron, Spectrums, ZX81 etc...
800XL and 65XE both with Ultimate1MB,VBXL/XE & PokeyMax, SIDE3, SDrive Max, 2x 1010 cassette, 2x 1050 one with Happy mod, 3x 2600 Jr, 7800 and Lynx II
Approx 20 STs, including a 520 STM, 520 STFMs, 3x Mega ST, MSTE & 2x 32 Mhz boosted STEs
Plus the rest, totalling around 50 machines including a QL, 3x BBC Model B, Electron, Spectrums, ZX81 etc...
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stephen_usher
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- Posts: 7376
- Joined: 13 Nov 2017 19:19
- Location: Oxford, UK.
Re: General Stuff(tm)
Of course! :-)
Intro retro computers since before they were retro...
ZX81->Spectrum->Memotech MTX->Sinclair QL->520STM->BBC Micro->TT030->PCs & Sun Workstations.
Added code to the MiNT kernel (still there the last time I checked) + put together MiNTOS.
Collection now with added Macs, Amigas, Suns and Acorns.
ZX81->Spectrum->Memotech MTX->Sinclair QL->520STM->BBC Micro->TT030->PCs & Sun Workstations.
Added code to the MiNT kernel (still there the last time I checked) + put together MiNTOS.
Collection now with added Macs, Amigas, Suns and Acorns.
-
rubber_jonnie
- Site Admin

- Posts: 14888
- Joined: 17 Aug 2017 19:40
- Location: Essex
Re: General Stuff(tm)
:lol: :lol: :lol:
Collector of many retro things!
800XL and 65XE both with Ultimate1MB,VBXL/XE & PokeyMax, SIDE3, SDrive Max, 2x 1010 cassette, 2x 1050 one with Happy mod, 3x 2600 Jr, 7800 and Lynx II
Approx 20 STs, including a 520 STM, 520 STFMs, 3x Mega ST, MSTE & 2x 32 Mhz boosted STEs
Plus the rest, totalling around 50 machines including a QL, 3x BBC Model B, Electron, Spectrums, ZX81 etc...
800XL and 65XE both with Ultimate1MB,VBXL/XE & PokeyMax, SIDE3, SDrive Max, 2x 1010 cassette, 2x 1050 one with Happy mod, 3x 2600 Jr, 7800 and Lynx II
Approx 20 STs, including a 520 STM, 520 STFMs, 3x Mega ST, MSTE & 2x 32 Mhz boosted STEs
Plus the rest, totalling around 50 machines including a QL, 3x BBC Model B, Electron, Spectrums, ZX81 etc...
-
stephen_usher
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- Posts: 7376
- Joined: 13 Nov 2017 19:19
- Location: Oxford, UK.
Re: General Stuff(tm)
Other than the lack of a badge, after a clean the machine doesn't look too bad.
It seems that the original owner in the 80s must have been a heavy smoker as the sides of the keys were coated in orange powder. The smell and the stickiness have all gone, just leaving the powder behind, which is easily cleaned off.
It seems that the original owner in the 80s must have been a heavy smoker as the sides of the keys were coated in orange powder. The smell and the stickiness have all gone, just leaving the powder behind, which is easily cleaned off.
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
Intro retro computers since before they were retro...
ZX81->Spectrum->Memotech MTX->Sinclair QL->520STM->BBC Micro->TT030->PCs & Sun Workstations.
Added code to the MiNT kernel (still there the last time I checked) + put together MiNTOS.
Collection now with added Macs, Amigas, Suns and Acorns.
ZX81->Spectrum->Memotech MTX->Sinclair QL->520STM->BBC Micro->TT030->PCs & Sun Workstations.
Added code to the MiNT kernel (still there the last time I checked) + put together MiNTOS.
Collection now with added Macs, Amigas, Suns and Acorns.
-
rubber_jonnie
- Site Admin

- Posts: 14888
- Joined: 17 Aug 2017 19:40
- Location: Essex
Re: General Stuff(tm)
Not too bad at all :)stephen_usher wrote: 19 Dec 2025 21:47 Other than the lack of a badge, after a clean the machine doesn't look too bad.
IMG_4835.jpeg
It seems that the original owner in the 80s must have been a heavy smoker as the sides of the keys were coated in orange powder. The smell and the stickiness have all gone, just leaving the powder behind, which is easily cleaned off.
I love an 800XL :) Well any A8 as it goes.
Collector of many retro things!
800XL and 65XE both with Ultimate1MB,VBXL/XE & PokeyMax, SIDE3, SDrive Max, 2x 1010 cassette, 2x 1050 one with Happy mod, 3x 2600 Jr, 7800 and Lynx II
Approx 20 STs, including a 520 STM, 520 STFMs, 3x Mega ST, MSTE & 2x 32 Mhz boosted STEs
Plus the rest, totalling around 50 machines including a QL, 3x BBC Model B, Electron, Spectrums, ZX81 etc...
800XL and 65XE both with Ultimate1MB,VBXL/XE & PokeyMax, SIDE3, SDrive Max, 2x 1010 cassette, 2x 1050 one with Happy mod, 3x 2600 Jr, 7800 and Lynx II
Approx 20 STs, including a 520 STM, 520 STFMs, 3x Mega ST, MSTE & 2x 32 Mhz boosted STEs
Plus the rest, totalling around 50 machines including a QL, 3x BBC Model B, Electron, Spectrums, ZX81 etc...
-
stephen_usher
- Site sponsor

- Posts: 7376
- Joined: 13 Nov 2017 19:19
- Location: Oxford, UK.
Re: General Stuff(tm)
I think that the XL machines look the best in terms of the 8 bit machines.
They're more compact than the originals and have their own style, unlike the XE machines which look like cut down STs.
Anyway, A8PicoCart and FujiNet ordered now I have a known working machine. :-)
They're more compact than the originals and have their own style, unlike the XE machines which look like cut down STs.
Anyway, A8PicoCart and FujiNet ordered now I have a known working machine. :-)
Intro retro computers since before they were retro...
ZX81->Spectrum->Memotech MTX->Sinclair QL->520STM->BBC Micro->TT030->PCs & Sun Workstations.
Added code to the MiNT kernel (still there the last time I checked) + put together MiNTOS.
Collection now with added Macs, Amigas, Suns and Acorns.
ZX81->Spectrum->Memotech MTX->Sinclair QL->520STM->BBC Micro->TT030->PCs & Sun Workstations.
Added code to the MiNT kernel (still there the last time I checked) + put together MiNTOS.
Collection now with added Macs, Amigas, Suns and Acorns.
-
stephen_usher
- Site sponsor

- Posts: 7376
- Joined: 13 Nov 2017 19:19
- Location: Oxford, UK.
Re: General Stuff(tm)
This morning I've been running the machine in self-test mode as a burn in and designing a new badge.
Not too bad, though LibreOffice makes the Atari font slightly smaller than the other font used for the 800XL. I've solver paper on order so I can print the badge on that. Once that's done I'll spray some lacquer over the top to seal it before cutting it out and gluing. Not quite the brushed aluminium of the original but as close as I'm going to get I think.
Not too bad, though LibreOffice makes the Atari font slightly smaller than the other font used for the 800XL. I've solver paper on order so I can print the badge on that. Once that's done I'll spray some lacquer over the top to seal it before cutting it out and gluing. Not quite the brushed aluminium of the original but as close as I'm going to get I think.
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
Intro retro computers since before they were retro...
ZX81->Spectrum->Memotech MTX->Sinclair QL->520STM->BBC Micro->TT030->PCs & Sun Workstations.
Added code to the MiNT kernel (still there the last time I checked) + put together MiNTOS.
Collection now with added Macs, Amigas, Suns and Acorns.
ZX81->Spectrum->Memotech MTX->Sinclair QL->520STM->BBC Micro->TT030->PCs & Sun Workstations.
Added code to the MiNT kernel (still there the last time I checked) + put together MiNTOS.
Collection now with added Macs, Amigas, Suns and Acorns.
-
stephen_usher
- Site sponsor

- Posts: 7376
- Joined: 13 Nov 2017 19:19
- Location: Oxford, UK.
Re: General Stuff(tm)
Reduced the size of the 800XL by half a point and it looks a lot better.
Intro retro computers since before they were retro...
ZX81->Spectrum->Memotech MTX->Sinclair QL->520STM->BBC Micro->TT030->PCs & Sun Workstations.
Added code to the MiNT kernel (still there the last time I checked) + put together MiNTOS.
Collection now with added Macs, Amigas, Suns and Acorns.
ZX81->Spectrum->Memotech MTX->Sinclair QL->520STM->BBC Micro->TT030->PCs & Sun Workstations.
Added code to the MiNT kernel (still there the last time I checked) + put together MiNTOS.
Collection now with added Macs, Amigas, Suns and Acorns.
-
stephen_usher
- Site sponsor

- Posts: 7376
- Joined: 13 Nov 2017 19:19
- Location: Oxford, UK.
Re: General Stuff(tm)
Upgrading to the latest version of LibreOffice has now allowed me to get the kerning of the "800" far closer to the original. Of course Ariel isn't quite the right font as the cross on the 8 is not quite right but it's very close.
Intro retro computers since before they were retro...
ZX81->Spectrum->Memotech MTX->Sinclair QL->520STM->BBC Micro->TT030->PCs & Sun Workstations.
Added code to the MiNT kernel (still there the last time I checked) + put together MiNTOS.
Collection now with added Macs, Amigas, Suns and Acorns.
ZX81->Spectrum->Memotech MTX->Sinclair QL->520STM->BBC Micro->TT030->PCs & Sun Workstations.
Added code to the MiNT kernel (still there the last time I checked) + put together MiNTOS.
Collection now with added Macs, Amigas, Suns and Acorns.
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