exxos's Atari, Amiga & retro forum

alexh wrote: 26 Mar 2025 14:57 Nice. I've been looking for a 130XE for a while at a sensible price. I find it cool that they look like miniature Atari-ST's.

I dunno about you but I tend to mainly choose items for my collection based on nostalgia (having owned or wanted to own) but for some reason I never knew 8-bit Atari computers existed at the time.

Well I may have a 130XE coming as part of this, so I'll let you know.

So the case is going to need a soak in the bath, it's very grimy!!!

However, I have checked and it does have a full set of RAM cards installed to the grand total of 48K :)

Great result @rubber_jonnie - I consider myself very envious!

JezC wrote: 26 Mar 2025 16:56 Great result @rubber_jonnie - I consider myself very envious!

:)

Well, this is a good start :)


This is UHF to the TV BTW, I need to sort a composite cable for it, then it can go via my Retrotink.
As far as I can tell the only obvious issue is the keyboard which mostly doesn't work, however I'm sure I'll figure it out once I get it apart.

Since it needs a damn good clean, it was getting dismantled anyway :)

Built in a tank factory I reckon:

rubber_jonnie wrote: 27 Mar 2025 10:13 Built in a tank factory I reckon:

Oh they are definitely well built. Only thing to survive the apocalypse will be cockroaches and Atari 800s

PhilC wrote: 27 Mar 2025 11:13

rubber_jonnie wrote: 27 Mar 2025 10:13 Built in a tank factory I reckon:

Oh they are definitely well built. Only thing to survive the apocalypse will be cockroaches and Atari 800s

For sure, though the odd 400 might make it too :)

Can't believe it, I took the case apart to wash it, and now I'm missing a lid spring!!!

They were both there too :(

rubber_jonnie wrote: 27 Mar 2025 11:15 For sure, though the odd 400 might make it too :)

Can't believe it, I took the case apart to wash it, and now I'm missing a lid spring!!!

They were both there too :(

Ouch...

Keyboard is fixed :)


It's horrible I have to say, there is a mylar film and a PCB, and the film has carbon tracks and a contact pad where it has about 10 contacts that join the PCB and Mylar together.

I gently peeled off the mylar, carefully cleaned the carbon pads, then cleaned the PCB. On reassembly I put a thin strip of foam where the plastic bar goes and presses on the 10 contacts for extra pressure and it's all going great.

Lunch break now so going on a spring hunt. I can say for sure it wasn't in the bathwater as I was very careful when draining it. Both came off and one was in the bath and very obvious.