PhilCs blog / the latest things hes broken(fixed)

[PhilC]

So it turned out yesterday that some of the "problems" with the Atari 400 weren't problems with it at all but with the power supply I'd used. I plugged it in to the 800s PSU and it worked great for hours

It did confuse me a little when the screen colours started to change randomly, with my thinking the GTIA was failing but it turns out it was a trick Atari used in the 400 & 2600 to try and limit CRT screen burn in when the console was idle. Funny though as my 800 doesn't do this.

[rubber_jonnie]

So it turned out yesterday that some of the "problems" with the Atari 400 weren't problems with it at all but with the power supply I'd used. I plugged it in to the 800s PSU and it worked great for hours

It did confuse me a little when the screen colours started to change randomly, with my thinking the GTIA was failing but it turns out it was a trick Atari used in the 400 & 2600 to try and limit CRT screen burn in when the console was idle. Funny though as my 800 doesn't do this.

The colour change is an early version of the screensaver that Atari used. It is still there in the XL series but it doesn't always appear. Sometimes it's suppressed by software, other times it comes along when the machine is idle.

Star Raiders II has it if you leave it long enough, but the original Star Raiders doesn't. I'd be surprised if the 800 doesn't have it.

[PhilC]

@rubber_jonnie I'll have to dig out the 800 later on and leave it running for a couple of hours but never seen it on there before.

[rubber_jonnie]

@rubber_jonnie I'll have to dig out the 800 later on and leave it running for a couple of hours but never seen it on there before.

I'd be surprised if it didn't.

[PhilC]

Had a bit more of a play with the Atari 400, it all seems to be working okay so far. I think though, that I'll probably sell it on and use the 800 instead as it has the Incognito etc installed.

[PhilC]

So today I was looking for my Z88 to sell it to another forum member when I came across some TI-99/4As in the loft. I remember getting the first one but when on earth did I get the other 4? and three spare motherboard

[JezC]

Sounds like they have been breeding... maybe the cases are the last step in them growing up

[PhilC]

Sounds like they have been breeding... maybe the cases are the last step in them growing up

Is this some kind of weird insight into life in the JezC household?

[JezC]

Sounds like they have been breeding... maybe the cases are the last step in them growing up

Is this some kind of weird insight into life in the JezC household?

Could be @PhilC ...if only to try and explain how on earth so many Atari's ever ended up in the household (without in any way admitting for one moment that some of them might have been impulse buys )

[rubber_jonnie]

So today I was looking for my Z88 to sell it to another forum member when I came across some TI-99/4As in the loft. I remember getting the first one but when on earth did I get the other 4? and three spare motherboard

You probably bought the second one when you shouldn't have and hid it from Mrs PhilC as soon as it arrived.

Then forgot about it...