SyntaxBomb - Indie Coders

https://www.ign.com/articles/the-400-mini-is-a-scaled-down-recreation-of-the-atari-400?fbclid=IwAR0adX_t_dRnyszr4zrqK2mNKBSq2dV3qGU13tyhk9avawAyK32HVkEIhvc

Nice choice of machine for a mini, although a friend had a real one back in the day, another had the Atari 800 (I had a ZX Spectrum 48K). Thanks to Ebay I now have the Atari 800, so I vote for an Atari 800 Maxi next!

Nar, not interested. I played with the original Atari 400 back in my school days, in the local debenhams. Hated the machine, with that god-awful keyboard. As a Commodore machines worshipper, I shall definitely not be voting with my wallet on this one.

Quote from: Xerra on January 11, 2024, 23:54:37Nar, not interested. I played with the original Atari 400 back in my school days, in the local debenhams. Hated the machine, with that god-awful keyboard. As a Commodore machines worshipper, I shall definitely not be voting with my wallet on this one.

Atari made a few bad choices with the release of the Atari 400/800. But one choice they couldn't get round was the the FCC regulations at that time, which made the machines expensive to make, and they made very little profit as a result.

Oo, sweet  Loved my 800XL and spent many many hours playing Bruce-Lee with my best mate at the time. The best Bruce Lee port was on the 800XL ( let's not mention the lazy terrible Ghostbusters port ) along with Jet Boot Jack, International Karate, Pole Position to name but a tiny few so I'll be grabbing one of these little beauties. 

The Atari 800 was the best 8-bit computer IMO, even though it it didn't sell as well as some.

Fantastic keyboard, 4 joystick ports, 2 cartridge slots (held internally not hanging out the back) it had a very early USB-like equivalent input system for expansion, great sound, faster 6502 CPU than the C64 which came out a few years later and a better colour palette (although the C64 had 64 rather than 48K).

[Edit]

QuoteOo, sweet Loved my 800XL

Another nice Atari computer that.

I also had a 130XE with 128K RAM but a crap keyboard (better than a 400 though).

Yeah, the Atari 800 was pretty much as capable as the C64 despite it being released earlier. We all know the C64 became much more popular and developed better for. Back then there was some lazy ass ports which made the machine look really bad.

I did originally have an Atari 400 with 48k but it didn't have the membrane keyboard ( bought it 2nd hand ). It had a real keyboard which I've never seen that type since.. Hang on, Google time... Nope, can't find the same thing

Quote from: Steve Elliott on January 12, 2024, 04:40:55I also had a 130XE with 128K RAM but a crap keyboard (better than a 400 though).

What were they like? Were they just like an 800XL but more memory or were they a real upgrade?

QuoteI also had a 130XE

What were they like? Were they just like an 800XL but more memory or were they a real upgrade?

The keyboard (second worst after the 400) and the look of the machine was totally different (more like a mini Atari ST) and had 128K RAM. The cartridge slot went to the back rather than the more convienient vertical insertion like all the other Atari machines, but the video output was much better (brighter and less noise).

Atari 130XE

I only bought it as a stop gap before buying the Atari ST.

I remember the Atari 600XL. Now that was a good looking machine. Still didn't want one, though. A mate had an ST for a while around the late 80's, but I was still too interested in the C64 to show much interest in that. Didn't know about the Amiga at that time.

Quote from: Xerra on January 11, 2024, 23:54:37Nar, not interested. I played with the original Atari 400 back in my school days, in the local debenhams. Hated the machine, with that god-awful keyboard. As a Commodore machines worshipper, I shall definitely not be voting with my wallet on this one.

I concur mate, my Spectrum had a better keyboard than that and was my first coding love! (mainly ZXBasic, apart from poking Jet Set Willy games!). I was a Sinclair to Commodore Convert (I'd roughly a 5 year gap from coding between 13 and 18)you can imagine the leap from the spectrum to the Amiga500, Dune the battle for arakis, brill multiple disk game! So, no Atari reboot for moi.

Eventually got a Bill Gates machine after commodore marketing killed the Miggy machine. Around the turn of the century, the PC couldn't hold a candle to the Amiga 1200AGA !!!!!

It's a mini, none of the mini systems like the C64 mini have a working keyboard! So what computer keyboard is better is irrelevant. I might get one for my retro collection as more of a space saving version of a machine that has some nostalgia for me, and if the original hardware ever fails I can still run my favourite Atari games on an appropriate looking machine. I have a full sized original Atari 800 with a fantastic keyboard connected to a CRT so the 400 would be more of a 'nostalgia piece' in my collection. I suspect there is an Atari 800XL maxi version coming in the future but I have no nostalgia for that machine personally.

Yes indeed, I plan on buying one, and a maxi if they build one this year. Though if they build a maxi I hope they choose an 800 or 1200 because of the keyboard.  BTW, anybody has any insight on why they chose to build an 400 instead of an 800 or 1200.  I was an commodore/sinclair user until I went MS-DOS/Windows, so I do not know much about the Atari line up.  Other than the keyboard, what was the main differences between the machines.

Oh, I forgot Revive machines is building a full-size Atari machine. Now, with the Spectrum Next and the C64 on the market, all we need is an Apple II (Ha! heh! heh! Ha!), the TRS-80 and their Coco machines, and the Texas Instruments 99/4a (Yeah, right) to round out the collection.

Ohh! Love the retro sexynes of the atari400. Looks kinda cute with that massive CXSTICK jammed in!

Id prefer the Atari 800XL though. Which i still have.

Baggey

QuoteThough if they build a maxi I hope they choose an 800 or 1200 because of the keyboard.  BTW, anybody has any insight on why they chose to build an 400 instead of an 800 or 1200.  I was an commodore/sinclair user until I went MS-DOS/Windows, so I do not know much about the Atari line up.  Other than the keyboard, what was the main differences between the machines.

Oh, I forgot Revive machines is building a full-size Atari machine.

They always use the minis as money building machines then build a maxi of some sort next. Yes the 800 especially followed by the 600XL/800XL had much better keyboards. The 400 and 600XL had 16K and the 800 up to 48K, the 800XL had 64K and the later 130XE had 128K, so memory was a major difference. The 400 and 800 had internal cartridge slots where as later models had the cartridge plug externally and were smaller and cheaper to manufacture.

I hear Atari have killed the Revive machine (although the website is still up).

Damn!!!!!

Steve,

Why did Atari do that?  (kill the revive machines).  They should have partnered up with them instead!

QuoteDamn!!!!!

Steve,

Why did Atari do that?  (kill the revive machines).  They should have partnered up with them instead!

I could be wrong, but I'm sure I heard it from Neil at This week in Retro:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7CtKxpktsaY&t=3861s&ab_channel=ThisWeekinRetro 

Because they aim to produce something themselves? Atari have produced a new modern version of the 2600 (which includes full cartridge support). Or in partnership with these guys that are producing the mini and maxi versions of retro computers. I hear the 800XL Maxi is on it's way (unless this flops I guess) but it certainly won't be as good as the Revive Machines with things like cartridge support.