Atari 800XL experts, please help

[congobongo]

I recently picked up an Atari 800xl from a thrift store. Unfortunately there was no power supply to be found. By chance, I also picked up an Atari XE(GS) which did have a power supply. Now, I was under the impression that both of these machines could use the same power supply. Well, when I went to plug the XE power supply into the 800XL it wouldn't fit. Why? Because my 800XL power-in connector only has 5-pins. And no I'm not trying to plug it into the monitor out socket. No FAQ I can find mentions that some 800XLs had a 5-pin power connector so what's the deal?

Here's a pic:

http://www.danandmichelle.com/images/800_5_pin.jpg[/img]

[RJ]

I dunno- I always thought the connections were identical but upon closer inspection just now I see the "monitor out" has 5 pins & the other has 7. Wish I could help...
BTW- the posted pic doesn't show much...

[congobongo]

You may have to adjust your brightness to see that the DC in has only 5 pins as opposed to the 7.

[video_game_addict]

That's rather odd. I just checked my XE and its the 7-pin DIN too. I've never had an XL, so I wasn't aware it had a 5-pin. Maybe there are two different versions? Lots of the computer systems had variations over time. The video out on the C64 changed from a 5-pin din to 8-pin din, also the Vic-20 had two different power plugs as well. Some were round like the c64 and others were square, like the pLus4/C16. Seems to be a common thing with these companies, changing parts, using whatevers available.


Best sells replacement power supplies, and there are two different part numbers, Ones the same 7-pin version I have with my XE, and the other is a universal, doesn't mention the pin count, but has a slightly higher Amp rating. But both power supplies are listed for use on the 800XL As well as all the others, 600XL 65XE, 130XE & XEGS so I don't know. Seems to me you're gonna have to keep hitting up the thrift until it shows up. :-D

[Daniel Thomas]

Yeah, sorry to hear about your Atari woes. Fortunately, I grew up around those stupid things (actually have the emulator on my PC, just for MULE), so I know exactly what you're talking about. The 800XL had its own screwy plugins for the power cord and the switch box (ugh, pre-cable TVs); I'm not sure if Atari's other computers (800, 600XL, 130XE) use the same cords, but since the XEGS was packaged as a "game system" to compete against Nintendo, I'm not surprised that its cords are unique. It's much easier to get your money when something breaks down.

I'm afraid you'll have to hunt down an 800XL power cord; the internet is probably the easiest route. But I also have another suggestion: if you have a PC, why not simply get the Atari 800win emulator? It works perfectly, and any software you want is easily found as sites like emuchina. Best of all, with the emulator, you can play MULE with four players, the way it was meant to be played! :D