Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!mips!apple!portal!cup.portal.com!Bob_BobR_Retelle
From: Bob_BobR_Retelle@cup.portal.com
Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.8bit
Subject: Re: Real Atari history
Message-ID: <41991@cup.portal.com>
Date: 4 May 91 06:38:13 GMT
References: <1991May3.070356.21318@sactoh0.sac.ca.us>
Organization: The Portal System (TM)
Lines: 50

Mark Newton John writes:
>Hmmm. I can't believe that in this newsgroup, there are still wrong
>answers, or at the least, incorrect ones.

>For the most part, the information is alright, but here is another
>clarification from someone who has been there from the start.

...
 
>Here are some facts about the 400.

>16k RAM. Not user expandible. Of course you found hacks making
>keyboards and expanding one to at least 1Mb.
 
Not entirely true... since we're questing for the way it was, there were
third party expansion boards for the 400 that made upgrading to 32K as
easy as unplugging the 16K board, and plugging in the 32K board.. I know,
I did it.. and it was easier than upgrading my ST..
 
There was a third party 48K board I later added which was about as easy
to do as the DataFree upgrade board I recently added to my ST.. you had
to solder a small template onto the bottom of the 400 motherboard to bring
an extra address line to the memory slot..  

(I suppose that might qualify as a "hack" since it involved soldering..
the 32K board was a straight plug-in)
 
>Almost all peripherals worked, except it's pretty hard to do any
>programming with DOS loaded in the computer.
 
Actually, ALL the peripherals worked, since the 400 and 800 were identical..
with the 32K (or 48K) board installed, there was no problem doing useful
programming..

>And if anyone has 1982
>copies of COMPUTE!, you'll see why Atari sold alot of 400s with the
>410 Program recorder. 810 disk drives were around $450...
 
Ah... here's a bit of nostalgic trivia...  my 810 disk drive cost $550..
about $50 *more* than my entire first 520ST *system*, including the 360K
disk drive (with 4 times as much storage)...
 
Eventually, with the 48K memory board, and an 800 keyboard I added in 
a custom case, my first Atari 400 turned out to be an exceptionally
useful machine... 
 
Kind of sad to think that I could trade it in today and buy a 1040STe for
*less* than the 16K 400 cost me originally...
 
BobR