Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!unmvax!pprg.unm.edu!hc!lll-winken!uunet!portal!cup.portal.com!Bob_BobR_Retelle
From: Bob_BobR_Retelle@cup.portal.com
Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.8bit
Subject: Re: 48K Atari 400 Quest
Message-ID: <16557@cup.portal.com>
Date: 1 Apr 89 20:02:21 GMT
References: <10078@ihlpb.ATT.COM>
Organization: The Portal System (TM)
Lines: 34

A question was raised about expanding an Atari 400 to 48K:

>I have an Atari 400 with a 16K memory board in it.  I would like to
>bring it up to 48K.  Does anyone out there have instructions on how 
>I could make this modification myself?  On the other hand, I have
>the current catalog from Best Electronics (408-243-6950) which has
>two 48K expansion options advertised on Pg. 4.
 
I used an Axlon 48K RAM board to expand my 400 years ago, and the installation
was smooth and sweet, with no problems experienced at all.  Because the
400 was not designed to address more than 16K directly at the RAM board
socket, you needed to solder a small "template" pc board onto the bottom
of the motherboard between the RAM socket and the cartridge socket to
bring in the missing address lines, but that was a simple procedure.
Once that was done, the 48K RAM board just plugged in and the upgrade
was complete  (FAR more easily done than upgrading an ST..!)
 
I'm not familiar with the part numbers mentioned in the BEST Electronics
catalog, althouth the second one:
 
>  -48K Atari Expansion Board (CO61553)- 
 
sounds like an Atari part number.  I was never aware that Atari Inc. had
officially released a memory upgrade for the 400, but I imagine anything
is possible.
 
The best thing might be to call BEST and see if anyone there can give any
information about the upgrades.
 
One last bit of perspective..   the Axlon 48K RAM board I installed in my
400 cost virtually the same as the 512K expansion board that I installed
in my 520ST a year ago...   whew...
 
BobR