Most liked posts in thread: What's new Pussycat too?

I will make it so. Actually I just put the first coat on the rest of the keys and I did decide to go grey on the space bar. and as for the cursor keys, I went blue with them after all, but they will still have white key cap decals, and be slightly different from everything else that way. I imagine it will look good.

 

Wow, Matt, it looks wonderful to me. A little bit of red and there you have the US flag colors! A true American Atari 800. A new meaning for MAGA = Make Atari800 Great Again! ;-)

 

That 800 looks amazing, I did know of the IBM lineage, and it was a good choice to use the same style.

Richie, I know you are busy but any news on that cart?

Obviously if you have health issues or just mega busy then no problem, life before favours!!

 

Sugar! I forgot about that Paul. I have been taking extra Morphine this week so completely so been a bit more forgetful and it slipped my mind.
I will get it packed up and ask Sonia to post it to you this weekend.

 

@M.D.Baker I have tried to contact Tormod myself for the 32KB RAM card, still waiting for a reply but if memory serves he is very slow in replying and to be honest I’m not sure if he still makes any Tandy/Dragon kit. I have asked the question in the Dragon FB group and I’ll let you know the outcome Matt.

 

The final pictures before the big reveal with photos of everything from all sides.

I am waiting only for the paint to properly cure (and time to finish), then everything will get a clear coat and all key cap decals and badges will be applied for the big reveal.

One thing I have been pondering are the Fuji badges on the 800 and 810; whether to leave them grey with the metallic Fuji, or paint the Fuji either blue or white on the grey back ground. What do you guys think? I'm sill planning on blue ATARI names with white 800/810 with a grey background for computer/device name plates.

 

It looks like you had a brilliant Holiday @Andy Barr , great pictures. It's nice to see that canal (river/stream?), or similar to what I've seen on BBC TV in a real picture. Is it called 'The Broads?' Or is that just British slang you used; "on the Broads" for "being abroad" on holiday? I assume the first since the word is capitalized and the name rings a bell. Good show old chap.

In this combined reply/post is a picture of my latest vintage computing accessories. Two new mouse mats. I ordered these from the same place as my Alternate Reality mat and all three Atari 400 mats I got for myself, @Timothy Kline and IIRC, I gave the third to l you Baz?

Anyway, I've been using my older mats, and though I just cleaned them, they have a couple minor stains and I've decided to retire them to wall décor before they get in too bad of shape. So I ordered a couple of replacements for my 800 and 1200XL, but I had a hard time deciding, and I'm now regretting not getting the Archon mouse mat (can be seen in link below) as it would match my new Black and White 800 system (black including the monitor stand, 2 Indus GT drives and the LCD monitor and also black & grey PC/keyboard/mouse) instead of another 400 mouse mat, so I'm going to order the Archon mat too. The new 400 mat will be wall décor along side the old one and the Archon mat for the 800 and Koronis Rift mat for the 1200XL.

As you can see, the Atari 400 mat was redesigned to look like the entire top of the 400. The new mats are thinner than the nice, thick originals, but still decently thick and have a larger surface and thus also larger artwork. Though I'm torn between the two 400 mats, as I do like the new one that looks like the proper computer, but I still prefer the older one which has the full-size 400 membrane keyboard or damn close to it. But I guess I don't have to be since they will be displayed side-by-side.

The mats are sold by a bloke in you Brit's neck of the woods lads. I don't think I said where I got them before, maybe, but I think I kept things hush-hush as the two were surprise gifts. Two pages worth of mats to choose from, just for Atari.

Though many of these games had ports to the other systems so there is some cross-over in the listings and I noticed in the C64 mat listings it had Ninja and Mercenary not offered in the Atari section, even though they are on the Atari too. And thanks to home-brew ports in recent years, there are a couple of 'Ultimate Play The Game' game related mats that would fit the Atari these days too! For most of the popular 8/16-bit micros from the U.S. and U.K., except sorry Bazz and other Oric fans, no such luck for your intrepid micros. They have a pretty sweet selection of mugs, cup coasters and a few cool metal signs to hang from the wall too:

https://www.rhayadercomputers.co.uk/Atari_Mats/cat4866956_4165410.aspx


The blue dot on the top 400 mat must be some trick of light, it isn't really there. Though the mark above the fuji and in the lower left on the AR mat are stains.

 

Cheers, Matt.
Always nice getting some feedback to posts and we had a top time indeed on the Norfolk Broads. Sorry, should have given them their full title. Yes, a reet good blast and fun time was had by all shipmates, scallywags and shapeshifters on board the "good" ship Viscount. Yes, they are narrow rivers, canal like waterways and in parts quite wide estuary areas such as close to Great Yarmouth and we really had to be on our toes dealing with the tide at Breydon Water as it can "rough up":



https://www.broads-authority.gov.uk...-broads/getting-safely-through-great-yarmouth

Yes, I've come across Rhayader Computers before, Matt and every now and again they publish generous voucher codes and you can get serious money off these excellent mouse mats and other cool and nostalgic retro items. They tend to print these money off codes around holiday times so look out this weekend, maybe, with it being Bonfire Night you never know - you might get yersen a cracker of a deal!

Matt, you did indeed send me a very cool Atari 400 mouse mat - thank you - I think the Christmas before last. You have something cool coming this year/Yule, but the only clue I'm giving you is that it aint tapes (as per usual). Of course postage can be a bummer but hopefully this little gem will get to you without causing me to have to sell a kidney.

Some great items you flag up here, fella - always enjoy your posts - keep up the great work. Lurve that Koronis Rift mat - it's class.

 

One last thing for today, while my finishing up the 800 project is on hold due to poor weather and lack of time during good weather, but I have been busy, with other rainy-day electronic projects and I've created the first "draft" of my Atari 800 badge. I found Atari font used for the Atari name in general, but not the numbers and letters the 800 line used on badges and 400/800 cartridge number used.

So I found another font that matches those either perfectly, or real close, it was even in outline form like the Atari "800" on the computer...until I loaded the font up into the graphic art studio I'm using, which seems to have every style for the font there is, except outline. So I may look for another art program that has it or another font with it that will stay outlined and not turn solid as my '800CX' does.

Another thing that is not quite right is that the spacing between the A's and T and between the R and I in 'ATARI' are not as close as the standard for the ATARI name, (compare to the spacing between the A & R which is correct) so it looks slightly "off" to me. So I may have to resort to some manual cut and paste to get them closer as they should be. And of course text sizes/proportions on the badge might change still. The 'Personal Computer' font mimicking the IBM 'ATARI' PC is as close as I could find in the fonts I have available to match the one in the picture.

So, what do you guys think so far? Should the background remain grey? Or maybe it should be white like the computer and the 800CX in black or grey instead (regardless if solid or outlined)? Do you like the 'ATARI' that blue color of some keys(similar to the ST line), or should it be white or black or grey instead? Maybe the 'personal computer' should be white or blue too? Depending on the background color?

I may decide to just leave the 800CX solid white as it is. But I really must see about the proper spacing for the ATARI name I think. This badge, when printed, will be the same size as the original on the 800, 4 1/2" x 1." I matched colors as best I could between the light from pixels on the screen and the grey painted, physical objects and won't really know how close they match until I print it out, which I haven't done yet as I'm working on it in the Fujilab and my printer is still at my Atari XL Command Center, too far for my wi-fi hotspot to reach, so I have to save the file and move it over there....I think the grey may be a couple shades too dark.

The final print out will be in the highest resolution my printer does (960 dpi) on matte photo paper that will be laminated in a matte clear laminate and then applied over top of the original badge with double-sided tape, as to preserve that badge in case I ever remove this paint and repaint it in original colors. Highly doubtful, but why not think of future possibilities if it doesn't hurt the project: I tried removing the old badge for safe keeping, but just from slipping under one corner of it I could tell the badge would be ruined if I tried to remove it.



Here is the 410's badge for quick spacing comparison on the ATARI names:

 

Builders would have laughed at me, said I was crazy and the whole thing needs to be torn down and build a new house. Because it's ten times easier to build new than renovate/rebuild completely. That would have cost me $100,000's. But I took a house that could have been condemned, rebuilt it myself for about $10-15,000, and when completed it will be worth $100,000, $200,000 with the ten acres.

Not that I'll sell, because I like the property, and even though it will probably only ever be my brother and I living here, the land really was inherited by me and my three siblings. But two don't care about it at all, unless we sell, then they'd want their share of course. And it's not worth it for what we'd each get divided for the land, no one could get better with their share. The house is mine though, in my name, and I'm happy to share with my brother since he's helping with everything now, and would have been destitute and homeless otherwise, but the land is the family's technically. But I couldn't get a better piece of property and house for the $125 grand I'd get in the end. I built it to last the rest of my life and for any of my sibling's children when we are gone. I've moved around a lot in my life and I'm done with that.

 

Amen to all that, buddy.
I think we all on here share a total empathy with what you've come through as you aint had it easy (quite the reverse) and had to work like a Trojan to get where you are today in an ever-impressive family dwelling which you have saved from total ruin. Personally, I'm full of admiration for you, pal. You always put your nearest and dearest first and know what's important in this life. Hell, some folk would have cashed in on that land ASAP and disappeared into the sunset with the proceeds of the real estate sale leaving your family to get on and save their own skins and not given a damn. You, my friend, are the salt of the earth and ensure that no one you care about will go without. First class human being and heart of gold, Matt.
Reet, I will begin sending out my annual retro ramblings and festive bits of Christmas computer cobblers NEXT WEEK so as to arrive just in time for Easter 2022 (!?) with you guys who are far and wide, geographically speaking, of this humble Hull abode. So, weld up your mail boxes and nail up your letterboxes as something silly will be heading your ways real soon.
Ciao for now and once more, Matt - great work there on your home. I'm sure you'll be looking real good for Thanksgiving and may all your family have a fab festive holiday and happy New Year ahead.

 

I sent off for an American special plastic glue that I mentioned to Matt ages ago, but like the Locktite All Plastics one I found them all so so and some plastics just would not bond (roughened up or not)

 

Well, since everybody was busy the last day and no replies to my request about the keyboard layouts, anxious to get this project completed, I made a decision to return the CX85 function keys to alternating blue and gray, like the keyboard sides.

I have finished the keyboard and keypad key labeling. In the end, instead of taking @nysavant encouragement to go with one of my options, doing the arrow key labels black on clear like the other blue and grey keys, I went with the white vinyl decals like the white Qwerty part of the keyboard, still on blue keys, so they are a bit different from all others. The reason I chose not to go with the black on blue, you may be able to see for yourself that there isn't a whole lot of contrast in the colors. And it was difficult to see any of the symbols against the blue. Especially "-" and "=" as well as the underline and bar symbols.

The space bar on the keyboard and the "=" key on the keypad, need to be touched up. I'm waiting 72 hours to make sure the new touch-up coats of paint go on well.

There are a few tiny spots here and there on everything that I will touch up, tiny holidays I didn't see until I was looking at the photographs zoomed in. I'm also waiting for 72 hours for the cartridge door to get it's touch-up painting where I used JB Weld to smooth and even the crack on the door and reinforce the underside and hinge arms. as you can see below.

I do not intend to do any sanding or smoothing the JB Weld on the underside to maintain better structural integrity. But I still have to paint the underside (I forgot) anyway so the JB Weld will at least get painted white so the "welds" will be less noticeable.

The other top corner piece needed no body work after repairing and so painted it. I'm just spot painting in an attempt to avoid having to strip the paint and start over. But I will if I have too. I had removed the masking tape from the name badge and so I got a little over-spray on it. But I can clean it off and anyway the new badge is going over top. The cleaning is so the new badge adheres better.

Once the door and keys and holidays are touched up it will be down to finishing the Fuji badges which I have decided that the metallic Fuji's don't look good with the grey backgrounds and white and grey cases, so I am going to paint the metallic Fuji's blue like the keys and the Atari name. The '800CX' will still be outline white on the grey background and similar for the 810 name badge. I also still need to apply the badge/nameplate to the CX85 too. The last thing will be LED lighting inside the drives.

It should all be complete and re-assembled by Monday.

 

I totally understand, I've gone for days and even weeks on occasion the past couple of years without checking in here. I just want objective opinions once in a while when I've narrowed things down to two or three options and was at a point where changes and second thoughts would make the job a whole lot harder.

I will be repainting the space bar and keypad key tomorrow. If it goes well that should be the last of the spray painting. With only name tags/badges and highlighting raised text on face plates and going over everything to inspect for nicks and holidays and anything that needs touching up with a fine brush and a bit of the spray paint sprayed in a small puddle to dip in, to complete it all.

I repainted the cartridge door today, and while not as perfect as it looked before painting, It's good enough to call it repaired and finished. I'll keep an eye out for a replacement long-term. I put the final touch on the keypad (aside from the one key), the Atari/Fuji decal and CX85 designation just like I did with the mouse.

I was working on the 800's name badge on the graphic software also today, I spent too many hours on it and got no where as I kept messing up and couldn't find what I needed in the complicated graphic art program. I'll re-attempt tomorrow just using the built in Microsoft 3D paint, since it all just a matter of colors and alphanumeric text in different fonts and sizes and I can mix fonts and colors on the same line whereas the other software I have to do it all on separate layers and a lot more difficult all around. No more pictures will be posted until it's all complete now. And I know you guys have seen 95% of the transformation already, but there will still be a surprise or two, too reveal.

 

Here it is mates, the pre-world premier of my 800CX. I have to do a bit of touch up still here and there and finish painting the controller jack numbers. And find something better than the double-sided tape I just used to attach the name plates...the name plate on the 810 is pealing already in the pictures I just took! I guess I will have to glue them down.

Anyway, I'll be getting it all plugged in and lit up and take a bunch of angle shot for the big unveil in Atari Age 8-bit forums with a link to the blog I just rewrote in my profile there. I just have to do the final bits and take more pictures.

 

An early Christmas gift from Santa...

 

Fantastic Alex! I'm having one of the better Christmas's too in many years as far as new toys go.

First, my mother and brother's gift to me is a new PYLE quadrophonic surround sound amplifier to replace my recently deceased original Quadrophonic JVC amp (which I will repair one day, but too much of that on my plate atm). The new amp will easily integrate with with all the other original rack stereo components and bring my vintage 80's stereo system in the 2020's with modern features like Bluetooth, etc. too. It will be the first time I have the equipment hooked up and properly working in a decade.

Second, I bought myself the TRS-80 Coco 2 which turned out to be a mint condition machine and I've already got tons of upgrades in it or coming for it, all Christmas presents to my self. But still new toys.

Three, I have a new LCD screen and VGA out upgrade coming for my Atari Lynx II, and with other components I have to repair it (recapping, etc.) my Atari lynx will be functional again for the first time in about 15 years.

Four, since I put up a blog on restoring my Bally Arcade console recently (extrapolated from the thread I wrote up about it here) and someone is sending me parts to help get it running again.

Five, I have an Atari 8-bit finished with upgrades and restoration and in operating order for the first time in almost two years now.

Though not just a good Christmas, but a pretty good year all around for new (to me) business equipment and office trailer, lot's of new toys I was able to afford to buy all year long because the business really took off this year, finally getting my house finished in it's restoration and remodeling after 6 years of work off and on.

The only downer was the tragic loss of my two new Siberian Husky pups, another "gift from God" I wanted for years, but unfortunately a short lived one that created great pain and heart ache in the end. But still a great year and Christmas over all, and hopefully this next year my brother will allow us to try again for more Husky pups, as my Beux is 11 years old now and they have an average life span of a mere 12-15 years. Though he seems to still act spry and young, so I'm hoping he beats the average and has more than just a couple more years of life in him.

Merry Christmas to one and all on the eve of Christmas eve...now it's time for me to go to work on my last job of the year and before Christmas, trimming a tree (no, not putting the trimming on a X-mas tree, a real tree-trimming job).

 

Well done Richie, wanted to get a Wii U, but things have been too cash volatile as of late (make that 2yrs) but I can't complain re the toys side of things, the 1200XL being the icing on the cake. Still hoping for the 400 next year but I won't moan if it does not happen.

Most important thing Richie, your health, too much stress and all the nice machines mean nothing, you first, nice machines second..

 

There is no doubt at all, Daz, that as well as you enjoying a remarkably excellent retro Christmas already - great acquisitions there with the Lazer and Richie's old Dragon - Manu Klyde is also one of the most amazing, skilled, kind, generous and understanding guys you could possibly meet.

It's great to hear that you can see clearly now...



ENJOY, Daz!

 

My big present was having me, my daughter and my wife (and fluffy cat) all together for Xmas.

I got a couple of tops and some socks but with the car looming in days it was all about that. I already had my Xmas pressie with the 1200 and the work that was done on it.

 

The guy has just updated Sonic again..

 

The car should be fine, the tax is on the 1st of Jan and the insurance on the 14th, as long as they let me pay monthly it will be ok with the insurance, if not then it'll take a couple of weeks to build up the extra. As for Xmas pressies, trust me, I like them but as the wife and I got older it became less of a 'thing', when there's some spare money we might have a treat but just seeing my daughter well and happy is a lovely thing. Throw in a sprinkling of fluffy cat on my lap, and I'm happy.

Been having a laugh reading / looking at 2 books, Shit London and Shit London 2. Basically it's books of pictures taken by Londoners showing just how cringy and blight London can be but in a comical way, as an example there's a row of shops in Palmers Green and right next to each other are a shop called Smokers Paradise and a Cancer research charity shop.

 

Go ahead and send some tea, not knowing Andy included some in my package, and with the excitement over the magazine, I accidentally through out the package apparently with the tea still inside somewhere! And garbage pickup happened before Andy told me it was in there after I shared here, so there was no chance for me to dig through the rubbish and save the tea.

 

Sad individual that I am when I was over in West Virginia visiting my better half early in December I took a box of Yorkshire tea bags with me. Best cuppa ever

 

I'll organise a packet of Yorkshire tea over the weekend, I hope it an OK thing to send?

Don't want it confiscated at the last leg..