Is it a computer or a console?

the golden rule of electronics repair is ASAP: always start at power

A few hints: When operating the desoldering gun, wiggle it. This way you'll get the solder more easily. Also, if you first use/add some fresh solder to the pins, the old solder goes away more easily. And thirdly, to avoid damage to the pads, make sure the chip is properly desoldered before attemting to remove it. If desoldering is done properly it falls out on its own (maybe with a little sideways nudge). If you try to pull it out, while still attached, you'll rip out a soldering pad and maybe even a line.

You were using the dreaded "Ingot" power supply! Never use that model, ever! I have one and have been meaning to toss it for years. The seller didn't give you the power supply that came with the XEGS originally, which was not this bastard. I know this video is years old, but everyone needs to know that this particular PSU will destroy your machine.

Great video.. The first desoldering scene went on a little to long, but otherwise I rally enjoyed it! Also, I'm curious if you actually tested the RAM chips, or just assumed they were destroyed because they were so hot?

You need to make more videos please :) these are quality gold and you know your stuff!. Great to see another Aussie reviewer on you tube, keep up the great work and very impressed back in the xbox days with your work of emulation for the system.

8:43 "Then I thought about it, I never tested the voltage coining from the power supply. Maybe I should have done that first." I remember when I was studying computer hardware and network engineering one thing my instructor always said, "start with the simple problems first, because even though you know the system inside and out, it doesn't mean it's a complicated issue." And sure enough, the more I learned the more I was tempted to try more complex solutions when about 80% of the time it was simple issues.

Love this system, I got one for Xmas 89. It was awesome. Only problem was that In the U.K. you couldn't get any cartridge based games where I lived. So my dad bought a used Atari cassette player from an older model and and ton of games. It was amazing. I wish I still had it.

Flamin' awesome. I'm with you mate, love the look of the XEGS. Got my first back in 92 and a replacement about 8 yrs ago. So thanks for going more in depth than some of these other drongos, who obviously don't do any research. So thanks again good job cheers

I really want one. It’s aesthetic also appeals to me.

I still have my original 800XL from 1983. I play games like Jumpman Junior and Shamus weekly! Currently using an UNOcart and love it! 👍🏻

It's amazing how the MOS 6502 series of chips could be found in almost everything. I read the history of that CPU a while back and how they were able to reduce cost by having better quality micro film for their production line making more successful runs of the 6502 with much less defected ones to throw out. Or at least that is what I remember reading.

I had the Atari 400 computer with its membrane keyboard. I hated the keyboard but loved the little cartridge games. I particularly loved Pac-Man and Donkey Kong. You brought back so many memories of me as a kid playing it with my mom and dad. These memories are especially fond to me because not long after I lost my father to illness. Great video and thanks for rekindling those memories.

I was in love with this system when I was a kid! My neighbors got one when they came out and I NEVER left their basement :) Thanks for the memory boost dude!!!!!

I remember my father bringing one of these home. He found it somewhere, probably someone threw it out. We didn't have any cables or games for it but it was always an intriguing console because back in the 90s we had no idea how to get it running due to how much it was missing.

My first system ever, i was 7 years old, 1987.

Smashed the hell out of Star raiders and Blue Max on this . Still have mine with carts in Mint Condition

My grandmother had one of these. This is the first time I've seen one since 1990 or so. Those pastel buttons are seared into my memory, but I was too young to even read the labels on them.

The console buttons remind me of a set of children's sidewalk chalk.

Atari 8bit computers were extremely popular in Poland back in the day, so it doesn't surprise me that Side2 cartridge originated there.

The very fist computer ever to enter our house in 1987.Marvel for my little brother and me.We wanted C64 but were so young that we told our dad who was truck driver in Italy,to buy us "computer".Our good friend in the neibourghud had C64 and also called it the "computer".In the end my dad bought us Atari XE, computer :).

The diagonal joystick ports are what broke mine back in the 90s. These days soldering a new right angle DB9 would be no issue. But in the 90s, I just had no ability to do that kind of stuff. I'm not proud to admit that it ended up in a landfill. 😢 -- Such a good console. Thank you for restoring this one and taking care of it. The pastel buttons are lovely. 🙂

Flashing back to old vids here in ‘19 and I see you were still awesome back In the day. Fav channel bar none

Atari 8bit chipset lasted so long because they were ahead of their time. Nice piece of kit, I dreamed of owning one but as I’m in Australia the c64 was dominant and great value. No regrets.

Thanks for bringing it back to life. Definitely worth celebrating.

Back in the day I was a religiously Atari computer fan only pulled to Commodore with Anita's release...great video.

Amazing video bud. It is brilliant how you got that beauty working again. I wish I had your electronic repair skills. it just isn't my area of expertise. That said, the tip about checking the power supply first is fantastic. I have to get one of those Sideii cartridges for my 800 and 800XL. Great work on the machine and on the video! -- Bill

Very nice overview and repair. I have a 130XE, 800XL and 400 machine with slightly different solid state storage solutions and quite an avid collector of ' left ' cartridges. I have never come across the pastel tinted XE Game system in the wild.

эта вещь, а точнее два в одном, домашний компьютер и игровая ТВ приставка Atari XEGS у меня появилась в СССР в 1988 году, и для меня открылась новая игровая жизнь!Так как большая часть людей в стране вообще не знали о таких вещах, а я окунулся с головой и открыл для себя и для моих друзей новый мир игр и развлечений! Atari XEGS до сих пор со мной и в рабочем состоянииМне сейчас 48 лет, и я по прежнему с большим удовольствием включаю Atari XEGS и наслаждаюсь играми, тех времен!Я считал и считаю по прежнему, что Atari это мать всех игр и игровых приставок😁😎👍

Ahh man I had an XE back in about 88 or 89? It was hard to find cartridges but man I played flight Sim on that thing for HOURS. I loved it. Also there's some trick, you hold down one of the four buttons when you power it on and it has Asteroids built in. At least mine did.

Great job, and great advice at the end there! It's lucky that none of the main chips died from the over voltage there - I guess the RAM is more susceptible to over voltage damage.

Great video with a valuable lesson. I hope you do a video on the Atari 8bit demoscene

Nice video had one of these in the day. Had an old Atari 400 from new and the power pack actually caught fire some years later so its worth checking power supplies if investing in retro. If you're after light gun games there was Crossbow, Barnyard Blaster and Crime Busters. The only other one was Operation Blood Made by a Polish company in 1992 a really well done game that was! Atari made some cracking hardware they had a 1st class R&D team but the lack of 3rd party software support caused its demise

I was so happy when that thing fired up with an image

I bought one of these brand new, when I was a teen. I loved it, but unfortunately it was let down by poor support from sales staff and outlets. (Australia)

"amazing flight sim two cart" literally 1 frame per second

Great video and well done on the fix. I laughed out loud on the 'Hallelujah' music, well timed.

My only complaint is I would have liked to see more software, you edit a lot like me which makes me smile

Excellent video! I think the XEGS has a wonderful late 1980s style to it. Atari 65XE computers aren't easy to come across; at least on eBay. For some reason, there are quite a few of them from Mexico. I loved "The Ghost", and am going to go download it!

I have no prior experience with this machine but it's starting to grow on me. Need to get myself one someday.

Didn’t have a two port model so I got another “working” Atari 5200 recently. The screen was looking very similar but I didn’t remember this video. I got it along with another 7800 that was also showing issues: scrambled 7800 games but working Atari 2600 games. After they warmed up for 15 minutes they suddenly started working! Well, the 5200 was showing black and white graphics for a little while but after another 15 minutes it was back to 100%. Unlike the 7800, the 5200 stayed fixed. The 7800 would go back to scrambling 7800 games until warming up for 12-15 minutes any time it was allowed to cool down but, strangely, it works perfectly with no RF shield. You can literally hover it close over the board with no contact and cycle the power but it won’t work until you are about an inch or more away. Anyway, because the Atari 5200 is based on Atari 8 bit home computer 400/800/XL/XE hardware, I thought it might be relevant. I completely discharged it and let it sit for two weeks but the issue didn’t return.

Congrats on getting the system working although I cringed a little at the RAM chip removal process :)

Some late XL Ataris actually had a Freddie chip on board, sometimes these are referred to as XLF instead.

I've actually wanted one of these for a long time. I'm a Commodore devotee, but, this Atari 8-bit, to me was always one of the coolest looking systems.

Here in the US, the white and black brick power supplies for the early Atari 800XL computers are the best ones. They can be opened up and actually be repaired.

Great video! I had one of these back in the 80's - Just like you, we played all our consoles and used the Atari XE, With a Commodore monitor. I bought it because I thought it would be better than an NES (Atari had good commercials), When I finally bought the NES, we were all "wowed" by it (The NES). Still we got a lot of use out of it, we learned how to program a little and also ran a business with it Thanks for the memories! I had forgotten what the XE Game system looked like. Been watching your videos on Roku, but had to take time out to comment on this one.

Great video buddy! And dat Hakko saves the day! I have the older 808 version and it's a godsend for this kinda stuff. I love the fact the XL and XE computers only require 5 volts DC on the psu. Sooo easy to build a replacement psu (unlike the c64). My 800XL is acting up and as soon as I get home tonight I'm going to pull it out and see if I can sort out its issues. Atari's 8 bit machines are great!

0:46 correction - 100k were sold the first year. More were sold afterwards. The total number sold is not known. The system was successful from Atari's perspective. They managed to sell already existing inventory of parts and cartridges sitting in storage. The 65XE/800XE was sold into 1992 in eastern Europe so technically it was the last system produced of this line.

I remember when I was around 8, I would go over my great grandmothers house every so often and since I couldn't bring my NES or Genesis (this was just before the SNES) she had randomly bought this one day and had it there for me to use. I remember being so confused by the thing and it always reminding me of candy for some reason (obviously the odd color choice they used for the console). This was an oddity...and I am sure i'm one of the rare few who grew up in the US, who actually played this thing.

Mvg love the fact that you pronounce sega in the classic Australian way: seega

i had one. i think the design is WAYY after its time, i think it still holds up.. Better then any other console in its time period

Beautiful Solder work! You soldered the sockets in like an artist! Top tier! thanks for the video! (P.S. to all of you watching... perfect soldering is not easy.. Cold Solder joints are very common in this kind of work.. but this guy has NO COLD solder joints! He kicks Butt!

That was my first console. I used to spend hours playing Missile Command and programming in Atari Basic from the thick manual that came with the system. MS Flight Sim 2 and Bug Hunt were fun for a little bit but didn't hold my young mind for long, although Flight Sim did get me hooked on flight sim games. My basement used to flood every year and one year I watched my XE float around in that flood. I still miss it. ^_^

I always thought socketing was a neat habit to have that would probably not help a whole lot in the long run, but you definitely proved me wrong in this video! =D

I just got an Atari XE for a steal here in Mexico. The first thing I did? Testing the power supply of course!

the Atari xe was the first console I own as a child I wish I still had but it's nice to see you get that one back running again . did it still have the built-in games on it

Please please please setup a static-safe workspace to prevent damage to these machines! It really is a relevant risk

My childhood all over again... even down to opening the thing because i broke one of the keyboard port pins!!!!

I love the aesthetic of most Atari things. I still say that the 1200xl and the 5200 are the sexiest video game systems ever released.

I got this machine when I was a kid. I learned basic programming language in Mexico in the 90's. There was a really good manual that actually came with the machine and a light gun with a bug killing game. I was too young to understand most of the basic programming language but I think that was the point on my life where I began as a software developer.

Awesome video man. I'm always super jelly of your retro computer gear.

Nice video, we had an Atari 800XL back in the 80s and used to love playing games like Thrust and The Goonies etc.

Hey, MVG! I recently ran across you during your "dream of Rowan" stream on christmas eve! Didn't know you mucked around with the electronics side, too. I've got the same model of desoldering iron... I love that thing! Cheers!

Ahhh my first game console. Still have it but haven’t really played it in years.

THAT MUSIC IS OFF THE TOP! LOVED IT!

I dug one of these out of my garage, and the very first thing I did was check the voltage on the supply. Luckily, mine gave a solid 5v and the system's working perfectly. I need to check my old 130XE though and see if I can get it working.

I had the 130XE, which i thought was super cool looking (as was the ST). However, the XEGS pastel colored buttons made the "new" XE look like a toddlers toy. That's what I thought then when it was "new", and that's still what I still think today. Thanks for the Great Review!

That things guts are gorgeous! I love it man

Someone once said that the power supply was a common issue with the Atari XE. I think that was the issue with the one we had as kids

The thing is, those kinds of power supplies (inductive transformers as opposed to switching power) typically read a higher voltage until they are under load. Same for the NES' AC PSU.

As always good stuff. the power supply tip is good to know.

This is what the original Atari 400 was supposed to be, but they decided they would better selling is as a computer for small kids instead of just a game system with an attachable keyboard. They went instead for the attached touchpad keyboard. We always said the very best display for the Atari Home Computer was a Commodore monitor.

Everytime I hear the keyboard cat style music I think of the nintoaster video..lol

I got one of these from a yard sale or something back in the 80s. I think I only had one game for it.

If you want to speed up the Desoldering process, clip all of the leads from the chip before desoldering. Then you can pull the leads out one at a time.

I just ordered that Hakko from Amazon!! I cant wait (260$ later, I better like it more than my 8$ spring loaded solder suckers). Great video man, very cool find! this is one of the oddball consoles I always wanted to add to my collection, but haven't found a decent unit anywhere around me in CT.

I wanted one of these as a kid, I had saved for ages and ages and they were out of stock everywhere, I ended up with a ZX Spectrum +2A instead from Tandy which in hindsight was a better buy long term as the Atari 8 Bits faded from the UK about a year afterwards and games were next to impossible to find where Speccy Software was available for years and years.

Brings back memories, had one as a kid.

Glad I am not the only one how has issues desoldering old components

I'm green with envy, I want that desoldering gun ;o)

I liked how if you did not put a cartridge in, and turned it on, it would play missile command.

Wow, that was pretty difficult getting to work. Well done! 👍

Hi, I never heard of this system before. Thanks for this video.

Loved the video. Atari 600 XL was my first computer. Your system is a little bit more modern in design. Looks great both external and internal. Damn PSU.

I had an Atari 2600 and my mum offered me a choice between a new game or entire new computer (this one). Went with the new computer only for someone to break into our house and steal it a few weeks later. Good old 80's Britain.

Can you possibly explain a little bit more about socketing the chips? It sounds like a great idea and I would like to know a little bit more about it

Always socket chips on these old pcbs, as later if they go again you could take the pads and layers off the pcb by keep desoldering.

the music sounds like a codex track installing my pirated game of the month

Never had an XE/XL/XEGS system, just an Atari Sixteen Thirty-two and Lynx 2. Still have my Lynx 2.

Also before you replace the chip, you might want to follow the power supply lines of the chip, see if there is more damage (maybe measure supply voltage)... otherwise you might just fry your replacements as well.

By the late 80s these things were being sold as clearance items at department stores. I had a C64 and upgraded to a PC around that time, but picked the XE up anyway because it was dirt cheap ($60). I wanted to like the thing, but by that time 8-bits had died in the US and software for it was nowhere to be found. I ended up returning it and buying a 7800, which was great because it exposed me to a ton of 2600 games I never got to play prior to that. Atari had a lot of cool hardware and it's a shame that Jack Tramiel ran the company into the ground.

0:20: iT eVeN cOmEs WiTh ThE aMaZiNg FlIgHt SiMuLaToR 2 cArTrIdGe!!1!!1!!!!1 **Runs at quite literally one fps** 80s kids: holy fucking shit yes

The song sounds like picture picture time!

This guy is a god. And he produces his own music?

Great montage music!! Fits the time period too :-)

old vid but.. first rule of trouble shooting thou shall test voltages. but with that said, great vid.

Well Freedie chips can be found in XL machines too. The mobo is under the name of 800XLF. I happen to have an 800xl(800xlf) and an 65XE(900xlf) and both have Freedie chips.

I think it goes without saying any retro console you buy today needs to have some help ;). Nice work!

I had one of those, it came with a huge manual/program manual, and 1 game (cartridge), it could be connected to a cassete player to load games, it was noisy and the tracks had music on top of the data sounds (like the old modem noises), also there were a 1200 modem available and it was compatible with the ST MIDI port. THere were few games available made specifically for the system, I had, KARATEKA, Basic and a Calc spreedsheet. And I think I still have some cartridges and some cassettes!

A friend had an XEGS, and as a 65XE owner myself I always thought what the hell is this thing. Huge, oddly shaped, and those color function keys. What was really the point, since you had to go with all the usual periferals except you were connecting them to a separate "main unit".