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Info for a400


Atari 400 Home Computer

Usage/Known Issues:
Requires full keyboard emulation. At startup, full keyboard emulation mode is enabled by
default. Whilst in full keyboard emulation mode, some key associated functionality may be
disabled (like the ESC key for EXIT). The keyboard emulation mode is toggled using the
scroll_lock key.
Most disk and cartridge images should work, though some graphic issues may exist. Note that
the Atari 400 has less memory than the Atari 800, and some disk images may not work as a
consequence; this is not a bug in the emulation.

History and Trivia:
The Atari 400 and 800 were the first home computers to use custom coprocessors and the first
to use "sprites" and special video interruptions like display lists, features that will be
implemented several years after on the Commodore Amiga. It offered high graphic resolution,
lots of colors and great sound capabilities, more than other computers could do then! The
two models had same characteristics, the 400 is the low-cost version, it has only 16 KB
(instead of 48 KB), one cartridge port (two for the 800) and a membrane keyboard (a
typewriter style keyboard one for the 800).


Generated on Sun Sep 21 17:27:54 2003