Atari 1200XL
Released:February 1983
Price :US $899
CPU:MOS 6502C @ 1.79MHz
Memory:64K RAM
Display:40x24 text, 320x192 graphics
 16 colors with 16 intensities
Ports:Video, two controllers, SIO (serial)
Storage:Optional cassette or floppy drive
OS:Atari BASIC (on cartridge)




The Atari 1200XL was the refresh of the earlier Atari 400 and Atari 800 computers from 1979, but now with a sleek, low-profile, aluminum and smoked plastic case with matching accessories. It is very classy looking, similar to the Texas Instruments TI-99/4 of the same era.

New system features include:
  • <CONTROL><F1> disables the keyboard so the program can run uninterupted.
  • <CONTROL><F2> disables the video display - the screen goes black, but the program runs ~25% faster.
  • <CONTROL><F4> switches character set to "international language".
  • Keyboard "click" sound now uses the TV or monitor speaker, not an internal computer speaker.
  • The cartridge port is moved to the left side for ease and "beautification".
  • Built-in diagnostic tests for memory, audio-visual, and keyboard.
  • Graphics modes 12, 13, 14, 15 now available in BASIC.
  • Very comfortable keyboard - "soft and velvety touch".
  • Text fine scrolling available.

    • The new Atari 1200XL really offers very little improvement over the older Atari 400 and 800 systems, however. The 1200XL has basically the same CPU at the same speed, actually has fewer ports for accessories, and costs just as much, if not more. There are no built-in programs - all programs have to be loaded from cartridge, cassette tape, or floppy drive - this includes BASIC, and any other programming language.

    Serious limitations include:
  • No system bus expansion port.
  • No standard parallel or RS-232 ports.
  • BASIC Programming cartridge not included.
  • The SIO port lacks the 12vdc supply, which was available on the Atari 400 and 800.
  • An improved video circuit provided a more colorful image for the TV image, but the separate "chroma" signal was not provided to the monitor port.

    • Atari had actually been working on a new and improved system to be known as the Atari 1000, with many new features and capabilities, but possibly financial or time issues caused them to scale it back, and release the crippled, by comparion, 1200XL in its place (the XL stands for Extended Line). This is why all the matching periperals have designations starting with the number 1000 and not 1200, like the 1010 Cassette Recorder, 1020 Plotter, 1027 printer, 1030 Modem, and 1050 Disk Drive.

    The Atari peripherals interface to the Atari computers using the SIO port - this includes the cassette recorder, floppy drives, and printers. There's only one SIO port on the computer, so all peripherals are daisy-chained in a string, one after another. The peripherals are "smart" and contain their own CPU.



    In order to make it cheaper and more reliable, the Atari 1200XL has just one large motherboard, instead of multiple smaller boards as in the 400 and 800. The 1200XL was probably the last Atari computer manufactured in the U.S.A. - manufacturing was eventually moved to cheaper overseas plants such as Tawain, Singapore, Japan, and other.



    Unfortunately, due to the system limitations and the high system price, the 1200XL sold poorly, and got no respect. The 1200XL was mostly marketed as a competitor to the Commodore 64 - the most popular computer at the time (actually, of ALL time). Some Atari advertisements mention "C64" three or more times.

    Due to slow sales of the 1200XL, by April 1983 the price was dropped to $695. By June 1983, the price was down to $599. By this time, the price of the older Atari 400 was just $150, while the Atari 800 was $165. It is said that sales of those older system actually increased as they were being phased out.

    Within maybe eight months of being released, the Atari 1200XL was discontinued, and two new and cheaper systems were released - the 600XL ($199) and 800XL ($299). Otherwise very similar, the 800XL has 64K of RAM, while the 600XL has only 16K of RAM.


    Seen above is the Atari 600XL, 800XL, and 1200XL. The 600XL and 800XL corrected some of the 1200XL shortcomings - they now have a accessible parallel bus, the BASIC programming language is built-in, and they are much, much cheaper than the Atari 1200XL. The 800XL would eventually become the best-selling model of the entire Atari 8-bit computer line.

    Easter egg - When running the full diagnostic test on a 1200XL, the "keyboard test" will spell out the programmer's name - "Michael Colburn". This was removed on the 600XL and 800XL.



    Related Links

  • Atari Frequently Asked Questions
  • Atari 1200XL: Most expensive Atari computer ever
  • The Atari 1200XL Home Computer Owner's Guide
  • "Mr. Wizard's World" and the Atari 1200XL - from Facebook
  • Atari 1200XL - the New Computer - review from ANTIC, February 1983
  • In Defense of the Atari 1200XL - from Geekometry
  • Atari Compendium
  • old-computers.com
  • atarimuseum.com
  • Best Electronics
  • The Atari Sweet-16 Project
  • "The Golden Age of Atari Home Computers"
  • Atari 1200XL - article from InfoWorld, January 1983
  • Atari 1200XL - review from InfoWorld, June 1983
  • Breakout: How Atari 8-Bit Computers Defined a Generation
  • Atari: From Starting Block to Chopping Block - InfoWorld, August 1984

    • Partial History of the Atari Computers

    • 196?: As an engineering student at the University of Utah, Nolan Bushnell liked to sneak into the computer labs late at night to play computer games on the university's $7 million mainframes.
    • 1972: Bushnell founded Atari with $250 of his own money and another $250 from business partner Ted Dabney. They then created and commercialized the world's first commercial video game, Pong. Bushnell was 27 years old.
    • 1976: Warner Communications buys Atari from Bushnell for $28 million.
    • 1977: Atari introduces the Atari Video Computer System (VCS), later renamed the Atari 2600
    • 1978: December - Atari announces the Atari 400 and 800 personal computers.
    • 1979: October - Atari begins shipping the Atari 400 and Atari 800 personal computers.
    • 1979: December - Atari produces the first coin-operated Asteroids game machine.
    • 1981: May - Atari announces the 8KB Atari 400 is being discontinued.
    • 1982: January - Atari begins shipping all Atari 800 units with GTIA graphics chips, allowing three more graphics modes than previously.
    • 1982: December - Atari issues a US$55 rebate on the Atari 400, dropping its retail price to under US$200.
    • 1983: January - Atari introduces the 1200XL home computer.
    • 1983: May - Atari offers a US$100 rebate on the Atari 800, bringing its retail price to below US$400.
    • 1983: June - Atari introduces the Atari 600 XL.
    • 1983: June - Atari introduces the Atari 800 XL, with 64 KB RAM.
    • 1983: June - Atari introduces the Atari 1450 XL, with built-in 300 bps modem.
    • 1983: June - Atari introduces the Atari 1450 XLD, with built-in 300 bps modem and disk drive.
    • 1983: Atari cancels production of the Atari 1200XL, due to compatibility and other problems.
    • 1984: July - Jack Tramiel, President of Commodore International, leaves Commodore in January and buys Atari.
    • 1984: - Atari introduces the Atari 7800 ProSystem.
    • 1985: January - Atari introduces the 65XE, for US$120.
    • 1985: Atari introduces the 130XE, with 128KB RAM.
    • 1985: Atari introduces the 130ST for US$400.
    • 1985: Atari introduces the 520ST for US$600.
    • 1987: January - At the Winter CES, Atari announces a US$1500 laser printer.
    • 1988: September - Atari introduces the Atari TT.
    • 1989: - Atari Computer introduces the Portfolio, a 1-pound DOS-based PC, which runs on three AA batteries. Price: US$400
      Source: Chronology of Events in the History of Microcomputers



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