Atari 65-XE

After Atari was sold to Jack Tramiel, Atari decided for a new series of computers, which had to be more powerful than the others, but still compatible to the old systems. The Atari 65XE is one of the replacements for the Atari 600XL/800XL. The system also forms part of the third generation of computers that Atari had produced, with a very compact and very similar shape to the 520 ST. Originally this version was previously released with the second generation of computers under the code name of Atari 900 XLF. The system is very compact and very similar to the 520 ST. The XE series are compatible with the older Atari version. In fact most of the components are from the previous systems that Atari had released. The only difference is the custom chip code named FREDDIE. This chip was a Memory Management Unit capable of handling memory swapping and large amounts of memory more efficiently. This made the machine faster and less more expensive than other machines. Atari also changed the style and code names of the peripherals to match the colours of the new systems, but their features remain almost the same. The 65XE has the same structure as the 600XL and 800XL, which made it fully compatible with old software and games.

65-XE

US$170 in 1985

Boxed: A177024592
1985
6502c 8Bit CPU running on a frequency of 1.79Mhz for NTSC users and 1.77Mhz for Pal users. The system also has 3 Co-processors for sound and video.
24 Kbytes Rom (16Kbytes OS and 4 Kbytes Basic Interpreter.) 64Kbtes Ram which is handled by an MMU custom chip code name FREDDIE. Memory is expandable to expandable to 128K Ram.
Same shape as the Atari 520 ST with Medium grey colour Case and the keyboard in light grey colour. The usual ATARI function keys are located on top of the keyboard with the same colour of the case. The Keyboard is a typical QWERTY style typewriter with 67 keys including CONTROL, ESC, CAPS LOCK and CAPS.
The 65XE display is identical to the previous models except that with the custom chip FREDDIE the display memory is handled different. The display is controlled by a LSI custom chip named Antic Actually it’s a microprocessor that is capable of running programs. The ANTIC chip controls a gate array chip code named GTIA that generates the TV output from the data sent to it. Although a bit slow, the above method made it possible that even the CPU can talk directly to the GTIA for producing images. The GTIA is also capable of producing sprites on screen.

The Atari Text Resolution are as follow: 40×24 2 Colours 20×12 5 Colours, 20×24 5 Colours 40×12 5 colours & 40×24 5 colours 40×19 2 colours. Characters are formed in an 8×10 matrix with 2 colours. The Atari Graphic Resolution are as follow: 40×24 4 colours 80×48 2 colours, 160×96 2 colours 160×96 4 colours, 320×192 2 colours 80×192 16 colours (Shades), 80×192 9 colours 80×192 16 colours (hues) & 160×192 2 colours 160×192 4 colours. All colours are selected from 16 colours with 16 shades each which gives a total of 256 colours.

The sound is generated by a custom chip processor code named POKEY. The chip is capable of producing 4 channels with 8 bit pitch resolution each. This means that you can produce 256 different tones at 16 different volumes. The channels can be combined into two pairs to produce a 16 bit pitch resolution (65535 tones).
2 x Joystick Ports, 1 x RF output for TV, 1 x Video Monitor Port, 1 x Cartridge Port. Mainly this port is for game cartridges, but it can be used for another language interpreter such as MC & 1 x I/O Port. This port you could attach any peripheral from a tape recorder with a baud rate of up to 4800 bps, disk drive, and printer.
Very heavy and bulky external power supply, with two +5v outputs and one -5v output.
Dimensions 350mm x 235mm x 65mm (W x L x H). Weight approx 1.33kg.
More than 32,000 units were sold around the world.

The club currently owns one Atari 65 XE in very good working condition. The system is boxed with Manual, RF lead, and power supply included with the system.


Cartridge Port

30 Pin Edge Connector Female,
at the Computer

Pin Name Dir Desc
1 /S4 IN S4
Active
Low
2 A3 OUT Address 3
3 A2 OUT Address 2
4 A1 OUT Address 1
5 A0 OUT Address 0
6 D4 IN/
OUT
Data Bit 4
7 D5 IN/
OUT
Data Bit 5
8 D2 IN/
OUT
Data Bit 2
9 D1 IN/
OUT
Data Bit 1
10 D0 IN/
OUT
Data Bit 0
11 D6 IN/
OUT
Data Bit 6
12 /S5 IN S5
Active
Low
13 +5V OUT +5V DC
14 RD5 IN RD 5
15 /CCTL IN CCTL
Active
Low
A RD4 IN RD4
B GND N/A Ground
C A4 OUT Address 4
D A5 OUT Address 5
E A6 OUT Address 6
F A7 OUT Address 7
H A8 OUT Address 8
J A9 OUT Address 9
K A12 OUT Address 12
L D3 IN/OUT Data Bit 3
M D7 IN/OUT Data Bit 7
N A11 OUT Address 11
P A10 OUT Address 10
R R/W IN Read
Write
Active
Low
S B02 IN B02
 

 

Enhanced Cartridge Interface (ECI)

14 Pin Edge Connector Female,
at the Computer

Pin Name Dir Desc
A RES IN Reserved
B /IRQ IN Interrupt
Request
C /HALT IN Port
Request
D A13 OUT Address 13
E A14 OUT Address 14
F A15 OUT Address 15
H GND N/A Ground
1 /EXSEL IN External
Select
2 /RST IN Reset
3 /D1XX IN D1XX
4 /MPD IN MPD
5 AUDIO OUT Audio Out
6 /REF IN Reference
7 +5V OUT +5V DC
 

 

Control Port 1

9 Pin D-Sub Male

Pin Name Dir Desc
1 JOYA0 IN Joystick
UP
2 JOYA1 IN Joystick
DOWN
3 JOYA2 IN Joystick
LEFT
4 JOYA3 IN Joystick
RIGHT
5 POT AY IN Lightpen
Paddle
y Axis
6 BUTTON
A/LP
IN Fire/
LightPen Btn
7 +5V OUT 50mA max
8 GND N/A Ground
9 POT AX IN Lightpen
Paddle
x Axis
 

 

Control Port 2

9 Pin D-Sub Male

Pin Name Dir Desc
1 JOYB0 IN Joystick
UP
2 JOYB1 IN Joystick
DOWN
3 JOYB2 IN Joystick
LEFT
4 JOYB3 IN Joystick
RIGHT
5 POT BY IN Lightpen
Paddle
y Axis
6 BUTTON
B/LP
IN Fire/
LightPen Btn
7 +5V OUT 50mA max
8 GND N/A Ground
9 POT BX IN Lightpen
Paddle
x Axis
 

 

I/O Port

13-Pin Male
at the Computer

Pin Name Dir Desc
1 CLK IN Clock
2 CLK OUT Clock
3 DATA IN Data
4 GND N/A Ground
5 DATA OUT Data
6 GND N/A Ground
7 CMD IN/
OUT
Command
8 MOTOR OUT Motor
Control
9 PRC IN Proceed
10 READY OUT +5V DC
Ready
11 AUDIO IN Audio
12 +12V OUT +12V DC
13 INT IN Interrupt
 

 

Power

Din 7 Pin 360

Pin Name Dir Desc
1 +5V OUT +5V DC
2 SHD N/A Shield
3 GND N/A Ground
4 +5V OUT +5V DC
5 GND N/A Ground
6 +5V OUT +5V DC
7 GND N/A Ground
 

 

RF

Phono Jack
at the Computer

Pin Name Dir Desc
1 SIGNAL OUT RF
Signal
OUT
2 GND N/A Ground
 

 

Video Port

5 Pin Din 180

Pin Name Dir Desc
1 LUM OUT Luminance
(Mono)
1V p-p
2 GND N/A Ground
3 AUDIO OUT Audio
Imp 1k
2V p-p
4 VIDEO OUT Composite
Video
1V p-p
5 CHROMA IN Composite
Chroma