Atari XEs used in Hospital?

[Clint Thompson]

I stumbled across these and found it to be intriguing! I wonder what exactly they used them for and how the phone jack connections work and with what. If I didn't have a million other things going on I would probably pick these up but hard telling how much they'll end up for. Typically I would say the XF551 drives alone would be worth it but seeing as how it was definitely constantly used, I wouldn't put much money on them being functional or at least much longer, if so.

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Rare-Atari-Broadcast-system-130XE-customized-XF551-with-disks-/121951625046?hash=item1c64e21f56:g:ScsAAOSw8RJXCm3L

[Video 61]

What they most likely are, are charactor generators. Atari sold quite a few, and there were companies that used charactor generating cart sand disks. They were, and in some cases, still are used in airports, apartments, hotels, convention centers, etc. If you see a monitor or t.v. when you come in the front door, that scrools anouncments, that is what they are for.

 

I still get inquires from users, on getting them fixed, or the software fixed. but those systems are no longer supported by software companies that i know of. A prominent one was in Canada.

 

Lance

www.atarisales.com

 

[Video 61]

Been intersting to read UK Press reviews of the 130XE at the time and the 'fear' that Atari was pushing the system as a buisness machine, rather than gaming platform and how it'd be ignored as Atari's main focus was on the ST.....

 

 

So fantastic to see custom 130XE's being used in this manner.

 you will cry over this one. atari had a 320k 130xe in the works, and a 512k 130xe. with a 40/80 column chip in it, that could be changed on the fly. the 512k one was supposed to be battery backed up. the xf-551, was supposed to be a 3.5 inch drive, i know the guy who talked atari out of releasing it, and they went back to a 5&1/4 inch floppy.

 so many authors of magazine articles, used the 130xe. they wanted more ram, and more storage on disk. by that time, the pc's were 3.5 inch disks. atari almost, and i say almost, for once, was going to support their market share, then backed out at the end, with some bad advise to boot.

 i was stunned, i asked them why, they told me if you want a business machine, buy a pc. no kidding, they were that bad at business.