For the final project of The Ben Heck Show I built an all-new original hardware Atari 800 handheld!
Unlike my past Atari computer laptops this uses the original IC’s with an all-new custom circuit board. It also fits in your hand and runs off Li-Po batteries.
-> Click here for the detailed Making Of Story <-
You can view the corresponding Ben Heck Show episodes below:
When I was young I used to do a lot of BASIC programming on my Atari 800 computer. Many years later I got an SIO2PC cable from eBay, which allows you to use your PC as a virtual disk drive with an old Atari. This allows a person to make disk images of their old stuff. Knowing how fragile the old FM disks were, I was excited to make backups.
Sadly, about 3 minutes after getting the transfer cable my 810 drive conked out. However recently a customer found me a working 1050 drive at a thrift store (how come thrift stores in Wisconsin aren’t that cool?) so once again I can share these old games with the world!
If you ever wondered what the “amazing” Ben Heck was doing at age 11, now you can find out! Though a programmed a lot of stuff, I’m only including what is complete or fairly playable.
Should run on most modern emulators, or a real Atari if you have an SIO2PC cable. Enjoy!
New Atari 800 laptop. Click here for super-sized, printable version.
For many years an Atari 800 laptop was my “dream project”. It was the computer I grew up with and thus I have fond memories of it.
Finally in 2006 I completed one. You can see it here. A few years later I did another by request. These were all well and good, but I didn’t feel I properly captured the spirit of the old machines.
Earlier this year I finished the long-gestating Commodore 64 laptop. It turned out great, and looked properly old. This left me conflicted however – I wasn’t a Commodore guy, but I had done a much better job on it than my beloved 800’s.
This year that all changed! Someone requested I build them an Atari 800 laptop, and I decided to go full out and not only beat my own C64, but make it perhaps my coolest project ever.
Riveting DOS action. Click here for super-sized, printable version.
After about a month this is the result. Quick specs:
To see more pictures and read the Making Of, click below.
My next project shouldn’t come as a surprise… in fact, chances are SLIM you won’t be able to guess.