Atari 400

The 400 arrived first. An impressive collection of custom audio and video processors built around a 6502 CPU. Priced affordable for home buyers and uses a television for display, giving a readable 40x24 columns of text in standard text mode. Atari added other modes for enhanced text and graphics in the hardware for easier programming. It also produced sound through four independent channels from the TV speakers. There were all necessary cables included.
The function keys are (top-to-bottom):
System Reset , Option , Select , Start

* a larger image of a 400

Atari 800

Soon after the 800 shipped with a full-stroke keyboard for faster typing, it also had twin cartridge ports and expanded RAM - up to 48k. It also has an additional port for a high-res monitor. memory cards image

The keyboard layout is identical on both. (click on image for larger view)

Each model offers a recorder/disk drive I/O port, and television hookups on the back with built-in RF shielding. Four controller ports on the front (the same 9-pin plug used on Atari's 2600) were also included.

»With these came peripherals for file storage, communications and printing.

Atari 410

The program recorder was the first permanent file storage method. Atari shipped the 410 for use with the 400/800 computers [you cannot use a regular cassette recorder]. Atari BASIC offered easy access to cassette storage. Atari program recorders could record sound and programs on the same tape.

Atari 810

The 810 was a single-sided single-density disk drive with 88K per 5¼" disk storage capacity. DOS II made file handling easy and BASIC had some commands for store/retrieve files. It was somewhat noisy but fairy reliable. You could daisy-chain up to 4 drives on one computer, with other peripherals at the end.

NEW: set switches on the 810

Atari telecommunications

The Atari 850 interface module allowed any manufacturers modem to be used on the Atari computers, including Atari's own 830, an acoustic modem.
Atari later released a newer model which did not need the 850, since in plugged in directly, named the Atari 835.

Atari printers

There was several printers marketed under the Atari name. The first Atari printers were the Model 820, 822, and 825 . The Atari 822 is a thermal printer which had low quality. The 820 dot matrix printer lacked graphics abilities and was replaced by the 825 printer (image)

Atari CX85

An optional numeric keypad for any Atari computer. It has a standard 10-key adding maching configuration, with raised dot on the 5 key. All 4 function keys are redefinable under program control (overlay included)

MicroSoft software from long before WINDOWS