I have the main unit, Atari 410 tape drive, two Atari joysticks,
Atari paddles, tv switch, power adapter (usa) and original box.
type computer
country USA
year 1979
os Atari OS in rom
cpu MOS 6502
speed 1.79MHz
ram 16KB
rom 10KB
graphic 320 x 192 (16×16)
colors 16 / 256
sound 4 voices, 3.5 octaves
ports rf tv, cartridge, expansion, serial I/O, four joystick, tape recorder
The Atari 400 — The Entry-Level Atari 8-bit
Released in 1979 alongside the Atari 800, the Atari 400 was the entry-level model of Atari’s first home computer line. Using the same MOS 6502 processor and custom chip architecture as the 800, the 400 was stripped down for cost: it came with just 8 KB of RAM (upgradeable to 48 KB), used a membrane keyboard instead of the 800’s full-travel keys, and had only one cartridge slot and one controller port on the front. Despite these compromises, it shared the 800’s remarkable custom chip capabilities and delivered impressive graphics and sound for a budget machine of its era.
Origins — From Video Games to Computers
The Atari 400 and 800 emerged from a project originally intended to create a successor to the Atari 2600 game console. When Atari’s engineers — led by Jay Miner, who later designed the Amiga’s custom chips — realised they were creating a general-purpose computer, Atari committed to the home computer market. The resulting machines were extraordinarily capable, using custom chips that handled display generation, sound, and I/O independently of the main 6502 processor in ways that no competing machine could match.
The Membrane Keyboard
The 400’s flat membrane keyboard was widely disliked by users who needed to type extensively, but it served its purpose as a cost-reduction measure and proved durable and spill-resistant — useful in a machine targeting families with children. Many 400 owners eventually upgraded to the 800 or added a third-party keyboard replacement. The 400’s keyboard is today considered a defining characteristic of the machine and a reminder of the compromises that entry-level pricing required.