{"wikiid":28318,"langid":"en","namespace":"CATEGORY","title":"Atari 5200","revisionid":2581678,"contents_raw":"== Background ==\n\nThe Atari 5200 (also called the Atari 5200 Super System) is a home video game console introduced in 1982 by Atari, Inc. The Atari 5200 was released as a higher-end complement for the Atari Video Computer System. When the Atari 5200 was launched, the Video Computer System was renamed the Atari 2600. The Atari 5200 was discontinued in 1984; over one million units were sold in the two years the 5200 was produced. Its predecessor, the Atari 2600, sold over 30 million units.\n\nThe 5200\u2019s internal hardware is very similar to that of Atari\u2019s 8-bit family, but the software is not directly compatible between the two systems. The Atari 5200 includes an analog joystick and a numeric keypad with start, pause, and reset buttons. The 5200\u2019s joystick is a 360-degree non-centering joystick, while the Atari 2600\u2019s joystick only offered control in eight directions. The 5200 also features four controller ports, where most other systems in 1982 included only one or two ports. It also includes the first automatic TV switch box which allowed users to automatically switch from the regular TV viewing to the game system signal when the Atari system was activated.\n\nWhile in its prototyping stages, the Atari 5200 was called the \u201cAtari Video System X \u2014 Advanced Video Computer System\u201d and was codenamed \u201cPam,\u201d supposedly after an Atari, Inc. employee. PAM might have actually stood for \u201cPersonal Arcade Machine.\u201d Atari Video System X machines are identical to the Atari 5200 but are very rare.\n\n== Identification ==\n\nYou can identify your Atari 5200 by its rectangular shape and black plastic casing with a silver metal section on top. The silver section features the Atari logo and \u201c5200\u201d embossed on the left side, both underlined in rainbow colors. The model and serial numbers are printed on a label on the bottom of the console.\n\n== Technical Specifications ==\n\n* CPU: Custom\u00a0MOS Technology 6502C @ 1.79\u00a0MHz (''not''\u00a0a\u00a065C02)\n* Graphics chips:\u00a0ANTIC\u00a0and\u00a0GTIA\n* Support hardware: 3 custom\u00a0VLSI\u00a0chips\n* Screen resolution: 14 modes: Six text modes (8\u00d78, 4\u00d78, and 8\u00d710 character matrices supported), Eight graphics modes including 80 pixels per line (16 colors), 160 pixels per line (4 colors), 320 pixels per line (2 colors),^^[30]^^\u00a0variable height and width up to overscan 384\u00d7240 pixels\n* Color palette: 128 (16\u00a0hues, 8\u00a0luma) or 256 (16\u00a0hues, 16\u00a0luma)\n* Colors on screen: 2 (320 pixels per line) to 16 (80 pixels per line).^^[30]^^\u00a0up to 23 colors per line with player\/missile and playfield priority control mixing. Register values can be changed at every\u00a0scanline\u00a0using\u00a0ANTIC\u00a0display list\u00a0interrupts, allowing up to 256 (16 hues, 16 luma) to be displayed at once, with up to 16 per scanline.\n* Sprites: 4 8-pixel wide sprites, 4 2-pixel wide sprites; the height of each is either 128 or 256 pixels; 1 color per sprite\n* Scrolling: Coarse and fine scrolling horizontally and vertically. (Horizontal coarse scroll 4, 8, or 16-pixel\/color clock increments, and vertically by mode line-height 2, 4, 8, or 16 scan lines.) (Or horizontal fine scroll 0 to 3, 7, or 15 single-pixel\/color clock increments and then a 4, 8, or 16-pixel\/color clock increment coarse scroll; and vertical fine scroll 0 to 1, 3, 7, or 15 scan line increments and then a 2, 4, 8, or 16 scans line increment coarse scroll),^^[31]^^\n* Sound: 4-channel\u00a0PSG\u00a0sound via\u00a0POKEY\u00a0sound chip, which also handles keyboard scanning, serial I\/O, high resolution interrupt capable timers (single cycle-accurate), and random number generation.\n* RAM: 16\u00a0KB^^[16]^^\n* ROM:\n** 2 KB onboard BIOS for system startup and interrupt routing.\n** 32 KB ROM window for standard\u00a0game cartridges, expandable using\u00a0bank switching\u00a0techniques.\n* Dimensions: 13\" \u00d7 15\" \u00d7 4.25\"\n\n== Additional Information ==\n\n* [link|https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/s?k=Atari+5200+Supersystem&crid=3O8SUF2UEI0PF&sprefix=atari+5200+supersystem%2Caps%2C183&ref=nb_sb_noss|Atari 5200 on Amazon|new_window=true]\n* [link|https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Atari_5200|Wikipedia: Atari 5200|new_window=true]\n* [link|https:\/\/atarimuseum.ctrl-alt-rees.com\/videogames\/consoles\/5200\/A5200.html|Atari 5200 Super System: Atari Museum|new_window=true]\n* [link|https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/List_of_Atari_5200_games|Wikipedia: List of Atari 5200 Games|new_window=true]\n\n[document|133473|CX5200 Field Service Manual]\n\n[document|156865|ATARI CX55\u2122 CARTRIDGE ADAPTOR FIELD SERVICE MANUAL]\n\n[document|158589|ATARI CX5200 Tech Tips]\n\n[document|158591|CX 5200 Field Service Manual]\n\n[document|166685|CX 5200 Field Service Manual]","contents_json":{"type":"doc","content":[{"type":"paragraph","content":[]},{"type":"heading","attrs":{"level":2},"content":[{"type":"text","text":"Background"}]},{"type":"paragraph","content":[{"type":"text","text":"The Atari 5200 (also called the Atari 5200 Super System) is a home video game console introduced in 1982 by Atari, Inc. The Atari 5200 was released as a higher-end complement for the Atari Video Computer System. When the Atari 5200 was launched, the Video Computer System was renamed the Atari 2600. The Atari 5200 was discontinued in 1984; over one million units were sold in the two years the 5200 was produced. Its predecessor, the Atari 2600, sold over 30 million units."}]},{"type":"paragraph","content":[{"type":"text","text":"The 5200\u2019s internal hardware is very similar to that of Atari\u2019s 8-bit family, but the software is not directly compatible between the two systems. The Atari 5200 includes an analog joystick and a numeric keypad with start, pause, and reset buttons. The 5200\u2019s joystick is a 360-degree non-centering joystick, while the Atari 2600\u2019s joystick only offered control in eight directions. The 5200 also features four controller ports, where most other systems in 1982 included only one or two ports. It also includes the first automatic TV switch box which allowed users to automatically switch from the regular TV viewing to the game system signal when the Atari system was activated."}]},{"type":"paragraph","content":[{"type":"text","text":"While in its prototyping stages, the Atari 5200 was called the \u201cAtari Video System X \u2014 Advanced Video Computer System\u201d and was codenamed \u201cPam,\u201d supposedly after an Atari, Inc. employee. PAM might have actually stood for \u201cPersonal Arcade Machine.\u201d Atari Video System X machines are identical to the Atari 5200 but are very rare."}]},{"type":"heading","attrs":{"level":2},"content":[{"type":"text","text":"Identification"}]},{"type":"paragraph","content":[{"type":"text","text":"You can identify your Atari 5200 by its rectangular shape and black plastic casing with a silver metal section on top. The silver section features the Atari logo and \u201c5200\u201d embossed on the left side, both underlined in rainbow colors. The model and serial numbers are printed on a label on the bottom of the console."}]},{"type":"heading","attrs":{"level":2},"content":[{"type":"text","text":"Technical Specifications"}]},{"type":"bulletList","attrs":[],"content":[{"type":"listItem","content":[{"type":"paragraph","content":[{"type":"text","text":"CPU: Custom\u00a0MOS Technology 6502C @ 1.79\u00a0MHz ("},{"type":"text","text":"not","marks":[{"type":"italic"}]},{"type":"text","text":"\u00a0a\u00a065C02)"}]}]},{"type":"listItem","content":[{"type":"paragraph","content":[{"type":"text","text":"Graphics chips:\u00a0ANTIC\u00a0and\u00a0GTIA"}]}]},{"type":"listItem","content":[{"type":"paragraph","content":[{"type":"text","text":"Support hardware: 3 custom\u00a0VLSI\u00a0chips"}]}]},{"type":"listItem","content":[{"type":"paragraph","content":[{"type":"text","text":"Screen resolution: 14 modes: Six text modes (8\u00d78, 4\u00d78, and 8\u00d710 character matrices supported), Eight graphics modes including 80 pixels per line (16 colors), 160 pixels per line (4 colors), 320 pixels per line (2 colors),"},{"type":"text","text":"[30]","marks":[{"type":"superscript"}]},{"type":"text","text":"\u00a0variable height and width up to overscan 384\u00d7240 pixels"}]}]},{"type":"listItem","content":[{"type":"paragraph","content":[{"type":"text","text":"Color palette: 128 (16\u00a0hues, 8\u00a0luma) or 256 (16\u00a0hues, 16\u00a0luma)"}]}]},{"type":"listItem","content":[{"type":"paragraph","content":[{"type":"text","text":"Colors on screen: 2 (320 pixels per line) to 16 (80 pixels per line)."},{"type":"text","text":"[30]","marks":[{"type":"superscript"}]},{"type":"text","text":"\u00a0up to 23 colors per line with player\/missile and playfield priority control mixing. Register values can be changed at every\u00a0scanline\u00a0using\u00a0ANTIC\u00a0display list\u00a0interrupts, allowing up to 256 (16 hues, 16 luma) to be displayed at once, with up to 16 per scanline."}]}]},{"type":"listItem","content":[{"type":"paragraph","content":[{"type":"text","text":"Sprites: 4 8-pixel wide sprites, 4 2-pixel wide sprites; the height of each is either 128 or 256 pixels; 1 color per sprite"}]}]},{"type":"listItem","content":[{"type":"paragraph","content":[{"type":"text","text":"Scrolling: Coarse and fine scrolling horizontally and vertically. (Horizontal coarse scroll 4, 8, or 16-pixel\/color clock increments, and vertically by mode line-height 2, 4, 8, or 16 scan lines.) (Or horizontal fine scroll 0 to 3, 7, or 15 single-pixel\/color clock increments and then a 4, 8, or 16-pixel\/color clock increment coarse scroll; and vertical fine scroll 0 to 1, 3, 7, or 15 scan line increments and then a 2, 4, 8, or 16 scans line increment coarse scroll),"},{"type":"text","text":"[31]","marks":[{"type":"superscript"}]}]}]},{"type":"listItem","content":[{"type":"paragraph","content":[{"type":"text","text":"Sound: 4-channel\u00a0PSG\u00a0sound via\u00a0POKEY\u00a0sound chip, which also handles keyboard scanning, serial I\/O, high resolution interrupt capable timers (single cycle-accurate), and random number generation."}]}]},{"type":"listItem","content":[{"type":"paragraph","content":[{"type":"text","text":"RAM: 16\u00a0KB"},{"type":"text","text":"[16]","marks":[{"type":"superscript"}]}]}]},{"type":"listItem","content":[{"type":"paragraph","content":[{"type":"text","text":"ROM:"}]},{"type":"bulletList","attrs":[],"content":[{"type":"listItem","content":[{"type":"paragraph","content":[{"type":"text","text":"2 KB onboard BIOS for system startup and interrupt routing."}]}]},{"type":"listItem","content":[{"type":"paragraph","content":[{"type":"text","text":"32 KB ROM window for standard\u00a0game cartridges, expandable using\u00a0bank switching\u00a0techniques."}]}]}]}]},{"type":"listItem","content":[{"type":"paragraph","content":[{"type":"text","text":"Dimensions: 13\" \u00d7 15\" \u00d7 4.25\""}]}]}]},{"type":"heading","attrs":{"level":2},"content":[{"type":"text","text":"Additional Information"}]},{"type":"bulletList","attrs":[],"content":[{"type":"listItem","content":[{"type":"paragraph","content":[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"link","attrs":{"href":"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/s?k=Atari+5200+Supersystem&crid=3O8SUF2UEI0PF&sprefix=atari+5200+supersystem%2Caps%2C183&ref=nb_sb_noss","target":"_blank"}}],"text":"Atari 5200 on Amazon"}]}]},{"type":"listItem","content":[{"type":"paragraph","content":[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"link","attrs":{"href":"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Atari_5200","target":"_blank"}}],"text":"Wikipedia: Atari 5200"}]}]},{"type":"listItem","content":[{"type":"paragraph","content":[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"link","attrs":{"href":"https:\/\/atarimuseum.ctrl-alt-rees.com\/videogames\/consoles\/5200\/A5200.html","target":"_blank"}}],"text":"Atari 5200 Super System: Atari Museum"}]}]},{"type":"listItem","content":[{"type":"paragraph","content":[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"link","attrs":{"href":"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/List_of_Atari_5200_games","target":"_blank"}}],"text":"Wikipedia: List of Atari 5200 Games"}]}]}]},{"type":"paragraph","content":[{"type":"text","text":"CX5200 Field Service Manual","marks":[{"type":"siteLink","attrs":{"kind":"document","id":"133473","options":"","defaultText":null,"newWindow":false,"href":"\/Document\/tCVL4uKvTIHKOyVS\/CX5200-Field-Service-Manual.pdf"}}]}]},{"type":"paragraph","content":[{"type":"text","text":"ATARI CX55\u2122 CARTRIDGE ADAPTOR FIELD SERVICE MANUAL","marks":[{"type":"siteLink","attrs":{"kind":"document","id":"156865","options":"","defaultText":null,"newWindow":false,"href":"\/Document\/WCgAx4TRderJWoiJ\/ATARI-CX55TM-CARTRIDGE-ADAPTOR-FIELD-SERVICE-MANUAL.pdf"}}]}]},{"type":"paragraph","content":[{"type":"text","text":"ATARI CX5200 Tech Tips","marks":[{"type":"siteLink","attrs":{"kind":"document","id":"158589","options":"","defaultText":null,"newWindow":false,"href":"\/Document\/VCZcqWnRbffbMGXy\/ATARI-CX5200-Tech-Tips.pdf"}}]}]},{"type":"paragraph","content":[{"type":"text","text":"CX 5200 Field Service Manual","marks":[{"type":"siteLink","attrs":{"kind":"document","id":"158591","options":"","defaultText":null,"newWindow":false,"href":"\/Document\/52VeUhdkSQM3ARKB\/CX-5200-Field-Service-Manual.pdf"}}]}]},{"type":"paragraph","content":[{"type":"text","text":"CX 5200 Field Service Manual","marks":[{"type":"siteLink","attrs":{"kind":"document","id":"166685","options":"","defaultText":null,"newWindow":false,"href":"\/Document\/OgLZYaWpUii1QrtT\/CX-5200-Field-Service-Manual.pdf"}}]}]}]},"contents_rendered":"
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Background<\/h2><\/div>\n\n

The Atari 5200 (also called the Atari 5200 Super System) is a home video game console introduced in 1982 by Atari, Inc. The Atari 5200 was released as a higher-end complement for the Atari Video Computer System. When the Atari 5200 was launched, the Video Computer System was renamed the Atari 2600. The Atari 5200 was discontinued in 1984; over one million units were sold in the two years the 5200 was produced. Its predecessor, the Atari 2600, sold over 30 million units.<\/p>\n\n

The 5200\u2019s internal hardware is very similar to that of Atari\u2019s 8-bit family, but the software is not directly compatible between the two systems. The Atari 5200 includes an analog joystick and a numeric keypad with start, pause, and reset buttons. The 5200\u2019s joystick is a 360-degree non-centering joystick, while the Atari 2600\u2019s joystick only offered control in eight directions. The 5200 also features four controller ports, where most other systems in 1982 included only one or two ports. It also includes the first automatic TV switch box which allowed users to automatically switch from the regular TV viewing to the game system signal when the Atari system was activated.<\/p>\n\n

While in its prototyping stages, the Atari 5200 was called the \u201cAtari Video System X \u2014 Advanced Video Computer System\u201d and was codenamed \u201cPam,\u201d supposedly after an Atari, Inc. employee. PAM might have actually stood for \u201cPersonal Arcade Machine.\u201d Atari Video System X machines are identical to the Atari 5200 but are very rare.<\/p>\n\n

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Identification<\/h2><\/div>\n\n

You can identify your Atari 5200 by its rectangular shape and black plastic casing with a silver metal section on top. The silver section features the Atari logo and \u201c5200\u201d embossed on the left side, both underlined in rainbow colors. The model and serial numbers are printed on a label on the bottom of the console.<\/p>\n\n

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Technical Specifications<\/h2><\/div>\n\n