Atari 400 User manual

"HE BASIC
COMPUTER M
OWNER S GUIDE
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You'llwant one of the specially priced kits described on the next
page to go along with your computer. Or you can choose from the
many other ATAR]prcorams and games available for your computer.
Ifyou didn't pick up any of these at the store, you should consider
going back to get one because your computer needs programs,
games, game controllers and possibly other components to go to
work for you. -
ot long ago, computers were large, complicated to use
and priced well beyond the reach of most people. Today,
you own a computer that's small, affordable and.easy to
use. In fact, you don't even need to know programming
to enjoy your ATARI 400 Personal Computer, because
dozens of programs are already available. Educational and game
programs, personal development programs, and many more, let you
begin using your computer as soon as you unpack it. Simply insert
a cartridge or cassette press a few keys, and your computer is pro-
grammed to playa game, help you learn foreign languages and
other subjects, or perform time-saving tasks such as mortgage and
loan analysis.
This booklet tells you how to install your ATARI400 computer in ten
easy steps. All you need to do is install the TV Switch Box,connect
the computer console to your-TV set, plug it into the wall and insert
a cartridge. The only tool you'll need is a reoular screwdriver.

Insert the Star Raiders ™ cartridge and become
a Starship Commander Arm your attack com-
puter, jump through hyperspace and battle the
the attacking Zylon fighters
The J&ntertainer*comes with a pair ofjoystick
controllers and two of the world's most exciting
computer games- Star Raiders and Missile
Command." To play Star Raiders, all you do is
insert the cartridqe, plug in a joystick and get
ready for high-speed combat.
Many other exciting computer games for your
ATARIcomputer are available IlOW or will be
available soon.
Asteroids™
Space Invaders
Super Breakout"
3-D Tic-'Th.c-Toe
Video Easel™
Basketball
Computer Chess
lTrademark of Taito America Corporation,
*ATARlreserves the right to substitute another game cartridge
for Missile Comrnand.™
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Even ifyou've never written a program before,
The Programmer will have you writing .BASIC
programs in just a few minutes. After that, the
possibilities are limitless- you can solve busi-
ness or scientific problems, invent your own
games or even compose mUSlC.
The Programmer comes with an ATARlBASIC
Computer Language cartridge, the T Rl
B SIC Reference Manual and the T Rl B SIC
Self-Teaching Guide that teaches you how to
program in easy-to-follow steps.

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The Communicator can tap into some of the
biggest electronic brains in the world Get the
news hot offthe wire or have the Communi-
cator print your stock prices right on your TV
screen. You'llalso be able to get electronic
mail, games and even "talk"to other users.
The Communicator comes with a Telelnnk" 1
cartridge, an ATARI850™Interface Module
and an ATARI830™Acoustic Modem so you
can send and receive information over any
standard telephone. Youalso receive a free
hour of connect time to the Dow Jones Infor-
mation Service, the CompuServe Information
Service and The Source Telecomputing, so you
can see the many fascinating kinds of informa-
tion the computer can give you.
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Let the computer teach you a variety of
subjects and skills. It can help you and your
children learn faster because The Educator
makes learning fun.
The Educator comes with an ATARI410TM
Program Recorder to load your programs, a
BASICcartridge and the States & Capitals pro-
gram cassette. All you do is insert the cartridge,
plug in the cassette recorder and load the
program-the computer takes it from there.
Many other educational and self-improvement
programs and games for your ATARIcomputer
are available now or will be available soon.
EnergyCzar™
Hangman
Conversational Spanish
Conversational French
Conversational German
Conversational Italian
European Countries & Capitals
Touch Typing
Statistics 1
An Invitation to Proqramminq" 1
An Invitation to Programming 2
An Invitation to Programming 3
States & Capitals
Kingdom™
Scram" (A Nuclear Power Plant Simulation)
Biorhythm
Music Composer™
Blackjack
Mortgage & Loan Analysis2
2AControlDataCYBERWARETMproduct manufacturedunder
license fromControlDataCorporation.© 1980.

POWERINDICATOR----------~
THEBASIC
//COMPUTER
CARTRIDGEDOOR-~--------------____::~ : 'O-:~~_v
DOORRELEASE-------~-_r_____c:;;
CONTROLLERJACKS------------'~

POWER JACK
POWER SWITCH
CONNECTOR

INSTALUNG
THE TV SWITCH BOX
The TV Switch Boxswitches your
television from regular TV pro-
grams to your ATARI400 computer.
Youcan also connect your antenna
or cable TV to the TV Switch Box.
When you want to switch from reg-
ular TV reception to your computer,
just slide the switch from the TV
to the Computer or Game position.
1The TV Switch Box connects
to the VHF antenna terminal
at the back of your TV set.
But first, you'll need to dis-
connect the present antenna
or cable from the TV and reconnect
it to the side of the TV Switch
Boxlabeled Antenna.
Notice
whether the cable
is round or flat. Ifyou
have a flat, twin-lead cable,
connect it to the terminals
marked 300 Ohm on the TV Switch
Box. Ifyou have a round cable,
screw it onto the threaded connec-
tor marked 75 Ohm
-,
2
Now locate the short
twin-lead cable marked
TV that comes from the
TV Switch Box and
connect it to the two VHF
terminals on your TV set.
3
Peel offthe protective
cover sheet from the self-
adhesive square and stick
the box onto the back of
your TV Ifyour TV set
was connected to a flat, twin-lead
(300 Ohm) cable, you're finished
installing the TV Switch Box.
4
However, if the cable is a
round (75 Ohm) one, you
may need to adjust the
antenna terminal switch
on your TV set so it can
receive the 300 Ohm signal from the
TV Switch Box. Check the antenna
connection on the back of your
TV and adjust it according to the
following diagrams.
UHF
@@
If it looks like this, push
the switch to the 300 Ohm
(300n) position.VHF
If it looks like this, loosen
the screws holding the
U-shaped slider and move
it to the position marked
300 Ohm or 300 n.
If it looks like this, screw the
short round wire into the
connector provided.

CONNECTING
THE ATARI 400
COMPUTER CONSOLE
5
Locate the round cord
that comes from the back
of computer console. Plug
the end of this cord into
the terminal on the TV
Switch Box labeled Computer or
Game. Make sure the TV Switch
Boxis set to the Computer position.
6
Turn on your TV set and
.tune it to Channel 2 or 3
. - whichever is weaker in
your area.
7
Set the Channel Select
Switch on the back of the
computer console to the
same channel. After you
turn on the computer, you
may need to adjust the fine-tuning
knob on your TV to improve recep-
tion from the computer.
8
Locate the AC Power
Adaptor that comes with
the computer and plug
the round end of the
Power Adaptor into the
connector labeled Power Jack on
the side of the computer console.
9
Plug the other end into
a wall outlet.
You're now ready to
turn on your com-
puter. The main pow-
er switch, labeled
Power On/Off, is
located on the side panel. As soon
as you turn it on (provided the
cartridge door is closed and no
cartridge is inserted), the words
ATARICOMPUTER- MEMO PAD
appear on your TV screen. What-
ever you type on the keyboard is
now displayed on the TV screen.
Youmay notice that the colors on
your TV screen change periodically
ifyou don't use your computer for
a few minutes. This is perfectly
normal and is done to protect your
TV set.
Ifyour TV doesn't display the words
ATARICOMPUTER- MEMO PAD
or the words you type, you may
have a problem First, check over
all the previous steps. Ifyou think
your computer needs service, con-
tact the Authorized ATARIService
Center listed in the yellow pages
of the telephone directory Or call
the ATARICustomer Service
Department toll free at 800-538-8547
from anywhere in the continental
U.S.(from California, call
800-672-1430).

INSERTING
CARTRIDGES
P
ush the cartridge door
release lever down to
raise the cartridge
door. Whenever you
do this, the ATARI400
computer automatically turns itself .
off.It turns itself back on when you
close the door.
Insert the cartridge into the slot with
the label facing you. Press down
carefully and firmly When you close
the cartridge door, the red power
indicator at the right ofthe keyboard
lights up, and the TVscreen displays
the title screen for the cartridge you
selected. Then follow the instruc-
tions that come with the cartridge.
When you insert most cartridges
(particularly games), many of the
keys on the keyboard stop working.
The instructions that come with
the cartridge tell you which of the
remaining keys to use for that
cartridge.
CONNECTING
OTHER
EQUIPMENT
Y
our ATARI400 com-
puter is designed so
you can easily connect
your kit, or add other
ATARIcomponents,
depending on how you plan to use
your computer. These components
simply plug together so you can
develop or expand a system for a
particular purpose. You'llfind direc-
tions for connecting kit components
such as the ATARI410Program
Recorder in the instructions that
come with that product.
Ifyou'd like to expand your system,
the ATARI Personal Computer
Product Catalog available from
your local ATARIdealer, explains
how many other ATARIproducts
can enhance your computer.

L.

.J.
Jr\.
ATARI®
MAiNI JAL CONTENTS ©1981 A'TARI. INC. A Warner Communications Company
a
PRINTED IN U.S.A. C017711 REV. 2