Atari XE User manual

SYSTEM
Owner's Manual

IMPORTANT INFORMATION
The ATARI XE game system uses and produces radio frequency energy. If not
Installed and used according to the instructions in this manual, the equipment may
cause Interference with your rad io and TV reception.
If you experience Interference while using the equipment, switch it off . If interfer-
ence stops, the equipment Is probably at fault. With the equipment switched on, try
to correct the problem using the following measures:
• Adjust the position of the radio or TV antenna.
• Reposition the equipment In relation to the radio or TV.
• Move the equipment away from the radio or TV.
• Plug the equipment Into a different electrical outlet so the equipment and radio
or TV are connected to separate branch circuits.
Consult your Atari dealer or an experienced radio-TV technician for additional
suggestions.
A helpful resource is How to Identify and Resolve Radio-TV Interference Problems,
prepared by the Federal Communications Commission and available from the U.S .
Government Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402, Stock No. 004-000-00345-4 .
WARNING: This equipment Is certified to comply with the limits lor a Class 8 computing
device, pursuant to Subpart J of Part 15 of the FCC rules. These rules are designed to
provide reasonable protection from Interference when the equipment Is used In a resl·
dentlal setting. However, there Is no guarantee that Interference will not occur In a partie·
ular home or residence. Only those computing devices that are certified to comply with
the Class 8 limits may be attached to this equipment. Operation of noncertlfled devices
with this equipment Is likely
to result In Interference with radio and TV reception.
Shielded cables (except
the Atarl joystick, light gun, and keyboard cables) must be used
on all 1/0 connectors; otherwise, radio emissions may exceed Class 8 limits.
Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the product documentation
In this manual. However, because Atari Corporation is constantly improving and
updating Its computer hardware and software, it is unable to guarantee the accuracy
of printed material after the date of publication and disclaims liability for changes,
errors, or omissions. Reproduction of all or any portion of this manual is not allowed
without the written consent of Atari Corporation .
ATARI, ATARI BAsiC, Missile Command, Trak-Bail, XE, XG-1, and XL are trademarks
or registered trademarks
of Atari Corporation.
~ATARI"
Copyright © 1987, Atari Corporation
Sunnyvale, CA 94086
All rights reserved.

SYSTEM
Owner's Manual

TABLE OF CONTENTS
ooo o ooooo oooooooo
INTRODUCTION ....... .. ... . ............ . ........ .
Welcome to the ATARI XE Game System! . . ... . . ... .
Using This Manual
.. . .... . .... .. ........... . .. .
1
1
1
CHAPTER 1: GETIING STARTED . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Setting Up Your XE System .. .. . .. . . ............ .
Connecting the TV Switch Box
..... ... ... .. . . . .
Setting
Up the XE Console ..... . .. . ... . ....... .
Turning Your System
On and Off . . ............. .
Function
Keys ........... . . ... ............. . .. .
Start
.... ..... .. ... . .. .. . .. ... ............. .
Select .. .. . . .. . ..... . ..................... .
Option ... . ..... . ........ .... ...... . . ... . .. .
Reset
.. ......... ..... ...... . . .... .. ....... .
Plugging In a Cartridge . . . ......... ... .. .. .... . . .
Setting
Up the XE Keyboard . . . . ..... .. .. ... . .. . . .
Running BASIC and Missile Command
3
5
6
7
9
9
9
9
9
10
10
from the Keyboard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Using Game Controllers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Joystick . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Light Gun . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Expanding the XE System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Adding a Disk Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Adding a Program Recorder. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Additional Devices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
CHAPTER 2: HELPFUL INFORMATION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
System Diagnostics .. .. . . ............. . ........ 15
Memory Test . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Audio-Visual Test . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Keyboard Test . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
All Tests . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
In Case of Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
The Picture Doesn't Look Right . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
No Color on Screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
No Game Sound .. .... ............. . ......... 19
It Just Won 't Work . ..... ..... . . . . ........ . .... 19
Caring forYourXEGameSystem . ... . . ... .... . ... . 19

Power Connection in the United Kingdom .. . .. .... . 20
Technical Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Connector Pinouts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Customer Support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
INDEX ....... .. ................... . ......... . . .. 25

INTRODUCTION
D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D
Welcome to the ATARI XE Game System!
The ATARI XE game system is made fo r you , the serious game
player. Its expansive memory capability (64 kilobytes) easily
handles the most exciting and complicated games with a variety
of great acti
on features. And you can control the game any way
you want-with a joystick, Trak-Ball ~ light gun, mouse, or from the
keyboard.
The XE comes with two game controller ports so you
can share the fun with a friend (or opponent).
The XE game system starts you out with Missile Command™,
its own built-in game. As a bonus, the system also contains the
programming language ATARI BASIC ™ in ROM , its perman~nt
memory. With the XE keyboard connected to your system, you can
access BASIC and begin writing your own computer programs.
Once you become familiar with your XE , you ' ll want to expand
your system with a number of peripherals.
By attaching a disk
drive
you ' ll be able to store the programs you write with BASIC, or
the documents you create with other programs. Adding a printer
or modem to your system lets you publish your work and take
advantage of outside databases, bulletin boards, and other com-
puters. And
don 't forget the large library of cartridge, disk, and
cassette games available to you once you have the add-ons.
The ATARI XE game system is compatible with most software and
hardware from both the
ATARI XE and ATARI XL™ computer lines.
Using This Manual
Operating your XE game system is easy, and you'll get the best
results if you connect and operate it correctly from the start.
This manual explains how to do that in clear, nontechnical
language.
Chapter 1: Getting Started explains how to set up your system
and begin using it. Later sections of the chapter tell you how to
expand your system by adding peripheral devices.
Chapter 2: Helpful Information tells you how to maintain your
system in top operating condition , and what to do in case of
problems. XE game system owners in the United Kingdom
should refer to the additional set-up instructions in this chapter
when connecting their systems.
1

Index helps you locate terms and procedures explained in
the manual.
Paragraphs marked
Note or Warning appear throughout the
manual. Notes contain useful hints and other information
relevant to the topic being discussed. Warnings alert you to
potential problems and suggest ways to avoid them .
2

CHAPTER 1
GETTING STARTED
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Setti ng Up Your XE System
Your ATARI XE game system should be set up in a roomy work-
space that's both healthy for the system and enjoyable for you .
When setting up your system , choose a location that has a
sturdy, level surface close to
an electrical outlet. There should
be plenty of room for airflow around the XE console and your
video display (either a color
TV or color monitor). Don't set up
the system where it will
be exposed to dust, grease, extreme
temperatures, direct sunlight, or high humidity.
An environment
that works well for a
TV or stereo system should suit your XE
game system just fine.
Take a moment to look at your XE console. The top of the con-
sole holds the [Power] key, four functi on keys, the cartrid ge
port, and an air vent.
-
~ (7\.
[Power) Key \f..Y
J ~ l m1fm[R{~
0000
-----t t
I
Function Key s
3

The right side of the console holds the game controller ports;
the left side contains the keyboard port.
Right Side Left Side
t=ffl~{ ~
• Controller Port 1 $Controller Port 2 Keyboard Port
The XE console's back panel contains the connectors for
attaching a video display device (either a
TV or monitor). It
also holds the power jack and the
SIO port for connecting
peripherals.
TV Channel Selector = Power Jack
}_ll~l __ ... _N,I(.._· ....... __ ;t?
._ I I
q-, Monitor Audio Jack ~ TV Jack <t o.. t' ~
~ ~~ .,_ , ~ .,
t Monitor Video Jack SIO Peripheral Port
To connect a monitor, follow the instructions in the manual sup-
plied with the monitor. To connect a TV, follow the instructions
in the next section.
Connecting the TV Switch Box
Note: The TV Switch Bo x may not be included in the
XE SYSTEM sold outside The United states.
4

If you ' re using a TV as your video display, you' II need to con-
nect the TV switch box supplied with your XE game system.
Follow these steps:
1. Disconnect your present VHF antenna cable or cable TV
line from the VHF terminal on the back of your TV.
2. If the cable or line has a flat twin-lead connector, attach it
directly to the screw terminals on the bottom of the TV switch
box. Use a flat-bladed screwdriver to secure the leads to
the switch box .
If the cable or line has a round screw-on connector, attach it
to
an adapter and then attach the adapter to the screw ter-
minals on the bottom of the TV switch box . (You can buy
an adapter at most TV and electronics stores.)
COMPUTER
Switch Box
COMPUTER
Switch Bo x
~ " ~ ~:; 1---C=
~ C O M
1
~1 f : 1---c=
u fM J
TV
TV
Screw-On
Antenna Cable Adapter
-Cl Q .. •-- ----
3. Connect the switch box's twin-lead cable to the VHF termi-
nal on the back of your TV. If the VHF terminal has two
screws, attach the switch box cable directly to the screws,
using a flat-bladed screwdriver to tighten the connection.
If the VHF terminal has a screw-in connector, attach a VHF
adapter to the switch box 's twin-lead connector. Then attach
the adapter to the VHF terminal. (A VHF adapter is usual ly
supplied with your TV; if not, you can buy one at a TV or
electronics store.)
VHF Term inal VHF Terminal
Switch B
ox
COMPUTER Switch Box
COMPUTER
~ '",: ::; t----'
U Tw in -L ead Cable
~ . .. ., ..
u ~ ~!:
TV TV
Twin-Lead Cable
5

Note: If the VHF terminal connections on your TV are different
from those shown here , refer to your
TV manual or contact a TV
service center.
4. If you like, pull the cover off the adhes i ve sqLJare on the
back of the switch box, then stick the switch box securely
to your TV.
Setting Up the XE Console
To get the XE console set up and ready to work, follow these
steps:
1. Connect the console to the TV switch box. Plug one end of
the
TV cable supplied with your system into the jack labeled
"CO
MPUTER " on the switch box . Plug the other end of the
cable into the jack labeled " Television " on the back of the
console. Move the sliding switch on the switch box to the
COMPUTER position.
TV Cable
t
~~ ""'"":";'?
XE Console
Adapter ~ ~ ~ VHF Terminal
1 VHF ~ ·
[@) ~ @
{7 rili1
00 ¥
Switch Box
2. Insert the round plug of the power adapter cable into the
port labeled " Power"
on the back of the console . Plug the
other
end of the cable into a grounded electrical outlet or
power strip.
s0 e ae
XE Console
Note: If the [Power] key's indicator light comes on when you
plug in the power adapter cable, your console is turned on .
For now, press the [Power] key to turn off the console.
6

3. Connect the joystick supplied with your system. Plug its
cable into controller port 1 on the right side of your console.
Turning Your System On and Off
When you turn on your XE system, its bu ilt-in game Missile
Command will appear on screen ready for you to begin play.
Make sure you have connected a joystick, then follow these
steps:
1. Turn on your TV or monitor. If you're us ing a TV , select
channel 2 or 3, whichever
is weaker in your area. Set the
channel selector on the back of your XE console to the
same channel.
~-t
Channel Selector
2. If you have connected any other peripherals (such as a
disk drive) to your system , turn those
on now.
7

3. Press the [Power] key to turn on the console. (Always turn
on the console last.) The indicator light on the key comes on ,
and
in a few seconds the Missile Command title screen
appears
on your video display. Adjust the controls on your
TV or monitor to clearly tune in the sound and picture.
HI55IL E COHHANO
COPYRIGHT 1~81 ATARI
1PLAVER S KIPO BONU S
4. To begin game play, press the [Start] key on the console.
(The Missile Command Game Manual suppl ie d with your
XE game system gives complete instructions on how to
play the game.)
5.
To turn off the XE system, press (Power]. The indicator light
goes off. Then turn off your video display and any other
peripherals you may have connected to your system. If
you ' re using a TV , move the sliding switch on the TV switch
box to the
TV position .
COMPUTEA
Sl iding n "Wf:
Switch - r ~ '"
tDU (tTIQI . l( UI
8

Function Keys
The top of your XE console has four colored function keys
which are used to start and operate games and programs. The
following sections give general information about each key.
J~l £1[£~~ ~ 0 0 I~ C? 0 ![ResetJ Key
[Start) Key [Option] Key
[Select) Key
Note: Key functions may change from one program to another.
The manual supplied with each program will give the best
information
on how a function key operates within that program.
Start
Pressing the [Start] key generally starts the operation of a
game or program.
Select
Pressing the [Select] key generally selects a particular part of
a program or game for operation. For example, when conduct-
i
ng the XE 's diagnostic tests (described later in this chapter),
you use [Select] to choose which test to
run . [Select] may also
be used to select a game variation . For example, in Missile
Command you use [Select] to select the number of players.
Option
Pressing the [Option] key generally selects a program option.
For example,
in Missile Command you use the [Option] key to
turn the BONUS game option
on and off.
Reset
Pressing the [Reset] key generally stops a program in progress
and returns
you to the program's opening screen. This function
is similar to turning the XE system off and on , except that the
program you '
re using remains on screen.
9

Plugging In a Cartridge
Many game and applications programs for the XE system are
contained
on cartridges. To plug in a cartridge , first make sure
the
XE console is turned off. Hold the cartridge slotted-end
down with its label towards you and firmly push it into the
cartridge port
on the top of the console.
When you turn on your system now the cartridge program
will load instantly. To change cartridges, turn off your system .
Remove the first cartridge and plug
in the new one before
turning
on your system again.
Warning: Never remove or insert cartridges while the XE is
turned on . Doing so can damage both the XE and the cartridge.
Setting Up the XE Keyboard
With a keyboard connected· to your system you can use the
XE's built-in programming language ATARI BASIC as well as
play the games that use keyboard control. First make sure
the
XE console is turned off, then plug the XE keyboard cable
into the keyboard port on the left side of the console .
XE Keyboard
10

If you li ke , you can connect the keyboard and console to form
one unit.
The back of the keyboard has wide hooks, and the front
of the console
has corresponding slots. Tip the keyboard and
engage the hooks into the slots under the front edge of the
console.
Running BASIC and Missile Command
from the Keyboard
Once you ' ve connected a keyboard, you can use either of the
XE 's two built-in programs, ATARI BASIC and Missile Command.
To run BASIC , simply turn on your console . With the keyboard
connected, the
XE loads BASIC instead of Missile Command
and displays it
on screen:
•
Note: For complete information on using your keyboard and
ATARI BASIC , see the XE Keyboard Owner's Manual supplied
with your XE keyboard.
To load Missile Command, hold down the [Select] key when
you turn on the console. The Missile Command title screen
will appear.
11

Using Game Controllers
The joystick, light gun , mouse, and Trak-Ball controllers offer
different ways to control game acti
on or operate applications
programs. All controllers plug into the controller ports
on the
right side of the
XE console. To connect a controller, plug it into
controller port 1. For games with two players you can plug
an
additional controller into controller port 2.
Controller Port 1
Joystick
After plugging in the joystick supplied with your XE game sys-
tem, operate it by holding it with the fire button
on the upper
left. Pushing the handle left, right, forward,
or back generally
moves the on-screen cursor
in the same direction, and press-
ing the fire button usually shoots at a game target. (See the
manual supplied with your particular game for specific instruc-
tions
on joystick operation.)
Light Gun
In some games, the XG-1™ light gun is used to start the game
as well as play it. Plug in the gun, then aim it at an on-screen
target. When you pull the trigger,
an invisible beam strikes the
target. Aim accurately
by lining up the gun 's front sight between
the two arms of the rear sight.
Front Sight
12

The recommended shooting range for the light gun is three to
five feet from your video display screen.
You may want to
increase your video display's brightness and contrast to ensure
the light gun's effectiveness.
Warning: Do not expose the light gun 's lens to any intense
light other than that of the video display.
Expanding the XE System
Adding peripherals to your XE game system lets you take full
advantage of the system 's power and capabilities. For exam-
ple, with a disk drive or program recorder connected, you
can save the programs you write with ATARI BASIC as well
as access the hundreds of games and applications available
on disk and cassette.
Your XE game system has an SIO port (labeled "P eripheral " ) on
the back of the console that can accommodate disk drives,
program recorders , printers, modems, or other serial devices.
For instructions
on connecting a peripheral , refer to the manual
that accompanies it.
Back of Console
tt.::::::~- SIO Port
Adding a Disk Drive
Connecting an Atari disk drive to the XE lets you use disk-
based games and applications.
You can also start up your sys-
tem with a disk program instead of Missile Command or
BASIC .
To start up your system with a disk program when a disk
drive
is attached, follow these steps :
1. Turn on your video display and disk drive.
2. When the drive's busy light goes off, insert the program
disk into the drive and close the latch.
3. Turn on power to the console. If the program runs with
BASIC and a keyboard is attached, simply press [Power].
If the program runs with BASIC but you do not have a key-
board attached, hold down [Select] and press [Power] .
If the program runs without BASIC, hold down [Option]
and press [Power] .
The disk-based program will load, ready for you to start
working.
13

Adding a Program Recorder
Connecting an Atari program recorder to the XE lets you use
programs supplied
on cassette tapes. To run a cassette pro-
gram that does not require BASIC, follow these steps:
1. Connect a program recorder to your XE system by plugging
its cable into the SIO port on the back of the console.
(Also connect the
XE keyboard to your system if your pro-
gram uses a keyboard.)
2. With all system components turned off, insert the program
cassette into the program recorder.
3. Turn on your video display and any other peripherals.
4. Hold down [Start], then press [Power] to turn on your
console.
5. After you hear a beep, press the [Play) key on the recorder,
then press [Start]
on the XE console.
The program will load and begin ru nning .
Note: For inst ru ctions on running cassette programs that
must
be loaded from BASIC , see the XE Keyboard Owner's
Manual supplied with your XE keyboard.
Additional Devices
You can connect a number of serial devices (disk drive, printer,
modem , and so on) to your
XE system at the same time. The
first peripheral
is connected to the system, and the additional
peripherals are connected to it
in a chain (this is called chain-
ing). Refe r to the manuals that accompany the devices, or con-
tact your authorized Atari dealer for more information.
14