website/content/museum/atari-5200-supersystem.md

title, categories, origins, years, cpus, params

title	categories	origins	years	cpus	params
Atari 5200 SuperSystem	Consoles	U.S.A.	1982	6502C	name image company company_name specs tabs forum_thread photos adverts hardware screenshots links oc_id source 5200 SuperSystem /media/museum/photos/atari_5200_1s.jpg /companies/atari Atari label value NAME 5200 SuperSystem label value MANUFACTURER Atari label value ORIGIN U.S.A. label value YEAR Summer 1982 label value END OF PRODUCTION Spring 1984 label value KEYBOARD Model Atari CX52 Joystick: Analog (360 Degrees of Motion); Four Fire Buttons (two on each side); 12 Button Keypad that Accepts Overlays; and Start, Pause and Reset Buttons label value CPU 6502C (8-bit) label value SPEED 1.79 MHz label value CO-PROCESSOR 3 custom VLSI's label value RAM 16 KB RAM (VLSI) label value ROM 64 KB Maximum label value GRAPHIC MODES 320 x 192 label value COLORS 256 Color Palette, 16 on-screen label value SOUND 4 Channels label value I/O PORTS Four or Two Controller Ports Depending on System Model, Cartidge slot, Audio/Video output label value BUILT IN MEDIA Cartridge, 32K Maximum label value OS Over 75, including prototypes label value POWER SUPPLY Four port models : 11.5VDC @ 1.95A\ Two port models : 9.3VDC @ 1.95A label value PERIPHERALS Atari 2600 CX55 VCS Cartridge Adapter; CX53 Trak-Ball Controller label value PRICE $270 (USA, summer 1982) photos adverts hardware software links 881 title subtitle text image ATARI 5200 /media/museum/photos/atari_5200_1b.jpg title subtitle text image 4 PORT MODEL /media/museum/photos/atari_5200_2.jpg title subtitle text image CONTROLLER /media/museum/photos/atari_5200_controller.jpg title subtitle text image CONTROLLER #2 /media/museum/photos/atari_5200_controller_2.jpg title subtitle text image BOX /media/museum/photos/atari_5200_box_1.jpg title subtitle text image BOX #2 /media/museum/photos/atari_5200_box_2.jpg title subtitle text image PROMOTIONAL PICTURE /media/museum/pubs/atari_5200_brochure_1.jpg title subtitle text image WICO JOYSTICK /media/museum/hardware/atari_5200_wico_joystick.jpg title subtitle text image UNIT What is this for ? /media/museum/hardware/atari_5200_masterplay-5200-interface.jpg title subtitle text image BOX /media/museum/hardware/atari_5200_trackball_box_2.jpg title subtitle text image BOX - BOTTOM /media/museum/hardware/atari_5200_trackball_box_1.jpg title subtitle text image BOX & UNIT This adaptor was used to play VCS 2600 games on the 5200. /media/museum/hardware/atari_5200_2600-adaptor.jpg title subtitle text image SOME CARTRIDGES /media/museum/software/atari_5200_carts_1.jpg title url text Atari7800.com > 5200 section http://www.atari7800.com/5200/history.htm Excellent general information title url text AtariAge : 5200 section http://www.atariage.com/software_search.html?SystemID=5200 Very complete info. title url text AtariHQ - 5200 section http://www.atarihq.com/5200/ Everything you wanted to know about the 5200 system title url text FAQ http://www.atarihq.com/5200/5200faq/index.html What's a system without a FAQ ? 901 url date https://web.archive.org/web/20230604042713/http://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?c=901 2023-06-04

The Atari 5200 SuperSystem, released in late 1982 for $270 (USA), was the direct follow-up to the highly successful Atari 2600 (VCS), and predecessor of the Atari 7800 ProSystem. Atari chose to design the 5200 around technology used in their popular Atari 400/800 8-bit computer line, but was not directly compatible, unlike Atari’s much later pastel-colored XEGS (XE Game System) console. The similarities in hardware did allow for relatively easy game conversions between the two systems, however, particularly when porting from the computer line to the 5200.

The Atari 5200, as designed, was more powerful than Mattel’s Intellivision and roughly equivalent to Coleco’s ColecoVision, both of which were the 2600’s main competition at the time and the systems Atari had to target in order to remain technologically competitive in the console marketplace. Besides the unusually large size of the 5200 console, the controversial automatic RF switch box (incompatible with many televisions of the day without the included extra adapter) that also supplied power to the system and the innovation of four controller ports (the Atari 800 computer also featured four controller ports), the most notable feature of the system was the inclusion of analog joysticks, which to the frustration of most gamers were fragile and did not self center, but had a keypad that accepted overlays and featured one of the first pause buttons. Part of the 5200’s girth accommodated storage for these controllers to the rear of the console, as well as a wire wrap underneath.

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Text and info by Bill Loguidice