Atari 8-bit computer peripherals


This article covers the peripherals available for Atari's 8-bit computer family, which includes the 400/800, XL, XE, and the XEGS.
Because the Atari 400/800 8-bit computers included an RF modulator, stringent FCC regulations limiting radio emissions applied. Consequently, the Atari 400/800 systems internal construction used large metal frames as Faraday cages to prevent emissions. This prevented the use of plug-in internal cards to add connections for peripherals.
To permit easy expansion, Atari developed the SIO bus. This bus daisy chains together all Atari peripherals into a single string—disk drives, printers, modems, RS-232 interfaces. Since only one kind of connector plug is used for all devices, the Atari computer was easy for novice users to expand. Devices on the bus have their own IDs and peripherals can deliver downloadable drivers to the computer during the boot process. However, the additional electronics in these "intelligent" peripherals made them cost more than the "dumb" devices used by other systems.

List of peripherals

Both the names and styling of Atari's 8-bit peripherals generally matched the current computer range at the time they were released. Thus, they can be divided into one of three groups- those corresponding to the 400/800 era, the XL era and the XE era respectively. These are superficial issues; the majority of peripherals listed here will work with any 8-bit Atari computer.
In addition to those listed below, Atari failed to release a large selection of machines and peripherals that were otherwise completed.

400/800 era (1979-1982)