Atari 600XL

Q. I've set up my com-
puter following the
instructions in the "Hook-
ing It Up" section, but
when I turn the computer
on, nothing happens.
What do I do now?
A. If the word READY
doesn't appear when you
turn on your computer,
retrace your steps. Make
sure that all cords and
cables are plugged
securely and that power
is coming into the system.
The red Power ONI OFF
light located on the lower
right side of the key-
board should be on. Try
adjusting the fine-tuning
knob on your TV. If you
still don't get the proper
display, or if the words
MEMORY TEST appear
on the TV screen, your
computer may need ser-
vicing. For the location of
the nearest ATARIFac-
tory Authorized Service
Center, contact your
ATARIretailer or call
ATARIcustomer Service
toll-free (800)538-8543[In
California, call
(800)672-1404].
Q. What do I do if the
red Power ONIOFF light
comes on, but the TV pic-
ture is distorted?
A. There are a number
of things you should
check:
* Make sure that the RF
cable is plugged into the
TV Switch Box, and that
the Switch Box lever is
turned to COMPUTER or
GAME.
* The TV must receive a
300-0HM (300 0) signal
from the Switch Box to
work properly with the
computer. See if you
have followed the instruc-
tions as presented in the
section "Installing the TV
Switch Box."
* Make sure the TV
Channel Switch on the
computer is turned to the
same number as the
channel selector on your
TV set.
* Try a different car-
tridge in the Cartridge
Slot to determine if the
software is working.
Make sure the cartridge
is pressed down firmly to
the bottom of the slot.
Q. When I press the
HELP key nothing hap-
pens. Why not?
A. The HELP key is
designed to work with
specific programs where
it gives access to helpful
information when you
need assistance. If the
computer doesn't res-
pond, the program you
are using is probably not
set up for use with the
HELP key.
Q. I just tried using the
computer's built-in ATARI
BASIC. I typed in a pro-
gram, but it won't run.
Why is that?
A. Make sure you
pressed RETURN after
each program statement
before typing RUN.
When you press RETURN
you are telling the com-
puter that you are enter-
ing information. It's easy
to forget, but nothing
happens until you press
RETURN.
Another common mis-
take is confusing zeros
with the capital letter O.
They look very similar,
but the computer treats
them as two different
characters. The zero is in
the top row of keys on
the keyboard-with the
other numbers. The letter
o is in the row below it.
If you encounter fur-
ther problems with lan-
guage, consult the
"Exploring ATARI
BASIC" section or one of
the books in the' 'You
Are Not Alone" section
in this guide.
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