››Atari 1450XLD Tech Points›-------------------------›››Memory:››64K RAM››24K ROM (Operating System plus Atari BASIC programming language)›››Keyboard:››Full stroke design››66 keys, including help key, 4 special program function keys and 4 programmable keys 12 preprogrammed functions.››International character set››29 graphics keys›››CPU:››6502C Microprocessor››Clock speed of 1.79 MHz›››Special Atari Integrated Circuits:››GTIA (Graphics display)››POKEY (Sound generator and controller ports)››ANTIC (Controls screen and input/output)›››Programming Features:››Built-in Atari BASIC programming language››Help Key (provides additional information and menu screens)››Software Compatibility (Works with all Atari Home Computers)›››Display:››11 Graphics modes››256 colors (128 colors displayable at one time)››Maximum 320x192 resolution in graphic modes››5 text modes››Maximum text display 40 columns by 24 rows›››Sound:››4 Independent sound voices››3.5 octave range›››Input/Output:››Software cartridge slot››The expansion connection (External processor bus for addition of future peripherals)››TV output››Monitor output››2 controller ports››Serial I/O connector›››Disk Drive:››Built-in double-sided dual density slim line››254K byte storage capacity (per diskette)›››Voice Synthesizer:››Translates text to speech with unlimited vocabulary››Can be programmed directly to use phonemes›››Telecommunications:››Built-in direct-connect modem››Built-in telecommunications software program››300 baud transmission rate›››Included with purchase:››Owners guide››DOS III master diskette››Introduction to DOS III guide››DOS III reference manual››Atari BASIC programming language reference card››TV switch box››AC power adapter (UL approved)›››Estimated availability October, 1983››››A note about the disk drive.  The built-in disk drive was quite an oddity for Atari at the time, as it was double density, not just enhanced density like the 1050.  The disk drive was also considerably faster than most drives for the Atari because it was tied directly into the computer, and bypassed the normal calls through the SIO port.  Atari even produced a special DOS to be used with this system, called DOS 4.0 (aka Q-DOS), which was surprisingly released to the public and is offered for sale through Antic Magazines "The Catalog."  Atari did not release information about the compatibility of this new drive configurtion with existing software.  All of the software at the time (and present time) accessed disk drives through the SIO port, and since this new drive was not connected through the SIO, would more than likely have led to some major problems.  Other problems would have been created if Atari had changed the OS to recognize the new drive, since existing software programs were not designed with a drastically different OS in mind.  This may have been the reason Atari dropped the 1450XLD altogether, but all the facts won't be known unless Atari releases the information, which isn't very likely.››     On a similar note, there were many rumors in the Atari world that the 1400XL and the 1200XL were one and the same, but according to the Atari catalogs and product specifications, the 1400XL was merely a 1450XLD without the disk drive, just retaining the internal 300 baud modem and speech synthesizer (utilizing the Votrax speech chip).››Information from the June 1983 Atari Computer brochure.  Side notes and file by Don Rogers.››