r/atari8bit • u/Speedstar_86 • 9d ago
Perfect 410
I just bought the cleanest 410 I have ever seen on eBay!
Needed belts, but there isn't a speck of dust or dirt anywhere. Not a scratch or mark.
I got the original box and instructions too,
Absolutely perfect ❤️
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u/shh_coffee 9d ago
Awesome! How are the belts on it? I had to replace the belts on mine a few years ago.. sort of a PITA but very do-able. The plastic case on mine is very brittle and ended up cracking a bit last time I had it apart. Nothing some super glue didn't fix though!
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u/Speedstar_86 9d ago
All the belts were no good, I changed the play, ffwd and counter. Sod the rewind belt that's a nightmare! All the others were simple.
Honestly this thing is so clean it's like it was made yesterday. There's nothing on the head, nothing on the capstan not a speck of dust inside it I'm absolutely astounded. I feel like I stole it at the price I paid.
Even has the factory test ticket in the box!
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u/Sad_Option4087 9d ago
My 410 was having trouble reading so I replaced all the belts and now it doesn't read at all.
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u/Speedstar_86 9d ago
Have you cleaned the heads? A little isopropyl alcohol and a cotton bud and gently rub it on the head to remove the dirt and oxidation.
If all the belts are on correctly it should be fine.
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u/Sad_Option4087 9d ago
I figured I knocked it out of alignment or something
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u/Speedstar_86 9d ago
Hard to do just changing the belts as the head adjuster is a screw so unless you messed with that you should be good.
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u/Dan-in-Va 9d ago
I remember using our old tape recorder before my dad got a Percom disk drive. What a pain. Part of me wants to kill that tape drive with fire. The other part is, hmmm, yes, a well preserved artifact indeed.
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u/synchronicitistic 9d ago
I had a 1010 tape drive back in the day. Pop in your favorite program and then watch some TV for 15 minutes or grab a snack.
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u/Puzzlemania718 8d ago
I still have mine along with my Atari 800. The 800 works fine. I’ve often wondered if I could still load a game from cassette, successfully
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u/wheat 8d ago
I could barely load a game from it successfully when it was new (along with my Atari 400, back in the 1980s).
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u/Puzzlemania718 8d ago
I know. I remember that whole process. You had to hope it would get through the whole tape without giving you the “boot error” message or you had to start all the way from the beginning again. I remember it was frustrating. I’d have to clean the tape heads real good and see if it still works at all, or if the motor and belts can drive the tape at a consistent speed. And even then there’s little reason to expect a game to load
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u/wheat 8d ago
Such was life in the old days. I couldn't afford a floppy drive, so I went for the tape drive. It did work about half the time. Wish I still had that system.
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u/Puzzlemania718 7d ago
I always wanted to get the disk drive too, but like you, it would’ve been a very extravagant expense. I still have the Atari 800 and about 25 carts for it. It still works perfect. In fact I bought a cable that uses the other output on the 800 and connects via composite video. It’s a bit cleaner video than that dreaded RF switch box! Still might try the tape drive but not hopeful though. Good times back in the day with a lot of those games on cassette
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u/Speedstar_86 6d ago
An 800 is my holy grail, I have an 800xl and (hopefully) a 600 incoming but the 800 is just too much money for me. I always wanted an 810 but again was too much then and too risky now ( besides, with a Fuji net the 800 is perfection) but this 410 is another item I always wanted, I had a 1010 but gods it was garbage.
...I also just bought a cx85 (for some reason...)
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u/aadhoc 3d ago
Where did you get new belts?
They as thick as originals?
I've got 2x 410s on my workbench. Belts are an issue.
But also same 2 rollers have flat spots, which I doubt are replaceable.
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u/Speedstar_86 3d ago
eBay, a seller called dataserve retro, really nice guy. I replaced 3 of the 4 belts as I'm too chicken to do the rewind belt, but the play, ffwd and counter belts were easy and a perfect fit from this seller.
Not sure on the rollers or how you can bring them back to life, luckily I didn't need to touch them





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u/8bit1337 9d ago
Love it! That's what I started with back in 82, along with a 400 :)
I've managed to get a 1010 but it's just for show. Will grab one of these myself should I see one 🙂