Atari 820 Documentation
The Atari 820 documentation hosted here is Atari's field service manual for the Atari 820 printer and the operator's manual that came in the box.
ATARI 820 Printer Field Service Manual
[edit | edit source]The ATARI 820 Printer Field Service Manual is Atari publication FD100048, dated July 1981 on the title page with a 1982 copyright notice. It is written for a service technician and covers repair "to the replaceable integrated circuit level", with no special test equipment or tools. The hosted copy is the Internet Archive's 96-page text-layer PDF of the scan.[1]
Contents
[edit | edit source]| Chapter | Title | Pages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | General information: description, safety, related documentation, physical description, specifications (table 1-1) | 1-1 to 1-8 |
| 2 | Installation: packing list, unpacking, AC power cord, data cord, ribbon spool and paper roll | 2-1 to 2-4 |
| 3 | System operation: power-up, printer and LPRINT commands, Printer Quick Check program, printer timeout | 3-1 to 3-3 |
| 4 | Functional description: print mechanism, 6507 processor, clock, ROM, 6532, power supply, amplifier/driver interface, data transfer and status commands, miscellaneous circuits | 4-1 to 4-15 |
| 5 | Maintenance: cleaning and lubrication, visual inspection, operator interactive test, print test, troubleshooting guide (table 5-1), chip, transformer, main board, print head, Print OK switch and drive belt replacement, head alignment, belt tension, ribbon and paper, disassembly and assembly | 5-1 to 5-27 |
| 6 | Spare parts list and ordering/reporting information | 6-1 to 6-3 |
| A | Printer schematic | PDF p. 79 |
| B | Printer silkscreen | PDF p. 81 |
| C | Harness connectors | PDF p. 83 |
| D | Power switch board harness | PDF p. 85 |
| E | Print mechanism assembly | PDF p. 87 |
| Parts list: major assemblies, main board, switch board, mounting plate and housings | PDF pp. 89 to 93 |
What this manual does not contain
[edit | edit source]- Voltage tolerances or test points for the +40 V, +12 V and +5 V supplies. The power supply description gives the rails only.
- A listing of the program ROM.
- A belt tension figure.
Pages that cite this manual
[edit | edit source]- Atari 820: specifications, hardware, parts, power supply
- Atari 820 Maintenance Guide: cleaning and lubrication, inspection, head gap, belt tension, ribbon, paper, check-out
- Atari 820 Troubleshooting: troubleshooting table, chip replacement, disassembly, wiring
- Atari 820 Capacitor Replacement Guide: capacitor values, ratings and positions
Download: Atari 820 Printer Field Service Manual FD100048.pdf
Atari issued earlier service manuals for the 820. The FAQ lists an Atari 820 40 Column Printer Service Manual, FS015893 Rev. 1, January 1980.[2] Scans of a 1979 820 40 Column Printer Service Manual and a January 1980 Rev. 1 field service manual are on the Internet Archive.[3]
820 Printer Operators Manual
[edit | edit source]The 820 Printer Operators Manual is Atari part number C014762, copyright 1979, 16 pages in the hosted scan. It covers unpacking, setting up, the front and back panels, the printer timeout, installing the ribbon, loading the paper, the printer commands, the specifications and reorder numbers, and BASIC examples for the printer with and without a disk drive.[4]
Pages that cite this manual
[edit | edit source]- Atari 820: operating notes, fuses
- Atari 820 Maintenance Guide: ribbon and paper
- Atari 820 Troubleshooting: printer timeout
Download: Atari 820 Printer Operator's Manual C014762.pdf
References
[edit | edit source]- ↑ Internet Archive item FD100048_Atari820FieldServiceManual, "Atari 820 Field Service Manual".
- ↑ Michael D. Current (ed.), Atari 8-Bit Computers: Frequently Asked Questions, comp.sys.atari.8bit FAQ, last modified 2 August 2026, section 4.1. mcurrent.name. Community reference.
- ↑ Internet Archive items Atari82040ColumnPrinterServiceManual and Atari820PrinterFieldServiceManual1980-01.
- ↑ Internet Archive item atari-820-manual-1979, "Atari 820 Printer Operators Manual".