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Author Topic: Tried my first model M today  (Read 2248 times)

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Offline Clickey

  • Thread Starter
  • Posts: 337
Tried my first model M today
« on: Tue, 26 July 2011, 18:36:26 »
My model M came in the post and WOW, it is so much nicer to press than any of the cherry switches (I have tried all except reds). I can see why Model M have such a following.

I can't believe how it feels as soft as my browns despite the higher force required. I bet this is because of sideways buckling spring instead of vertically compressed springs. The sound it makes is very nice and crisp and it feels much sturdier than any of the cherry boards I have touched (double layered keycaps feel so sturdy). I love everything about this keyboard except that it is 2kro.

I heard Ripster say model F are NKRO. Do they feel the same as model M? How complicated is it to mod an F to be PS2 compatible?

My mechanical rankings so far:

Buckling spring > Cherry Ergo clear > Cherry Blue > Cherry brown > Cherry Clear > Cherry Black > Cherry MY
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"we are on Geekhack not Lazy****" - The Solutor

Offline jpc

  • Posts: 363
Tried my first model M today
« Reply #1 on: Tue, 26 July 2011, 19:43:30 »
Welcome to buckling springs!

The Model F AT is already PS/2 compatible.

The Model M is not as soft as browns. Browns actuate at 45g, the Model M at 75g. I use browns day to day because they're easier on my messed up hands.
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RSI prevention recipe:[/B] Kinesis Contoured, Colemak layout, touch typing, Contour Design Rollermouse,  Logitech TrackMan Wheel, Logitech m570 trackball, "workrave" break timer software, "awesome" window manager, tenkeyless boards, cherry browns, Wang 724 with "ghetto green" ALPS, standing desk and/or comfy adjustable chairs, stress reduction, computer time reduction.

Fun non-ergonomic things: bolt modded Model M Space Saving Keyboards with new springs, Kensington Expert Mouse v7, Unicomp Endurapro, Northgates

Offline Clickey

  • Thread Starter
  • Posts: 337
Tried my first model M today
« Reply #2 on: Tue, 26 July 2011, 20:56:23 »
It says in the IBM wiki that Model F is not compatible with modern computers? If they are, why do people not seek them instead of model M?
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"we are on Geekhack not Lazy****" - The Solutor

Offline The Solutor

  • Posts: 2262
Tried my first model M today
« Reply #3 on: Tue, 26 July 2011, 21:08:33 »
Quote from: Clickey;387822
It says in the IBM wiki that Model F is not compatible with modern computers?


Just the XT boards aren't compatible.

Quote
If they are, why do people not seek them instead of model M?


Because they hate the layout I presume (I hated it even before the launch of the extended keyboards)
« Last Edit: Wed, 27 July 2011, 03:53:17 by The Solutor »
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The problem with quotes on the Internet is you never know if they are true  (Abraham Lincoln)

Offline theferenc

  • Posts: 1327
Tried my first model M today
« Reply #4 on: Tue, 26 July 2011, 21:33:07 »
If you can find an AT Model F terminal board, that would be the most PC compatible, both in terms of protocol and in terms of layout. Though, I have an XT Model F, and while it does feel quite nice, I still prefer the feel a bolt modded Model M with new springs, myself.
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HHKB Pro 2 -- Custom UNIX layout Unicomp Customizer 101 -- IBM Model M 1391401 (modded to UNIX layout) -- IBM 1397000 (also UNIX layout) -- SSK in UNIX layout -- Model F 122 key in UNIX layout (Soarer USB "native")
 
CST L-TracX trackball -- Kensington Expert Mouse trackball

Offline mr626

  • Posts: 214
Tried my first model M today
« Reply #5 on: Tue, 26 July 2011, 21:45:57 »
Sigh, I had a Model M years ago and loved it but I managed to lose it somehow. Trying to track one down in my country in 2011 is not an easy thing.

Enjoy your model m, and take good care of it :-)
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Offline N8N

  • Posts: 791
Tried my first model M today
« Reply #6 on: Tue, 26 July 2011, 21:47:28 »
I had been typing on a Cherry POS board w/ browns at home for the past couple days.  This thread prompted me to hook up one of the Model Ms in place of it, since I think that my exercise in trying out various modern keyboard switches has come to an end.

Damn, I missed you, Model M.  Only thing I like better about the Cherry board is the more prominent nubs on F, J, and numpad 5.

Now the similar Cherry board with clears is almost as nice feeling, and it's quiet which is important at work.  But the M just looks nicer...  got this one used and filthy and dang those dye sub keys look good, 'specially with the colors on Alt and the numpad.  Just classic and you couldn't even tell that this is an old beater from five feet away.

Enjoy your Model M.  Really, if it weren't for the clacketiness, I'd probably use M's exclusively.  I like 'em that much.  It feels like a professional-grade tool, not something that you are using because that's what came with your PC.
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Filco Majestouch-2 with Cherry Corp. doubleshot keys - Leopold Tenkeyless Tactile Force with Wyse doubleshots - Silicon Graphics 9500900 - WASD V1 - IBM Model M 52G9658 - Noppoo Choc Pro with Cherry lasered PBT keycaps - Wyse 900866-01 - Cherry G80-8200LPBUS/07 - Dell AT101W - several Cherry G81s (future doubleshot donors) (order of current preference) (dang I have too many keyboards, I really only need two)

Offline mr626

  • Posts: 214
Tried my first model M today
« Reply #7 on: Tue, 26 July 2011, 21:52:58 »
Better change the order of preference in your sig then ;-)
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Offline Atenacius

  • Posts: 224
Tried my first model M today
« Reply #8 on: Tue, 26 July 2011, 21:57:08 »
I just got mine recently and it's absolutely awesome to use. I still haven't gone back to MX blues and I'm not sure when I will.
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Keychron Q6 GATERON G PRO YELLOW
Vortex Pok3r CHERRY MX RED
Das Keyboard Model S CHERRY MX BLUE
IBM Model M 1391401 09 MAR 93

Offline hella

  • Posts: 96
Tried my first model M today
« Reply #9 on: Tue, 26 July 2011, 22:32:41 »
Grats on your new purchase dude!

I still prefer my buckling spring board over my board with cherry blues.  You're not alone!
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Offline Aznguyen316

  • Posts: 171
  • Location: US-FL
Tried my first model M today
« Reply #10 on: Tue, 26 July 2011, 22:39:00 »
What's funny is I had a model M (I'm pretty sure of it) sitting at my parents house from an old ass IBM 486 computer.  I didn't know it was a model M til I came here and looked at pictures of this fabled keyboard and recognized it.  So I call my mom and ask if she could check the storage for it and she tells me that a couple weeks ago her and my dad did some cleaning and she tossed out a couple of old keyboards haha including an "IBM one" that we've had down there for a long time.  She felt really bad and thought that since they've been in storage for some 10+ years that it was time for them to go.  My dad said to keep them because he's a pack rat.  Oh well, shame on me for not finding this site sooner eh?
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Offline theferenc

  • Posts: 1327
Tried my first model M today
« Reply #11 on: Tue, 26 July 2011, 22:50:39 »
Mr626, I'm happy to ship one to you, if you are willing to pay to ship it. It wouldn't be for a while, as they are all packed in prep for a move, but let me know.

N8N, have you tried one of the 1397000 Model Ms? It's pretty nice. And I believe there is a Cherry terminal board with the same layout with clears, but it's pretty rare. You should really buy yourself a Deck for work. The terminal (emulator) boards are quite large, though, so not sure if that's doable. Also try out the floss mod, it really quiets down the keyboard without changing the feel really at all. It's about the same noise level as my kinesis (browns), for instance. Don't know why I didn't think to suggest this in the past.

Clickey, if you like the feel of the one you have now, you really have to try out a bolt modded version. They are really that much nicer, especially over a heavily used model. Unused springs and heavily worn springs really really feel different. Especially if the wear isn't even.
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HHKB Pro 2 -- Custom UNIX layout Unicomp Customizer 101 -- IBM Model M 1391401 (modded to UNIX layout) -- IBM 1397000 (also UNIX layout) -- SSK in UNIX layout -- Model F 122 key in UNIX layout (Soarer USB "native")
 
CST L-TracX trackball -- Kensington Expert Mouse trackball

Offline mr626

  • Posts: 214
Tried my first model M today
« Reply #12 on: Wed, 27 July 2011, 01:23:49 »
Sorry, didn't see your post there theferenc. Thanks for the offer- I'll keep it in mind :-)
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Offline ch_123

  • * Exalted Elder
  • Posts: 5860
Tried my first model M today
« Reply #13 on: Wed, 27 July 2011, 02:44:29 »
Quote from: Clickey;387757
I heard Ripster say model F are NKRO. Do they feel the same as model M?

 
Better in fact, slightly lighter and more springy (noisier as well). They are better built too.

Quote from: The Solutor;387826
Just the XT boards aren't compatible.


There are quite a few Model F keyboards, including some that I haven't got around to documenting on the IBM Wiki. Out of them, only the AT is readily compatible. There are a few more, like the later-generation terminal keyboards and the XT that are easy enough to convert. Then there are some of the obscure older ones which are not trivial to adapt.
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Offline N8N

  • Posts: 791
Tried my first model M today
« Reply #14 on: Thu, 28 July 2011, 17:16:31 »
Quote from: theferenc;387904
N8N, have you tried one of the 1397000 Model Ms? It's pretty nice. And I believe there is a Cherry terminal board with the same layout with clears, but it's pretty rare. You should really buy yourself a Deck for work. The terminal (emulator) boards are quite large, though, so not sure if that's doable. Also try out the floss mod, it really quiets down the keyboard without changing the feel really at all. It's about the same noise level as my kinesis (browns), for instance. Don't know why I didn't think to suggest this in the past.

No, I haven't tried the terminal board - no opportunity to do so.  I thought about a Deck but I think I want something a little more squared away looking.  The Deck really does look more like a gamer board than a serious tool.  The Cherry POS board is doing just fine though, at this point buying another keyboard would be just vanity, although I may do it anyway just to get plate mounts...  that's how I'll justify it anyway :)
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Filco Majestouch-2 with Cherry Corp. doubleshot keys - Leopold Tenkeyless Tactile Force with Wyse doubleshots - Silicon Graphics 9500900 - WASD V1 - IBM Model M 52G9658 - Noppoo Choc Pro with Cherry lasered PBT keycaps - Wyse 900866-01 - Cherry G80-8200LPBUS/07 - Dell AT101W - several Cherry G81s (future doubleshot donors) (order of current preference) (dang I have too many keyboards, I really only need two)

Offline False_Dmitry_II

  • Posts: 1107
Tried my first model M today
« Reply #15 on: Thu, 28 July 2011, 18:36:14 »
Honestly the layout on the at f is more of a problem than the 2kro on the model m. (no numpad enter is surprisingly big for me, and weirdness with esc, etc.)

That and if you really want to use it, you will need to open it up and mod at least the spacebar (though it isn't as bad as stock space invader spacebars) if not to also add a few keys.

Also, if you wanted it because of the NKRO (presumably for gaming) then there was also a thing about how capacitive switches and the tech available for that at the time at which these were built. They introduce some (don't know how much) extra latency just in the sensing of the switches activating. Don't know how that could be tested.
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