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geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: dda on Sat, 29 February 2020, 02:43:04

Title: IBM Model F (AT): serial number and barcode at the bottom
Post by: dda on Sat, 29 February 2020, 02:43:04

Question to IBM original parts (PC AT) experts: is it possible to somehow decode the 9-digit serial number and barcode at the bottom label of the Model F PC AT (partnumber 6450200). For example to tell the manufacturing date(year) of the keyboard. I guess all original PC AT are from 1984-1989, but I'm curious to know the exact year.(without disassembling it - the year is printed inside I believe) Or these numbers are meaningless? For example SN of my model F AT has first 3 digits = 263. Is it the same for all units of this PN?

Title: Re: IBM Model F (AT): serial number and barcode at the bottom
Post by: Maledicted on Tue, 03 March 2020, 13:10:41

Quote from: dda on Sat, 29 February 2020, 02:43:04

Question to IBM original parts (PC AT) experts: is it possible to somehow decode the 9-digit serial number and barcode at the bottom label of the Model F PC AT (partnumber 6450200). For example to tell the manufacturing date(year) of the keyboard. I guess all original PC AT are from 1984-1989, but I'm curious to know the exact year.(without disassembling it - the year is printed inside I believe) Or these numbers are meaningless? For example SN of my model F AT has first 3 digits = 263. Is it the same for all units of this PN?

I wish I knew the answer to this, but I do not. One of mine had no labels at all on the bottom. What's the harm in cracking it open? F ATs are beefy. Seeing those inspection signatures is cool anyway.

Title: Re: IBM Model F (AT): serial number and barcode at the bottom
Post by: dda on Tue, 03 March 2020, 22:55:31

Quote from: Maledicted on Mon, 19 January 1970, 01:47:42

I wish I knew the answer to this, but I do not.

It seems nobody knows. There's no SN database for model F online. But such db exists for IBM typewriters, like model A, B, C, etc. So, yes, will have to open it and see what's inside.

Here's what I found:

[attachimg=1 align=left width=600]

I guess this is year 1985 week 50 ?