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geekhack Marketplace => Great Finds => Topic started by: lnfra on Fri, 16 July 2010, 16:33:01

Title: "Computer Lab International" Terminal Keyboard
Post by: lnfra on Fri, 16 July 2010, 16:33:01
Hi,

Does anyone know if this is a clicky keyboard? Seems like everything i could want in a keyboard.

1) Its got, 122 keys (and those nifty functions keys on the top)
2) Design looks like the evil twin brother of an IBM terminal keyboard
3) what seems to be a ps/2 connector
4) its a cooool BLACK color! :)

http://cgi.ebay.com/COMPUTER-LABS-KEYBOARD-BLACK-FULL-Size-btus054568949-/280362489128?cmd=ViewItem&pt=PCA_Mice_Trackballs&hash=item4146e81528
Title: "Computer Lab International" Terminal Keyboard
Post by: TexasFlood on Fri, 16 July 2010, 17:19:20
Quote from: kishy;203395
That sure looks like a Unicomp terminal emulator (natively PS/2 compatible) to me...

But it'd be best to ask the seller. Unicomp may very well have made a rubber dome version as well.


Sure does look like it. Compare the ebay listing above to the Unicomp web site picture below.  If you look at the Unicomp 122 key terminal/emulator product page (http://pckeyboards.stores.yahoo.net/122keyterkey.html), you see they offer a lot of different flavors as well as custom labeling I believe.  So Unicomp almost certainly could have produced one with black keys labeled   "Computer Lab International".

(http://i2.ebayimg.com/04/i/001/54/0a/3fa4_12.JPG)
(http://ep.yimg.com/ca/I/pckeyboards_2101_826799)
Title: "Computer Lab International" Terminal Keyboard
Post by: Computer-Lab in Basement on Fri, 16 July 2010, 17:40:15
Something doesn't sit right with this keyboard... and I had a few bad buys from rns-auctions, so I wouldn't waste your money on it.  It is probably not clicky.
Title: "Computer Lab International" Terminal Keyboard
Post by: TexasFlood on Fri, 16 July 2010, 17:47:07
Quote from: kishy;203403
Something that bugs me though - the rectangle in the upper right of the known Unicomps. It's been there since the Lexmark days (at least I think it has?), why would it be missing from this one?

I noticed that to.  Check out this ebay listing for a white one (http://cgi.ebay.com/Computer-Lab-International-Terminal-Keyboard-KPV6B05-/330431081449?cmd=ViewItem&pt=PCA_Mice_Trackballs&hash=item4cef3a2be9) which clearly shows the "Computer Lab International" label slapped over another OEM one.

(http://www.tbfcomputing.com/ebaypicture/4.29.10_ASAM_1759.JPG)
(http://www.tbfcomputing.com/ebaypicture/4.13.10_ASAM_0578.JPG)
Title: "Computer Lab International" Terminal Keyboard
Post by: Computer-Lab in Basement on Fri, 16 July 2010, 17:52:09
Good eye, I would have never noticed such a thing.
Title: "Computer Lab International" Terminal Keyboard
Post by: TexasFlood on Fri, 16 July 2010, 17:53:00
Quote from: Computer-Lab in Basement;203417
Good eye, I would have never noticed such a thing.

Not even with those super radioactive frog eyes? :wink:
Title: "Computer Lab International" Terminal Keyboard
Post by: EverythingIBM on Fri, 16 July 2010, 17:54:46
Quote from: TexasFlood;203413
I noticed that to.  Check out this ebay listing for a white one (http://cgi.ebay.com/Computer-Lab-International-Terminal-Keyboard-KPV6B05-/330431081449?cmd=ViewItem&pt=PCA_Mice_Trackballs&hash=item4cef3a2be9) which clearly shows the "Computer Lab International" label slapped over another OEM one.

Show Image
(http://www.tbfcomputing.com/ebaypicture/4.29.10_ASAM_1759.JPG)

Show Image
(http://www.tbfcomputing.com/ebaypicture/4.13.10_ASAM_0578.JPG)


They're "made in taiwan" so I doubt they're unicomp. Unless chuck decided to go to taiwan for vacation.
Title: "Computer Lab International" Terminal Keyboard
Post by: Computer-Lab in Basement on Fri, 16 July 2010, 17:55:27
Quote from: TexasFlood;203419
Not even with those super radioactive frog eyes? :wink:




Red LED's are hardly radioactive, and if you knew much about the electromagnetic spectrum you would know that red is on the lower end of the spectrum, making it less powerfull than a color such as blue.
Title: "Computer Lab International" Terminal Keyboard
Post by: TexasFlood on Fri, 16 July 2010, 17:58:21
Quote from: Computer-Lab in Basement;203422
Red LED's are hardly radioactive, and if you knew much about the electromagnetic spectrum you would know that red is on the lower end of the spectrum, making it less powerfull than a color such as blue.

All good technical points, but "radioactive" was a much more fun choice of words, :wink:, with my "Shawn" of "Psych" hat on, :biggrin:.
Title: "Computer Lab International" Terminal Keyboard
Post by: microsoft windows on Fri, 16 July 2010, 18:10:22
Quote from: TexasFlood;203419
Not even with those super radioactive frog eyes? :wink:


You mean nucular?
Title: "Computer Lab International" Terminal Keyboard
Post by: TexasFlood on Fri, 16 July 2010, 18:23:36
Quote from: microsoft windows;203439
You mean nucular?

Well I was born (which the famous speaker of that word was NOT) & raised in Texas but I know how to pronounce common words, thank you :wink:.
Title: "Computer Lab International" Terminal Keyboard
Post by: EverythingIBM on Fri, 16 July 2010, 21:10:04
Quote from: TexasFlood;203453
Well I was born (which the famous speaker of that word was NOT) & raised in Texas but I know how to pronounce common words, thank you :wink:.


There's a lot of great people in texas. Too bad everyone says they have the fattest people... I never went there to affirm that. HOWEVER, when I was taking a trip in Oregon (I think), I went to buy some spare pants for swimming, and they were all so oversized and really wide. I talked to some friends who had the same problem.

It's hard enough finding tall & skinny clothes here.
Title: "Computer Lab International" Terminal Keyboard
Post by: TexasFlood on Fri, 16 July 2010, 22:12:53
Quote from: EverythingIBM;203490
There's a lot of great people in texas. Too bad everyone says they have the fattest people... I never went there to affirm that. HOWEVER, when I was taking a trip in Oregon (I think), I went to buy some spare pants for swimming, and they were all so oversized and really wide. I talked to some friends who had the same problem.

It's hard enough finding tall & skinny clothes here.

Everything's bigger in Texas, didn't you know?  Even Texas used to be bigger before they sold off a lot of it to the federal government for

$10 million 1850 dollars
(http://bjays.files.wordpress.com/2008/01/one-billion-dollars-austin-powers-above-the-law-blog.jpg)


to pay debts from the Mexican American War, including what later became half of present day New Mexico, a third of Colorado, and parts of Kansas, Oklahoma, and Wyoming.  Below is the original Texas, :smile:.  But hey, it's still pretty big.

(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/eb/Wpdms_republic_of_texas.svg/200px-Wpdms_republic_of_texas.svg.png)


Went the wrong direction, here's how it should have ended up, :biggrin:

(http://strangemaps.files.wordpress.com/2007/09/card00132_fr.jpg)
Title: "Computer Lab International" Terminal Keyboard
Post by: lnfra on Sat, 17 July 2010, 10:21:25
Hi,

Thanks for the info. :) ah too bad about the keyboard. Guess i should just be content with my beige 1391401. heh
Title: "Computer Lab International" Terminal Keyboard
Post by: microsoft windows on Sat, 17 July 2010, 12:54:59
Quote from: EverythingIBM;203490
There's a lot of great people in texas. Too bad everyone says they have the fattest people... I never went there to affirm that. HOWEVER, when I was taking a trip in Oregon (I think), I went to buy some spare pants for swimming, and they were all so oversized and really wide. I talked to some friends who had the same problem.

It's hard enough finding tall & skinny clothes here.


Hey. The fattest states are the happiest states.

I'd rather be happy than thin.
Title: "Computer Lab International" Terminal Keyboard
Post by: ch_123 on Sat, 17 July 2010, 15:44:00
Quote from: microsoft windows;203604
I'd rather be happy than thin.


That's what your mother said to me last night after she nearly squashed me.
Title: "Computer Lab International" Terminal Keyboard
Post by: EverythingIBM on Sat, 17 July 2010, 19:06:27
Quote from: ch_123;203647
That's what your mother said to me last night after she nearly squashed me.


And this is where the kettle said to the Irish pot that Irish humour is crude.
Title: "Computer Lab International" Terminal Keyboard
Post by: ch_123 on Sat, 17 July 2010, 19:17:09
Do you know what 'the pot called the kettle black' means?
Title: "Computer Lab International" Terminal Keyboard
Post by: EverythingIBM on Sat, 17 July 2010, 20:35:53
Quote from: ch_123;203707
Do you know what 'the pot called the kettle black' means?


Do you know what not having a 300PL means? It means you like generic computers... and a cat:
(http://scrapetv.com/News/News%20Pages/Technology/images/Fat-Nerd-computer.jpg)
Title: "Computer Lab International" Terminal Keyboard
Post by: ch_123 on Sun, 18 July 2010, 10:03:26
Sure, it means I don't like **** generic computers from the 90s.

Next...
Title: "Computer Lab International" Terminal Keyboard
Post by: sethstorm on Sun, 18 July 2010, 17:23:59
Quote from: lnfra;203394
Hi,

Does anyone know if this is a clicky keyboard? Seems like everything i could want in a keyboard.

1) Its got, 122 keys (and those nifty functions keys on the top)
2) Design looks like the evil twin brother of an IBM terminal keyboard
3) what seems to be a ps/2 connector
4) its a cooool BLACK color! :)

http://cgi.ebay.com/COMPUTER-LABS-KEYBOARD-BLACK-FULL-Size-btus054568949-/280362489128?cmd=ViewItem&pt=PCA_Mice_Trackballs&hash=item4146e81528


So they do exist.
Title: "Computer Lab International" Terminal Keyboard
Post by: EverythingIBM on Sun, 18 July 2010, 22:09:49
Quote from: kishy;203955
Whoever bought this, please do take proper photos of it once you've got it.


$70?

I'd laugh so much if it was a rubber dome.
Title: "Computer Lab International" Terminal Keyboard
Post by: phoenix on Sun, 18 July 2010, 23:49:09
It can't be a buckling spring keyboard. The capslock key and the enter key are distinctively not IBM/Lexmark/Unicomp.
Title: "Computer Lab International" Terminal Keyboard
Post by: sethstorm on Tue, 20 July 2010, 05:13:39
Quote from: kishy;204013
It would appear, though, that it may be possible to fit the guts from a Unicomp terminal or terminal emulator board, or maybe even a proper old IBM terminal keyboard into the case.

Which, y'know, would be quite epic. Get a black M13, fit those keys onto it, then for the remaining keys get blank blacks from Unicomp.


That would save on me having to paint a Terminal M.