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geekhack Marketplace => Great Finds => Topic started by: Findecanor on Sat, 22 January 2011, 12:52:18

Title: [uk] ibm 5251
Post by: Findecanor on Sat, 22 January 2011, 12:52:18

vintage ibm 5251 computer and key board (http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/vintage-ibm-5251-computer-and-key-board-/200567696502?pt=UK_VintageComputing_RL&hash=item2eb2c42c76) on eBay.
It is apparently a working IBM 5251 terminal with a beam spring-switch keyboard.
The keyboard does not work with a modern PC, but there are a few guys on the forum who have been working on converters.

Local pickup only, in Chelmsford, Essex.

I would love to try one of these one day, to feel how they are like.

Title: [uk] ibm 5251
Post by: Soarer on Sat, 22 January 2011, 13:20:30

Heh, already on my watch list ;-)

Likewise, I'd like to try one, just to know what they're like.

If I got it, I think the whole thing would end up as an ornament, if I'm honest.

Title: [uk] ibm 5251
Post by: gore on Sat, 22 January 2011, 17:17:15

Now this is tempting, that's nice and local to me, I have a 99p place holder bid on it.

Title: [uk] ibm 5251
Post by: Lenny_Nero on Sun, 23 January 2011, 12:42:19

You need one of these...
(http://img257.imageshack.us/img257/1214/rs232serialgctops2001.png)

Title: [uk] ibm 5251
Post by: Findecanor on Sun, 23 January 2011, 15:50:35

You need more than a simple adapter. From the little that I have been able to discern the signalling protocol is very much different from PS/2. For one thing, the connector is parallel, not serial like the PS/2.

Title: [uk] ibm 5251
Post by: Findecanor on Mon, 31 January 2011, 13:51:28

So ... was it anybody from here who won it?