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geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: rnak92a on Tue, 12 February 2008, 23:02:42
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http://tinyurl.com/3av8ep Supposedly an IBM Model M Quiet Touch, but the picture indicates a blue label?! I'd never seen such an iteration of the Quiet Touch, but I placed a bid on it because the opener's so low. Nothing ventured...
http://tinyurl.com/346pg5 Lot of 5 Model M keyboards--two of which appear to have the black text on white label--part #1391401. If so, this isn't a bad opportunity, considering Unicomp will restore them to like-new condition as they did with my 1988 1391401 for US $30.00. That's a pretty cheap buy for a fully refurb'ed model M. And who knows: the boards may be rather clean and work perfectly--yeah.
http://tinyurl.com/34j2n8 What appears to be a white label Model M; bidding opened at 1.00. Not a bad auction to take a chance on, even though the seller's rep seems rather low. Again, who knows what you'll actually get.
Just thought I'd pass along a few potentially interesting finds while messing around on eBay. YMMV and Buyer Beware and all that.
Cheers,
~rn.
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The first link you provided is a rubber dome model M. Notice that there are no buckling springs in the picture with the keycaps off. The only soft touch buckling spring keyboard is a gray label with soft touch labeled on it.
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I noticed this after glancing again at the item listing's pictures. Ah well--if I win it, it's a cheap but well made rubber dome 'board I can pass to a family member who hunts and pecks and doesn't care about the lush response a true Model M provides.
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http://tinyurl.com/34j2n8 What appears to be a white label Model M; bidding opened at 1.00. Not a bad auction to take a chance on, even though the seller's rep seems rather low. Again, who knows what you'll actually get.
Keyboard is probably broken. Why would you not test a used piece of hardware...
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"Quiet touch" denotes rubber domed keyboards, outside of the M variants even. The other clue is in the keycaps themselves; they are one piece caps with an extra central piece to push the dome:
(http://9999hp.net/keyboard/temp/71G4643evilevilevil.jpg)
The Soft Touch board, apparently with silicone greased springs, has a funny part number [8184692] and, as mentioned, the label (http://www.clickykeyboard.com/2005/8184692/8184692-005.jpg).
As for the lone '401 being untested, the description doesn't seem to confirm or deny it. A question to the seller would be telling...
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I have a quiet touch blue label. Use it very rarely.
Prefer the original M.
I also have a M space Saver that is perfect. I
ll list it on ebay one of these days. I don't use it since the number pad is very important for the type of work I do.
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Sell it here, you'll get a fair price on it. I'm thinking of liquidating my collection soon and I might offer them here first.
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Sell it here, you'll get a fair price on it. I'm thinking of liquidating my collection soon and I might offer them here first.
Why sell it here for a fair price when you can sell it on eBay and possibly get a ridiculous price? :)
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Good point.
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What would be a fair price for a very good compact m?
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How about $90?
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I paid around $53 for my Model M spacesaver on ebay. It's a white label made in 1987. The week before I got mine saw another sell for $45ish. Mine has a nick or two on the exterior, but seems very sound mechanically, and has nice key action.
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Personally, I'd consider anything in the $60-80 range decent. As a buyer, if you end up paying less, then you've gotten a heck of a deal (and several of us here have).
"Standard" Model M's (with the numpad) should be easy to find in the sub-$50 range (and I'd say that's about what they are worth unless they are old stock still in the box).
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I was given my 1391401. Now that is fair price considering I never use it.
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I'd honestly have trouble paying more than $5 for a standard 101-key M, myself - they're too common in the thrift stores.
(And, the M I'm typing on right now was my most expensive one, at $4.99.)
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I a little under 30 for the one I am using now, but it was supposed to be a never used before "new in box" keyboard. It seems to be just as advertised. :)
As for interesting ebay listings, I've been intrigued with this one: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&item=350030371707&_trksid=p3984.cWAT.m240.lVI (http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&item=350030371707&_trksid=p3984.cWAT.m240.lVI)
Pity it only comes in a lot of 5. I already have too many keyboards. O_o
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As for interesting ebay listings, I've been intrigued with this one: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&item=350030371707&_trksid=p3984.cWAT.m240.lVI (http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&item=350030371707&_trksid=p3984.cWAT.m240.lVI)
i was eyeing that auction as well. i didn't bid on it because i couldn't be sure what type of switches they used (the auction does claim that they use 'alps premium mechanical switches', but i'd really prefer to see a close-up picture).
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That guy is selling a Hill-Rom hospital bed. That is just a little bit creepy.
Oh, and right now at $32, I'm the high bidder. =-D On the 5 keyboards, not the bed.
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I REALLY hate the "reverse L" enter key layout. I don't care what keyswitches are used...that is just plain intolerable for me.
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You got jacked!! LOL
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Ok, take a look at these. Yeesh. O_o
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&item=320226682137&_trksid=p3984.cWAT.m240.lVI
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&item=160216419610&_trksid=p3984.cWAT.m240.lVI
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&item=330218173586&_trksid=p3984.cWAT.m240.lVI
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Is the spacesavers from IBM more clickier than unicomp's SpaceSaver?
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Is the spacesavers from IBM more clickier than unicomp's SpaceSaver?
Anecdotally I'd say it might be. I only have a small sample to go off of, but many of the old IBM made boards I've used have tended to be both slightly clickier and have a more precise key action. I haven't compared against any new Unicomp boards though, only some used Unicomp, Lexmark, and Maxi-switch made boards, so it could be chalked up to usage variance. I have seen others make a similar assertion though.
My general feeling, and this may not be popular, is that the original IBM made boards had slightly better build quality than the later Lexmark and Unicomp made models. This is most apparent in the heavy detachable connector cable IBM included compared against the permanently connected and lighter weight version used on non-IBM built M's, another example is the injection molding on the key caps tends to be slightly better on the IBM boards I've seen.
Take this with a grain of salt though, my sample size isn't big enough to be particularly valid.
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The Unicomp Space Savers are different from the old traditional Space Savers. I have a picture of them here.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v477/zerogravitas/kbds.jpg)
The top is an 80s space saver, the middle a newish Unicomp Spacesaver, and the bottom an early 90s Model M.
The two older IBMs are, I dare say, built a little tougher than this particular model of Unicomp (though the Unicomp still feels a lot more solid than, for instance, the Logitechs I am stuck with at work, and the Cherry I am playing around with now). This may or may not be the case with with the Unicomp version of the traditional Model M however.
And the older IBM's I think may be a bit clickier, though it is a fairly subtle difference. Even if we posit the Unicomp is inferior to the original IBMs, it is still a huge improvement over the craptastic Logitechs I use at work.
As with Mikecase00, my sample is small. :)
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I would definitely say that the IBMs have a more pronounced click than the Unicomp boards...
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http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-Sanwa-mechanical-numeric-keypad-NT-10UH2BK-Number-pad-F-S-From-Japan-/271332424781 (http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-Sanwa-mechanical-numeric-keypad-NT-10UH2BK-Number-pad-F-S-From-Japan-/271332424781)
● It is the orthodox school numeric keypad which adopted Germany Cherry Co. MX Tactile feel key switch to be mounted in a convenient high-speed USB2.0 HUB
● High-quality keyboard and card reader, to connect USB flash memory.
● It is a deep sense of input and about 4mm Keith stroke.
● 2000 million times or more keystroke endurance.
● It is shipped with or TAB key and convenient key when using Microsoft Excel.
● It is 19mm key pitch the same as the desktop keyboard.
● Operate in standard Windows driver. Numlock is unsynchronized type.
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http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-Sanwa-mechanical-numeric-keypad-NT-10UH2BK-Number-pad-F-S-From-Japan-/271332424781 (http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-Sanwa-mechanical-numeric-keypad-NT-10UH2BK-Number-pad-F-S-From-Japan-/271332424781)
● It is the orthodox school numeric keypad which adopted Germany Cherry Co. MX Tactile feel key switch to be mounted in a convenient high-speed USB2.0 HUB
● High-quality keyboard and card reader, to connect USB flash memory.
● It is a deep sense of input and about 4mm Keith stroke.
● 2000 million times or more keystroke endurance.
● It is shipped with or TAB key and convenient key when using Microsoft Excel.
● It is 19mm key pitch the same as the desktop keyboard.
● Operate in standard Windows driver. Numlock is unsynchronized type.
That's an old thread to bump!
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http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-Sanwa-mechanical-numeric-keypad-NT-10UH2BK-Number-pad-F-S-From-Japan-/271332424781 (http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-Sanwa-mechanical-numeric-keypad-NT-10UH2BK-Number-pad-F-S-From-Japan-/271332424781)
● It is the orthodox school numeric keypad which adopted Germany Cherry Co. MX Tactile feel key switch to be mounted in a convenient high-speed USB2.0 HUB
● High-quality keyboard and card reader, to connect USB flash memory.
● It is a deep sense of input and about 4mm Keith stroke.
● 2000 million times or more keystroke endurance.
● It is shipped with or TAB key and convenient key when using Microsoft Excel.
● It is 19mm key pitch the same as the desktop keyboard.
● Operate in standard Windows driver. Numlock is unsynchronized type.
Either the seller was too happy with hitting the amount of zeros on that figure and/or issues with translation. ;D
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http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-Sanwa-mechanical-numeric-keypad-NT-10UH2BK-Number-pad-F-S-From-Japan-/271332424781 (http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-Sanwa-mechanical-numeric-keypad-NT-10UH2BK-Number-pad-F-S-From-Japan-/271332424781)
● It is the orthodox school numeric keypad which adopted Germany Cherry Co. MX Tactile feel key switch to be mounted in a convenient high-speed USB2.0 HUB
● High-quality keyboard and card reader, to connect USB flash memory.
● It is a deep sense of input and about 4mm Keith stroke.
● 2000 million times or more keystroke endurance.
● It is shipped with or TAB key and convenient key when using Microsoft Excel.
● It is 19mm key pitch the same as the desktop keyboard.
● Operate in standard Windows driver. Numlock is unsynchronized type.
That's an old thread to bump!
I couldn't find the newer one.....