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geekhack Marketplace => Great Finds => Topic started by: ed_avis on Tue, 09 April 2013, 03:38:59

Title: M2 on ebay.co.uk
Post by: ed_avis on Tue, 09 April 2013, 03:38:59
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/171020651871

As far as I know this is a buckling spring keyboard, as the seller indicates.
Title: Re: M2 on ebay.co.uk
Post by: Dgsbllx on Tue, 09 April 2013, 04:51:08
Cheers, might have to put a bid in as I'm yet to try BS. Can't believe there have been 5 bids and it is currently at £1.70  :))
Title: Re: M2 on ebay.co.uk
Post by: ed_avis on Tue, 09 April 2013, 05:29:53
The M2 is kind of buckling-spring-on-a-budget.  For your first ever a plain old Model M might be better and perhaps not any more expensive.
Title: Re: M2 on ebay.co.uk
Post by: Dgsbllx on Tue, 09 April 2013, 05:32:15
Ok thanks. There is no room for budgets in the keyboard world!
Title: Re: M2 on ebay.co.uk
Post by: fohat.digs on Tue, 09 April 2013, 06:52:48
The M2 could have been a game-changer, but it turned out to be a dog.

It is nice to have a small footprint, but they "cheapened" everything in the process.

Still, it is better than 99% of the keyboards on the planet.
Title: Re: M2 on ebay.co.uk
Post by: longweight on Tue, 09 April 2013, 06:53:46
All over this :D
Title: Re: M2 on ebay.co.uk
Post by: dorkvader on Tue, 09 April 2013, 14:05:19
Note that this has no metal backplate, and I believe the keycaps aren't compatible with other buckling spring keyboards. You may also have to repair the controller.

That said, the green alt is nice!
Title: Re: M2 on ebay.co.uk
Post by: Peter on Wed, 10 April 2013, 03:05:09
The caps are all 'one-piece' dye-subs, you can replace them with 'two-piece' caps and stems if you like ..
It's a somewhat cheaper and lighter version of a model 'M', but with a more 'modern' design and dimensions .
It's also relatively rare in ISO-layouts, most of them have  been 'recycled' years ago :(






Title: Re: M2 on ebay.co.uk
Post by: dorkvader on Thu, 11 April 2013, 01:23:13
The caps are all 'one-piece' dye-subs, you can replace them with 'two-piece' caps and stems if you like ..
It's a somewhat cheaper and lighter version of a model 'M', but with a more 'modern' design and dimensions .
It's also relatively rare in ISO-layouts, most of them have  been 'recycled' years ago :(
Is it true that the keycaps are a different shape? The DT wiki says they are lower profile and have a shorter and narrower stem.

Note that also on IBM BS keyboards, it seems to be random whether the keycaps are one piece or two. I have three F's from 1984, and two have one-piece, and one has two-piece. My 1390120 from early 1986 had one piece. My 1391401 from 1990 had two. It's like a box of chocolates: you never know what you're going to get.
Title: Re: M2 on ebay.co.uk
Post by: Mikelittoris on Fri, 12 April 2013, 09:46:55
The caps are all 'one-piece' dye-subs, you can replace them with 'two-piece' caps and stems if you like ..
It's a somewhat cheaper and lighter version of a model 'M', but with a more 'modern' design and dimensions .
It's also relatively rare in ISO-layouts, most of them have  been 'recycled' years ago :(


Regarding replacing the caps with Model M two-piece, they tend to get kind of wobbly since they are much taller than the M2 caps.
(http://i1191.photobucket.com/albums/z479/slaktarnp90/IBM%20model%20M%20och%20N2/ModelMtangentpettN2bord.jpg) (http://s1191.photobucket.com/user/slaktarnp90/media/IBM%20model%20M%20och%20N2/ModelMtangentpettN2bord.jpg.html)

And trying it the other way around, M2 caps on a M doesn't work either, they're to low and bottom out before the spring buckles.

Anyway, it's a nice board, i really like it. It makes a slightly higher pitched metallic sound compared to a Model M.
Title: Re: M2 on ebay.co.uk
Post by: Mikelittoris on Fri, 12 April 2013, 10:03:48
The caps are all 'one-piece' dye-subs, you can replace them with 'two-piece' caps and stems if you like ..
It's a somewhat cheaper and lighter version of a model 'M', but with a more 'modern' design and dimensions .
It's also relatively rare in ISO-layouts, most of them have  been 'recycled' years ago :(
Is it true that the keycaps are a different shape? The DT wiki says they are lower profile and have a shorter and narrower stem.

Note that also on IBM BS keyboards, it seems to be random whether the keycaps are one piece or two. I have three F's from 1984, and two have one-piece, and one has two-piece. My 1390120 from early 1986 had one piece. My 1391401 from 1990 had two. It's like a box of chocolates: you never know what you're going to get.

I've got one of these as well as a model m, so i took some pics comparing them a while ago. My board is named N2 tough, but from what i can tell they're the same.
(http://i1191.photobucket.com/albums/z479/slaktarnp90/IBM%20model%20M%20och%20N2/Tangenteruneder.jpg) (http://s1191.photobucket.com/user/slaktarnp90/media/IBM%20model%20M%20och%20N2/Tangenteruneder.jpg.html)
Model M top piece - Model M stem piece - N2 Cap
(http://i1191.photobucket.com/albums/z479/slaktarnp90/IBM%20model%20M%20och%20N2/Tangentersidan.jpg) (http://s1191.photobucket.com/user/slaktarnp90/media/IBM%20model%20M%20och%20N2/Tangentersidan.jpg.html)
N2 on top of the M
(http://i1191.photobucket.com/albums/z479/slaktarnp90/IBM%20model%20M%20och%20N2/Pvarandra.jpg) (http://s1191.photobucket.com/user/slaktarnp90/media/IBM%20model%20M%20och%20N2/Pvarandra.jpg.html)
(http://i1191.photobucket.com/albums/z479/slaktarnp90/IBM%20model%20M%20och%20N2/N2pMbakifrn.jpg) (http://s1191.photobucket.com/user/slaktarnp90/media/IBM%20model%20M%20och%20N2/N2pMbakifrn.jpg.html)


I hope this helps,

Best regards Christoffer
Title: Re: M2 on ebay.co.uk
Post by: Peter on Sun, 28 April 2013, 08:07:02
Regarding replacing the caps with Model M two-piece, they tend to get kind of wobbly since they are much taller than the M2 caps.
(http://i1191.photobucket.com/albums/z479/slaktarnp90/IBM%20model%20M%20och%20N2/ModelMtangentpettN2bord.jpg) (http://s1191.photobucket.com/user/slaktarnp90/media/IBM%20model%20M%20och%20N2/ModelMtangentpettN2bord.jpg.html)
Anyway, it's a nice board, i really like it. It makes a slightly higher pitched metallic sound compared to a Model M.

True, 2-piece caps from a Model M are 'taller' and therefore more 'wobbly'.
That's probably also why IBM made them 'shorter' for the M2,  but the originals DO fit !
(In case you ever want to convert one to your National layout - Unicomp-caps will do the job, albeit a bit wobbly ..)
Title: Re: M2 on ebay.co.uk
Post by: lcg on Sun, 28 April 2013, 08:40:07
There's another one on eBay.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/190831117249