geekhack
geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: berserkfan on Thu, 30 May 2013, 17:46:58
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Hello Everyone!
As we all know, the IBM Model F AT is darn hard to find and is always at very high prices. Since I lack technical skills, I’m not going to try modding any Model F XTs.
I’d like to ask the combined wisdom of all geekdom if there are alternative names and keywords we can use. For instance, did IBM ever license the technology to some other companies so that we have non-IBM Model Fs? Or are there part numbers like IBM 123455 which actually are built using Model F technology?
I think it’s all quite relevant because some sellers don’t label their wares properly. They may call it IBM Terminal Keyboard when it is a model F, or Zenith ZYZ which is actually a model f, etc.
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Check the "great finds" section of the board, as I've posted a couple of eBay listings for AT Model F's recently. I'm not sure what your budget is, but the going rate seems to be around $150, depending on the condition.
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Model F's are for ballers, Model M's are for crawlers :p
GL with your search.
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There are about 4 ATs on ebay right now, may be you might get lucky with one of the auctions.
http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=ibm+pc+at+keyboard
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I’d like to ask the combined wisdom of all geekdom if there are alternative names and keywords we can use. For instance, did IBM ever license the technology to some other companies so that we have non-IBM Model Fs? Or are there part numbers like IBM 123455 which actually are built using Model F technology?
I think it’s all quite relevant because some sellers don’t label their wares properly. They may call it IBM Terminal Keyboard when it is a model F, or Zenith ZYZ which is actually a model f, etc.
No, IBM was the only manufacturer of capacitive buckling spring switch keyboards. Interestingly though, there were some beam spring keyboards that were not labeled as IBM, but as something else as the only identifiable external marking but that was a fluke more than anything that was added later. IBM was quite content to keep these technologies under lock and key and enjoy the monopoly on the first and at the time only tactile and clicky computer keyboard switches. Only way later did the various alps and cherry clones start to appear and some imitation of the original design was spun off into lexmark and then unicomp :P
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I’d like to ask the combined wisdom of all geekdom if there are alternative names and keywords we can use. For instance, did IBM ever license the technology to some other companies so that we have non-IBM Model Fs? Or are there part numbers like IBM 123455 which actually are built using Model F technology?
I think it’s all quite relevant because some sellers don’t label their wares properly. They may call it IBM Terminal Keyboard when it is a model F, or Zenith ZYZ which is actually a model f, etc.
No, IBM was the only manufacturer of capacitive buckling spring switch keyboards. Interestingly though, there were some beam spring keyboards that were not labeled as IBM, but as something else as the only identifiable external marking but that was a fluke more than anything that was added later. IBM was quite content to keep these technologies under lock and key and enjoy the monopoly on the first and at the time only tactile and clicky computer keyboard switches. Only way later did the various alps and cherry clones start to appear and some imitation of the original design was spun off into lexmark and then unicomp :P
Quiet you..
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Quiet you..
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