geekhack
geekhack Marketplace => Great Finds => Topic started by: fohat.digs on Mon, 30 December 2013, 08:11:46
-
This is probably a good deal, these days. I have paid more for worse specimens.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-IBM-PC-AT-Clicky-Keyboard-84-Key-Keyboard-FREE-SHIPPING-/221345156342?ssPageName=ADME:B:SS:US:3160 (http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-IBM-PC-AT-Clicky-Keyboard-84-Key-Keyboard-FREE-SHIPPING-/221345156342?ssPageName=ADME:B:SS:US:3160)
-
It's soooooo hard not to buy this...
-
Model F AT on taobao for £30.. ;D
-
and when was that? five years ago, before soarer converter became known?
Model F AT on taobao for £30.. ;D
-
and when was that? five years ago, before soarer converter became known?
Nope. One on there right now! Considering it myself..
http://item.taobao.com/item.htm?spm=a1z10.5.w4002-2543684865.75.bvrbq0&id=12648491729
-
and when was that? five years ago, before soarer converter became known?
Model F AT on taobao for £30.. ;D
and there is no need for a converter on the F AT
-
And only $11.16 shipping to Canada! Either the seller is giving a great deal on shipping or he didn't work it out properly. If that is the true shipping, it would be one of the first times in history Canadians got a break on shipping from the US.
-
The image quality on that first picture is horrendous.
-
The image quality on that first picture is horrendous.
I like buying from sellers who do not know or care what they have. You are somewhat more likely to get burned, but far more likely to get a bargain.
-
The taobao one is about 48 USD. Middleman/agent and shipping is how much? 40$? So it would be about 100$. So is it not a good deal since you are getting it locally in US?
-
The image quality on that first picture is horrendous.
I like buying from sellers who do not know or care what they have. You are somewhat more likely to get burned, but far more likely to get a bargain.
Looking at the first picture, it looks as if the left tab could be broken off. I've never set my XT on edge like that, so I don't know if it can be pushed in that far when perfectly intact.
And, when sellers don't know what they have, you aren't getting burned, it would just be a bad deal if you purchased something that wasn't described enough or not enough (not good enough) pictures were taken of it simply because the seller was lazy or didn't know what to take pictures of. Being burned implies some malice: the seller knew what they had (at least its price) and intentionally made it look better than it is to get more money out of it.
-
And, when sellers don't know what they have, you aren't getting burned, it would just be a bad deal
I have gotten some great deals when people advertise something like "old computer keyboard" or "old vinyl LP" but you can't expect to be lucky more than 10%-50% of the time, but sometimes you get a gem for a pittance.
On the other hand, I got especially burned once when an idiot woman listed some thing like "lot of 3 clickey keyboards in excellent condition" and put in a blurry photo that you could just almost/barely make out. I bid against a couple of people to something over $100 and won.
I got 3 nasty keyboards that reeked of cigarette smoke: a Model M 71G rubber dome, a Northgate Omnikey that was corroded and dead, and a Chicony 5181 with Monterey blue (the only good board in the bunch).
Her response to my detailed complaint was a bunch of "I am a woman so I am above arguing with you" and "how dare you break down the lot and value each keyboard separately" and the clincher: "what, you expect me to press every button?"
So, when you get lucky, pat yourself on the back and smile with satisfaction. But when you fail, chaulk it up to trial and error.
-
Can't believe this is still available. I would buy it just to turn it around for a few dollars more, but I have more than enough things piled up at the moment.
-
Is there a FAQ on why these keyboards are so valuable? I just needed a keyboard for an IBM PC AT that I purchased and I believe it is the first run that wouldn't work with a Model M (haven't received the AT yet) so I needed this type but I was a little surprised t the price. This keyboard is almost twice the price of that PC AT I bought!
Any pointers to FAQs owould be great; or is it just that it's a buckling spring keyboard that is harder to find than the Model M?
-
Is there a FAQ on why these keyboards are so valuable? I just needed a keyboard for an IBM PC AT that I purchased and I believe it is the first run that wouldn't work with a Model M (haven't received the AT yet) so I needed this type but I was a little surprised t the price. This keyboard is almost twice the price of that PC AT I bought!
Any pointers to FAQs owould be great; or is it just that it's a buckling spring keyboard that is harder to find than the Model M?
Unfortunately, it's because it is the only capacitive buckling spring keyboard (note capacitive, vs the M's membrane) that works with only passive and readily available converters.
AT being the same as PS/2 but with a different connector, the adapters are cheap and accessible.
PS/2 being easy to connect to USB...you get the idea.
That being said, that reasoning is a little outdated (but no less true), since the other common Fs are now so cheap and easy to make work with modern PCs. Still, some people like the even easier and cheaper way.
I do believe most Ms will work with the AT, since many early Ms will even work with XTs reportedly. Not sure if that helps.
-
Thank god, somebody bought the thing. That removes the temptation.
-
Is there a FAQ on why these keyboards are so valuable? I just needed a keyboard for an IBM PC AT that I purchased and I believe it is the first run that wouldn't work with a Model M (haven't received the AT yet) so I needed this type but I was a little surprised t the price. This keyboard is almost twice the price of that PC AT I bought!
Any pointers to FAQs owould be great; or is it just that it's a buckling spring keyboard that is harder to find than the Model M?
Unfortunately, it's because it is the only capacitive buckling spring keyboard (note capacitive, vs the M's membrane) that works with only passive and readily available converters.
AT being the same as PS/2 but with a different connector, the adapters are cheap and accessible.
PS/2 being easy to connect to USB...you get the idea.
That being said, that reasoning is a little outdated (but no less true), since the other common Fs are now so cheap and easy to make work with modern PCs. Still, some people like the even easier and cheaper way.
I do believe most Ms will work with the AT, since many early Ms will even work with XTs reportedly. Not sure if that helps.
F122's are by no means cheap nowadays, especially after the converter has come out. It is my opinion that the only Fs that are cheap (the PC/XT model F and "model C" keyboard) are cheap because of their unfortunate layout.
Basically: any model F with a good layout is not cheap.
-
Thanks for the replies. I do have a couple of early model M's (1390120 - Jan 13, 1986 and 1390120 - Feb 19, 1986) but it is my understanding that the early IBM PC AT's (depending on the BIOS) don't work with enhanced keyboards at all which is what a model M is. I could give it a shot but I don't want to damage the model M keyboard or the AT.
The one noted here on eBay, however, was enticing because the shipping was partially paid for coming to Canada. If I waited, other ones that could come up cheaper in the future would probably have been more expensive in the long run due to shipping.
I also bought a PC model F (83 key) a few days ago for an early IBM PC 5150a and that one was around $50. That's what got me wondering so thanks for the commentary. This PC definitely would not have worked with a model M.
-
Thanks for the replies. I do have a couple of early model M's (1390120 - Jan 13, 1986 and 1390120 - Feb 19, 1986) but it is my understanding that the early IBM PC AT's (depending on the BIOS) don't work with enhanced keyboards at all which is what a model M is. I could give it a shot but I don't want to damage the model M keyboard or the AT.
The one noted here on eBay, however, was enticing because the shipping was partially paid for coming to Canada. If I waited, other ones that could come up cheaper in the future would probably have been more expensive in the long run due to shipping.
I also bought a PC model F (83 key) a few days ago for an early IBM PC 5150a and that one was around $50. That's what got me wondering so thanks for the commentary. This PC definitely would not have worked with a model M.
Interestingly enough, the IBM at model F keyboard supports the XT instruction set (http://www.seasip.info/VintagePC/ibmat_kbc.html) as well, so you can use it on any of the IBM PC, XT, AT or (most likely) PS/2.
Also, old model M keyboards (those older than the 1391401, or about 1985-1987) should work on an IBM XT 5150 or 5160. I believe the reason why the 1390120 has no lock lights is because it was designed for better interoperability with the PC and XT hardware.
You can read more about this at the below link:
http://www.vintage-computer.com/vcforum/showthread.php?17677-IBM-model-M-on-a-IBM-XT-machine
Finally: those are some very very old Ms. There are probably only about 5 that are known that are older. Make sure to register them on the model M archive project!
http://www.clickykeyboards.com/index.cfm/fa/pages.main/pageID/3
-
Thanks for the reply. I think I'm just going to have to try them all out between an original IBM 5150a and a IBM AT and see what works.
I also registered my 3 Model M's and posted the labels up on the registry from my new Model M label album :) https://picasaweb.google.com/114754196850197764186/IBMKeyboardModelMLabels?authuser=0&feat=directlink