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geekhack Marketplace => Great Finds => Topic started by: ozar on Mon, 02 March 2009, 15:31:21

Title: 3 more: IBM Model M Spacesaver
Post by: ozar on Mon, 02 March 2009, 15:31:21

Three more spacesavers just went onto the list:

http://search.ebay.com/140305035112 $125

http://search.ebay.com/140305029029 $85

http://search.ebay.com/130291058066 $65

Hope it's a good deal for someone.

Title: 3 more: IBM Model M Spacesaver
Post by: skriefal on Mon, 02 March 2009, 15:44:55

And from a good seller, too...

Title: 3 more: IBM Model M Spacesaver
Post by: ozar on Mon, 02 March 2009, 16:03:27

Looks like someone already nabbed the $85 one.

Title: 3 more: IBM Model M Spacesaver
Post by: lal on Mon, 02 March 2009, 16:15:16

Yeah, I got the $85 one. I was looking for a second mini since some time and this seems to be a good deal. Hope it really is "like brand new"...

Title: 3 more: IBM Model M Spacesaver
Post by: bigpook on Mon, 02 March 2009, 16:21:56

The '91 is still left. Looks like a great deal at around $75 with the shipping....

Title: 3 more: IBM Model M Spacesaver
Post by: ozar on Mon, 02 March 2009, 16:26:25

All three gone already.

Hope everyone here that wanted one, got it.  :)

Title: 3 more: IBM Model M Spacesaver
Post by: bigpook on Mon, 02 March 2009, 16:37:38

That is something else. I am glad that I am not the only one that goes bat**** over the model m mini : )

Title: 3 more: IBM Model M Spacesaver
Post by: lam47 on Mon, 02 March 2009, 16:49:57

I got the UK layout one!
Any one got any info on the part number I can not find mention of it.
IBM 1392980
And how does it differ from my Unicomp one?

Title: 3 more: IBM Model M Spacesaver
Post by: lal on Mon, 02 March 2009, 16:51:33

Oh, and ozar: Thanks a lot for the hint! Much appreciated.

And for everyone else looking for a NIB mini, check comptekw2k (http://myworld.ebay.com/comptekw2k) regularly. He/She seems to have found a truck of them and lists them one after another. No BIN though.

I myself will avoid the "ebay finds" forum for some time now :)

Title: 3 more: IBM Model M Spacesaver
Post by: lam47 on Mon, 02 March 2009, 16:53:46

2 more just gone up
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/93-IBM-Model-M-MINI-Clicky-Keyboard-1370475_W0QQitemZ140305120376QQihZ004QQcategoryZ51084QQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp1742.m153.l1262

Title: 3 more: IBM Model M Spacesaver
Post by: wheel83 on Mon, 02 March 2009, 17:42:05

how can u be sure the model m minis have the 2 piece keycaps ?

Title: 3 more: IBM Model M Spacesaver
Post by: ozar on Mon, 02 March 2009, 18:17:54

Quote from: lam47;23252

I got the UK layout one!
Any one got any info on the part number I can not find mention of it.
IBM 1392980
And how does it differ from my Unicomp one?

Interesting... I can't find much on that model number either.  You might want to do some fast research and if it's not what you thought it was, check with the seller and see if you can stop the shipping, or trade it for one of the other models that just went up.

If I find more on the model in question, I'll post back.

Title: 3 more: IBM Model M Spacesaver
Post by: lam47 on Tue, 03 March 2009, 07:09:55

Thanks ozar.

Title: 3 more: IBM Model M Spacesaver
Post by: dw_junon on Tue, 03 March 2009, 11:51:45

Quote from: ozar

http://search.ebay.com/130291058066

That's extraordinary...

An 85 key spacesaver, with blue IBM logo, and part number 1392980.

I was under the impression that IBM never made 85 key spacesavers (Unicomp certainly did, however), never found a reference.

Searching the announcement letter archive at http://www.ibm.com/news/usalet , P/N 1392980 shows up in letter 187-132 (http://www-01.ibm.com/common/ssi/index.wss?buttonpressed=DET002PT004&page=8&user+type=Regular&panelurl=index.wss%3Fbuttonpressed%3DNAV002PT090&paneltext=Announcement+letter+search&DET002PEF002=&DET002PEF003=1392980&DET002PEF001=&DET002PEF004=&al_date_group_index=DET002PT016&ALDATEGROUP=DET002PT016&al_date_index=DET005PEF031&DET002PGL002=DET005PEF031&alfmonth=01&alfday=01&alfyear=2004&altmonth=03&altday=03&altyear=2009&det003pef003=EXTERNAL&coincidence_index=0&submit.x=0&submit.y=0&submit=Search) introducing the 3151 ASCII terminal to the US.  It is clearly referenced as an 84 key board.

This letter is from 1987, and the label on the bottom of that 'board claims 1991.  The blue logo was not in use until a few years later, and Unicomp had no need to exist since IBM were still producing keyboards in-house at this point, though probably (AFAIK) not an 85 key spacesaver.

Alexander Kurz of kbdbabel has the 3151's keyboard sorted, it uses Scan Code Set 3 (only) with some quirks (IIRC), so chances are it would not work on the average PC.  And yet the seller mentions that the keyboard is "fully tested and is in perfect working order".

My guess is that this is a two way, possibly three way, hybrid.  Fascinating.

Title: 3 more: IBM Model M Spacesaver
Post by: bhtooefr on Tue, 03 March 2009, 12:10:28

Could've simply been a 1392980 converted to 85-key (only needs one additional BS module, and one to be moved,) and then with a controller from a regular SpaceSaver installed.

Crack this board open for internal shots, though... sometimes P/N stickers are on the steel plate...

Title: 3 more: IBM Model M Spacesaver
Post by: ozar on Tue, 03 March 2009, 12:29:46

It would probably be a good idea for lam47 to get in touch with the seller to find out what equipment the board was fully tested on, and also to make sure all the components actually belong to that particular model M.  It would be a real bummer to pay $65 plus shipping only to receive a board that wouldn't work with a PC.

Title: 3 more: IBM Model M Spacesaver
Post by: lal on Tue, 03 March 2009, 13:03:50

My guess would be that it's just the 1392980 case with sticker around another (newer?) inner assembly?

Title: 3 more: IBM Model M Spacesaver
Post by: bhtooefr on Tue, 03 March 2009, 13:07:57

That's why I suggested cracking it open, the label on the inner assembly should reveal all...

Title: 3 more: IBM Model M Spacesaver
Post by: lam47 on Tue, 03 March 2009, 13:16:39

I have asked sandy and he thinks the number 2 on the back in the model number looks a bit odd.
I can only find terminal boards with this number.
But they had an attached cable.
I have emailed the seller to be sure he tested it on a normal PC

Title: 3 more: IBM Model M Spacesaver
Post by: lal on Tue, 03 March 2009, 14:20:32

I got a message that mine is on its way to DE. Wish you luck with yours, Laurie!

Title: 3 more: IBM Model M Spacesaver
Post by: dw_junon on Tue, 03 March 2009, 14:51:57

I should have clarified; my guess is that it's the lower housing of a 1392980, the complete internals of a Unicomp UNI04C6 (http://www.clickykeyboards.com/index.cfm/fa/items.main/parentcat/9242/subcatid/0/id/183757) (IBM 1394054?) and upper housing either from the same UNI04C6 or from a later 84 key space saver due to the blue label, for which 1991 is too early.

With regard to detachable cables (funny, Star Wars V springs to mind...), I recently swapped the cases of Greenock 1391406 (buckler, detachable) and 71G4643 (all domes, fixed), and each fitted just fine in each other's, so keeps that possibility open, and is further evidence that it's not an original 1392980.

With regards an extra key being added by someone other than Unicomp, even knowing that it would be viable takes a special level of dedication and so seems highly unlikely for anyone other than us lot to do.  And it would have been converting away from what I figured was the preferred standard US preference of a nice long left shift key.

In any case, hopefully the seller is being honest about functionality.

Indeed, pictures of the insides would be especially interesting!

Title: 3 more: IBM Model M Spacesaver
Post by: lam47 on Tue, 03 March 2009, 16:28:27

And I will post them as soon as it gets to me.
I am intrigued.

Title: 3 more: IBM Model M Spacesaver
Post by: lal on Sun, 15 March 2009, 13:32:49

The  1391472 has arrived this weekend and it's really really nice.  Brian O'Neill is recommended!

Laurie, have you received yours already?

Title: 3 more: IBM Model M Spacesaver
Post by: lam47 on Mon, 16 March 2009, 11:47:02

Hey Lal.
Mine is not here yet no.
I have been tracking it but now its in the UK the tracking seems to have stopped.
Im sure it will be here soon though.
They chap was very nice and helpful and I too would recommend him.

How about some pictures of yours lal whilst I wait :)

Title: 3 more: IBM Model M Spacesaver
Post by: lal on Mon, 16 March 2009, 12:11:27

Quote from: lam47;24608

Hey Lal.
Mine is not here yet no.
I have been tracking it but now its in the UK the tracking seems to have stopped.

Mine had been trapped in customs for five days!  Unbelievable.  And they let me pay an additional 20€ VAT for this 20 years old piece of computer junk!  ;)

Quote

How about some pictures of yours lal whilst I wait :)

Here (http://geekhack.org/showthread.php?t=1758) you go. They're not very nice though. Crappy light conditions.  Wish you good luck with your ISO mini! :)

Title: 3 more: IBM Model M Spacesaver
Post by: lal on Mon, 16 March 2009, 12:40:15

That would explain it, webwit.  Still annoying.  On the other hand you get more time for excitement. "Vorfreude ist die schönste Freude" as we say here :)

Title: 3 more: IBM Model M Spacesaver
Post by: lam47 on Tue, 17 March 2009, 18:12:01

Looks like mine should come tomorrow.
I will of course open it and take some shots of the inside so we can work out exactly what it is :)