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geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: Shyfe on Fri, 07 March 2014, 14:06:33

Title: Accidentally bought rubber dome M2
Post by: Shyfe on Fri, 07 March 2014, 14:06:33
BNIB for $18 + shipping. now that I'm over the disappointment, anything fun I can do with it?
Title: Re: Accidentally bought rubber dome M2
Post by: Mr.Tumor on Fri, 07 March 2014, 14:10:46
any firearms in the house?   i hear they make great targets.....


i shoulda been a comidan... realy


sry i couldent resist ....pls i mean no disrespect ... just trying to make a funny....
Title: Re: Accidentally bought rubber dome M2
Post by: mougrim on Fri, 07 March 2014, 14:18:23
No, seriously, rubber dome M2 is a piece of dog****. And has only collector value. If it was buckling spring version, that's another matter.
Title: Re: Accidentally bought rubber dome M2
Post by: False_Dmitry_II on Fri, 07 March 2014, 15:41:20
Is it really that much worse than random rubber domes on the street today?
Title: Re: Accidentally bought rubber dome M2
Post by: epzy on Fri, 07 March 2014, 15:45:00
Kill it with fire, only logical thing you can do.
Title: Re: Accidentally bought rubber dome M2
Post by: berserkfan on Fri, 07 March 2014, 15:52:56
Simple, resell it to a co-worker or somebody who doesn't know the difference. You might be able to wheedle $30 out of that guy to cover your costs.
Title: Re: Accidentally bought rubber dome M2
Post by: mougrim on Fri, 07 March 2014, 15:59:26
Is it really that much worse than random rubber domes on the street today?
When it was made - no, it wasn't. But now it's kinda 20 years old. At least. So it's crap.
Title: Re: Accidentally bought rubber dome M2
Post by: fohat.digs on Fri, 07 March 2014, 16:13:01
These are not bad keyboards, and users would be perfectly happy with them if not for the "other" version.

I have gotten a couple of them and unloaded them on ebay for $15-20 + shipping. Be sure to disclose what you are selling and you should be able to recoup at least the cost, but probably not the freight.

Who knows, there may be a collector who wants "every Model M" looking for a prime specimen.
Title: Re: Accidentally bought rubber dome M2
Post by: dgreekstallion on Fri, 07 March 2014, 19:57:50
I take it the key-caps aren't interchangeable with B.S. keyboards?
Title: Re: Accidentally bought rubber dome M2
Post by: fohat.digs on Fri, 07 March 2014, 21:07:59
Wait. The IBM Model M2 is not a rubber dome.

The M2 is an alternate buckling spring keyboard. The keys interchange with the ergonomic Ms, and standard M key stems will click into place, but the profiles are all different.
Title: Re: Accidentally bought rubber dome M2
Post by: demik on Fri, 07 March 2014, 21:44:34
goodwill?
Title: Re: Accidentally bought rubber dome M2
Post by: mougrim on Sat, 08 March 2014, 03:21:03
Wait. The IBM Model M2 is not a rubber dome.

The M2 is an alternate buckling spring keyboard. The keys interchange with the ergonomic Ms, and standard M key stems will click into place, but the profiles are all different.

Actually there are two versions of M2 - buckling spring variant (somewhat simplified and more low-profile than regular Model M) and rubber dome one. If I'm not mistaken, rubber dome variant somewhat different in appearance from buckling spring M2.
Title: Re: Accidentally bought rubber dome M2
Post by: C5Allroad on Sat, 08 March 2014, 07:40:30
KILL IT WITH FIRE!!!!!
BE GONE RUBBER DOME!
Title: Re: Accidentally bought rubber dome M2
Post by: JimByr on Sat, 08 March 2014, 09:14:00
IBM Selectric Touch keyboard (Model M2)

1395300   buckling spring, US layout
1395706   buckling spring, UK layout
60G3507   buckling spring, labeled as M1 ("Options by IBM" unbundled)
42H0468   buckling spring, US layout, RJ-11 (can be used by making adapter)
73G4614   rubber dome
60G0817   rubber dome, with a big face plate. code name "Lion"

The terminal version is fully PS/2 compatible, and merely needs a passive adapter to map the RJ-45 pins to the appropriate PS/2 ones.
Title: Re: Accidentally bought rubber dome M2
Post by: Tactile on Sat, 08 March 2014, 14:47:09
I like 'em. The rubber dome keyboards IBM made back then had great tactile feedback. Nice stiff rubber domes with a very distinct "pop" feel as the key goes down.
Title: Re: Accidentally bought rubber dome M2
Post by: mougrim on Sat, 08 March 2014, 16:20:28
I like 'em. The rubber dome keyboards IBM made back then had great tactile feedback. Nice stiff rubber domes with a very distinct "pop" feel as the key goes down.
But I think after 20+ years any rubber transforms to crap almost automatically...
Title: Re: Accidentally bought rubber dome M2
Post by: phoible on Fri, 02 April 2021, 02:03:39
I just accidentally bought a rubber dome M2 on eBay. Since it didn't work when I received it (and was sold as-is), I decided to restore it. Turns out that the internals are pretty similar to the buckling spring version (same PCB and conductive sheet from what I can tell).

I replaced the capacitors, cleaned the traces using isopropyl alcohol, and then ended up having to put some card stock below the foam to get the traces to make contact.

Now it works pretty well - the keys feel pretty good for a membrane keyboard. Not sure whether I'm going to resell it on eBay or keep it. I already have too many keyboards, and just wanted a buckling spring M2, so might resell it.