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geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: arfink on Fri, 08 January 2010, 12:45:38
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So, I went a picked it up from the seller today. My IBM Model F XT. Man, this thing is so cool. I'll have to find more nickels, because the amount I have isn't enough to press the keys down! To the couch! :)
It sounds cool. I'm going to tear down and clean this thing, it needs it. It's in good shape, but is full of gunk and has a really icky, mis-positioned Lotus 123 sticker on the F-keys. That got ripped off real fast. There is a funky looking bend in the cord's coils, but nothing I can't live with for $15. Dang, this is a big, heavy, thoroughly satisfying keyboard. Now to build my kbdbabel.
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How can you stand the layout?
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You shouldn't have torn off the Lotus 1-2-3 sticker. It's part of the essence of a Model F XT.
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Man, this thing is so cool. [...] Now to build my kbdbabel.
awesome :D :D
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How can you stand the layout?
Said with almost moral indignation...
Bare in mind that it isn't a million miles away from the ISO layout that us Europeans know and love. The size of the enter is the worst thing.
At the end of the day, you'll get used to just about anything given enough effort.
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No, I like the layout. It strongly resembles my Apple IIgs keyboard, actually. Especially the proper spacing of the control key.
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How do you like its feel?
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So, I went a picked it up from the seller today. My IBM Model F XT. Man, this thing is so cool. I'll have to find more nickels, because the amount I have isn't enough to press the keys down! To the couch! :)
Use quarters. If it's like any other Model F, 5 quarters will be enough to get some downward movement.
It sounds cool. I'm going to tear down and clean this thing, it needs it. It's in good shape, but is full of gunk and has a really icky, mis-positioned Lotus 123 sticker on the F-keys. That got ripped off real fast. There is a funky looking bend in the cord's coils, but nothing I can't live with for $15. Dang, this is a big, heavy, thoroughly satisfying keyboard. Now to build my kbdbabel.
That, and if the strain relief is like the ones on the Terminal F, you'll find it a LOT easier to replace/rewire cables.
FWIW I got used to a pseudo-AT-Model-F layout on my 122 before I had the remaps setup.
Took about 5 minutes to completely adapt to it, and about 5 minutes to adapt back to normal once it was remapped.
For me, I just make it close enough to just have to worry about re-learning modifier keys.
Remapping some custom keys:
<> to End/Esc
"Rule Home" key to Home
PF1/Cmd1 to F11
PF2/Cmd2 to F12
Left Alt to Left Alt (due to scancodes)
Num Enter to Num Enter (due to scancodes)
Top numpad row as follows from L-R:
Esc, Num Lock, Scroll Lock, PrtSc.
Missing Keys that I don't replace:
Numpad +, Home, End. They end up becoming scancodes I can't map or need on the keyboard.
That provides a sane enough layout for me.
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Last I checked, the XT Model F had Ctrl where it should be...
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I noticed very strange behavior when I used my Model F with my SGI Indy, where it had decided to swap Ctrl and Caps. This didn't affect other keyboards though, and all their PS/2 keyboards have standard Enhanced Keyboard layouts.
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How do you like its feel?
The feel is amazing. I find the force to depress the key is just right, with a pleasant click-ping when I get to the bottom and then let up. You can really feel when the foot comes down, but it's not too loud either. My model F was stored properly, and so the foam backing inside is fully intact and still a little tacky, and it really helps to reduce the noise.
As for my kbdbabel, I happen to have an IC programmer, so that's no problem for me. I need to wait till I have some spare money so i can get the parts. It'll be cheap enough.
Upon opening it up and cleaning all the keys etc. I noticed that one key was broken. The little foot at the bottom of the 6 key was missing its hinge pin, causing it not make it's distinctive "ping" properly. I just swapped feet with the scroll lock key, since I don't foresee using it.
Another thing I really like about this model is the legs on the keyboard. I don't have to turn my keyboard over or reach awkwardly underneath to raise or lower it.
Lastly, with a little bit or careful twisting, I have removed the kinks in the coil. This keyboard has a MASSIVE cord, more massive than the last model M I saw. It also has what appear to be original serial number labels both on the outside and inside of the keyboard, which I have not seen present on the ones being sold on clickey keyboards. If I took a picture, could people identify it for me?
EDIT: something to note, the XT appears to have a different layout from the AT version of the Model F. And with a kbdbabel converter I am not expecting any significant mis-mapping issues on other computers.
Actually, I never learned to type "properly," having taught myself wrongly from a very young age, and have no problem with the unusual layout. In fact, I rather enjoy the placement of the keys, with the possible exception of the pipe and the tilde. However, I haven't been in the custom of using those, and if I decide to then I'll not have any issues. As a retro-computing enthusiast, I intend to keep this keyboard as stock as possible, and besides, it resembles other older computers I have used in terms of layout, which makes it seem less strange.
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If you have a serial label on the back of an XT Model F, it means that it was made in Greenock. The Lexington folk didn't label the XT one, and the AT one only got a barcode.
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It doesn't look like much, that's for sure. Just a bunch of numbers printed on a small sticker. Aside from the big "V03" penned on the back in permanent ink, this label is all the keyboard has printed on the backside.
It says:
PN: 1801449
NB EC192
4780 1467
There is also an upside-down R and what looks like a number 1 in a circle, hand written on this tag.
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EDIT: something to note, the XT appears to have a different layout from the AT version of the Model F. And with a kbdbabel converter I am not expecting any significant mis-mapping issues on other computers.
Seeing how your converter will need to send different scancodes, you can do what you want with the layout.
You might also be interested in this:
GeekHack Wiki: XT Model F Adapter Project (http://geekhack.org/showwiki.php?title=XT+Model+F+Adapter+Project)
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Necrobump: I'm building the KBDBabel adapter. I got in contact with Mr. KBDBabel and figured out all the documentation, compiling etc. I should have parts in a couple of weeks. I am very excited to finally get this thing going.