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Author Topic: Ordered this IBM Model M, what do you think?  (Read 1431 times)

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Offline Nek

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Ordered this IBM Model M, what do you think?
« on: Sat, 09 November 2019, 09:53:08 »
One keyboard that I definitely wanted to get is the venerable IBM Model M. Heard so many things about it so I couldn't resist my self any longer. Therefore I just bought one off from eBay with a deal that seemed good to me (I hope). So I have some questions and I would also like to hear your opinion about it. Here are the front and the back (it is missing a keycap but I'll probably easily find one to replace it with):

Pictures

Front
229757-0

Back
229759-1

I paid 140$ for it and it is made by Lexmark in the UK on January 1994 and has the code number 1396790. As I have almost no idea what all those mean, I would like to ask your opinion about it, if this is a good version of the Model M and if there are any significant differences from the "better" ones. Was this a good deal afterall? Is it a good keyboard or does it have any known issues that I should be aware of? What do you think? Also what kind of adapter do you recommend to buy in order to connect it to my PC? It has a PS/2 port but I is a USB adapter an option or it will have any issues?
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Offline fohat.digs

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Re: Ordered this IBM Model M, what do you think?
« Reply #1 on: Sat, 09 November 2019, 10:51:49 »
Looks like a nice board - the price seems a bit high but I presume that you are in the EU and they are far less common there. I am mildly surprised to see a US ANSI layout on a Greenock board but I have had a couple with that layout here in the US.

Either plug should work but if your motherboard has native PS/2 you might as well use it. Remember not to hot-plug a PS/2 and allow it to be found on boot-up.

The Control key is one of the most often missing and least common spares, but you can use it as-is with no problem whatsoever.
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Offline Nek

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Re: Ordered this IBM Model M, what do you think?
« Reply #2 on: Mon, 11 November 2019, 02:01:19 »
Quote from: fohat.digs on Sat, 09 November 2019, 10:51:49
Looks like a nice board - the price seems a bit high but I presume that you are in the EU and they are far less common there. I am mildly surprised to see a US ANSI layout on a Greenock board but I have had a couple with that layout here in the US.

Either plug should work but if your motherboard has native PS/2 you might as well use it. Remember not to hot-plug a PS/2 and allow it to be found on boot-up.

The Control key is one of the most often missing and least common spares, but you can use it as-is with no problem whatsoever.

Thanks. You are right about the price. Because of the mandatory import fees + huge S&H the whole shipping cost would be at least 100$, therefore Any keyboard from eBay US would cost me more than that, even if it is 10$. So there wasn't really an option for me in the sub 120$ anyway.

Now, this board definitely is not very common, it is a made under the Lexmark brand, but it seems to follow all the previous IBM standards of that time (detachable cable, US layout, etc). I hope it is as good as it looks like and that there is not any funny business with it (like being a model that is using various parts from various models). I'll make sure to make a thorough post with details about it when I do get it.

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