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Forum Index : Microcontroller and PC projects : IBM PC model M keyboard

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BobD

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Joined: 07/12/2011
Location: Australia
Posts: 935

Posted: 07:45am 08 Oct 2014

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I was reading my usual early morning news and came across this story of the IBM model M keyboard for the PC. First produced in 1985 and production continued for a few years. Many of you will remember them. Who could forget that mechanical click of the keys?

Justplayin

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Joined: 31/01/2014
Location: United States
Posts: 327

Posted: 08:06am 08 Oct 2014

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Love that keyboard with it's firm keys and positive feedback click. I really hate keyboards that have a mushy key action and no indication you pressed the key unless you actually see a character appear. I still have a couple of these, maybe I'll pull one out and it hook it up using a keyboard/mouse to USB adapter

--Curtis

I am not a Mad Scientist... It makes me happy inventing new ways to take over the world!!

Lou

Senior Member

Joined: 01/02/2014
Location: United States
Posts: 229

Posted: 08:11am 08 Oct 2014

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Bob,

I think that keyboard used the capacitive 'fly away' keys from IBM's older mainframe machines, I used to work on those type keyboards back in the late 70's on the mainframes of the day. You could actually go in and replace the little plastic 'box' with the internal spring driven fly plate, good for many many millions of hits. All the IBM repairman used to carry those around on repair calls.

Quite a distinctive 'click' when you hit a key. Memory lane...

Lou

Microcontrollers - the other white meat

Grogster

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Joined: 31/12/2012
Location: New Zealand
Posts: 9590

Posted: 12:06pm 08 Oct 2014

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...I think I even have an old one of those, gathering dust and dirt outside in the shed...

Smoke makes things work. When the smoke gets out, it stops!

Gizmo

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Joined: 05/06/2004
Location: Australia
Posts: 5116

Posted: 12:20pm 08 Oct 2014

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I still have the keyboard from my IBM AT I bought 2nd hand in the early 90's. The F keys were down the left side. Keyboard had a nice feel, but was noisey.

Glenn

The best time to plant a tree was twenty years ago, the second best time is right now.
JAQ

hitsware
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Joined: 23/11/2012
Location: United States
Posts: 535

Posted: 12:51pm 08 Oct 2014

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Still Available !
But pricey .... I'm tempted everytime I think about keyboards ..

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