Ibm 5150

[Luke]

It still work?

This is CGA card. It work with CGa monitors.

 

[dongfeng]

I did it by accident a couple of weeks ago, my 5150 and XT where stacked on top of each other and I plugged the wrong machine!

Luckily it did not damage anything. But it is Hercules CGA, not IBM CGA card.

 

[dongfeng]

Look what arrived in the post today - original IBM 5150 keyboard! Many many thanks to Terry Yager for this :D

Today I have been having fun with Microsoft Adventure on 5150

 

[Chris2005]

if I can be so gauche to ask, what did the freigt cost?

 

[dongfeng]

Freight was about $30 I think, and that was posted in late June. Sounds expensive, but it's still cheaper than the last one that sold on UK eBay They are so hard to find here!

 

[Terry Yager]

Got another one, if someone needs it.

--T

 

[dreddnott]

Right now all I have is a 5150 clone keyboard with a label on the back that reads "CHAMPION KEYBOARD" - it has 82 keys and one blank that doesn't push down...

I wouldn't mind completing my 5150 set!

 

[Chris2005]

$30 isn't horrible I guess. I guess a whole computer + the keyboard would probably run around $125 give or take. Who did you use Terry?

 

[Terry Yager]

Ummn, I think that was USPS, Economy (surface) Mail. AirMail would have still been under fitty, IIRC. If yer tryin' to do the math, figger a nine-pound package (the board weighs eight + packaging), from 48449.

--T

 

[Terry Yager]

Ummn, in the picture, I can't see the right-hand 'ear' (or whatever it's called) for the kbd leg. Is that a trick of the lighting, or did it go missing/broken in transit (I'll send another)?

--T

 

[dongfeng]

The box was rather battered when it arrived, so I guess it went missing in transit. The leg is still there and it does still works though

 

[Terry Yager]

I'll send another, if ya don't mind installing it yourself.

--T

 

[dreddnott]

That must've been pretty harsh treatment during shipping - IBM keyboards are *tough*.

 

[dongfeng]

If you have one to spare (as in, on a broken keyboard), let me know how much shipping is But it's probably not worth it, and after all the keyboard does still work perfectly. The leg even works, just the little tab is missing. Not really a problem.

 

[Terry Yager]

I don't think it'll be difficult to dig up a 'parts' keyboard. Sorry for not packing it better, but I'm kinda of the belief that those things are practically indestructable.

--T

 

[dongfeng]

It's not your fault Terry! The box was pretty bashed about, and it also looked like it had been opened and resealed. It still works perfectly, which is pretty impressive given it was in the hands of the postal services for 7 weeks!!!

 

[Terry Yager]

I haven't tried it yet, but I do believe that if one were to take a couple of pot-shots with a small-caliber handgun, the bullets really would bounce off.

--T

 

[dongfeng]

The keyboard was fairly clean, but it's not going to escape the Cif treatment :twisted:

If you where wondering what a Model F looks like broken down into its component parts... this is it :D

Here is a breakdown of what gives the keyboards that wonderful clicking sound - the (in)famous buckling spring!

One thing I did find is that without the key caps, the spring plates fall forwards and set to the "on" position giving the 5150 a 303 keyboard error on bootup. I also found that you should tilt the keyboard backwards when replacing the caps, else they can stick in the on position, again giving a keyboard error.

Can't upload a picture of the finished product until later

 

[dongfeng]

BTW, I also found out that putting the keyboard back together is VERY tricky and involves a bit of selotape to keep the spacebar spring from jamming into the incorrect position.

If you want to save a LOT of time, leave the space bar in position and don't dismantle the spring plates from the board

 

[dongfeng]

And the finished product