• Please review our updated Terms and Rules here

Northgate Omnikey Ultra vs. IBM Model M (circa 1984-1988)

Unknown_K said:
While I like old keyboards I do prefer newer optical mice to the old ball type (nothing like a simple Microsoft Wheel Mouse Optical). Since I collect PS/2 MCA machines I also have a bunch of IBM PS/2 mice of all types and Microsoft mice for old PCs.
Click to expand...

I have a Mouse Systems optical mouse which dates from the late 1980s! It works just as smoothly as the new ones do, however it requires a special mouse pad with a reflective grid pattern on it. Without the special mouse pad, it's useless. That's why optical mice never really caught on until they developed ones which don't need the special pad and can be used on almost any surface -- although a smooth tabletop often doesn't work so well, so I end up having to use a (regular) mouse pad anyway.
 
Mouse Systems made a bunch of those for OEMs, I have one made for SUN (used on my Ultra 5) and one for Commodore Amiga (A3000). I only have one of the mice pads so it goes to whatever system I am currently using.
 
Well,

Since I started this thread I have acquired both an Omni Key Ultra (NIB) and an Industrial M Series along w/ a few NIB F types. I can honestly say that I like the Omni Key much better. The sound, the feel is just better. The F types are my next favorite followed by the Industrial M series. I also have an old Gateway 2000 (circa ~1989) that looks like it would clack a way but is mush as all get go.
 
OK - just caught this thread, thanks to the necro-posting :) Northgate Omnikeys work on Amiga and other systems by default?

Someone please explain this... if so, I think I'ma have to track one down :)

So far as "feel"... I use a Cherry POS keyboard at work with Brown MX switches and NKRO. I have a Chicony KB-5181 with the Blue Monterray switches that's quite nice, though the space-bar key is a bit whacked from use (I got this used for $2 about 2 years ago). I have several flavors of the Model M, and to this day, it remains my favorite keyboard and my "go-to," though I can't use it at work because of the noise factor. I have the IBM Space-Saver, picked up from a forum member here to go along with my IBM PS/2 Model 25 - I love the feel, but miss the number pad. I also have a nice 84-key Model F that feels awesome, but it only gets used intermittently. Again, I miss the number pad.

I'd like to try out a true Cherry Blue board, but that's mainly for curiosity... if I never got the chance, I'd be happy with the boards I have, as many of them will probably outlast me :)
 
One thing I've noticed with recent (used) PS/2 keyboards is a tendency to exhibit key "bounce"--you know, you type "help" and you get "helllp" instead. They're all made in China, and are fairly lightweight. Bouncing is not confined to a single key or group of keys.

Has anyone else seen this?
 
The Northgates with the cover over a set of jumpers can be set for all kinds of machines (including Amiga). There was supposed to be some keys made so you have actual Amiga keys but I never seen any.

The company that purchased the keyboard division from IBM sold many model M looking keyboards WITHOUT the clicky sound feel later on, I never bothered with them since I was still finding originals at the time.

I have a couple other keyboards with alps or cherry keyswitches, they are decent.
 
That being said, my current kbd-of-choice is a Cherry Modell (sic) ML4100. It's a very compact board that has survived over two years of being carried around in my truck. It's nice and quiet, with all the right keys in the right places, save the right shift, which is only half size, but I use the left shift 99.99% of the time (even if it slows me down a little -- bad habit, that's all), so it works for me, since the majority of my computin' has always been on-the-go, so size does matter (and weight). I hate clickety-clacky boards and have a very light touch, so keys that fight back annoy me (lots of missed hits, dropped characters, etc.). If I could find my USB-PS/2 adapter thinggy, I'd be using it right now, since my preferred typing position is to have it in my lap, and the whole (laptop) computer is heavy (and hot).

--T
 
Yeah, I've been on am Omnikey kick lately. I bought three Omnikey keyboards over the past month. So far I have an Ultra T, 1 Omnikey 102 and 2 101's. The Omnikey does have a very nice feel but my accuracy is much higher on the Model M.
 
Wow..come to think I almost threw my Omnikey 102 to the recycle bin. Now I am glad I didn't. However both my original IBM and the Omnikey takes a lot of space. I still remember the day I got my Omnikey direct from Northgate. I love that keyboard until I was given my full Dell 486 system to use. Thanks to this discussion, I will keep them for notalgia sake.
 
I had an OmniKey 102 that got destroyed in the move to my new place, I missed that keyboard, I was going to fix it, so maybe I'll track a new one down someday. It was my favorite keyboard, even over the Model M. Now I have 2 Model M's, and my current favorite is a "PRecision Sound" AT keyboard with Win98 Keys, Alps Keyswitches, and an LCD Display with a calculator built in (though it is not backlit). I loved the vintage layout of the 102 more though, with the function keys down the side, and CTRL where the caps lock key is, that was so handy playing even modern computer games! Maybe I'll scrape up another one some day at RE-PC or somewhere like that.

For mice, on my modern box I'm using a no-name USB Optical Mouse as it has the scroll wheel, which my Logitech Marble mouse does not have. My old Boxen use the following...

XT Clone - Microsoft Mouse 2.0 Bus Mouse
Tandy - No Mouse
286 & 486 - Microspeed PC TRac Trackball - this thing is farkin huge, and I have THREE of them, I bought my first at a thrift shop for 3 bucks 10 years ago and was so hooked I grabbed all the rest I could find. They work great for playing Test Drive & Car & Driver with the mouse, especially C&D.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top