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Which keyboard is older?

K

Ken Vaughn

Experienced Member
Joined
Jan 16, 2010
Messages
138
Location
Colorado, USA
I have two Model F keyboards. One came with the IBM PC which I bought in
1981. The other came with an IBM PC I bought a couple of years later. One
has a silver (metal) connector shroud, the other has a black (plastic)
connector shroud. The external appearance of both keyboards is identical
except for the connectors.

http://home.comcast.net/~kvaughn65c/kb_layout.jpg

Both are in good shape and have pretty much the same amount of finger grime
on the keys.

Both keyboards show a PN: 4584656 on the sticker inside.
The one with a silver connector has EC: 323446 on the sticker.
The one with a black connector has EC: 998739 on the sticker.

http://home.comcast.net/~kvaughn65c/kb_silver.jpg
http://home.comcast.net/~kvaughn65c/kb_black.jpg

I believe the keyboard with the silver connector is the older of the two.
Can anyone confirm this.
 
I'd also say the one with the silver connector is older. I've been around a lot of IBM PC's over
the years, and I don't recall ever seeing one with the silver connector. It might even
be 'rare' :)
 
Lower number = older in most cases, and considering that the silver connector is more "old-school" I'd definitely go with the silver one as the older of the two - likely the one you got in 1981.

Edit: Holy crap, why do both of your Model Fs have exposed circuitry? Mine has a white-pained metal sheet over the bottom that the sticker is on.. did you open those for some reason, or did they.. make them.. that badly..?
 
my model f's are the same way, i think they did that so you could get to the connector on it, doesn't matter though, the bottom of those things is solid steel, those things will kill someone if you whack them on the head with 'em
 
Raven said:
Lower number = older in most cases, and considering that the silver connector is more "old-school" I'd definitely go with the silver one as the older of the two - likely the one you got in 1981.

Edit: Holy crap, why do both of your Model Fs have exposed circuitry? Mine has a white-pained metal sheet over the bottom that the sticker is on.. did you open those for some reason, or did they.. make them.. that badly..?
Click to expand...

I removed the bottom of the keyboards to show the stickers and get the information printed on them. They don't normally show any exposed circuitry, and the bottoms have been replaced.
 
Ah ok, mine doesn't have a sticker on the white panel. It's likely what it looks like underneath, and all of your keyboards are missing the panel. ;p

Note the screwholes...

Edit: See, it's just you k2x.. :eek:
 
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