IBM Blue Alps

[0100010]

Need a shot of one column of keys from every row, upside down in a line; so we can see the stem lengths mentioned.

Pretty long stem. Right?

For an IC photo, I will open up the case tonight.

Nice. Thanks for the pic. Every row is unique, stem length wise.

[Shinryuu]

Wh-what the heck, a thing like this exists..

[jacobolus]

Wow. So how effective are the F row keys with those enormous keycaps? Do you mind taking a side-view picture of the switches with keycaps on them without the case in the way?

Crikey Oo . Are these OEM profile then?

Definitely not. “OEM” profile is just the Alps profile from the late 1980s, which was copied by various other vendors, e.g. Tai Hao. Should probably be called Alps profile. (Though some of what gets called “OEM” profile is less angled than old Alps caps, because whoever was designing them didn’t understand the purpose of the steps between rows; there’s not really a set standard “OEM” shape.)

This profile is much more aggressive.

Cf workshop-f7/keycap-profile-demonstratio ... t9847.html

[larryniven]

Wow. So how effective are the F row keys with those enormous keycaps? Do you mind taking a side-view picture of the switches with keycaps on them without the case in the way?

This is the best I can get. It's not perfectly orthogonal.

[jacobolus]

Thanks. Wow that’s tall.

Here’s the other one of these boards:
http://xiangce.baidu.com/picture/album/ ... core=1#pic
https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=45 ... msg1433506

[daedalus]

I was going to call this a refurb job (i.e. a third party assembly in a real Model M case) but I think the casing was made by a different company, which suggests to me that this is either a counterfeit, or was made on contract (less likely IMHO, IBM was pretty anal with tiny differences, so it seems unlikely it would share a P/N with the standard part)

Here's a real 1390131:



Note:

1. The positioning of the letters on the IBM logo
2. On this Alps boards, the status light label has square edges, whereas the real deal has rounded corners.

As have others have pointed out, the label is missing the barcode usually seen on the usual IBM keyboards.

Would be interested to see measurements of this versus a real Model M

[webwit]

Long time no see

[E3E]

Does this thing have NKRO? I can't tell if the matrix has diodes or just jumpers, but from what I can tell, it might go either way!

[seebart]

I agree with daedalus, it looks like a third party job to me. Look how the square IBM badge sits on top of the case amongst other oddities. I do not think that IBM used Alps SKCM. Anyone got a link to the other sighting?

[Chyros]

You'll notice the IBM logo is also in the MIDDLE of the badge rather than at the top, as usual. Maybe it's a way to recognise these boards.

[seebart]

You'll notice the IBM logo is also in the MIDDLE of the badge rather than at the top, as usual. Maybe it's a way to recognise these boards.

Right that's very unlikely that IBM would change their own logo. Still these could be some obscure commision job. I'd love to try it though. I wonder what the build quality is like.

[jacobolus]

I do not think that IBM used Alps SKCM. Anyone got a link to the other sighting?

IBM Japan did use linear Alps switches, both tee mount and then SKCL.

Later, IBM used Alps plate spring switches in their luggables.

[E3E]

You'll notice the IBM logo is also in the MIDDLE of the badge rather than at the top, as usual. Maybe it's a way to recognise these boards.

I'm still curious as to whether or not this is a knock off or a legitimate board produced by or for IBM.

[gogusrl]

I do not think that IBM used Alps SKCM. Anyone got a link to the other sighting?

IBM Japan did use linear Alps switches, both tee mount and then SKCL.

Later, IBM used Alps plate spring switches in their luggables.

I'm still looking for one of these : https://imgur.com/a/zhYbG

[dorkvader]

You'll notice the IBM logo is also in the MIDDLE of the badge rather than at the top, as usual. Maybe it's a way to recognise these boards.

I'm still curious as to whether or not this is a knock off or a legitimate board produced by or for IBM.

I am as well. I think it has to be legit. The 1390131 only came out a few months' before. April 1986 is towards the beginning of the run, it would take any company longer than 4 months to copy it.

Then again the enhanced kb has been around since mid 1985, so part number aside it's theoretically possible to have counterfeited it in that time.

Maybe it's like cherry with the MX SPOS, IBM had to do a limited run of a part number for various reasons? I know that education contracts end up being extremely specific, so they might not have been able to change the part number. Look at old IBM contracts from the '80s, where they list part numbers, and monthly leasing as well as purchase prices (looking at the IBM 5085 / 5083 CAD systems form the early 1980's, you can see this)

[Compgeke]

April 1986 is towards the beginning of the run, it would take any company longer than 4 months to copy it.

Controller IC shows that date's wrong. '89 copyright so the keyboard had to be made sometime after '88.
photos-f62/ibm-blue-alps-t12798.html#p282987

[jacobolus]

That last number is really hard to read. I’m not convinced it’s a 9.

[ramnes]

Wow, that thing, again! Thanks for the picture, that's awesome.

[terrycherry]

I had this one before. It's a copycat of model m which is made in Hong Kong(almost made PCB and switch) or China made(almost did the assemble, made case and keycaps). I more expect the keyboard made in Hong Kong.
Because this metal plate and something internal design like the Hong Kong made keyboard with SMK and omron clone switches.