P/N 1396916 - Model M122 Type IV Keyboard Details & Specs
| TypeType A designation from my own type naming scheme used to categorise this keyboard with or from others by their common features and market intent but may/may not be derived from official names. |
Model M Type IV 122-key Emulator Converged Keyboard |
| NicknameNickname A [keyboard enthusiast] community given name for this keyboard. It can be a shortening of its name and properties, a more abstract term, a real-life reference, or metonymy. |
Battlecruiser |
| OEMOEM Possible companies responsible for making this keyboard for the company marketing it. |
IBM |
| Key-switchesKey-switches The name of the known switching mechanism that lies under this keyboard's keys. |
IBM membrane buckling springs |
| Earliest AppearanceEarliest Appearance The year (and possibly the quarter) that this keyboard part number was introduced, first observed, first recorded or the first example found. |
1991 Q2 |
| WithdrawnWithdrawn The date this keyboard part number was withdrawn from marketing. This doesn't necessarily mean production or refurbishments ended on the same date, just the keyboard was no longer being sold under normal circumstances from then on. |
1999-11-09 |
| Original KeycapsOriginal Keycaps The keyboard's original keycaps' material and text/symbol printing technique. |
PBT with dye-sublimated legends |
| Casing ColourCasing Colour The original colour of this keyboard's outer casing. For keyboards whose casing materials are known to yellow, this will refer to the original colour before such transformation occurs. |
Pearl White |
| BrandingBranding The possible branding and logo styles found on this keyboard part number. This could be multiple styles at once or possible styles found over time. |
IBM grey oval badge |
| FeetFeet The style of this keyboard's flip-out or extendable feet. If applicable, this may also state how many levels of height adjustment are available and whether the feet could be rubberised. |
Single-setting elongated flip-out feet |
| ConnectionConnection The keyboard-to-host connection. This is could be a description of a cable (its colour, whether its coiled, whether its detachable, and what connector is at its end) or the name of a wireless technology. |
Grey coiled-style detachable 6-pin SDL to PS/2 mini-DIN cable |
| Key CountKey Count The number of keys that this keyboard originally had. |
122 |
| Form FactorForm Factor The standardised or universally acknowledged name for this keyboard's layout form factor. |
120% |
Layout/LanguageLayout/Language The original regional/language layout this keyboard was configured as. Both the language and the standardised key layout may be listed, and in the case of both being known or defined, it will be styled as language then standard. |
Cyrillic ISO |
| Source(s)Source(s) Documents ("Doc"), websites and/or webpages ("Web") that were used as a source of information for this keyboard part number. Examples of this keyboard part number I own ("ASK") will also be included as sources. |
Doc: WDFM of Options by IBM: Selected PSG Products Announcement Letter (#ZG99-0600) [source: IBM] Web: https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=5264.msg77530#msg77530 |
| Data Last Updated | 2023-03-31 |
More on this type of keyboard...
The Type IV 122-key Model M Function Key Keyboard is a version of the Type III designed to be natively compatible with PCs to serve in terminal emulation roles. Officially called the IBM Personal System/2 Host Connected Keyboard, Type IVs were relatively rare but for a long time were the only 122-key Model Ms easily capable of modern usage until Soarer's Converter became widespread. Visually, Type IVs look like Type IIIs except all IBM-branded versions had lock-light LEDs as standard and come with modular SDL connections capable of accepting an AT or PS/2 plug cable. IBM also started a practice producing Type IVs under third-party branding to companies that offer terminal emulation services, which Unicomp continues to do to this day. Unicomp also produces a version of the Type IV for consumer usage called the Unicomp PC-122. Like the Type IIIs, the 24-key function key block was only labelled with an "Fxx" nomenclature.
