P/N 1655155 - Model B Keyboard Details & Specs
Provided by the ASK Keyboard Part Number Database
| 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 B 3275/3277 66-key Keyboard (327X-66 type Model B) |
| 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. |
Beamsaver |
| OEMOEM Possible companies responsible for making this keyboard for the company marketing it. |
IBM |
| KeyswitchesKeyswitches The name of the known switching mechanism that lies under this keyboard's keys. |
IBM beam 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. |
1974 Q2 |
| Original KeycapsOriginal Keycaps The keyboard's original keycaps' material and text/symbol printing technique. |
SAN with double-shot legends (w/ possible pad-printed front-printed legends) |
| Cover ColourCover Colour The original colour of this keyboard's cover set (outer casing). For keyboards whose cover set 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. |
None |
| 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. |
None |
| 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. |
Black straightened-style fixed DB-25 cable |
| Key CountKey Count The number of keys that this keyboard originally had. |
66 |
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. |
France Data Entry II |
| 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: IBM 3275 Display Station Models 1, 2 & 3 and 3277 Display Station Models 1 & 2 Parts Catalog (#S126-0005-2) [source: bitsavers] |
| Data Last Updated | 2022-12-05 |
More on this type of keyboard...
The IBM 3275 and 3277 Display Stations were the original display terminals for the IBM 3270 Information Display System as unveiled on 6th May 1971. The 3270 family was a block-orientated terminal system primarily intended for communicating with IBM's biggest computers such as the IBM System/360 and System/370 series mainframes through coaxial cables. The 3270 protocol remains commonly used through thin clients and terminal emulation hardware and software. The main difference between the 3275 and 3277 Display Stations was that the 3275 included an integrated control unit that allowed it to attach to an IBM System/360 or System/370 more directly than the 3277, which by comparison required an IBM 3271 or 3272 Control Unit which then subsequently connected to a host mainframe. The main visual difference between them was that 3275 had 8 indicator lights on the bezel right to the display, whereas 3277 only had 3 text labels in the same area. Both terminals were available as a Model 1 with a 480-character display and a Model 2 with a 1920-character display.
The 66 (70 for Japanese/Katakana) key keyboard for IBM 3275 and 3277 Display Stations was the smaller of their two physical keyboard options. This Type B version was technically the revised keyboard for 3275 and 3277, replacing the original Type A keyboard that used Micro Switch SW Hall effect key-switches and was available from 1971. The Type B keyboards were available from approximately two years after the 3270's launch. Compared to the 78-key version of the keyboard, the 66-key keyboard was generally intended for "basic display operator needs". Unique for the 66-key keyboard was the data entry (DE) layout option, which was similar to IBM Card Punch layouts and likewise had an overlay numeric keypad and ALPHA (alphameric) and NUMERIC shift keys. A [data] typewriter (DA) keyboard layout was also available. Depending if the keyboard was intended to be used in a country with a World Trade Center, the keycaps could have a smooth finish instead of a textured one. The 66-key keyboard assembly was seemingly derived from the 3115/3125 Operator Console Keyboard's.
