IBM 5155 Portable Personal Computer review (capacitive buckling springs)
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- čas přidán 23. 06. 2017
- Skip to 11:46 for a typing demonstration.
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My other keyboard reviews: • Thomas' Keyboard Reviews
I'm Thomas and I do keyboard videos and reviews. Except, today, we look at a whole vintage computer! An IMB portable PC, one of which I got from my father in 1990. I've been part of the PC gaming master race ever since I was three years old :p .
The practice sentence was: well basically you can just read it off the screen :p . - Věda a technologie
"10/10 would bankrupt again" -Thomas 2017
I DIED
same...
'specs of dust with more RAM than this'
I love the complete bollocks you come out with, awesome video man.
These days, that could physically be true. If you can put 512GB or even 1TB on a MicroSD, you can put 32KB on a molecular-sized speck of dust.
FYI: typing MODE BW80 at the DOS prompt will improve the legibility of color programs when viewed on the internal monochrome display.
The Computer God in my video! :) Heh, that would be useful actually - some of the coloured lettering is quite illegible on the screen. It does appear to respond to the command, but nothing seems to change in the visuals. Are there any other commands that might help it?
+Unnamed Internet Citizen Black and white in 80-column text mode
Amber Screens Are Best!!
Amber screens are nice but not as nice as green screens!
@@mbox314 amber ones are much nicer to your eyes imho
'Carrying handle the size of a micronation' Holy hell that was funny XD
I know this is a keyboard centric channel, but I must say: DAT AMBER CRT THO
“No one dared to ask his business, no one dared to make the slip. The stranger there among them had a Big Iron on his hip.”
@@MrXhojn i know this is very late but i never expect a god damn fnv reference lmaoo
we need IBM5100.
nice reference
IBN 5100*
10/10 would timetravel again
Memories! This takes me back to 1987. Still have it too(still working).
While the Compaq came out earlier, the more likely source for inspiration for both was the Osborne computer. And portable literally means "moveable." We now associate it with nimble and small, but the big selling point was really that is was... well, portable. You could move it around without too much difficulty.
retro comps are so deliciously visceral, they feel so heavy. love it.
Thanks for making a video about this! I am a lover of crt screens. I grew up with them in the 2000s when LCD screens were used for laptops so they could close easily and be portable. Not long did. flat screen take the market. I wish I could have a laptop with crt screen, DVD player, and a cassette player. Two bad none of that existed all at once or together. Crazy how CRT screens were retired so early with laptops. I mean in all fairness crt’s are so heavy and I still can’t lift my playroom tv from 2002.
fantastic review :-)
you really need to do more of these types of reviews!
Finally some old computer stuff! Good to see!
Fantstic video as always! Recently bought a G810 due to its looks and well...key feel. Thought it felt nicer than the cherry keyboards. But now I'm somewhat tempted on getting my hands on a really old keyboard, model m or something with Alps...It's become an addiction.
Watching your videos is meditative. Ty
Heartwarming episode.
Nice content! Keep it up!
truly, this pc is in immaculate condition. Not a hint of yellowing! Awesome!
I love how the resolution is not measured in pixels, but characters.
More in-depth review of the computer plz; it's a right way to go expanding the reviews to anything vintage since the keyboard resources have almost been depleted.
Hahaa, that's what you think! :p
Y'know even in 1992 - 1993 my workplace (a US Navy squadron) installed new versions of this style of computer -- another brand, modernized with widows 3.1, color screen, etc, but the same layout and about the same size. Actually very convenient for portable aircraft maintenance sort of gear.
They're something so satisfying about seeing these old computer running.
An incredible specimen! (Typed from my IBM bucking spring keyboard, lol...)
Fun fact: at 4:33 - the word "Rekeningsaldo" in both Dutch and Indonesian means bank account balance. That's show how strong Dutch colonial influence is on the Indonesian language.
Dude that was one of your best reviews ever. What a find man. Holy shit. Vintage computers are worth they're weight in gold to some people. The typing demo reminds me of the ending of the movie outland.
"10/10 would bankrupt again" sounds like something Detroit would praise.
I actually remember using one of these "luggables" back in the 1980s. My dad used one for work, and I used it a bit for word processing. I suppose I didn't appreciate the quality of the keyboard at the time.
There was an aeroplane plane game that myself and my brother played on.
I played a character based game called ATC - Air Traffic Controller.
Good video!
We used to have a Texas Instrument version of this at work that we used to program an old school Texas Instrument plc. I had the pleasure of replacing it with a modern Allen Bradley plc. Was super fun to work with.....
Top notch humour is top notch. Love this video.
That review kicked ass.
That's! ...that's... my g. Nice video, nice keyboard
My friend's brother had an IBM portable computer and we played an Olympic Decathlon type game where the N key rollover did come into play. There was the Javelin event where you had to hold down one key to start the stick figure portrait of the javelin thrower to start moving his arm back, then another key to start moving his arm forward and then another to release. The forward key and the release key needed to be pressed at the same time at some point. You had to time it just right to get the maximum distance. There was also a track event where you needed to hold down keys to maneuver your runner around the oval track (bird's
eye view). These are the only two events I remember from the game.
Excellent computer even when is old!
love this keyboard
Man, I'm using a Model M as my daily driver and I *still* have the chills whenever I hear a Model F being typed on... \o/
I have one of these. The RJ11 jack is connected to an internal cable that snakes around to the back of the motherboard to the XT connector. I was able to pull the cable out, connect to to the keyboard and use Soarer’s converter to use it on a modern PC.
Getting used to the layout was much harder for me, however, so I’m sticking with the Model M for daily use. But I’m tempted by those new Model F keyboards with closer-to-ISO layout.
Love your intro
That was my first computer. Thank you, Dad.
When you find one of those keyboards that had been exposed to the elements for over 20 years and it still works, the murder weapon thing is a lot easier to believe.
you deserve more subs tbh
This. Is. AWESOME!!
Well thanks to you sir and your vast knowledge on keyboards, i finally got the best keyboard IMO.
The IBM model F XT!
Love it to death and that how this comment was input into CZcams!
Cant thank you enough.
Haha thanks mate, glad you found the videos useful :) . It's nice that people are thinking outside the Cherry box a bit more now.
You know its funny how this all worked out. My buddies all have some gamer keyboard with a cherry switch in there and some hyper color function boards with crazy amounts of buttons. I tried them all and liked none! I sadly like a extreme cheap rubber dome keyboard more.
Then i just googled the best keyboard ever made. And this IBM model M keep coming up. I was totally hell bent for about 2 months trying to get a mint IBM model M and failed. Many a time. But it was all for the best. No word of a lie shortly after that, CZcams had a video rec for YOUR review of the IBM model F. From the video on i knew what keyboard i HAD to have.
From the release of the 1st IBM Model F video it took months to find a GOOD IBM Model F XT. But i did!
I DONT regret ANYTHING about it. Yes it costs a wee bit BUT its the only keyboard i will likely ever need lol!
Thanks again!
Still have two of them. Both have the fitted nylon storage bags. Had to have a power supply repair done on the first one, and it conked out again about a year or two later; It can probably still be repaired. The second one, I got off of eBay. It came with a gigantic box of software that I still have. There must be several dozen complete applications, along with dozens of books and discs.
Magnificent.
N O I C E
I just bought the 5155 for 445€ from Austria in pristine condition, it has a hard drive too. I was missing a DOS 2.10 so I bought it too for 70ish€ from USA. Can't wait to experience the old computers. My parrents weren't even married then when the 5155 came out.
That 3u + key!
I like the design of this machine
Great review, with just the proper comments for people to understand the features of the machine and, particularly, the keyboard. Personally, I prefer Cherry black switches to those BS, but I understand why some people prefer them over pretty much everything else.
Thank you :) .
Can't do much with it, but an important peace of computer history it is, and in a really nice condition!
nice, a cool Dutch CZcamsr, I'm becoming crazy of those Belgian and Dutch CZcamsrs
Do you ever worry that some companies will watch your videos and send a hit squad after you? "This bastard is making us look bad and showing the public that our old products we built were ten times better and now we build shit to break...We need to silence him..." Also, thank you for bringing back the memories of the old pc boot up sounds. Many times, that sound was music to my brother and I!
Perfect!
Reminds me a little of the IBM Jr slightly. But I love that keyboard. I had an original model 51 something computer, latter a JR at school. even the chicklet keyboard makes the Cherries seem a bit lame. very nice!
It was the IBM 5155 that kicked my obsession with Vintage PCs and CRT Monitors !
Watched your video, searched for the pc on eBay (even if I cant afford it haha) and under the reviews I saw your eBay review "Great product, so much fun to use.." , dunno why this was so funny.
"10/10 would bankrupt again" I'll drink to that bro,
the old off white plastic look is hella comfy, i have to say
What an excellent find. I thought we were going to have "Thomas time" in this video at some points :)
Wait what? xD
No offense to your wonderful speaking voice, but I would love to hear you using this from startup to loading software with no voiceover. Just those wonderful mechanical sounds from the computer and keyboard. :)
The CMOS battery is probably dead, hence the date prompt at every cold-boot.
no. Old pcs like this did not contain a real time clock, and had no bios settings to save. Everything was changed via dipswitches. the date had to be set manually.
mike52787 is correct. PC/XT class machines did not normally come with a real-time clock built-in, although there were ways to add one, such as on an expansion card or as a "SmartWatch" chip that fit under one of the BIOS chips.
The absence of a CMOS clock or its battery is why it doesn't remember the time, but the reason it asks is actually that DOS does so by default. Just creating an autoexec.bat file (even if empty) will turn the question off, though it still won't know the proper time.
I remember a clock card you could buy.
I just knew you where Dutch, even though your English is near perfect and no accent at all. Must be the face then:P Love your video's - typed on a Model M -
A good reference is a book called the PC Bible. They came out once a year. Lots of good advice. Of course now the internet lets you find info.
I ordered a brand name CRT monitor, power distribution centre, and printer for my Tandy 1000 RSX (386) for about $400 Canuckie off eBay, including the shipping and exchange rate. 300 Freedom Bucks for this beauty is a pretty good deal considering an IBM 5150 goes for around $400+ for the unit itself without the monitor and keyboard, and full package in good condition for close to a grand.
7:10 Weight in the number of Apple MacBookss should be a standard unit of measure for retro PC gear. It's hilarious and has the added benefit of avoiding that pesky metric/imperial issue.
JakeTheFakeReal yes I agree
But which model of Mac Book? They can't all weigh the same.
My dad and I found one similar to this at a thrift store in the 90s. We called it “the lap crusher” 😂
Thos video was amazing
love this episode! it's portable and you can play monopoly on it! What more would you want....
how did you manage to have floppy disk monopoly game though? Do they still make them?
really want a buckling spring keyboard now...really want a buckling spring keyboard...
I still had the original files from my youth. I had them put on a floppy disk by some dude in America.
whats the name of the game so I can download it OwO
Let's not also forget the Compaq Portables used the foam-backed keys, and they are all pretty much dead at this point, save for the ones in collectors' hands which have had their foam replaced.
Once you go through a KT Foam & Foil it's rather nice to type on... but the hours of work to re-make all the foam circles are a real pain in the rear.
compu85 agreed. Took me a few hours to punch out the foam pads but it was worth it.
What switch is used for the intro?
Alps SKCM blue.
"Luggable", a class of computer that no longer exists.
You said that these place in your top three switch-types, what would your top one be?
Got the Panasonic IBM compatible version of this, 100% agree on going bankrupt again for a good ol trip down memory lane.
I actually used one of those way back in 1987. :-D
I'm getting an old crappy one of these and making it a modern pc of this type
I had one of these back in the early '90s. I gutted it, put a 486sx mboard and 2 100Mb hds in it. It was great for a little while but the mono screen and the rise of win3.1 doomed it.
Man, I'd kill for a 5155.
In all fairness, they're not THAT rare. They're not usually this cheap, though.
Is it a good idea to replace those keycaps with PEK plastic keycaps?
*steins gate intensifies*
I bought the Unicomp Classic 101 March 2021 and now September 2023. Used a few times and was put into storage. Recently rediscovered and noticed "P" key was acting erratic requiring two or three taps to make contact. Contacted Unicomp and was given RMA but would cost $48.00 plus $16 shipping. After doing my own disassembly I found all but 6 plastic rivet heads were broken off. Unicomp claims this issue was resolved before I purchased in 2021. I would not advise purchasing from Unicomp based on my experience.
God, I love the look of these gorgeous units. They're like a space-age microwave. Actually, I know nobody cares but I felt like sayin' this- a character of mine from a story I'm workin' on is a robot whose design is inspired by this computer and a few other retro models; all beige and blocky with a simplistic screen for a "face."
I've got to buy one of these and stuff modern HW in it. Raspberry Pi3 perhaps.
God the memories!! I used to play that same version of Monopoly on my IBM XT when I was in grade school!
You have to enter the date every time because there is no clock in the PC or Portable PC.
The IBM was made in response to the Compaq portable. The Compaq was a little faster, but the keyboard was junk and the green monochrome screen sucked compared to the IBM's amber screen and buckling spring keyboard. The best upgrade you can get for this machine is the AST 6pakplus card which gave you more RAM, clock, serial, parallel, and game ports on the machine.
Love it "at 30#, its not a fucking pack of peanuts"! Hilarious!
Haha wow, you actually played the same version of Monopoly? That's amazing xD . Yeah, the Compaq was quite successful, but it had a hateful foam and foil keyboard! xD
"That's just the weight of 2 2016 apple macbooks with change"
You have the voice of a narrator.
5:36 Never thought I'd hear a Rainbow 6 Siege reference here of all places
I had Sesame Street! This was the best gaming machine I ever had. Well my dad anyway.
The reason you have to put in the time and date every time is the RTC battery is dead.
I have a 1985 compaq portable plus, instead of amber, the screen is a bright green
Ctrl, Alt, and Capslock weren't a problem. Putting pipe/slosh key inside left Shift was very frustrating for properly trained typists.
I might buy one of these. It would cost me about the same as a low end modern laptop, but tbh I would rather have one of these things anyway. Just gotta save up $800(NZD) lol
It's always nice to se someone other then me that is willing to spend every penny in their bank account for computer stuff :D
dat voice.
haha
Uploaded at the perfect time, I was wondering "let's see if uhh thomas uploaded something", and you did.
And it's even better that a *big-ass* computer is involved.
To get the date thing away just create autoexec.bat in the DOS disk.
can you upload your videos at 60fps_ would be great
Excellent condition! Lovely piece of hardware you've got there mate! Love that big, old Big Blue heavy machinery. Completely over-engineered and built like a brick shit house :-) No wonder they all survived. Utrecht University, I went there as well (and an ING-account), obviously recorded in Holland :-) Keep collecting, worth every penny (or Euro) indeed!
But can you hack the CERN mainframe to discover their secret time travel files with it?
yes