Model F Technical Manual Project

Zcool31

03 Sep 2020, 18:47

720p:
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480p:
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classic_62_tiny.png
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360p:
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darkcruix wrote:
03 Sep 2020, 16:17
I only have a MacBook Pro with me and the pictures look good - wither directly in Microsoft Edge or in Preview.
I did re-run your pictures through a 300dpi dither filter. Maybe this is causing some issues, too. Both of your pictures look ok to me.
Then your MacBook Pro must have some amazing image scaling built in.

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darkcruix

03 Sep 2020, 19:12

Zcool31 wrote:
03 Sep 2020, 18:47
...
Then your MacBook Pro must have some amazing image scaling built in.
;)

I've uploaded the 'small' version with the latest 720p pictures. How does it look for you now?
http://www.linux-tin.org/ModelFManual-Small.pdf

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Weezer

03 Sep 2020, 19:55

really liking how this manual is shaping up.

Zcool31

03 Sep 2020, 22:57

darkcruix wrote:
03 Sep 2020, 19:12
I've uploaded the 'small' version with the latest 720p pictures. How does it look for you now?
http://www.linux-tin.org/ModelFManual-Small.pdf
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At 100% zoom, that image is about 140 pixels high. At what zoom do you expect people to read the document? Fit page width? Fit page height?

It feels like we're trying to implement mip-mapping.

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darkcruix

03 Sep 2020, 23:21

Zcool31 wrote:
03 Sep 2020, 22:57
...
At 100% zoom, that image is about 140 pixels high. At what zoom do you expect people to read the document? Fit page width? Fit page height?

It feels like we're trying to implement mip-mapping.
My initial idea was (and still is) a printed manual as primary outcome. I absolutely also want it to be looking good when viewing on screens. On my MacBook Pro it shows the keyboard at 100% zoom with 840 pixel width (at 144dpi). The normal screen DPI should be at around 72 DPI and then it should be 420 pixels.
But these are numbers ... I can increase the size of the picture to the full width of the page (97mm), but as we are doing pixel work here I don't know if that looks good enough. Any ideas, how I can improve it for screens?
Screen Shot 2020-09-03 at 23.12.01.png
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darkcruix

04 Sep 2020, 13:53

Did a check on my phone and it looks good there also, IMHO
www.linux-tin.org.png
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Zcool31

04 Sep 2020, 14:05

I think Firefox is to blame. It seems to do a poor job downscaling images in a PDF document. Firefox on the left, Edge on the right.

ModelFManual:
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ModelFManual-Small:
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OxC0FFEE

04 Sep 2020, 21:24

I'd say Microsoft has the edge on this one. 😆

zzxx53

05 Sep 2020, 01:53

That's some great drawings!
Anyone making T-shirts with them? I'd be in for one.

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darkcruix

05 Sep 2020, 22:53

zzxx53 wrote:
05 Sep 2020, 01:53
That's some great drawings!
Anyone making T-shirts with them? I'd be in for one.
What a great idea :)

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darkcruix

05 Sep 2020, 22:59

I have updated the Manual (both sizes) with a few more items and photos:
http://linux-tin.org/ModelFManual.pdf
http://linux-tin.org/ModelFManual-Small.pdf

I also received some wonderful updates (from depletedvespene and others), which I am reviewing at the moment and probably upload over the next days.
I am back home from travel, so I can do the requested measurements also ...

Thanks so much, everyone for the input - keep the information flowing.
I also would love to get some photos from your Model F variants. I have two pictures in the PDF of my XT and AT boards already, so you can see the approximate angle I shoot them of (Section 2.12 Photos of the Models - page 2-34 at this moment)

Models I own:
* Model F 'XT'
* Model F 'AT'
* Model F122
* Model F107
* Brand New Model F62
* Brand New Model F77
* Model F 'XT Portable'

Zcool31

06 Sep 2020, 03:07

Ignore all my complaints about images looking bad. Every document viewer I have tried other than Firefox scales things down just fine.

Evince renders ModelFManual-Small.pdf quite well, but struggles with ModelFManual.pdf. The pictures you have in -Small.pdf now are fine.

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Bass

06 Sep 2020, 03:41

darkcruix wrote:
05 Sep 2020, 22:59
I have updated the Manual (both sizes) with a few more items and photos:
http://linux-tin.org/ModelFManual.pdf
http://linux-tin.org/ModelFManual-Small.pdf

I also received some wonderful updates (from depletedvespene and others), which I am reviewing at the moment and probably upload over the next days.
I am back home from travel, so I can do the requested measurements also ...

Thanks so much, everyone for the input - keep the information flowing.
I also would love to get some photos from your Model F variants. I have two pictures in the PDF of my XT and AT boards already, so you can see the approximate angle I shoot them of (Section 2.12 Photos of the Models - page 2-34 at this moment)

Models I own:
* Model F 'XT'
* Model F 'AT'
* Model F122
* Model F107
* Brand New Model F62
* Brand New Model F77
* Model F 'XT Portable'
Are you looking for photos which use the original layouts and keycaps only? For example, this is my Unsaver, which has the left and upper function/macro blocks replaced with the equivalents from an F122 keyset and is ANSI modded.
Attachments
2020-09-05 19.21.38.jpg
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darkcruix

06 Sep 2020, 21:44

Measurements:
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IMG_3122.jpeg
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darkcruix

10 Sep 2020, 13:19

I have uploaded the latest version to http://www.linux-tin.org/ModelFManual.pdf
or the size reduced version to http://www.linux-tin.org/ModelFManual-Small.pdf

I have started with Section 3 - Firmware Overview. For QMK I am starting to build the basics around its usage in the overview. During that part, I am building the advanced section around the firmware at the same time. There is some jumping around required over the next days, but everything is linked together in the PDF.

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karlmartin95

10 Sep 2020, 14:53

Hi darkcruix, nice project and I'm willing to help you. I have these model Fs boards: F77 (original), 3178 blue switch and Model F Bigfoot. If you need photos or something just tell me.

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karlmartin95

10 Sep 2020, 15:09

Here some photos, feel free to add them to your manual if you want!

IBM 3178:
Image

IBM F77:
Image

IBM Bigfoot:
Image

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darkcruix

10 Sep 2020, 15:40

Great photos - thanks so much! They will look fabulous in the document .... I hopefully will find time this evening to update it. This original F77 .... man ... wow

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karlmartin95

10 Sep 2020, 16:10

darkcruix wrote:
10 Sep 2020, 15:40
Great photos - thanks so much! They will look fabulous in the document .... I hopefully will find time this evening to update it. This original F77 .... man ... wow
Thanks! If you need something else just PM me.

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darkcruix

10 Sep 2020, 16:48

karlmartin95 wrote:
10 Sep 2020, 16:10
darkcruix wrote:
10 Sep 2020, 15:40
Great photos - thanks so much! They will look fabulous in the document .... I hopefully will find time this evening to update it. This original F77 .... man ... wow
Thanks! If you need something else just PM me.
I have them included and uploaded - looks great, imho.
Huge thanks for that!

Still looking for:
* Model F 127 '4980''
* Model F 3101 - Blue Buttonless
* Displaywriter Model F
* F62 Original
* CS/9000 badged one
* System/23 Datamaster Keyboard
and anything I haven't in the list or already in the doc :)

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Redmaus
Gotta start somewhere

10 Sep 2020, 18:30

darkcruix wrote:
10 Sep 2020, 13:19
I have uploaded the latest version to http://www.linux-tin.org/ModelFManual.pdf
or the size reduced version to http://www.linux-tin.org/ModelFManual-Small.pdf
Wow amazing job guys. Vast amount of useful information displayed in such a nice package :)

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darkcruix

11 Sep 2020, 16:59

Redmaus wrote:
10 Sep 2020, 18:30
darkcruix wrote:
10 Sep 2020, 13:19
I have uploaded the latest version to http://www.linux-tin.org/ModelFManual.pdf
or the size reduced version to http://www.linux-tin.org/ModelFManual-Small.pdf
Wow amazing job guys. Vast amount of useful information displayed in such a nice package :)
Thanks!
Just uploaded the daily changes. This time it includes the most basic version on how to get the QMK image to a Xwhatsit controller (Section 3.3). It assumes that the source code has been merged and commit to the QMK main repository, but other than that it should describe the process in great detail.

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darkcruix

13 Sep 2020, 02:31

I just uploaded a few updates, mostly corrections and cosmetic adjustments of the QMK Firmware Overview section. I also added the translation table in the Appendix B for IBM Set 1,2,3 and USB scancodes.

93 pages for both:
71MBytes: http://www.linux-tin.org/ModelFManual.pdf
16Mbytes: http://www.linux-tin.org/ModelFManual-Small.pdf

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darkcruix

15 Sep 2020, 10:45

Most content for the overview section has been added and I am starting to work on the sections that go more into depth. Obviously, there is still some outstanding work on everything and I am happy if someone wants to review it - especially the Firmware Overview section (sorry, the whole thing already counts 100 pages):
What I am still looking for are the different variants of the Model F keyboards (2-21f). I already have 10 in there, but I am still looking for:
  • System/23 Datamaster Monoblock
  • System/23 Datamaster "Bezelmaster"
  • CS/9000 Keyboard
  • Model 200 '4704' - F62 Kishsaver, Original
  • Model F Displaywriter
  • 'Blue Button' Model F variants
  • F127, 4980 for IBM Series/1 minicomputer
The document will be released under a Creative Commons license and in case you are sharing those photos, you need to be ok with me displaying those into the document under the same license.
Any help would be much appreciated.

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depletedvespene

15 Sep 2020, 14:17

darkcruix wrote:
15 Sep 2020, 10:45
I am happy if someone wants to review it
Will do. :)

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darkcruix

17 Sep 2020, 19:59

Quick Update

Started with the Hardware Details section; specifically the Key Installation. Taking a lot of pictures with different keyboard variants at the moment, but I thought I already upload what I have with the Brand New Model F Keyboards.

As always, latest version is available at:
http://linux-tin.org/ModelFManual.pdf
http://linux-tin.org/ModelFManual-Small.pdf

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darkcruix

21 Sep 2020, 21:37

Quick Update
The manual was updated and counts 120+ pages so far.
As always, latest version is available at:
http://linux-tin.org/ModelFManual.pdf
http://linux-tin.org/ModelFManual-Small.pdf

I am working on Hardware Adjustments and Troubleshooting at the moment. I'd love to hear what I should cover in the manual. This week I have planned to work on Disassembly and Repair Guides but that will span across several more weeks I assume. Anything that can be packed into a Technical Reference Manual is welcome.

OxC0FFEE

22 Sep 2020, 04:03

Troubleshooting and common fixes?

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darkcruix

23 Sep 2020, 12:17

I have moved the project over to its own homepage (WIP):
https://www.bucklingspring.com/ModelFManual.pdf
https://www.bucklingspring.com/ModelFManual-Small.pdf

The latest version uploaded to the location above received a lot of changes (in Section 4). It is still work in progress and just a sneak peek into what is coming in that section.

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ckafi

24 Sep 2020, 10:56

This is such a cool project. Kudos! I see you've already got pictures of a battleship, but would you be interested in some of one with original german/APL keycaps?

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