Northgate 101I

Polecat · 31 Dec 2021, 01:57

Sorry in advance for the crappy photos. This is a fairly rare model, Gen2 Northgate 101I, with white SKCM "pine" switches. PC board is identified as "101T". The "BBC" legend has been seen on other Northgates, and probably refers to "Interfatron BBC Ltd.", the consulting company that designed several Northgate models. The bottom cover on this one is stamped steel, instead of the molded plastic version used on early 101I and 101N models. Cord is not detachable.

zrrion · 31 Dec 2021, 03:16

Why are the Ctrl and Alt keys swapped?

Polecat · 31 Dec 2021, 03:38

zrrion wrote: ↑
31 Dec 2021, 03:16
Why are the Ctrl and Alt keys swapped?

Actually it's Ctrl and CapsLock that are swapped. The default layout of the 101I had the Ctrl and Alt matching the Model F PC/XT and AT, with Ctrl next to A and Alt two rows below. My 101I has the Ctrl and Caps Lock swapped (one of the two slide switches), and the alternate set of caps installed. Unlike some other Northgates this model only allows that one swap. Attached is an ad for the 101I and 101N models. I'll probably switch it back, since I grew up using Wordstar. Ctrl next to A is a must for that, and it's still burned into my brain that way thirty years later.

goomba_ · 31 Dec 2021, 04:03

I was the seller for this board lol I didn't realize it had never been documented before but I'm glad someone was able to appreciate it more than I did

Polecat · 31 Dec 2021, 04:28

goomba_ wrote: ↑
31 Dec 2021, 04:03
I was the seller for this board lol I didn't realize it had never been documented before but I'm glad someone was able to appreciate it more than I did

Well I couldn't be happier, typing on it now, and I thank you profusely. It's rare that I get a keyboard I don't have to do anything to.

I've been using Northgates since the late '80s, and trying to document the different versions for the last several years. Over 600 examples in the database now. And still finding new things to go on about. I just hope this forum survives the childish squabbling and disinterested ownership so we can have a place to preserve this stuff.

goomba_ · 31 Dec 2021, 06:02

Polecat wrote: ↑
31 Dec 2021, 04:28

goomba_ wrote: ↑
31 Dec 2021, 04:03
I was the seller for this board lol I didn't realize it had never been documented before but I'm glad someone was able to appreciate it more than I did
Well I couldn't be happier, typing on it now, and I thank you profusely. It's rare that I get a keyboard I don't have to do anything to.

I've been using Northgates since the late '80s, and trying to document the different versions for the last several years. Over 600 examples in the database now. And still finding new things to go on about. I just hope this forum survives the childish squabbling and disinterested ownership so we can have a place to preserve this stuff.

It was pretty clean when I got it, all I had to do was clean the caps and dust it off a bit. Loved the build quality of the board but I bought it without realizing it didn't have a removable logo with dip switches underneath and was slightly disappointed but considering the price I got it at I wasn't too upset. And yeah as someone who got into this hobby somewhat recently it's sad to see all the in-fighting that takes place over old plastic.

Brett MacK · 01 Jan 2022, 16:25

Beautiful Northgate board. There is something about the chassis that brings out the best in the white alps. I find myself using my 101 with white alps more so than some of the blue alp boards in my collection. Thank you for sharing!

Chyros · 01 Jan 2022, 17:01

Very interesting, so you found an actual Interfatron model! I had been wondering if there were any ones specifically mentioning their involvement in the process. Out of curiosity, does it (still) have any Focus markings on it?

Polecat · 01 Jan 2022, 23:10

Chyros wrote: ↑
01 Jan 2022, 17:01
Very interesting, so you found an actual Interfatron model! I had been wondering if there were any ones specifically mentioning their involvement in the process. Out of curiosity, does it (still) have any Focus markings on it?

I've seen the "BBC" and "Designed in the U.S.A." on other Northgates. No Focus markings or inspection labels on this one, or on any Gen2 Northgate I've seen. This is a Gen2 Vendor 333 board, like all (so far) 101I and 101N examples, Some Gen1 Northgate 102s were identified as Vendor 111, which was probably Focus. And at least some of those had "101+" stamped on the plate. Were the Gen1 102 models still being sold as a Model 101+ (maybe by someone other than Northgate?) after the Gen2 102 model came out? Early Gen2 102 and Plus models had Vendor 222 on the label, and some of those were identified as model J102 or KPlus. This keyboard is labelled 101I on the label, and 101T on the PC board. The Model 101N keyboards on record (only four) are identified as 101N (2) or SIL 101NCS (2) on the label. Was SIL short for Silitek? No PC board photos or notes from those yet. Vendor 333 102 and Plus models had a model number on the label (560,0005 or 560,0006). Vendor 777 Gen2 models sometimes had a T before the model name (T102/T-102, TPlus/T-Plus, or TUltra/T-Ultra). (Not to be confused with the later Gen3/4 Ultra-T models with the inverted T nav keys and the extra F-keys across the top.) Is that related to the ""T" in 101T on this PC board? On top of all that there were different revision levels on some of the Gen1 and Gen2 models, and inconsistencies in date codes and revision levels. Some labels have small labels stuck on top to change the date codes or revision levels. Many different versions and model numbers and names to be documented. We're slowly working on it. It would be nice to know what all the different abbreviations stood for. Was the "I" in 101I for Interfatron? The "N" and "NCS" on the 101N was probably for Northgate Computer Systems. Still more questions than answers.

Another abbreviation question on this 101I is regarding an unused wire jumper on the PC board: "ELS Jumper Optional". What does ELS stand for? I haven't traced out the connections yet.

(edited for typos and model details)