This thread was interesting. Is there a table on some wiki that compares the three models?
There were quite a few things I learned. I knew there was a difference in the RAM size for the Model 200, but I didn't know why. I also didn't know the other models couldn't bank switch. Other things I found helpful: which models can use supercaps, LCD viewing angle, through-hole versus SMT, repairability/reliability, fiddliness of re-assembly, comparative keyboard volume, and which models have a GPU (just kidding; I mean hardware accelerated scrolling). Thanks to everyone who shared information! —b9 On Sun, Jan 3, 2021 at 7:35 PM Jim Anderson <jim.ander...@kpu.ca> wrote: > > -----Original Message----- > > I've been a M100 owner since I got my first unit as a 16-year-old kid, > > who managed scratch up enough money to get one when Radio Shack was > > blowing them out the door to make room for the T102. I still have that > > machine, plus a few other M100s as spares and for use with other > > projects. > > Wow - I only drooled over them as a kid, dreamed about them but then filed > it away in my memory under 'unachievable' until a few years ago. Now that > we have ebay and I have disposable income, I have a bit of a Model T > Problem. :) > > > But the information about the keyboard is new to me, as is the claim > > that the T102 is more "durable". If anything, I find the through-hole > > electronics on the M100 more appealing for long-term maintenance, as > > it's easier to work with. > > I'd agree with that, although I think his comment about the T102 being > more durable might just mean that he'd run into far fewer T102s in need of > repair than M100s? I'd just be guessing. > > > For those of you who have experience with more than one model in the > > Model T line, do you agree with Rick's assessment about the keyboard and > > Keyboards are really a matter of preference, although there are some which > are universally regarded as 'bad' (ZX-81 membrane keyboard, PC-jr chiclet > keyboard, etc). I have one T200, a few T102s now, and several M100s. I > don't know if my T200 is an exception, but I find the keyboard sound and > feel to be nearly identical to the T102. It's slightly different, but then > again the feel and sound can be slightly different between two T102s or two > M100s so I don't know if I would categorically state that the T200 keyboard > is different from the T102 keyboard. > > For certain, the T200/T102 keyboards have a very different sound and feel > from the M100 keyboard, although I think the key travel is about the same > (I could be wrong). The M100 keyboard (when clean and working freely) has > a light touch and a clacky sound which I absolutely *love*. It's no IBM > Model M but it is much nicer to type on than a cheap generic PC keyboard. > The T200/T102 keyboards don't seem to require greater keystroke effort but > it may just feel that way to me because they are dampened at the bottom of > the stroke which makes them much much quieter. If you type slowly you > could use a T200/T102 in a library, but I doubt you'd get away with that on > an M100. :) > > > are obvious, and I'm also aware that the M200 came with Multiplan packed > > in, plus the ability to have multiple RAM banks, but Rick also mentions > > So there's a couple of significant differences with the T200. The > multiple RAM banks are 24k apiece because the T200 required a bigger system > ROM (40k) for its additional features. They seem to have found room to > implement hardware scrolling, for instance (the 16-line LCD would have been > positively *painful* otherwise). Since it was no longer possible to have > 32k of RAM, they gave it the ability to switch banks, and changed the main > menu screen a bit to give you the ability to Copy files between banks and > to Kill files from the current bank using function keys right from the > menu. They took away the ability to launch a program or open a file by > typing its name at the menu screen, though. So, you've potentially got a > total of 72k of RAM, but only 24k at a time. It does give you a nice way > of keeping three different projects on the go at the same time, each with > its own filesystem. > > Multiplan is built in and is selected by MSPLAN from the main menu, which > launches it like it was an OPTROM (there's some additional hardware to let > the machine select between main ROM, Multiplan, and the OPTROM socket). > What else... the cursor keys are normal keys in a diamond layout (big plus > imho) instead of buttons like the F-keys. The big LCD seems to have poorer > contrast and a narrower range of viewing angles than the 8-line LCDs in the > smaller machines, but on the plus side it's big and it scrolls text very > quickly. > > The power switch is a momentary pushbutton on the keyboard which has its > good and bad points. The upside is that auto-power-off puts the machine in > exactly the same state as manually powering off. There's no need to turn > the switch off and then back on after it goes to sleep on you - just push > the button. You can also set an alarm interrupt so the machine turns > itself on and executes a program at a specific time (POWER "00:00:00", > "01/01/21", "NEWYR.BA"). The downsides are that the power control > circuit is more complex and more finicky than in the M100/T102 and it > requires a reasonable voltage from the memory backup battery to function. > If your memory backup battery is dead or missing, you can't turn it on. If > it's partially charged, you'll have to watch lines flicker on the LCD as it > 'spazzes' for a while until the voltage gets high enough for the machine to > turn on properly. This is why you shouldn't replace the Ni-Cd battery with > a supercap in the T200, since those take forever to charge up to a decent > voltage (I did this, and eventually got sick of the problems and went back > to a battery). > > Oh, and a T200 is *really* fiddly to put back together. The M100 is a > piece of cake and the T102 is somewhat fiddly (requires patience and > careful alignment) but the T200 gives you the alignment fun of the T102 > *plus* having to feed the LCD flex cable up through the upper case while > assembling it, and then mount the LCD to the hinge and plug the flex cable > back into the LCD without damaging it. Maybe my fingers are a bit big, but > there is not quite enough room to grip the cable and plug it in. (The > cover you have to remove to unplug the LCD before you even start > disassembly is its own little torture device, which the manual does a > terrible job of explaining, and you kind of have to see it done or just try > everything (gently) until you get it and then you'll realize how it works.) > > > that the M200 has a better keyboard than the M100, akin to the T102. > > Again, no offence to Rick, but 'better' is really subjective here and it > depends on what you're after. If you want quiet, it's better. If you are > a person who likes a mechanical switch PC keyboard, it's not. > > > > > > > > jim > >
