IBM 5100 to 5110 Transitional Model

[Santo Nucifora]

HI Wayne,

I believe the KVA is increased because of the extra memory card.  I have a
5100 with 0.4 and another with 0.336.  The 0.4 has an extra memory card and
is BASIC and APL as opposed to just BASIC.

The printed 5100 badging on the front is not consistent but sometimes if it
doesn't have it printed on the front, it's on a silver metallic emblem
embedded in the top cover.  If the 5100 badging is printed on the front, it
may or may not have the silver metallic badge on the top cover.  I have a
top emblem model and a top emblem-less model yet both have the 5100 badging
printed on the front.  If you look at other photos on the net, you will see
others with no front printed badging.  This particular one had no front
badging but has the emblem in the top cover and I think this is normal.
I'm not sure which one is earlier/later but I would imagine that is why
there is a difference.

I can't explain the 5110/5100 difference on the bottom.

Hope this helps.



On Sat, Feb 3, 2018 at 6:15 PM, Wayne Smith via cctalk <
cctalk at classiccmp.org> wrote:

> Has anyone noted this listing of what the seller is calling an "IBM
> 5100" on Ebay?
>
> https://www.ebay.com/itm/IBM-5100-B1-Basic-Language-16k-Memory-Powers-
> on-monitor-works-but-no-text/112776476816
>
> While it is listed as a 5100, it lacks the 5100 badging on the front
> center panel (to the right of the power switch).  In addition, the
> indicia on the bottom
> (https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/9VYAAOSwaC9aapB-/s-l1600.jpg)
> indicates both models 5100 and 5110, and the KVA is listed at 0.4
> whereas 5100s are 0.336.  Compare the typical indicia on the bottom:
> https://tinyurl.com/ybmvms7u.
>
> The serial number is in the 5100 format of 10-1XXXX, but this unit has
> the highest serial number I have seen on a 5100 (10-15687).
>
>
> I am guessing that this is some sort of transitional version or
> perhaps a 5110 "prototype".
>
> Any thoughts?
>
> -W
>
>
>