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Mechanical Enterprises Microtype

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Overview

The Microtype Space-Saving Keyboard (typically written “microtype” in all lowercase) is a family of compact keyboards originally introduced by Mechanical Enterprises; following the buyout it was produced by Datalux, and at some point the product name was changed to “SpaceSaver”. In later years, manufacturing was outsourced to Devlin in the UK.

In their 1988 InfoWorld advertisement MEI Keyboard Fits Keys Into Small Package, Mechanical Enterprise noted that the Microtype Space-Saver keyboard was “manufactured using sealed contact switches with full-travel stems.” By this, they were most likely referring to T-15 Series switches. All known examples of older Space-Saver keyboards instead used T16 Series exposed-contact conductive rubber switches; production later transferred to Devlin in the UK, who replaced T16 with Cherry ML.

The FCC ID inscribed on the Microtype MT-1 is HE829NMICA, which is presently the only FCC ID listed for Datalux.

nVIEW Corporation produced a wireless keyboard built around the Microtype, known as the Toteboard.

Models

Microtype keyboards use four-character model codes. A document in Bill Buxton’s collection, that is not publicly available, lists the following models:

Model Description
MIRU Standard American
MIRE Standard English (UK)
MIRF Standard French
MIRG Standard German
MIDU Industrial American
MIDE Industrial English (UK)
MIDF Industrial French
MIDG Industrial German

Derived models use five-character model codes. The derivation of the model codes appears to have changed with time. The only official explanations of these codes come from another datasheet in Bill Buxton’s private collection; this datasheet bears a date of October 1990. Combining the official description with discovered examples results in the following:

SIFL(C)

S
Case type
Officially: T = tray, P = panel, F = no case
Discovered: M = desktop (perhaps denoting “microtype”), C = panel
I
Interface
Officially: I = AT/XT DIN-5, O = PS/2 mini-DIN-6, U = RJ11
Discovered: U = USB; seemingly I and O were not used correctly
F
Key force
Microtype specifications: R = standard (2.2±0.3 oz), D = industrial (4.0±0.5 oz)
1990 specifications: R = standard (2.0±0.5 oz), D = heavy duty (3.5±1.0 oz)
Discovered: G = integrated GlidePoint, P = integrated GlidePoint
L
Language: U = US, E = UK, F = French, G = German, S = Swedish, H = Spanish, I = Italian
C
Colour
Officially: W = off white, B = black
Discovered: C = charcoal?
Not used for Microtype models; required for other models

See also