remote keyboard/mouse

[Ferry]

Can anyone recommend a remote keyboard with built in mouse/trackball for use with MCE?

Ferry

[hutters]

I've got a BTC 9019URF Keyboard from HERE The mouse stick is adequate for occasional surfing/use.

[Dunkwho]

me too !
I ordered mine from pcnextday - £21.80 delivered.
Theres a thread about remote keyboards either in this forum or the parent PC forum, most alternatives are much more pricey. The stick is indeed adequate, can take a while to move from one side of the screen to the other (not as fast as spinning a trackball or moving a mouse) but I find it fine. I've been back about 4-5 meters from the TV (clear view, no walls etc) without running into any problems, its a nice comfy design without the need to have 2 pieces for RF control (seperate keyboard & mouse), and does everything I need for a reasonable price.

[Xelon]

Very happy with the MS Desktop Elite for Bluetooth, keyboard has MCE controls and trackball, Mouse is excellent, can use from 6 metres away, very good for Gaming I've found, about £75, but excellent quality.

[Lum]

Does that BTC keyboard have a button to turn the PC on?
Also, is there an infra red version available anywhere, so that I can program a few useful keys into my Mosaic remote.
Edit: and with PS2 connectors rather than USB

[Dunkwho]

Originally Posted by Lum

Does that BTC keyboard have a button to turn the PC on?

no. don't think i've ever seen a remote device that'll allow power-on switching for a PC, it needs a physical switch onto the motherboard doesn't it? - plus any reciever will need power from the main unit.

[Lum]

Originally Posted by Dunkwho

no. don't think i've ever seen a remote device that'll allow power-on switching for a PC, it needs a physical switch onto the motherboard doesn't it? - plus any reciever will need power from the main unit.

On ATX systems (Which is basically anything higher than a Pentium II, as well as a few Pentiums) it is possible to power the system on with a keypress, though it is motherboard specific.

Some have a "Keyboard 98" option, where the keyboard specifically has a power on button, like on certain Apple Macs. Some let you define a hotkey, typically Ctrl+F1 and some let you define a password which, when typed powers on the system. I typically set the password to " " for this purpose.

The motherboard supplies power to the PS/2 ports in order to make this work. It also supplies power to PCI cards too IIRC, which is how Wake-On-Lan can function

[OneEleven]

Originally Posted by Lum

Does that BTC keyboard have a button to turn the PC on?
Also, is there an infra red version available anywhere, so that I can program a few useful keys into my Mosaic remote.
Edit: and with PS2 connectors rather than USB

There's usually a setting in the BIOS setup that allows you to power up on a keypress - you could try that.

I have a BTC 9116 - it's similar to the 9019 but more compact (notebook like keyboard) - I'd recommend that too

[Skunkpipe]

My personal favourite is still the old Gyration ultra as it still feels like a mouse

[Ferry]

might just wait on this

http://www.activewin.com/articles/2005/images/hw1.gif

comes out next month

[lisag]

Yes.... I want that one....
Keep us updated on pricing and availability
thanks
lisa

[stuartmc]

Much more about the new Microsoft MCE Remote Keyboard here
http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/p...ainmentPR.mspx

[Lum]

Originally Posted by OneEleven

There's usually a setting in the BIOS setup that allows you to power up on a keypress - you could try that.

I have a BTC 9116 - it's similar to the 9019 but more compact (notebook like keyboard) - I'd recommend that too

The BTC 9116 is also USB is it not?

Have you ever used it in DOS 6 and if so does it work, and does the mouse work?

No entertainment PC will be complete without the ability to run Worms 1 and Micro Machines 1

[Andy Leitch]

Originally Posted by Ferry

might just wait on this

http://www.activewin.com/articles/2005/images/hw1.gif

comes out next month

Oh yes...that looks the business.

[Skunkpipe]

Originally Posted by Lum

The BTC 9116 is also USB is it not?

Have you ever used it in DOS 6 and if so does it work, and does the mouse work?

No entertainment PC will be complete without the ability to run Worms 1 and Micro Machines 1

You can wake from USB - Some BIOS have it ans an option (you may need to change a 'motherbaord power USB' jumper too). Theres then a patch you need to install (have a look at your MB driver disk it might be on there) for USB wakeup