good wireless keyboard (no mouse needed)

[Matinee]

Hiya,

I've just built my own HTPC (2GHz P4, 256MB 2700DDR RAM, 80GB Seagate drive, Sapphire Radeon 9000, Pioneer black bezel DVDROM and Asus P4PE chipset including onboard LAN & SoundMAX sound)

However I dont have a wireless keyboard - got a wireless (non optical) mouseman from a while back, but I need a keyboard that can operate from 9-10 feet away and cope with e.g. playing Jedi Knight II in addition to the usual movie control stuff.

Definitely dont want a keyboard with an inbuilt tracker ball, but if it comes with a bundle with another wireless mouse I dont mind.

Any advice?

PK

[JSW]

http://www.wireless-computing.com/

omg forget that just seen prices

[ani4ani]

Hi there, just picked up in of these..well chuffed. Comes in a nice carrying case as well

http://www.ebuyer.com/customer/produ...duct_uid=27606

[JSW]

I have that memorex one upstairs but isn't very good at distance.
The keyboard will work about 10 foot away but mouse only makes it around 7 foot away.

[ani4ani]

hmmm...that's not good. Im still waiting to finish my PC, due to Scan letting me down on my ATC600 Case.

I will probably just about get away with those distances however. When you think about it though, ordinarily why would they make them with longer ranges.

[JSW]

I use a btc 5110s IR keyboard and range is great.
It does have a built in mouse in the form of a rubber pad you press to move the cursor and two rubber pads on the other side for left and right mouse clicks.

Don't worry about the inbuilt mouse though cause I don't use it, I use a logitech optical mouse in conjunction with a usb extension lead (when im gaming)

The ir receiver for the keyboard has two ps2 plugs so you could leave out the one for the mouse and use the one you allready have.

I got it from maplins online but they don't do it anymore, try a search.

Also try scan.co.uk

Cheers
Bry

[Matinee]

A followup.. well I browsed around a bit on this one.

Everyone on www.avsforum.com seems to think the Gyrotech keyboard/mouse are the best out there, however the keyboard isnt full size and therefore I gave it a miss.

In the end I went for the logitech optical desktop kit - bit pricey, but the keyboard range is excellent (works 25 feet away easily) although this apparently does tend on how noisy your environment is etc.

I was wrong about not needing a new mouse - the optical mouseman is a *vast* improvement over my older wireless one and works on any surface. Playing jedi knight 2 on a 7ft screen is fun (although I still die too easily; this game is hard).

PK

[reggs]

Strange.
We have lots of the fairly new black optical keyboards and mice from Logitech at work.
I've tried about 5 different units and can't get the mice or keyboards to work from more than 4-5 feet away in work. At home, where theres more interference due to hi-fi, plasma, HTPC etc., I can't get a reliable distance of more than 2-3 feet, which is just no good. I certainly would not recomend the Logitech Opticals for HTPC.

Fabulous for typical PC desktop set up though.

I'm still looking for something that will work reliably at a distance of about 10 feet, that doesn't cost the earth.

[Matinee]

Originally posted by reggs
At home, where theres more interference due to hi-fi, plasma, HTPC etc., I can't get a reliable distance of more than 2-3 feet,

I should follow this up - occasionally I get interference from something, but this only affects the mouse significantly. Putting the mouse on the floor and using it there eliminates the problem.

I dont regret buying it - I definitely needed the full size keyboard, and an optical mouse is a necessity.

PK

[reggs]

Its missleading to say this works from 25 ft away. It simply does not. The packaging says something like 8ft and it won't even do that well. We have at least 20 of these keyboards/mice in the office because they're that good, but thats when you're in a typical desktop environment. In the house and in work from about 5 ft away you run in to severe problems.

[Matinee]

Originally posted by reggs
Its missleading to say this works from 25 ft away. It simply does not.

It's not even slightly misleading. What I actually said was:

"but the keyboard range is excellent (works 25 feet away easily) although this apparently does tend on how noisy your environment is etc."

i.e. it does work here, your mileage may vary.

I wouldnt use the keyboard for serious work use - the build quality isnt good enough. I prefer proper clicky IBM keyboards.

PK

[reggs]

Oh I see how foolish of me.
You mean if its plugged in to a computer in a living room that has a TV and stereo in it (I thought we were talking about HTPC you see), with nothing in its immediate line of sight, then ignore the manufacturers range figures and an independent office based test of 20 of these units, it will give you reception over 3 times the manufacturers stated range ???

Further, if it could reliably pick up RF at even 12 feet, Logitech would state that on the packaging because it would be a major USP for a mouse broadcasting from a 3v power supply. Microsofts wireless stuff has near identical range figures.

Yes, absolutely nothing misleading in that statement whatsoever

[nutcase_1uk]

Keep it friendly peeps Perhaps matinee has got a particularly good one. I know my Logitech cordless mouse is only good for about 6 feet, and the keyboard/mouse combo we've been playing with at work (a very 'noisy' environment) is about the same.

[phil_evans]

My logitech iTouch wireless kbd/mouse also start to get iffy at about 8-9 feet. This is with all the kit listed below in the vicinity.

Does anyone know if you can fit an extension lead to the RF base unit to move it closer to you (and further from the host PC)?

[reggs]

Yes. We've been successful with 2m USB extension cables and standard USB hubs in work. I would be interested to now if anyones managed to use wireless USB hubs with any success.