Keyboard Recommendations

[jnaranjo]

NEW HTPC. Work great. Firefly works nicely. Need to add functionality. Have a MS wireless keyboard and mouse. They work ok but really not good for a dedicated HTPC as I need to put the reciever on the ground near where I use the KB/Mouse and this is vry annoying and kind of defeats the purpose. Any good recommendations for a dedicated HTPC keyboard? I would prefer that the KB have a mouse built in as to not have to worry about a seperate piece fo equipment. Is anyone using the MS Media Center KB with any success?

[bpsmicro]

I think if you do a Search for "wireless keyboard" you'll find several different discussions on this topic. I was in the same boat, and I found wireless keyboards *with* a pointing device built-in are pretty rare and sometimes a bit expensive. The one I got (I disremember the model but I posted here after getting it) works pretty well for me, but I don't use the keyboard all that often.

Brad.

[gbranche]

I've been using a Gyration compact keyboard/mouse combo that I've been quite pleased with. The keyboard is small enough to store in the end table next to the recliner, and the mouse can be used from the couch without needing any kind of surface upon which to operate it.

[cfaslave]

I use the BTV 9019urf. I didn't buy it from Snapstream but I see they sell it now:
http://store.snapstream.com/btc9019urf.html

I love it! I use it on my family room BTV Link PC as my living room is run by the remote control only.

Here's a review from byopvr:
http://www.byopvr.com/Sections+index...15-page-1.html

Brent

[nanook105]

This one works well for me:

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applicati...9191&CatId=537

[Cal]

Originally Posted by gbranche

I've been using a Gyration compact keyboard/mouse combo that I've been quite pleased with. The keyboard is small enough to store in the end table next to the recliner, and the mouse can be used from the couch without needing any kind of surface upon which to operate it.

I have this one as well. The mouse is fantastic. Using it in the air works great. It has a charger so It’s always fully charged if I need it.

The keyboard is nice and compact with good keys but I go a couple months without using it and then every time I do I seem to have dead batteries.

Most of the time I just walk over to another computer and use Ultra VNC if I need to do anything on the BTV machine.

[zysurge]

Originally Posted by cfaslave

I use the BTV 9019urf. I didn't buy it from Snapstream but I see they sell it now:
http://store.snapstream.com/btc9019urf.html

I love it! I use it on my family room BTV Link PC as my living room is run by the remote control only.
Brent

Wow! I hadn't seen that one before. Looks like a nice, affordable unit. Time to go make a purchase!

Eric

[WinoOutWest]

I just swapped my BTC 9109 for this one from globlink:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...4776%26fvi%3D1

The BTC is nice but my cons would be the size (large and meaty) and the stick isn't the greatest. This Globlink one has an optical trackball which works much better and it is considerably smaller than the BTC. The driver swr that comes with the BTC is better than the Globlink as it lets you do more customizing. Also a nice feature with the BTC is it has two buttons for scroll up/down that I miss on the Globlink.

Both are great keyboards but I am leaving the Globlink in the living room (for the small size and the optical mouse/trackball). I should qualify that I control the HTPC with NetRemote and my PDA for about 95% of the time.

Oh and I originally had an IR keyboard like the MS one and feel that IR is a much better way to go. If the MS one was RF I probably would have given it a go.

Cheers!

[bpsmicro]

Originally Posted by cfaslave

I use the BTV 9019urf. I didn't buy it from Snapstream but I see they sell it now:
http://store.snapstream.com/btc9019urf.html

That's the one I got. Mine suffered from the design flaw that the left shift key had two "buttons" under it so sent a bogus character, but I knew about it before I got mine and it was a 15-second fix.

Brad.

[AdmA]

Originally Posted by WinoOutWest

I just swapped my BTC 9109 for this one from globlink:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...4776%26fvi%3D1

The BTC is nice but my cons would be the size (large and meaty) and the stick isn't the greatest. This Globlink one has an optical trackball which works much better and it is considerably smaller than the BTC. The driver swr that comes with the BTC is better than the Globlink as it lets you do more customizing. Also a nice feature with the BTC is it has two buttons for scroll up/down that I miss on the Globlink.

Both are great keyboards but I am leaving the Globlink in the living room (for the small size and the optical mouse/trackball). I should qualify that I control the HTPC with NetRemote and my PDA for about 95% of the time.

Oh and I originally had an IR keyboard like the MS one and feel that IR is a much better way to go. If the MS one was RF I probably would have given it a go.

Cheers!

that one looks pretty cool

[jnaranjo]

Originally Posted by WinoOutWest

I just swapped my BTC 9109 for this one from globlink:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...4776%26fvi%3D1

This looks very nice, but the shipping this guy is charging is not cheap.

Anyway will let you know which one I finally get. I have to say I am very happy with BTV... great stuff...
Enjoy!