Home Theater Keyboards?

Meeper writes "I've been commissioned to build a Home Theater Computer system, but there is a distinct lack of keyboards that are suitable. The keyboard needs to be equipped with Bluetooth connectivity, compact, and include a built-in mouse or touchpad. The keyboard will be used on couches, so a solution such as the Logitech diNovo Media Desktop is unsuitable due to the normal freestanding mouse. Have any Slashdot readers used a keyboard which fufills my requirements?" Or, on the other hand, what best-compromise solutions have you come up with for melding ease of use with sufficient control?

Comments

Try a PDA?

[BlightThePower]

Its not quite what you are asking for, but I've good results in that area using an iPAQ and writing my own little apps to allow the functionality I require. It can also double-up as a universal remote control for parts of the system that aren't necessarily under computer control. If its a dedicated home theater system I would have thought this would make more sense actually; an PDA is a smaller, handier size and it would be a pain to have the cat hit "CTRL-ALT-DEL" on a keyboard half way through a feature.

Does it have to be Bluetooth?

[bersl2]

Don't get me wrong, I'm all for Bluetooth. But I haven't seen anything outside of Logitech's diNovo that uses Bluetooth.

Is IR really not good enough?

Re:Gyration

[sydlexic]

I have one of these sitting next to me. I purchased it for my HTPC home theater. First, it does have excellent range. The keyboard is small which is nice for infrequent use, but a pain for anything else. The mouse takes some getting used to, but the 'gyroscopic' air waving thingy is cool. BUT. And there's always a but. I've had two of the RF receivers die on me. Gyration has been good about replacing them, but I'm dead in the water until the new one arrives. The syptoms are usually that the mouse "stops working". What's happened is the receiver no longer wants to talk to the mouse and won't re-learn the connection. I'm in this situation again tonight: the mouse isn't working and 30 minutes of poking and it's not coming back. Time to call tech support.

Anyway. Aside from this and the price, it's a decent setup for HTPC.

My solution

[vondo]

I wanted to do this too. I settled on a Logitech RF keyboard and a RF trackball. The trackball isn't integrated, but it sits nicely on a knee or arm of the couch. These aren't bluetooth, but maybe by now they are (mine are several years old).

Another benefit for me is that the PC hooked to the HT system is my main PC, so the keyboard moves easily between the desk and the couch; they trackball and a wireless mouse are both hooked up via USB and I just grab whatever one I want.

Touchy NiMH issues

[cgenman]

Most manuals for devices using NiMH and Lithium Ion say the batteries last longer if you keep them charged up (topped off). Otherwise, the deep charge/discharge cycles put a lot of wear on the batteries.

Just for clarity's sake, the "best" way to keep NiMH batteries alive is to keep using them. Charge them up, let them sit, use them a bit, then re-charge after a month or so. If you leave a NiMH battery totally drained, you will hurt the battery... and NiMH batteries drain themselves over time. However, if you leave it charging, you will kill the battery. There is just no good fire and forget storage solution. If you go on an extended vacation, consider giving your lighting equipment to a friend to babysit.

Don't expect any rechargable battery system to last for more than a year or two. Very few stand up to regular use. Think about replacement battery availability carefully when buying new equipment.

Cordless keyboard, Optical mouse

[SteveX]

I use the Logitech cordless keyboard (it seems to have the smallest footprint), and a standard Microsoft optical cordless mouse. The optical cordless mouse works great on the arm of the couch.

And, one you get to know your way around the software you're using, you usually don't need the mouse anyway.