Bluetooth Wireless Keyboard Support?

[shadeblue.com]

Do the HD200 and HD300 extenders support Bluetooth wireless keyboards or RF wireless only?

The SageTV.com website just lists:
Keyboard support: Wired or Wireless USB keyboards (US keyboard layout)

I'm interested in getting a wireless keyboard but am unsure which to get Bluetooth or RF? (would prefer Bluetooth)

Here is the one I am looking at, it is offered in both Bluetooth and RF models:

http://www.amazon.com/ProMini-Wirele...pr_product_top

http://www.amazon.com/2-4GHz-Wireles...8016895&sr=1-1


Thank You,
SB

[mayamaniac]

I think if the bluetooth receiver is a standard PS2 to bluetooth adapter, then it should work, just like wireless keyboards using RF receivers, which I've tested and know it works. But that little trackpad most likely won't work with the HD200/300, keyboards only.

[shadeblue.com]

Originally Posted by mayamaniac

I think if the bluetooth receiver is a standard PS2 to bluetooth adapter, then it should work, just like wireless keyboards using RF receivers, which I've tested and know it works. But that little trackpad most likely won't work with the HD200/300, keyboards only.

I figured the trackpad would not work, but am unsure how the Bluetooth dongle looks to the extender. Meaning if any special drivers are required, then it likely will not work.

[Taddeusz]

I doubt it would work as a Bluetooth dongle, even one for a keyboard, looks like a Bluetooth radio to the host computer. It does not show up as a USB Human Interface Device.

[michelkenny]

+1, you are most likely stuck with the RF. When you plug in an RF receiver to your PC, you don't need to install any drivers. For a bluebooth adapter though, you need to install the driver and a bluetooth stack.

[shadeblue.com]

Originally Posted by michelkenny

+1, you are most likely stuck with the RF. When you plug in an RF receiver to your PC, you don't need to install any drivers. For a bluebooth adapter though, you need to install the driver and a bluetooth stack.

That what I was thinking too; however, I just tried inserting a USB Bluetooth dongle that came with a Microsoft Bluetooth mouse into my computer and it installed drivers for a HID device, not for a generic Bluetooth receiver. So, it probably depends on if the particular USB dongle provided with the wireless keyboard is designed to be a HID device or a real Bluetooth receiver.

[evilpenguin]

Most BT modules that come with keyboards/mice should be PS2 compliant just like the RF ones. Easy way to test, try using it in your PC's BIOS

[Taddeusz]

You still need to be able to pair the device. Bluetooth doesn't work like an RF keyboard or mouse where you push a couple buttons and they pair themselves. At least in my experience anyway a BT device, particularly keyboards, always need to handshake and the host computer needs to have the BT stack on it. I've never seen it any other way.

[evilpenguin]

Originally Posted by Taddeusz

You still need to be able to pair the device. Bluetooth doesn't work like an RF keyboard or mouse where you push a couple buttons and they pair themselves. At least in my experience anyway a BT device, particularly keyboards, always need to handshake and the host computer needs to have the BT stack on it. I've never seen it any other way.

Both of the Logitech ones I've owned both come pre-paired and have a button on the receiver you can use to do pairing w/o an OS.

[Taddeusz]

Originally Posted by evilpenguin

Both of the Logitech ones I've owned both come pre-paired and have a button on the receiver you can use to do pairing w/o an OS.

Interesting.

[KeithAbbott]

Based on this post (http://forums.sagetv.com/forums/showthread.php?t=51041), the RF version of this keyboard works with the extenders. Just curious, what benefits would the bluetooth version offer?

[shadeblue.com]

Originally Posted by KeithAbbott

Based on this post (http://forums.sagetv.com/forums/showthread.php?t=51041), the RF version of this keyboard works with the extenders. Just curious, what benefits would the bluetooth version offer?

I read a number of complaints on Amazon reviews about the RF model having a pretty weak signal. The other benefit for me is that I could also use the Bluetooth mini keyboard for other mobile devices (Android, Laptop, etc.) .

So am leaning towards trying the Bluetooth one just to see.

[shadeblue.com]

So the Bluetooth model of the Rii Mini Wireless Bluetooth Keyboard (also known as ProMini Wireless Bluetooth Keyboard) does NOT work with the HD Extenders.

It does come with a real Bluetooth radio USB adapter, not a generic HID keyboard adapter. Thus it requires the bluetooth drivers and software pairing.

So fortunately they also make a RF model, so I have that on order now and will be testing this soon.

[mayamaniac]

I'm guessing that RF is more affected by other RF interference in the houseold than bluetooth? I'm not sure, but that would explain the difference in signal reilability and that would vary from household to household.

[shadeblue.com]

OK, I have received the RF model of the Rii Wireless Keyboard:



After several days of tinkering I do now have it working with the SageTV HD-200 extender.

There is one big problem that I had and that is that out of the box simply plugging the USB dongle (RF radio receiver) directly into the HD-200 would not work properly. It would either fail to connect or when it was connected it would very often get stuck in a repeating cycle of keypresses as if a button were stuck down on the keyboard. Very annoying!

After much tinkering, I came to the conclusion that the HD-200 was not delivering enough power to the USB dongle (RF radio receiver) and that the wireless keyboard was just on the edge of connectivity. So, I added a powered USB hub in between the USB dongle (RF radio receiver) and the HD-200 and now it all seems to be working much better. It is now at least usable. There is still an occasional missed keystroke but all in all, it provided what I was looking for, a very small discrete keyboard to keep in the living room for the occasional search or configuration editing. Not a perfect solution since I have to use a powered USB hub, but viable.

Cheers,
SB

[mayamaniac]

I bought this Lenovo remote keyboard for my HTPC, but I hooked it up to the HD-200 just to test it out. It works fine with the HD-200 from about 7-8 feet away. But then I hooked it up to the HD-300 and surprisingly, it does not work at all. I'm not sure what is the problem, I might try it with a powered USB hub to see if it will work.

So word of caution, just because it works on the HD-200, doesn't necessary mean it will work on the HD-300.

[razrsharpe]

Originally Posted by mayamaniac

I bought this Lenovo remote keyboard for my HTPC, but I hooked it up to the HD-200 just to test it out. It works fine with the HD-200 from about 7-8 feet away. But then I hooked it up to the HD-300 and surprisingly, it does not work at all. I'm not sure what is the problem, I might try it with a powered USB hub to see if it will work.

that remote works just fine with both my hd300 and hd200... Did you plug it into the hd300 and then cold boot it?

EDIT: oh and the trackball thingy works to drive a mouse pointer around on the hd300... It's certainly not the most intuitive or best implementation but it works I wish they would just use the trackball to simulate Directional pad inputs....

[mayamaniac]

Originally Posted by razrsharpe

that remote works just fine with both my hd300 and hd200... Did you plug it into the hd300 and then cold boot it?

EDIT: oh and the trackball thingy works to drive a mouse pointer around on the hd300... It's certainly not the most intuitive or best implementation but it works I wish they would just use the trackball to simulate Directional pad inputs....

You're right, after unplugging the power and plugging it back in on the HD300, the keyboard works. I didn't need to do this with the HD200. And the trackball works on HD300, I don't remember seeing it working on the HD200. You get a stretched cursor, maybe because it was designed for 4:3 screen, but it works. Too bad the playback buttons can't be mapped, it won't recognize the buttons when I tried. Overall, it's a good keyboard if you need to type stuff, but it's not very good for navigating the HD300's UI.