[mythtv-users] wireless keyboards

[Magnus Ihse]

At 00:50 2003-12-17, Chris wrote:
>What kind of wireless keyboards/mouse combos are people using with their
>myth boxes?

I spent a lot of time online looking for The wireless keyboard for my myth 
box. I had the following requirements:
1) Mouse built-in. I want one unit, not two, and besides I have no empty 
flat space to move a mouse on.

2) The "mouse" must be a trackball. Not this kind of bad joystick-like 
rubber pads that you tilt in different directions which moves the pointer 
in uniform speed. They are truely useless.

3) Radio connection (RF), not infrared (IR). IR requires line of sight 
(which means you can't lie down in the sofa with your knees pulled up and 
the keybord resting on your lap), and sometimes interacts badly with direct 
sunlight.

I thought that was sound requirements for a keyboard for this kind of HTPC, 
and figured it must be easy to find something like this, since everyone 
else ought to want to get one. :-) However, it was actually very hard to 
find a keyboard matching all three requirements. If you sacrificed one of 
the requirements, there were lot of different options, but not one with all 
three in place.

... until I finally found a keyboard, sold by two different swedish online 
shops. I ordered a keyboard from one of them, and I must say that I am very 
pleased! However, the keyboard was _extremly_ "noname" -- on neither box, 
manual or keyboard was any kind of manufacturer or model! On a direct 
question, the reseller did not want to tell me the manufacturers name. A 
bit strange... anyhow, the keyboard is great and I really recommend it.

You can find the keyboard on the following swedish page (I ordered the 
keyboard from www.ergofalk.se), under the heading "Mini tangentbord inkl 
trackball"
http://www.ergofalk.com/Wirelesskeyboard.asp (picture on: 
http://www.ergofalk.com/Produkter/Keyboard/mindre/500_216_3.jpg)

The cost is 895 SEK, about 100 € + shipping.

What seems to be the same keyboard is also available at:
http://www.insyn.se/sv/dept_104.html
and
http://www.inwarehouse.se/pb.asp?src=3&sku=e525370

*searching around*
Actually, it seems as there is a bit more information about it online this 
time. Seems the manufacturer is a Swedish company namned Matting 
(www.matting.se), who makes computer perifpherals and door mats (!) :-). 
The keyboard from their product list:
http://www.matting.se/matting/itemcard.asp?PageNo=ITEMCARD&itemcategory=E&productgroup=1020&itemno=500216


/Magnus