Anyone have this

[The Dude]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16823126039

I'm in the middle of looking for a new keyboard for my main HTPC. The Belkin Mediapilot keyboard I have now while it was really cool when I first bought it has become really flakey as a keyboard to the point that I'm doing way too much cursing every time I try to type with it. I have the Gyration keyboard and remote combo on my other PC and love that but it's a bit pricey and I'm also not sure if having two of them in the same house will cause problems with one interfering with the other. Any other suggestions for good HTPC remote/keyboard/mouse combos are welcome.

[Miller]

That's the one I was going to suggest before I clicked on the link, but I haven't tried it.

[The Dude]

I do wonder if I'd be able to type on a keyboard that small though. Circuit City has them on their site but I went over there today to see if I could just get a better idea of what they looked like in person and they didn't have them at the store I went to.

[David Orsini]

I actually have the Gyration one you mentioned as well.  I have to be honest, I never really like it.  I find it is just to small to type like i normally do, I find myself hunting and pecking.  And the whole point for me to have access to my PC right there on my TV is convenience.  So if typing is a pain in the butt it kind of defeats the purpose.  The keyboard in the link above looks to me like a different dog with the same flees.  I think I am about to just switch to a full sized wireless keyboard/mouse combo.  I have a little drawer under my coffee table where I can store it when I am not using it so I am not too worried about looks with this.  And with that I won't end up spending $130.

[bigkahuna]

A friend of mine has this.  It's pretty impossible to use.  If you want slow typing, this is the one to get.

It's basically useless, - the keypad id so small, you don't get anything done fast, and... the mouse is basically
useless... you feel like you are trying to move a mouse around with your hands tied.  I tried it for about 15 mins and would never buy one.  ( I'm talking about the Logitech in your link below )

I have the Gyration GO air mouse and keyboard and love it ! , u can use the mouse on your sofa, leg, or in the air, as a pointer and it is very very accurate.  The keyboard is smaller than the MCE official one from MS, and I love it.

http://www.gyration.com/p-66-go-24-optical-air-mouse-and-compact-keyboard-suite.aspx

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16823126039

[The Dude]

I also really like my Gyration keyboard and mouse combo. I actually have the remote not the mouse though. This one:

http://www.gyration.com/default.aspx?l=en#productDetail/livingRoom/mediaRemote

it's also a universal remote which is very cool. The keyboard is small but I don't have any particular problem typing on it. That was my concern with the logitech one. My current keyboard (that I'm thinking of replacing) is a  Belkin Mediapilot

http://reviews.cnet.com/keyboards/belkin-mediapilot/4505-3134_7-31263679.html

I actually like that this also works as a universal remote the thing has just gotten so bad lately for typing that it's almost useless. Certain keys always have to be held down for ever to get them recognized as a keystroke and then other when you hit them will act as multiple keystrokes. For instance if you hit the "y" on that keyboard it looks like this:

yyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy

so you're constantly holding down some keys and having to back up with others. It's the most frustrating experience ever. Particularly if you're in a hurry. It's not as if I use that PC for typing all that often so I don't need the keyboard a lot of the time but when I do it's as irritating as can be.

[bigkahuna]

Your remote looks nice 

as for the keyboard, just how small is it ?  that image doesn't show the size, - meaning it could
be a full sized keyboard .... or as small as your hand ( like the Logitech model )

The reason I went with the Gyration GO mouse, is that I needed it for computer stuff, along with the Media Center, - many times I'll use my media center computer in the living room as a regular computer, doing this and that, and that mouse works great.  I have the real MS remote for it also, and also the MS keyboard ( I have 2 keyboards hooked to it actually, the Gryation and the MS keyboard )

I guess the bottom line is this - just don't buy that Logitech, or make sure you can take it back if you do.

it's very nice looking, but to do something  - ha ! .. what a joke. 

[The Dude]

as for the keyboard, just how small is it ?  that image doesn't show the size, - meaning it could
be a full sized keyboard .... or as small as your hand ( like the Logitech model )

Sorry this gets a little confusing because I have two PCs and am talking about both of them. One has the gyration keyboard and remote/mouse thing and I'm perfectly happy with that. It's the one that has the Belkin one that I'm not paricularly happy with since it's having the keystroke problems I described. It's not really a problem with the size of the keyboard. The keyboard is actually about the same size (maybe a little bigger) then the gyration keyboard is. I may just end up getting another Gyration keyboard and remote because I have been happy with that I'm just a little concerned that with a 100' range having two of them in the same house may cause issues.

[bigkahuna]

ah ok ! thanks for the explaination

[Miller]

I think using the mini keyboard would be similar to texting on a phone with a keyboard. Maybe not Treo small, but close. I think if you expect it to work with your thumbs like you would text then you'll get exactly what you're expecting. If you want to be able to type on it like a full-size keyboard then you're going to be dissappointed. That being said, the idea is that most of the time you would only need your remote anyway and the need to type is small that it's an ok trade-off.

[The Dude]

I have thought of that too Miller. It's not like I'd be using it to type out a 10page paper every day or something. The ability to type something occasionally for support stuff on forums and things like that is pretty much all I need. I have that little UMPC (Raon Everun) and it's a much smaller keyboard then what the Logitech one is I'm sure and I manage with that from time to time (at coffee shops and things) so I could probably type with the logitech one too if it came down to it. Still it may be nice to have a little larger keyboard around somewhere. I'm starting to lean towards another gyration one but we'll see. I thought I'd still be able to pick up the remote at Circuit City since they've had them forever at around $30 which is unbelievably cheap but it looks like they no longer carry them. That's probably why they were so cheap.

[bigkahuna]

The Logitech model you were looking at buying is disapointing - and very much so, because of the mouse portion of it.

You have to put your thumb or finger on a small circle, and now navigate a large TV screen, - it just doesn't work well, give it 10 mins and you will want to throw the thing at the wall.

The thing is just too small to give accurate movement on the TV.  It isn't smooth, and it movement are just not good.

If one is using a mouse, you want it to work - and work well, and the Logitech DiNovo just doesn't do this well at all.  Even typing isn't great, - I love the size of my Gyration keyboard, it's the perfect size, and works very well.

[Craig]

I've been eyeing up this one for a while.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductReview.aspx?Item=N82E16823126008

[The Dude]

I saw that one actually. A lot of electronics stores have that in stock. It is a little bigger then what I, personally, would like to have in an HTPC setup. That's just me though.

[whurlston]

If you have an iPhone, get Intelliremote. It has keyboard and mouse fuctionality and can control up to 4 different PCs.