Wireless Mini Keyboard
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Can anyone recommend a Wireless Mini Keyboard for my arcade build?
It would make searching for games and the occational Linux string-typing in the terminal a bit easier than a bulky USB keyboard.What would be the best solution: get a bluetooth minikeyboard (will this always work in EmulationStation?) like this, or maybe a USB dongle wirelees minikeyboard like this?
Which will stress the Pi the least?
Other pitfalls to be aware of?
Recommendations? :)Thanks all.
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Hello.
I use the "CSL - mini Bluetooth keyboard" (easy to find on amazon) since a long time.
It works very well but there is one obstacle: the function keys F11 and F12 are accessible only by pressing a "FN"key simultaneously.
But this did not work for the "UAE4ARM/Amiberry" emulator (being ended by default with F12) for whatever reason. So you have to change something in the emulator's config (should be explained in this forum somewhere).For all other emulators (and KODI) it is working perfect.
rgds,
SK
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I use the Motorola Xoom blue tooth keyboard. It was designed for use with one if there tablets years ago. I’ve had it for a long time and it works great!
Ps... just started putting the artwork on my build last night. Again full disclosure it’s somewhat of a total rip off of yours because yours is so darn nice. You will spot a few small issues that need correcting pretty quickly, but I’m happy so far...
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@andershp I know the other posters have recommended Bluetooth... however I would avoid these as they need to be paired. Get a 2.4GHz wireless and they are plug and play. No messing about pairing. Next best thing (better in my mind) to a wired keyboard. I have 2 Rii Mini i8+ and another Rii which is a metal framed chiclet kb. The i8+s are fairly robust and can take a knock so I would recommend those.
People also recommend Logitech kbs quite a bit. -
I also have a Rii mini, though I don't love it. It is feels clunky slow to type on it as the buttons are deform dome clickers and the touchpad is a little squirrelly, but that may be true of all tiny keyboards. It just feels kind cheap (probably because it is ; -P). I do like the plug and play aspect, however. Very easy to just plug in the dongle and go.
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@caver01 Are you sure you actually got a Rii? Both mine have been pretty good.
Anyway, I wouldn't use it to type my latest novel. It's robust (It has been dropped plenty in my house), It is plug and play, It is back-lit (this could be better). And it works. -
@jonnykesh Now that you mention it, I was thinking it was because it is the same as the photo you posted, but I checked my order from years ago and it is a Hausbell. However, it is absolutely identical. Maybe Hausbell is a knockoff, maybe Rii is the knockoff. But in 2013 these were called Hausbell Mini H7.
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@caver01 Not sure, mine are pushing 2 years old and both are working fine as are the other Rii keyboards I have. The ones I have are decent quality, they also have a lot of clones. I know they weren't the OG but they work really well.
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@newellj79 Thanks for the kind words, it looks like you're getting along nicely - great job!
Also thanks for the inputs - I never heard of the Rii, but they surely look nicer than they cost! The trackpad on top is pretty redundant in a RetroPie setup though, isn't it?
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@andershp I use the trackpad once in a while on a Kodi build, but even that isn’t necessary. I don’t have this keyboard connected to my RetroPie cab, as using it to do anything but a few keystrokes would be maddening. I would never use it to do command line stuff.
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@caver01 Allright, I'm using Pegasus frontend and the searchbar is actually quite nice, especially when browsing mame romsets.
That, and the occasional commands, which I'm fumbling myself through because my regular keyboard has a Danish layout, makes me want a small Wireless keyboard. But you'd recommend something like my second link then..?
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@newellj79 said in Wireless Mini Keyboard:
I use the Motorola Xoom blue tooth keyboard. It was designed for use with one if there tablets years ago. I’ve had it for a long time and it works great!
Ps... just started putting the artwork on my build last night. Again full disclosure it’s somewhat of a total rip off of yours because yours is so darn nice. You will spot a few small issues that need correcting pretty quickly, but I’m happy so far...
Why that shameless thread hijack?
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@andershp said in Wireless Mini Keyboard:
But you'd recommend something like my second link then..?
Oh heck yeah. Either one of your links would be better. That second one is similar in size and shape to the Apple Bluetooth keyboard and would be a dream to type on compared to the Hausbell/Rii. Of course, @jonnykesh may have a different opinion about his Rii, but I would rather walk a quarter mile to get a USB wired keyboard that I can actually type on, and walk back to my arcade cabinet, than use the orange keyboard pictured above to enter any linux commands.
I will say that the tiny keyboards are great as "remotes" and are probably at their best controlling Kodi or running through an on-screen menu with the arrows, stopping and starting a video and only an occasional keypress to invoke various features. But to do real configuration work, edit a text file, for example, I will take laptop style chiclet keys and a traditional form factor every single time.
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My apologies. When I seen the author had posted a questions I just wanted to throw out my recommendation, and a shout out to his awesome arcade build.
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@newellj79 said in Wireless Mini Keyboard:
My apologies.
I didn't mind..
and a shout out to his awesome arcade build.
Now you can do whatever you want in this thread :D :D
@caver01 Cool, I will definitely go for a real, shortened keyboard then.
Thanks all. -
I've only just started but had a look around for recommended keyboards and the reviews of such. Finally I went for the Rii mini wireless keyboard, it's great, very responsive and comes with all the options you can think of. Plus it is cheap. I am now putting one on order for my work, as the wireless one I have now is full size, granted it has touchpad and number keys, but so does the Rii mini. The BIGGEST advantage with the Rii is it can fit in your pocket! Other advantages are you can actually hear when you press a key, so there should be no miss typed coding.
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