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Keyboard-Mouse for ranged use

H

HeavyB

Senior member
I'm planning on converting my home server to a HTPC and connecting it to my home entertainment center. Its main use will be web browsing and moderate game duty (WOW, Startcraft 2, Civ5) at 1080p. The computer sits in the unfinished area of the basement with easy access to the home theater equipment rack (5' away with easy HDMI cable access). The challenge is that I'll be about 20 feet away from the HPTC and not in the line of sight when using it. I'd appreciate recommendations on keyboard/mouse combos that will work reliably at this distance from their receiver. Thanks.
 
I have the first generation Lenovo Multimedia Remote Keyboard. Great range but the keys are impossible to see in a dimly lit room. Get the backlit version. Lenova occasionally will have discount codes on these.
 
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I bought a little cell phone sized wireless remote / keyboard / trackpad. It was neat to play with at first, but, I don't really use it at all any more.

What gets the use is an IBM Model M hooked up to a USB to PS2 adaptor, with a USB extension cord plugged into the PC in the back of the room. Then, the mouse is a USB mouse with a USB extension cord. The PC is 14-15 feet behind the recliners.
 
I purchased a Logitech touchpad wireless K400 keyboard to replace the Lenovo remote keyboard.
Even though I had Sleep set to Never in Power options when I hit the power button on the K400 it put my HTPC to sleep. I'm running Win 8.1.
It would not come out of sleep mode or boot back up to the OS. I've read that this is a common problem with Win 8. After pulling the plug and letting it sit for a few minutes it booted up and reset the bios. It would then boot up to the OS but would not completely power down the computer. Read that turning off Fast Start in Power options might fix it, but it didn't. Only reflashing the bios solved the problem.

One other problem I had was with Logitech's Setpoint software, the same one the OP in this Logitech forum thread had, no mouse or keyboard function tabs. The software is optional, my keyboard still works, but the software gives you more control.
http://forums.logitech.com/t5/Keyboards-and-Keyboard-Mice/No-functons-in-Setpoint-K400/td-p/903250

The solution is on page 2 of the thread in post 4. Turn the K400 off, using another mouse/keyboard open the Setpoint software, under the Tools tab open Unifying Software, Advanced tab, highlight Keyboard K400, Un-pair, then re-pair the K400. This should give you the mouse and keyboard tabs.

Now the power button on the K400 powers my HTPC completely down.
 
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