Bluetooth Keyboards

[enjay]

We have some Bluetooth desktop sets around the school, two different types/models. One works fine, but has unfortunately been discontinued; the other is fine until you come to change the batteries on it after which it repeatedly loses connection with the PC so needs me to go and reconnect it. It does this on and off for a few weeks and then works without incident for months until the batteries die again.

 

I guess my question is two-fold - firstly, can anyone recommend a model which doesn't do this, and secondly can anyone think of a way of allowing staff to (re)connect B/T devices without bottoming out security.

 

I should add this is on an RM CC3 network, but please let's save the "clever" comments about how it wouldn't happen if I had vanilla XP or Unix.

[webman]

Does it have to be bluetooth? We've found the Microsoft wireless keyboards and mice pretty good when used within the recommended range.

[enjay]

Yes, the keyboards get passed round the room, so we need more than the 9-foot range which RF offers.

[timbo343]

We use these ones to pass around the class round... no problems with them what so ever

 

http://www.ebuyer.com/product/104608

[enjay]

@Timbo343 - do you actually get the advertised 10 metre range with them or is the reality less than that?

 

I don't know if this matters or not, but do you use these on CC3 or vanilla?

[timbo343]

@Timbo343 - do you actually get the advertised 10 metre range with them or is the reality less than that?

 

I don't know if this matters or not, but do you use these on CC3 or vanilla?

 

I dunno, i can find out. most of our computers that the teachers use are down the side of a room in the middle. I suppose so, i mean, no body has complained as such and our head of IT reports anything if it aint right. He keeps getting me to order them so they should be fine. They are only £20 ish why not get one in see what it is like and if it aint any good, leave it in server room for a while till nobody knows about it and then use it your self.

[enjay]

Would you mind testing the range on it for me, if you happen to find yourself near one? Some of the rooms we want these in are quite long and thin, so 10m would be fine, but 6m wouldn't.

 

Otherwise, I'll just take a punt on it like you say; if it doesn't work for the intended room, I know of few other rooms which could benefit from it so it won't be wasted (wouldn't work in my office sadly, as I use a KVM between my management and test PCs)

[timbo343]

ill test one out for you... it will be towards the end of the day tho, they are in use for most of it.

[gwendes]

They are only £20 ish why not get one in see what it is like and if it aint any good, leave it in server room for a while till nobody knows about it and then use it your self.

 

The fate of many items...

 

LOL!

[enjay]

ill test one out for you... it will be towards the end of the day tho, they are in use for most of it.

Thanks Tim, I appreciate that.

[timbo343]

Nick,

 

Just tested those keyboards... im impressed on the range. Just been out in the corridor outside the office, and it must be about 20 meters and still worked if. Therefore, I recommend this product.

[enjay]

Thanks Tim, debt of favour noted :-)

[Joanne]

we have the gyration suites on RM. You just install the drivers and then show the teacher how to connect them. Even the drivers stay on if you rebuild the machine! Yay.

[timbo343]

There aint any drivers needed for keyboard i recommended either.

[kearton]

As per Tim's product, make sure you get the 2.4GHz ones.... much better range! We use Logitech ones here.

[greenfieldsupport]

Fell abit silly asking ... but why would you want them? what for?/

[enjay]

Fell abit silly asking ... but why would you want them? what for?/

We use them on all our IWB/projector PCs. The mice are really useful for whole-class drag-and-drop exercises, e.g. word pairing in MFL or diagram labelling in Science, each student moves one word then passes the mouse on down the line; also good for simple annotation in English classes. We use the keyboards so that students can type without having all the hassle/complications/wasted time of them walking to the front of the class, especially useful if a) you want lots of people typing, b) they only need to type a small amount, or c) there are safety/practicality implications of people moving around, e.g. Science Lab or room with limited space between desks.