Long Range (9m) wireless keyboard/mouse

[laserblazer]

The battery on a Gyration Ultra mouse has failed and they are no longer available. I'm just trying to prize it apart to see if I can replace them but failing that we will need to replace it. Is Gyration the way to go or can anyone suggest an alternative? It needs to be radio or possibly bluetooth although interfernce worries me a bit.

[contink]

I've got a bluetooth MS mouse that works really well over some pretty impressive distances but I can't give you a definitive recommendation.

 

From experience though MS hardware is definitely worth a look.

[laserblazer]

I hadn't thought of that, the Gyration keyboard is fine apart from the ALT key missing, so I could just get a bluetooth mouse.

[Batman]

Why such a distance?

 

If it was me I'd just make a long USB cable. I made a 20 metre USB extension cable using CAT5 once. Not sure if it ought to work but it did

[mossj]

we have a keysonic RF wireless combo and I think they might be able to cover the distance...

 

its effectivly a laptops keyboard/mousepad without the screen... batteries take the micky though... but we've replaced them with rechargables and now thats fine too.

[laserblazer]

It's in the hall and would involve the cable going across the stage. Depending on what's going on, the operator could be either sode of the room. I've managed to get to the internal batteries and I think I'll replace them. Got to be the cheapest solution.

[FN-GM]

Why such a distance?

 

If it was me I'd just make a long USB cable. I made a 20 metre USB extension cable using CAT5 once. Not sure if it ought to work but it did

 

USB will only work with a max of 5M

[mb2k01]

USB will only work with a max of 5M

 

That might be the recommendation but in reality it works over much more than 5m.

I've had about 30m in a hall, probably about the same (maybe a little longer) at home - all worked no problems. The only thing that might be worth adding is that although my case was for a keyboard, it was for odd key presses, not for typing. It might lag a little of a distance like that, but not sure.

[FN-GM]

That might be the recommendation but in reality it works over much more than 5m.

I've had about 30m in a hall, probably about the same (maybe a little longer) at home - all worked no problems. The only thing that might be worth adding is that although my case was for a keyboard, it was for odd key presses, not for typing. It might lag a little of a distance like that, but not sure.

 

I couldnt get a mouse to work with a 5m and a 1m extension cable, might be because there are 2 cables.

[Hightower]

I couldnt get a mouse to work with a 5m and a 1m extension cable, might be because there are 2 cables.

 

But I think they are talking about extending using Cat5e - which is possible for distances over 100m for low powered devices such as mice.

 

OP: I've used Gyration and have never experienced a down fall with the equipment. I think it's fantastic stuff and I would stick with them.

[kylewilliamson]

off topic... but.. you can use USB over CAT5 kits up to 5m

 

CDL Micro - USB over Cat5e Extender - Product Details

[FN-GM]

Its not the cabling its how much power it will draw form the USB port

[mac_shinobi]

I have an apple wireless keyboard ( by wireless I mean bluetooth )- works to about 10 meters maybe a bit more.

[Hightower]

off topic... but.. you can use USB over CAT5 kits up to 5m

 

CDL Micro - USB over Cat5e Extender - Product Details

 

I think you'll find that says 50m

 

Extends the transmission distance of USB device to 50m via Cat5e cable

 

I have one in the office, up to 50m. But then it goes on to say that low powered devices such as mice can be powered over more than 100m.

[steveg]

We've got one of these in our hall KeySonic 2.4Ghz Wireless HTPC Compact Keyboard with Integrated TouchPad - USB - Ebuyer

 

Works pretty well from 8 - 10 m away, and is pretty cheap! Only problem with it is it really does interfere with wireless networks.

 

Steve

[kylewilliamson]

I think you'll find that says 50m

 

Extends the transmission distance of USB device to 50m via Cat5e cable

 

I have one in the office, up to 50m. But then it goes on to say that low powered devices such as mice can be powered over more than 100m.

 

 

 

Typo!! Sorry!!

 

Kyle

[Hightower]

Typo!! Sorry!!

 

Kyle

 

Ah, fair play

[john]

Logitech Bluetooth bundles are in use in my place and seem to have good resutls, stick the bluetooth dongle up in the air (so up the classroom wall or on the ceiling) and they are fine. Just eat batteries, so Ikea value packs it is

[Batman]

You know, I remember reading this report on The Register many years ago (it's dated 2002... sheesh!) where it would appear that someone had the opposite problem... worth a read, it's funny! Put me off wireless keyboards for a while though

[dhicks]

I've managed to get to the internal batteries and I think I'll replace them.

 

How did you get to the internal batteries, and did you find something to replace them with? The Gyration mouse in our IT suite seems to be loosing its ability to hold charge (after just over a year, I think), it'd be nice to be able to fix it rather than chuck it out.

 

--

David Hicks

[laserblazer]

How did you get to the internal batteries, and did you find something to replace them with? The Gyration mouse in our IT suite seems to be loosing its ability to hold charge (after just over a year, I think), it'd be nice to be able to fix it rather than chuck it out.

 

--

David Hicks

 

The bit of the mouse that the palm rests on comes off by pushing in the little button on the front and the battery unit pulls out. I had to prise the lid off with a knife but it will glue back down (I hope). The batteries are three AAA size NI-MH tagged cells that you can get from CPC. I haven't got any yet as I want to make up a £50 order to save on carriage.

 

I'll try and do it next week and I'll let you know how successfull it is.

[button_ripple]

Bluetooth is the way to go, you can get a max of 100m from a bluetooth device, and most standard devices go for 10m. I have a bluetooth headset for my office phone at school which will give a range of 30m (It's a VMX Office if anyone's interested).

 

Not sure what the limited of Radio are, but that will give more interference if you have a wireless network.

[dhicks]

The batteries are three AAA size NI-MH tagged cells that you can get from CPC.

 

Ah, I'm about to put an order in with Maplin, I'll order some batteries while I'm at it.

 

--

David Hicks

[Little-Miss]

Hmm, someone made the point about the wireless keyboards affecting their wireless. Is it really bad? I was going to get some of the keyboards with the mice built in for the teachers to pass around the classroom so the kids could interact with the board or for some of the classrooms that have been poorly laid out (not me!!). So it was only going to be used as and when, not as a permanent wired keyboard replacement.

[enjay]

We tried Keysonic Mini Bluetooth Wireless Keyboard - Black 219x22x116mm - Ebuyer, as recommended above, but found our users didn't get on with either the touchpad or the "flat" nature of the laptop-style keyboard, so now we use Logitech Pro 2400 2.4Ghz Cordless Desktop - USB - OEM - Ebuyer