New MCE Keyboard from Microsoft

[davin]

Has anyone seen this yet?

http://www.microsoft.com/hardware/mo...s.aspx?pid=040

It looks pretty cool. I like the integrated eraser-head mouse. Unfortunately it only supports MCE. Apparently it is an IR device and uses the MCE IR receiver. I assume, tho, that it won't be long after it hits the market that some enterprising hacker will write drivers for USB-UIRT and girder!

[PGPfan]

There little to no chance that it will ever work with USB-UIRT, but if you have and use the remote and receiver for MCE 2005 (which will work fine in Sage) then it will work with them.

I plan on getting one of these keyboards also.


-PGPfan

[aperry]

I would assume that this keyboard should come with its own receiver, don't you think?

[dvd_maniac]

That would be just like Microsoft to shove MCE down everybody's throat just to use their keyboard.

Does anybody have a decent alternative to a keyboard with a trackball/mouse onboard? I do not really care about the remote options as much as the promised range this has.

I did find this one that states upto 23' but I can't find a review on it.

[waynedunham]

Originally Posted by dvd_maniac

I did find this one that states upto 23' but I can't find a review on it.

They have it on Amazon.com. There are single reviews for that model, and the White version. Neither of those liked it at all, however one complained about the fact that it was IR and not an RF so he couldn't type with his knees up, and the other one complained a lot about the trackball (only 200dpi) and battery life in the receiver.

However look for the next model down (search on adesso wireless) which has a joypad instead of the trackball. It also has a single review, but that person liked it very much.

[Freegoo]

Have you checked out the Belkin MediaPilot?

It is reviewed at HTPC.News and you can get it at Newegg

Looks pretty good, though the "mouse" might be kind of cheesy.

[PGPfan]

Originally Posted by dvd_maniac

That would be just like Microsoft to shove MCE down everybody's throat just to use their keyboard.

Does anybody have a decent alternative to a keyboard with a trackball/mouse onboard? I do not really care about the remote options as much as the promised range this has.

I did find this one that states upto 23' but I can't find a review on it.

I understand your sentiment, but they don't make any such requirement for this keyboard. The same 'requirement' that they made for the remote (which will work fine in girder, Sage, and pretty much all other apps) will directly apply to this keyboard. The assumption is that the user already has the excellent MS remote and reciever combo, as many of us do.

-PGPfan

-PGPfan

[dvd_maniac]

hey freegoo,

that Belkin looks great. I think I will give it a try. I love the docking station setup and the website states 30 feet.

thanx for info.

PGPfan

I am not anti-microsoft. I am just upset because I got all worked up for this keyboard and come to find out I need MCE hooked up. I have MCE 2005 but do not want to hook up the hardware that came with media center pc because I love my Sage setup as it is with my hauppauge 45 button remote.
Can the mce remote control oither apps as seamlessly as Hauppauges irremote? Meaning one button can be linked to different keystrokes while in different applications?

[aperry]

Originally Posted by Freegoo

Have you checked out the Belkin MediaPilot?

It is reviewed at HTPC.News and you can get it at Newegg

Looks pretty good, though the "mouse" might be kind of cheesy.

Wow, that price at Newegg is pretty lousy.

The Mediapilot can be had for $69.99 shipped at Buy.com.

[PGPfan]

Originally Posted by dvd_maniac

hey freegoo,

that Belkin looks great. I think I will give it a try. I love the docking station setup and the website states 30 feet.

thanx for info.

PGPfan

I am not anti-microsoft. I am just upset because I got all worked up for this keyboard and come to find out I need MCE hooked up. I have MCE 2005 but do not want to hook up the hardware that came with media center pc because I love my Sage setup as it is with my hauppauge 45 button remote.
Can the mce remote control oither apps as seamlessly as Hauppauges irremote? Meaning one button can be linked to different keystrokes while in different applications?

You do not need MCE to use this. I have never had MCE installed on any of my machines since leaving my job at MS. I don't like it. HOWEVER, the remote is outstanding. This (in my system and many others) works far better than the hauppauge remote, imho. There is a girder plugin that works great, and you can (with the correct software driver) use the included 2 ir emitter ports of the reciever to completely replace a USB-UIRT.

The keyboard merely adds additional features to the reciever via a software change (available at MS), but shouldn't exclude other apps from using it without MCE installed. The additional features are basically a few new ir commands exclusive to the keyboard. With the number of people using the remote without MCE, if the keyboard doesn't work out of the box it certainly will soon.

-PGPfan

[Freegoo]

Originally Posted by aperry

Wow, that price at Newegg is pretty lousy.

The Mediapilot can be had for $69.99 shipped at Buy.com.

Ouch, quite a price difference there. $20 difference is almost enough for me to consider the craptastic buy.com.

Newegg just isn't as cheap as they used to be.

Originally Posted by dvd_maniac

hey freegoo,

that Belkin looks great. I think I will give it a try. I love the docking station setup and the website states 30 feet.

thanx for info.

Please post back with impressions of the keyboard! Really been thinking about getting this keyboard myself.

[dvd_maniac]

I sure could use some instructions on setting up the MS ir and girder. I like the Hauppauge but I have a pvr-usb2 installed on one of my clients with MCE 205 just to have remote control access...

[Mahoney]

I wrote something that might help on the community Wiki - still haven't finished it, but should give some pointers.

[dvd_maniac]

ok,

I just hooked up the mce receiver and was wondering if somebody could help setting it up with Sage

[Mahoney]

http://www.sage-community.org/index.cgi/wiki/MceRemote

[dvd_maniac]

Thanks Mahoney.
I will start going through that info tonight.

[mtfred99]

I used to have an ultimat tv box from direct tv and it has a nice layouton the remote like jump forward and back buttons and such, also has an optional keyboard.
I’m trying to setup my ultimate TV remote and keyboard to use with my usb-uird and was wondering why the remote and keyboard dont work. I can program the TV volume into it but the pvr controls don’t work. The usb-uird doesn’t seem to pick them up. It would be a great remote to use for pvrs do to the fact it comes with an optional keyboard.

[Jeremy]

Originally Posted by Freegoo

Newegg just isn't as cheap as they used to be.

I don't know, I spend from 3k to 10k per month on newegg.com and about the same at eCost.com. 99% of what I get from ecost isn't just avaible from newegg.com (cisco stuff, etc.) - but my coporate sales rep can't beat newegg most of the time.

[LowTech]

Here's a recent review from HTPCnews...

http://www.htpcnews.com/main.php?id=mcekey

[dvd_maniac]

in that review it says that this is a great keyboard for user of MCE but not other softwares. Is this true of Sage? Has anybody tried it out with Sage?
Would I need Girder setup to use it with Sage?

BestBuy now has it in and I am thinking about giving it a shot b4 getting the Belkin mediapilot.