Wireless keyboard for arcade machine?

[nickynooch]

Ok probably a dumb question, but I'm sick of having to open my coin door every time I want to use my mouse and keyboard (currently mine are wired).  So my question is, if my computer is inside my arcade cabinet, will an RF keyboard with a trackball on it work outside the cabinet?  I really don't know anything about RF keyboards and if they work with a signal inside the arcade machine.

Any suggestions on brands, etc.?  Finally deciding to shell out the fifty bucks for one (or whatever it costs) assuming it will work.

I just don't want to waste fifty bucks to find out it doesn't work, so thanks for the heads up.

Thanks!

[BobA]

I use a wireless keyboard and touchpad on one of my machines.   
Here is the REVIEW
I worried about it being inside as well but I think the area around the screen lets the signal out thru the bezel (lucite).
If it had needed a better signal I would have taken the dongle and mounted it outside the cab using a USB extender cable.

[severdhed]

i have a pretty old logitech rf wireless keyboard that i use on one of my cabinets and it works fine from about 5 or 6 feet away from the cabinet.  mine sits on a shelf near by and i just walk over there when ineed to use it (which isn't very often now the cabinet is set up).  it was a keyboard/mouse combo using the same receiver, but i don't use the mouse since i have a trackball in the panel.

on my other cabinet, i have just a USB keyboard hooked up inside the cabinet, now that it is set up, i really don't need to use it very much.  i don't yet have a trackball in that cabinet, but i use a bluetooth wireless mouse on it when i need to.  i had a usb bluetooth adapter lying around and ran across the mouse cheap.  it works very well also.  this is a showcase cabinet, the pc and bluetooth dongle are in the section under the monitor, and i run the mouse on the control panel, which is about 3 feet or so away, works great.   

if you are having problems with one not working, you can do what BobA suggested and use an extension cable to relocate the receiver up near the bezel

[nickynooch]

Thanks for the responses. Exactly the answers I was looking for. Ill make my purchase today!

[drventure]

I use a positively ANCIENT IR wireless keyboard/mouse combo called an airpad.

It's a bit of a pain because, since it's IR, you have to be line of site with the receiver, but, it's relatively small so you can mount it anywhere.

The reason I haven't swapped out for a RF or bluetooth set is that the battery life is +phenomenal+

I put a pair of AA batteries in when I first set up my machine, that was about 2 years ago.

My dad is constantly having to recharge his BT keyboard. He hates it.

That's the only reason I'd be wary of bt keyboards. But, surely there's some out there with good battery life.

[drventure]

Mines similiar to this but I didn't pay 50$


http://www.notestation.com/usbwirelesskeyboardwithmouseack571_2.htm

[Harakiri]

If you want something "on the cheap" not to play but only to configure software and such, i recommend this:



http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.45604

[BurgerKingDiamond]

I recommend this :

http://www.buy.com/prod/new-2-4ghz-mini-wireless-rii-keyboard-with-touchpad-for-laptop-pc-wii/q/sellerid/26076229/loc/101/216607284.html

I ordered for my NES HTPC and it is awesome.

[leapinlew]

I recommend finding out why you need your keyboard so much and fixing it so you don't need a keyboard.

[CapriRS302]

I recommend saving some money and just getting a small usb hub, attach it inconspicuously to the machine (mine is under the control panel) and just plug in your keyboard there when you need it.  Once you get things up and running you will NEVER (almost) need the keyboard, but you can still use the hub to attach gamepads, or in my case, a guitar to play "Fret's on Fire..." 

[wxforecaster]

I recommend saving some money and just getting a small usb hub, attach it inconspicuously to the machine (mine is under the control panel) and just plug in your keyboard there when you need it.  Once you get things up and running you will NEVER (almost) need the keyboard, but you can still use the hub to attach gamepads, or in my case, a guitar to play "Fret's on Fire..." 

+1 to this. They have some really nice hubs or you can simply flush mount the female end of a few USB extensions to the front of your cabs with some clean hole cutting/chiseling. I like this approach so I can use NES, SNES, N64, and other USB adaptable console controllers in addition to a keyboard or any other USB powered device.

Of course, if you store the keyboard inside the coin door, this really defeats the question posed by the OP. 

[fytr]

Hi,

I just dealt with the keyboard issue myself and decided to go with this neat little Lenovo HTPC keyboard.

Just tried it last weekend, the range is fine (works across the room even). It's really quite small also, but just big enough that typing isn't too difficult. I like the trackball too, but I use one daily on my workstation so I'm used to it.

The best feature is the dedicated volume buttons, I can use these now instead of putting a dedicated volume control on the outside of my cabinet.

The only issue is that there are no dedicated Function keys (F1, F2, etc.). I was planning on remapping mame to use Alt-1, Alt-2 instead, but haven't gotten that far yet to see if it's feasible.

As far as battery life goes, can't say yet, although it has an on/off switch on the back so I just turn it off when I'm not using it, should last forever at that rate.  

It's small enough that I'm considering adding two small stick-on hooks to the side of the cabinet to hold it out of the way, but handy.

Got mine for $40 shipped off Ebay.

Ken

[EvilNuff]

Your link is bad, try this:
http://www.everythingusb.com/lenovo-multimedia-remote-wireless-keyboard-18243.html

[fytr]

Whoops!

All fixed now.

Thx!

[nickynooch]

 

[Blanka]

My faves:

Apple wireless keyboards.
The upper is better for Windows, as it does not have the bad attitude of the aluminium one regarding F-keys.

New hot kid on the block:

Boxee remote. Wonder if it becomes available as separate buy.

But the best option is remote access. Use your other PC to control the cabinet PC!

[RayB]

There is also now the option to use your iPhone or iPad  to see your desktop and control the PC (via Wifi though)

[CrazySwede]

Not sure if you need more options but I will chime in anyway....

I picked up this one:  http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16823176018
   (IOGEAR GKM561R)

$10 off at the moment so it comes in at $40 or so.  It works fine within my cocktail and it is nice and compact and easy to pack away. 

I also have, but I am not sure I recommend this unless you have a lot of extra money floating around, is a custom made wall plate with a USB, Ethernet and monitor (BD9?) jack.  It looks really nice but it is rather pricey once you start adding the components.  This would allow you to plug in a standard USB keyboard.

-Leif

[CrazySwede]

Sorry, forgot to say where I got the custom made wall plate from....  You can find them at http://www.datapro.net/

It is really nice - but rather pricey....

-Leif