[BRealistic]

Friend is setting up his new place and wants an HTPC/gaming PC on the TV too (with the PS4 and XB1).
But how far will a typical wireless mouse/keyboard actually work?
Any specific affordable models that work fairly far?
Some that only work a very short distance?

 

[SICKVDUB1]

I would think that the dongle placement will be the biggest factor with this. If it is hidden in the back, there might be lots of interference.

I'm going to try it with my wife's Microsoft keyboard to night and i will let you know what's the range.

What kind of range is he looking in particular?


https://heavy.com/tech/2017/02/top-best-wireless-mini-keyboard-mouse-with-touchpad-combo/

Now this one says it will give you 33 feet (10 meters)

https://www.amazon.com/Logitech-Wir...range+wireless+keyboard&qid=1580403693&sr=8-3

I don't know if that would be more than enough.

 

[Avus]

Friend is setting up his new place and wants an HTPC/gaming PC on the TV too (with the PS4 and XB1).
But how far will a typical wireless mouse/keyboard actually work?
Any specific affordable models that work fairly far?
Some that only work a very short distance?

I suggest any keyboard and mouse using Logitech Unifying wireless - 10meters (around 33')
https://www.logitech.com/en-ca/product/unifying-receiver-usb

Any Logitech keyboard and mouse with this logo

- Lowest Logitech K&M combo support Unifying is MK520 (MSRP $60)
- There are many standalone Logitech keyboard and mouse support Unifying wireless, like this K400 Plus

- one Unifying receiver can support 6 devices (My HTPC is currently connected to a K400+(Keyboard), M325(mouse) and M310(mouse) with an Unifying receiver)
- i like when either the keyboard or mouse died, i don't need to garbage the whole set. Or I can choose the keyboard and mouse I like
- work on Win, OSX, some will even work on ChromeOS, Android and smart TV.

*Other non-Unifying Logitech wireless are called Nano and Lightspeed Wireless. Nano is Logitech's cheaper series, their range are also max at 10m but they are not as flexible. LIGHTSPEED Wireless is for gaming - high DPS, high IPS, ultra-low latency. 10m range too.

** I think all wireless keyboards and mouses (Logitech, MS, IOgears, Bluetooth...) are using 2.4Ghz (gov only allowed??) band and almost all of them have the range of 10m max.
***very old wireless keyboard/mouse that NOT using 2.4Ghz had very short range or using IR.

 

[BRealistic]

^

Very informative.
Thanks.
And yeah- I actually have some of those Logi unifying dongles myself.
I only trust Logi for this type of stuff.

 

[naiku]

On 2 different PC's using a Logitech keyboard I have found the signal starts to drop out at around 15' or so. Placement definitely helps, an earlier iteration I had the dongle on the back of the PC beneath a TV cabinet, range was a little worse there, but even in the current location with nothing else around the PC. 15' and it starts to become not quite as responsive as below that.

Depending on what he wants to do with the HTPC, a Flirc works pretty nicely, would need to be located within line of sight though as it's an IR receiver. But, I was able to program a Harmony remote to work with it for simple navigation (play, pause, volume, up, down, left right etc.)

 

[BRealistic]

On 2 different PC's using a Logitech keyboard I have found the signal starts to drop out at around 15' or so. Placement definitely helps, an earlier iteration I had the dongle on the back of the PC beneath a TV cabinet, range was a little worse there, but even in the current location with nothing else around the PC. 15' and it starts to become not quite as responsive as below that.

Depending on what he wants to do with the HTPC, a Flirc works pretty nicely, would need to be located within line of sight though as it's an IR receiver. But, I was able to program a Harmony remote to work with it for simple navigation (play, pause, volume, up, down, left right etc.)

A TVs have gotten bigger and bigger, comfortable viewing distances have also grown (even tho I do remember everybody sitting around a room trying to watch a over-saturated 20"(?) color tv in a huge console in my youth).

The viewing distance makes using a PC/keyboard/Mouse on the same TV more of a stretch.

 

[dr_spock]

You could use a USB extension cable to move the receiver dongle closer if signals are not strong enough.

Or just use your kids as the remote control like with the old TVs and radios.

 

[Hostile]

The Logitech Unifying devices are actually really good.

I have a two Logitech wireless mice (one is a trackball) that actually have dual-band so you can connect them to a device via Bluetooth and then another using the unifying receiver. A switch on the mouse goes back and forth between the two devices.

Their desktop app (Logitech Options) also has a hardware-free KVM feature called Flow that allows you to share keyboards and mice between computers that are on the same network. You just move the mouse off of one computer's screen and it appears on the other computer's screen and takes the wireless keyboard with it.