For the Home Theater PC use, having a separate keyboard, mouse and remote control is not an ideal solution. When buying a HTPC keyboard, it is quite difficult to find a good combination wireless keyboard and mouse. I discovered IOGear HTPC keyboard with trackball mouse from Amazon’s best selling keyboard list. I decided to write a more detailed review about it as many of the users who have bought this keyboard use it as a HTPC keyboard.
Features
- Built in laser trackball, left / right buttons and scroll wheel features
- Wireless 2.4Ghz technology with range up to 33 feet away from your HTPC
- Slip Resistant design on both sides with rubber grip
Built in laser trackball, left / right buttons and scroll wheel features
The key selling point for this keyboard is the integrated laser trackball. The trackball senses the movement of the surface of a ball instead of the flat surface of a desk. While it takes some time to learn to use the laser tackball, many users report that the laser trackball is more precise than an optical trackball. However, it seems that it is not very responsive to the fast movements, but you need to move the mouse more gently.
Wireless 2.4Ghz technology with range up to 33 feet away from your HTPC
It is important to have a good 2.4Ghz wireless connection so that you are able to use the keyboard from the 10-foot distance. IOGear HTPC keyboard has an excellent range as long as the USB dongle is not hidden too far behind the TV cabinet. Some users report that the range has not been satisfactory at first, but then after attaching the USB dongle with a USB extension and place it behind TV the reception has become much better.
Slip Resistant design on both sides with rubber grip
The IOGear keyboard is easy on the fingers allowing you to type for much longer periods of time. The keyboard is rather small in size and feels lightweight. It also has 19 hot keys for multimedia functions and supports for example Windows Media Center by default.
Given the selection of alternatives out there, IOGear HTPC keyboard has probably the best feature-price ratio for a HTPC keyboard one can get. Additionally, IOGear HTPC keyboard ranks really well in the Amazon.com best selling keyboards list. It is currently at the position 6 in the top 100 keyboards list. In fact, it is extremely difficult to find this product from department stores, so it is better to be ordered from Amazon.com.
Summary
| Pros | Cons |
| - Excellent range - Compact size and feels comfortable - Integrated trackball is a great addition - Works out of the box even with Linux - Affordable price | - The trackball material could be better - Trackball doesn’t register quick movement - Some users have reported range issues |
Get a price on the IOGear Keyboard at Amazon.
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