Microsoft Media Center 2005 Keyboard

[Deco]

MS keyboard does look good, expecially like the switch to turn keys off to prevent 'junior' doing some reconfiguration!

However, too expensive at moment for my taste. Another problem, I don't think it will work if you have anything other than MCE2005 - I have XP Home, but MCE remote works fine. So I settled on BTC9019 RF keyboard. Works well on lap and only EUR30 incl. postage on eBay, new. As it's RF, even though there's not another receiver, you can hide it from view.

Deco.

Hi Daniel.

Yep... i think that 100€ will be the price also here in Portugal when he arrives here

Just upgrade my house with wireless, so i cant spend anymore money for now on a keyboard.

I will go to canada for vacations in october, and i was wondering if i can get it from there ... it seems (with currency converter) that it costs only 77€ in a online store.
But not for now..or my wife will kill me spending so much money in HTPCs

@DECO

I dont have keyb to test it, but im pretty sure that it will work in windows XP (PRO maybe not home) since MCE2005 is XP SP2 with an ehome directorie :roll:

RF is best but we cant have everything... ill sitck with IR for now

Regards
Goahead

[waeberd]

Hi folks,

Keyboard works fine in Windows XP as a standard windows keyboard / mouse / remote allInOne package.

Response is great, range is excellent too, but there are not soooo many features in MP that scream for a keyboard (yet!). So a great quality device, but not a must-have.

Fun gadget though that opens up the HTPC for many new ideas (navigating a web-browser is cool with this thing, maybe SEND mails, maybe SEND messenger messages, etc....).

My main PLUS is that the mce remote is way better responding than the shaky firefly / girder combination!

Regards,

Daniel

[everett]

Hi - just installed the MCE Remote Keyboard and eHome infrared receiver - both working fine in MP. As directed in the user manual, I can't download the file 'Update Rollup 1 for eHome ...' from Windows Update site but that doesn't appear to be neccessary to use the keyboard in MP. Could anyone confirm however, if this is what prevents me from using the remote keyboard in Windows XP Pro (SP2) applications such as Word etc.
I suspect the Microsoft site won't let me download the file because during validation it recognises I'm not using Windows XP Media Centre Edition. Any assistance appreciated & would anyone know if this file would work in non-MCE versions of XP?
Best regards

[uninet]

everett,

You can download the IR Rollup 1 package (KB888795) directly from Microsoft support. You can also successfully install the update on a Win XP Pro SP2 system.

The associated KB888705 article states that: "While the basic functions of the keyboard will work without this update, you must install this update to use all the available features on the keyboard."

[waeberd]

Hi everett,

I had to download the "update rollup", otherwise only the remote keys on the keyboard were working (no mouse and no "standard" keyboard keys).

Ive downloaded the patch from here:
http://www.microsoft.com/hardware/mo...s.aspx?pid=040

(link: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/d...displaylang=en )

I am using a standard (german) Windows XP version, the patch download went fine. After that the keyboard works in every application, including the mouse pointer and the remote keys.

Tell me if this works for you, otherwise tell me and I can try to download the patch for you (please tell me which language you need).

Regards,

Daniel

[vbap]

Originally Posted by everett

As directed in the user manual, I can't download the file 'Update Rollup 1 for eHome ...' from Windows Update site

It will only update from Windows Update if you are using MCE2005 OS. Otherwise, download as per Waeberd, et. al. instructions.

[everett]

Hi and thanks to all for the help regarding Remote Keyboard. I managed to get a copy of the patch (KB888795) from my local HTPC supplier. As originally suspected and as others have explained, I can confirm that you need to be running MCE2005 to be able to download the patch.
As soon as I installed it, I could use all the keyboard functions in XP PRO.
By the way, in the description of the patch, Microsoft mention an associated update (KB888705). This won't install on a non-MCE2005 operating system and I found it wasn't needed for the keyboard to operate correctly. So all resolved now and once again thanks to fellow MP'ers for the assistance.
Best regards
Barry
ps - anyone worked out how to get the Green Button to launch MP from XP Pro?

[Taipan]

Originally Posted by everett

anyone worked out how to get the Green Button to launch MP from XP Pro?

Yes, mptray.exe will do the trick and you can get it here.

[Deco]

Originally Posted by everett

As soon as I installed it, I could use all the keyboard functions in XP PRO.

Does anyone know if it works with XP Home?

Thanks, Deco.