Multi-device keyboard and mouse

WetGeek

Being retired, and old enough to be an easy target for Covid, I stay home and watch TV a lot. And, of course I use my laptop a lot. And have a smartphone. Recently I got tired of keeping two mouses and two keyboards near me all the time, and thought about how I could improve on that.

I bought a Bluetooth keyboard and a Bluetooth mouse, each of of which supports up to three devices, just by pushing a button on the mouse, or pressing a key combination on the keyboard. Device #1 is my laptop, #2 is the media computer that streams to the TV, and I even connected #3 to my smartphone.

That's simplified my life considerably! I can even use both the mouse and keyboard on my phone, which was never easy to use with my large fingers. Highly recommended for anyone in the same situation.

brent

source: https://www.rfwireless-world.com/Tutorials/Bluetooth-frequency-allocations.html

furthermore---"Bluetooth operates at 2.4 GHz ISM band. Following table defines buletooth frequencies used across the world. As mentioned bandwidth is sufficient to define 79 channels (in US,Europe and other countries) having 1 MHz bandwidth in each channel. Japan,Spain and France uses 23 bluetooth channels. Following table mentions bluetooth frequency allocations.
US,Europe and rest of the World 2.4 to 2.4835 GHz f=2.402 + n, MHz (n = 0 to 78) "

so 1 megahertz adjustments across the 2.4GBz band...actually makes sense again. I was trying to view BT as I view radio frequencies or boradcast signals, which they basically are. that's the end of my RF grasp...
But as far as your setup goes, less clutter and efficiency is optimal. Just think if you got a device that unifies any IOT devices (fridge, roombah etc) that new keyboard/mouse are the keys to the whole house.

WetGeek an easy target for Covid,

I often wonder if we (every human on earth) all had it/have it/shed it/rinse/repeat. That's the way I've interpreted the data but I believe only a tiny fraction of what I'm told these days...

brent

Scientifically, or perhaps industrially(?), how does one keyboard/mouse control three different devices? Like a universal remote does, per se? Because your bluetooth mouse keyboard did not come with three dongles. Why am I hung up on the notion your setup requires unifying dongles? Or did you have to configure all 3 devices via software to the main key/mouse.
(I am light years behind on bluetooth stuff).
PS--there is a satisfaction to packing up and removing the batteries from unused mice/keys you store away🙂

WetGeek

brent did you have to configure all 3 devices via software to the main key/mouse.

The mouse and keyboard are Bluetooth devices, and the laptop, media machine, and phone all pair with Bluetooth. No dongles required. For anyone who's interested, this is my mouse, and this is my keyboard. I tried a Logitech keyboard, too, but returned it because the keys are too small and too close together to touch-type with it.

The three gray keys at the top of the keyboard select the device to connect with, as does the button under the three numbered LEDs on the mouse. This keyboard is like a high-quality laptop keyboard, and easy to touch-type with. The mouse is almost identical to the Logitech mouses I've used for years, so it's intuitive to use without any muscle retraining.

samteezy

That's a nice and somewhat simpler alternative to something like Synergy, which I do use myself to migrate between my Solus desktop and my Windows laptop.

brent

WetGeek The mouse and keyboard are Bluetooth devices, and the laptop, media machine, and phone all pair with Bluetooth.

Now I see how they can all talk to each other I think. Why do I keep thinking these bluetooth devices all have different frequencies and this needed a uniter (dongle)? Your devices couldn't all be identical frequencies? Maybe frequencies have to simply be close or compatible to communicate?
Brent, Science Guy today apparently

WetGeek

brent Maybe frequencies have to simply be close or compatible to communicate?

he Bluetooth protocol supports different channels. That makes it easy to have three different devices connected.

brent

WetGeek he Bluetooth protocol supports different channels. That makes it easy to have three different devices connected.

Got it, thank you.