Receiving IR Keyboard possible?

[blammo]

I am thinking of picking up a USB-UIRT for my HTPC (currently a work in progress), as I will probably be hooked up to a cable/sat box in the near future.

I also have a Viewsonic IR keyboard (it goes with the Viewpad 1000 tablet PC) that I'd like to hook up to my HTPC. I don't have the IR receiver for this keyboard, so is it possible to use the USB-UIRT as a receiver for this (in addition to using it to control my cable box)? Any pointers on how this might work would be appreciated. Thanks in advance.

[jrhees]

The bad news is that it likely will not work. IR keyboards are rather complex in the codes they send, since they must mimick a keyboard scan -- which involves sending unique bits to represent the keyboard matrix, including scan down and scan up, etc. (This is why your PC can detect multiple simultaneous keypresses, etc.).

-Jon

[blammo]

Okay, that's unfortunate but not unexpected.... Jon, do you have any suggestions on what I might look for in order to hook up my IR keyboard? I called Viewsonic tech support, and they just said to pick up an "IR receiver" for you desktop PC and it "should work" with a generic keyboard driver.... Or am I completely SOL without the original reciever for the keyboard?

[jrhees]

You may want to go to a computer store which has keyboards set up and try some of them. Many of the IR keyboards are 'clones' of keyboards designed by Lite-On, so many use the same electronics.

-Jon

[Guest]

Thanks for the replies, Jon. I assume you mean to go the store and see if one of the keyboard receivers works with my current one? I'd like to use the Viewsonic one that I have already if possible, but if it's not going to work, I may consider picking up a new wireless keyboard one in the future. However, I was hoping to use the Viewsonic one because it has a mouse pad built into it...

One last question: you said that the USB-UIRT probably will not work. Does this mean that there is a small chance of it working? Just wanted to be clear on that. Anyway, I will probably be ordering one in the near future, so thanks again for all your help.