I’ve been looking for a new (more versatile) remote control for my HTPC. At the moment I have to use a full-size keyboard as the remote control has no such facility. I’ve been looking for a suitable remote control with keyboard, and whilst I haven’t yet found quite the right thing I have found some interesting products…
If anyone knows of any more please post a comment below. Personally I’m hoping to see something for HTPC’s (i.e. Win 7 Media Center, etc.) that is like a cross between the sky remote and the boxee remote (the full-featured remote control like the sky has, but dual-sided like the boxee rather than flip open). A rollerball or “nipple” for mouse control would round it off beautifully 
The boxee remote with keyboard on reverse (now available on amazon US)
The Brooklyn Keymote for PS3
The Sky Navigator
Vizio TV remote
Lenovo Mini HTPC keyboard
EFO Keyboard
Logitech DiNovo Mini
Update 1…
Keysonic Wireless Mini Keyboard (cheers to Jonathan for this one – see comments on this post)
Update 2…
The iGugu InterneTV QWERTY Remote
PS3 3-in-1 remote
Another PS3 3-in-1 Remote
Update 3…
Archos DRV Remote
Tivo sliding remote
StarHub Remote
The On1 remote (can’t find any more info on this, just a pic)
Rii mini wireless keyboard
Old skool IBX100 internet.tv remote
Update 4…
Philips Home Control Dual
Motorola NYXboard
Update 5 (16-Dec-2010)…
Gyration remote control (mouse by movement, but no keyboard)
Update 6 (10-Jan-2011)…
Philips uWand Remote (cheers to Michael Stepanov)
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I finally gave up waiting for somewhere in the UK to sell the boxee remote (also known as the D-Link DSM-22) and ordered one from Amazon in the US. Means I have to pay shipping and import duty, and wait about 2 weeks for it to come. Still it was only £40 in total, not too bad
>No promises on any of these working on a PC I'm afraid, it's just a list of remote controls with keyboard. There may be 3rd party projects on the net that can get some of them working of course.That looks like a pretty decent remote to me. If it weren't for the fact that the boxee remote is now available (via Amazon US) I'd probably get one. Cheers for the link!
>Hi Jon,You list the Archos DRV Remote, but does it work with a PC? If so I will give it a try.What I have been using recently with Windows 7 is the SC-504 2.4Ghz Wireless Media Centre Trackball Remote (www.tinyurl.com/SC-504 or eBay Item number 280634976397).Works fine and I love that it has mouse and arrow keys. But a standard keyboard layout instead of the phone-style one would have been more useful.Regards,M8
>I've added the Philips uWand which looks excellent, especially as the technology will be licenced. Just a shame it isn't likely to hit the market for another 12 months.
>Cheers for that link Richard, but that looks like a fairly common full sized wireless keyboard + touchpad offering – not what I'm looking for at all. I'm looking for something that is primarily a 1-hand-operated remote control with standard remote control buttons. With the addition of a keyboard for occasional use typing in names of programs I want to record.I wonder if a microphone and voice recognition would do the trick with a standard remote control? That would be impressive
>So the boxee remote can now be had from Amazon in the US. Hopefully the UK will soon follow.I've also added another new remote I encountered. It doesn't have a keyboard – but it does have the equivalent of a mouse, and it does support RF
>You should check this ou: <a href="http://www.ebuyer.com/product/135103?utm_source=google&utm_medium=productshttp://www.ebuyer.com/product/135103?utm_source=g… />just bought it and it does the job well! Perhaps not as space saving as alternatives, but allows you to brose internet, send emails etc easily!
>Jon,Agreed, its not really in the same class, but the montion mouse pointer is cool. It was what I was going to buy before hand, and for me, using plex on my mac it just lacked the normal "lets watch TV" remote features.I really like the look of the boxee remote, but also once again, not enough buttons, I use a the apple remote now and have programmed it with click, double click and long click for each button, so a fair amount of options (I don't need a number paid with plex) but I do need to type into searches a lot.I think it will come down to boxee remote, Philips Home Control Dual or the Tivo sliding remote. I would need to remove the tivo branding and such since it annoys me, but a pretty nice feeling remote, all the needed buttons and I like the slide out keyboard.Still waiting for more information to be released on the home control dual.. still no price or release date that I can find.From just look or reviews, which is your favorite from the above list?Geet Jacobs
>Cheers for the info Geet.Sadly it doesn't provide remote control functionality, its just a novel wireless keyboard/mouse. This post is really to keep track of devices that are primarily remote controls that in addition offer a qwerty keyboardIt's still useful to know of related products though, thanks!
>Hey there, another one is missing a lot of the normal remote feel, but has wii type wireless mouse action.Fly-Mouse 2.4GHz wireless keyboard.Image link here..http://www.tomtop.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/ced77cb19565515451b3578a3bc0ea5e/2/0/20100828_img_002573.jpg
>Well, Boxee are finally getting ready to release the Boxee Box, in the US at least, in November. Hopefully it will be worldwide not US only. And hopefully the remote will be available separatelyOther than that, I still haven't found anything, but I'm still looking.
>Hi Jon, any updates on this subject?
>Agreed on the use of RF! Most remotes have a power button which can be fairly easily set up to wake the PC from standby which is what I (and I guess most other HTPCers) use.The product you mention doesn't seem to have a power button. I wonder if its possible to remap a different key to act as one though?Sadly as yet I haven't managed to figure out anything particularly good. I wondered if it was possible to get a generic IR receiver and use the sky remote via some 3rd party software. Whilst it seems possible in theory, I can't find any details of it working in practice, and the software available looks complicated and time consuming to figure out. Maybe when I've got more time to experiment…
>Would be interested if you find something suitable. I've got something similar to Amazon item B002WB1JYQ (can't seem to post a link). It's OK on your lap, but rubbish to pick up and use because you've got to hold it with one hand and peck at the keys with the other.For me, a really good remote would be similar to your description above, + use RF not IR, and be able to switch the PC on & off (may need to rewire the on/off switch to do this).