4 ms·

It's a bit clunky, but the only real solution is just "a computer" with an old Logitech K400 keyboard + mouse combo. You won't be "casting," (although I suppose

It's a bit clunky, but the only real solution is just "a computer" with an old Logitech K400 keyboard + mouse combo. You won't be "casting," (although I suppose you still could) rather you'll just be using the keyboard directly. This is low tech but also sort of "bomb proof." A company can't sweep the rug out from under you, your setup will always work, and given that it's literally just a computer running whatever OS you want, you can perform nearly any task with this device. You might complain "but my embedded [company] product does X." Yes, but that product will be dead in two years, and they'll keep making the UI worse, and injecting more ads. Your computer will just keep working, and changing only as much as you let it change.

wpm 2y ago
The pro move is getting a K830, a far superior keyboard/trackpad combo with backlighting. Unfortunately, also with a very weak microUSB charging port. Logitech perfected, then discontinued the best HTPC keyboard ever.
- unsui 2y ago
  2nd this. Bought 2 of them since I "lost" the first one (then later found it), and now that it's been discontinued, one of my best backup purchases ever. Daily driver for my 85" gaming TV/media center. Tried other couch keyboards, but always ended up coming back to this one.
- rchaud 2y ago
  My K400 is a decade old and running strong. I don't think I have ever needed backlit keys for general Media Centre use.
raydev 2y ago
I bought a huge and nice new Samsung TV last year and tried to pair it with a NUC running Win11, and the TV insisted on doing some weird "detecting your device, you should use our remote to control this device" bullshit with it every single time I switched inputs, such that it would miss the HDMI handshake and one side of the connection would give up and result in "no signal", and then I'd have to sleep and wake the NUC to get it to work.
jacobyoder 2y ago
We just have old macs connected via HDMI to big flat panel TVs, and remote keyboard/trackpads. That's it. It's 'clunky' but has not failed in 10 years.
andrepd 2y ago
If you want to plug your laptop on the TV and control it from your sofa, take a look at KDE Connect. It works amazing

wpm 2y ago

The pro move is getting a K830, a far superior keyboard/trackpad combo with backlighting. Unfortunately, also with a very weak microUSB charging port. Logitech perfected, then discontinued the best HTPC keyboard ever.

unsui 2y ago
2nd this. Bought 2 of them since I "lost" the first one (then later found it), and now that it's been discontinued, one of my best backup purchases ever. Daily driver for my 85" gaming TV/media center. Tried other couch keyboards, but always ended up coming back to this one.
rchaud 2y ago
My K400 is a decade old and running strong. I don't think I have ever needed backlit keys for general Media Centre use.

raydev 2y ago

I bought a huge and nice new Samsung TV last year and tried to pair it with a NUC running Win11, and the TV insisted on doing some weird "detecting your device, you should use our remote to control this device" bullshit with it every single time I switched inputs, such that it would miss the HDMI handshake and one side of the connection would give up and result in "no signal", and then I'd have to sleep and wake the NUC to get it to work.

jacobyoder 2y ago

We just have old macs connected via HDMI to big flat panel TVs, and remote keyboard/trackpads. That's it. It's 'clunky' but has not failed in 10 years.

andrepd 2y ago

If you want to plug your laptop on the TV and control it from your sofa, take a look at KDE Connect. It works amazing